Feature request for info on SB700 audio input

[PercyBottle]

I've recently added the Bose Bass Module 700 to my SB700. When playing Blu-ray discs, I'm not getting the thumping bass that was so obvious during the in-store demo. I suspect the problem may be that my TV is downgrading the 5.1 output from the Blu-ray to stereo before sending the audio to the SB700. The TV is several years old now.

My feature request is this: could the Bose Music App report what kind of audio signal it is receiving at any given time? ie, stereo, 5.1, Dolby, DTS, etc. This would help enormously with trouble-shooting.

For background info, I have:

• Blu-ray: Sony BDP-S1500 connected by HDMI to TV
• TV: Samsung PS51D550C connected by optical to SB700
• Bose Bass module 700 connected wirelessly to SB700

I do get some sound from the Bass unit, when playing movies or music, but not the rumbling that you expect for movie explosions in surround sound.

[DanEllisUK]

I've got a similar issue and have requested for Bose to display the audio format somewhere.   Until I can be sure I'm getting a 5.1 surround signal, I'm holding off from buying the Bose surround speakers and base module.

[BrianJP]

What does TV say sound output is if its Dolby Digital it should be 5.1.
However if you go back through this forum you will find lots of people unhappy about Bass levels including myself. Mine is now ok'ish but certainly not what I was expecting. Assuming you have ruled out room acoustics affecting performance there are are a few suggestions on here including one from Bose that can help ie: to reset soundbar and set up again and run Adaptiq with Bass unit disconnected then reconnect Bass unit and see if any better. I have done this and now have acceptable bass but still only achieved by raising level in adjustments to 50. My main complaint is that having spent so much ,in my case the full system ,3 weeks later I shouldn't still been my hands and knees trying to improve the sound.

[PercyBottle]

Hi @BrianJP 

Thanks for your reply. The TV has only one option available when using external speakers, and thats PCM. I have looked at the earlier forum threads regarding weak bass. I tried the reset option last night and there's no change. In fact, when I disable the bass module in the Bose Music app, it's really hard to detect any difference in the sound! I think I'll call Bose support today.

[BrianJP]

Hi
Well pcm will only give you stereo.
Sounds like you may have a fundamental problem with subwoofer or soundbar.
Its seems to me there are 3 camps here.
Those who are either happy with the performance of subwoofer etc or are saying nothing .
Those who have no output from the subwoofer.
Those who have very poor or underwhelming performance.
I hope the Bose moderators are taking note of this . Having spent almost 2K GBP on my system I am wary of anyone else listening to it for fear of criticism !

[PercyBottle]

Thanks again @BrianJP . I think you're right about the stereo. I found this in my TV manual, under the heading of "Using an Optical (Digital) Cable Connection"

"When the receiver (home theatre) is set to on, you can hear sound output from the TV’s optical jack. When the TV is receiving a DTV signal, the TV will send 5.1 CH sound to the home theatre receiver. When the source is a digital component such as a DVD / Blu-ray player / cable box / STB (Set-Top-Box) satellite receiver and is connected to the TV via HDMI, only 2 CH audio will be heard from the home theatre receiver. If you want to hear 5.1 CH audio, connect the digital audio out jack from your DVD / Blu-ray player / cable box / STB satellite receiver directly to an amplifier or home theatre."

So my TV won't pass the 5.1 from the Blu-ray through to the SB700. Looks like I need a new TV 

Unfortunately, my Blu-ray's digital output is coax, not optical, otherwise I could go directly from there to the SB700 when I watch discs.

[Goran65]

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@PercyBottle wrote:

Thanks again @BrianJP . I think you're right about the stereo. I found this in my TV manual, under the heading of "Using an Optical (Digital) Cable Connection"

"When the receiver (home theatre) is set to on, you can hear sound output from the TV’s optical jack. When the TV is receiving a DTV signal, the TV will send 5.1 CH sound to the home theatre receiver. When the source is a digital component such as a DVD / Blu-ray player / cable box / STB (Set-Top-Box) satellite receiver and is connected to the TV via HDMI, only 2 CH audio will be heard from the home theatre receiver. If you want to hear 5.1 CH audio, connect the digital audio out jack from your DVD / Blu-ray player / cable box / STB satellite receiver directly to an amplifier or home theatre."

So my TV won't pass the 5.1 from the Blu-ray through to the SB700. Looks like I need a new TV 

Unfortunately, my Blu-ray's digital output is coax, not optical, otherwise I could go directly from there to the SB700 when I watch discs.

You can get a Coax to Optical converter for about $25 and they work great.

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[DanEllisUK]

@PercyBottle 

I'm looking to get one of these HDMI switches with built-in audio extractor:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/XOLORspace-Matrix-switcher-select-supports-4x2-4k-60hz-HDMI-HDR-ARC-x/dp/B0...

I've not ordered it yet because I want to be sure it is working the way I expect it does, and for this I need the Bose Soundbar 700 to display the audio format it is receiving.   This is the reason this feature request is so important.

Having the soundbar display the audio format will help people understand if their TV is a problem, and will give people options to either buy an audio extractor (and be sure it works), or buy a new TV (and be sure it works).    This is important because if you ask a salesman if a TV will pass through 5.1 dolby digital, the answer will obviously be Yes! (even if they don't know!)

[Tony_A]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for writing in and providing your feedback!

We have raised this request to our development teams but there are no updates at this time.  But, @DanEllisUK has a great recommendation to look into an HDMI splitter with audio extractor.  If someone does try this, it would be great to hear the feedback on the performance difference.  

If we hear anything, we'll be sure to let everyone know.

Warm Regards,

Tony A - Community Support 

[PercyBottle]

So I bought this gadget today: https://www.jaycar.com.au/digital-audio-converter-repeater/p/AC1592

It does the job perfectly. Thanks for your suggestion @Goran65. I'm sure your gadget would also work, @DanEllisUK 

So now I have my Blu-ray player audio going via coax cable to the above converter, then optical feeding to the SB700. I've also re-directed my optical out from the TV (which was previously going direct to SB700) into the converter. Now I can just flick the switch on the side of the converter to choose been TV (and all the video sources that feed into that) or the Blu-ray.

Now I finally get the thumping bass happening in my Bose 700 Base Module that I was expecting when watching Blu-ray movies. Happy at last!

I won't mark this thread as resolved, however, because the original request was for diagnostic info in the Bose Music App to tell us what kind of audio is being received. Thank you @Tony_A for passing this request to the developers. I'm sure I would have reached this point sooner if that info was available.