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Sonos este o companie americană, lider în domeniul tehnologiei audio, cunoscută mai ales pentru sistemele audio wireless, multiroom, revoluționare, care facilitează streamingul de muzică și de alte tipuri de conținut, în întreaga locuință. Compania continuă să inoveze, creând boxe wireless, sisteme home theater, căști, componente de arhitectură audio și soluții audio integrate, pentru acasă, ce revoluționează modul în care oamenii ascultă și se conectează la sunet.

Perhaps you’ve noticed a recent uptick in music streaming services advertising “lossless audio.” As technology improves, more of these services have been able to improve their song libraries by supporting higher-resolution formats. That’s good news for the millions of music lovers who have adopted streaming as their go-to means of listening to music. But to take full advantage of this shift, it helps to know what lossless audio actually is and whether your preferred streaming service actually supports it.

Lossless audio can be a confusing term, especially since so many streaming services are now beginning to offer tiers or packages that distinguish between “lossy” and “lossless” file formats. The idea is that lossless audio means higher quality, and this is generally true — though it helps to understand the 

 before you rush to upgrade your audio setup.

Let’s define lossless audio and walk through what you need to listen to it at home.

The term “lossless audio” describes compressed 

 that retain all of the audio information from the original recording. This is in contrast to “lossy audio,” which describes compressed file formats that delete some of the original audio information.

It’s important to note that both lossless and lossy audio files go through a process called compression, which involves shrinking the size of the file so that it takes up less storage space. Compression certainly has its benefits — it makes files easier to store locally and requires less internet bandwidth for uninterrupted streaming. But the compression process can result in the loss of some audio data, which some people may be able to detect as inferior quality.

What’s lost in a “lossy” audio file?

To understand what’s lost in a “lossy” file, it helps to know how sample rate and bit depth work. Together, these two measurements tell us something about a digital audio file’s sound quality.

 Digital audio files take a certain number of snapshots of a recording’s original soundwave, then stitch these together to form a reproduction of the original recording. The more snapshots taken, the higher the sample rate — and the higher the sample rate, the higher the quality.

It also helps if each of these snapshots is capturing the entire soundwave, or just a portion of it. Digital recordings that capture more of the range between loud and quiet are said to have a higher 

Combine a high-enough sample rate with a high-enough bit depth, and you get a compressed digital reproduction that’s basically indistinguishable from the original recording. In other words, you get “lossless audio.” But if the compression process favors a lower sample rate and bit depth in favor of a smaller file size, it may result in a “lossy” audio file.

Person doing yoga in front of a white Beam placed under a tv

Lossless audio is already available on a number of popular streaming services. Apple Music, for example, touts a proprietary lossless audio compression technology called 

. Amazon Music subscribers can also find lossless audio at two tiers of quality: 

High Definition and Ultra High Definition

Both Apple Music and Amazon Music define “lossless audio” as starting at CD quality (or 16-bit). You may not think of CDs as the most cutting-edge technology, but standard CD quality audio was originally determined to be high enough that the human ear could not detect a difference between CD quality and the original recording. 

 show that some people may be able to hear beyond that with training, but if you’re looking for the shortest path to lossless audio, consider dusting off your old CD collection.

Is lossless audio better than regular audio?

The short answer is yes. Lossless audio offers a better and richer sound experience than lossy audio alternatives, which have become the “regular audio” standard thanks to the rise of streaming services.

But for the best listening experience, nothing beats a quality speaker. The difference between an Apple ALAC file and an Amazon Ultra High Definition file is relatively small, but your cell phone’s built-in speaker won’t do either of them justice. To really benefit from lossless audio technology, you’ll need equipment that can handle it.

What do I need to listen to lossless audio?

Lossless audio is much more attainable than it used to be, and a quality speaker or headphones should be all you need. Since lossless audio covers a wider range of frequencies than lossy audio, your speakers should be able to handle frequencies within the full range of human hearing (generally 20 Hz to 20 kHz).

You can even listen to lossless audio wirelessly with Sonos products. Our 

Yes, though this hasn’t always been the case. It’s exceedingly difficult to transmit audio data over Bluetooth without at least a bit of compression, so most Bluetooth speakers and earbuds don’t support lossless audio. Sonos Ace is among a relatively small class of headphones that can achieve lossless audio with a Bluetooth connection. For other headphones and speakers like 

, Bluetooth can still deliver impressively clear sound, though you’ll want to connect via WiFi for the best audio experience.

Person lounging outdoors while listening to Soft White Sonos Ace headphones

You may have heard of other terms used to describe high-quality audio, but how do terms like “hi-fi” and “spatial audio” relate to lossless? Let’s take a look.

Because the term “lossless” relates specifically to digital file compression, lossless audio typically describes audio formats that don’t lose any of the original signal in the process of compression. You’d describe an audio coding format such as Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) as “lossless,” but you wouldn’t use the term to describe, say, a set of premium speakers.

, or hi-fi for short, usually describes a full system or setup that’s capable of reproducing audio from the original recording with a high degree of exactness. So, a hi-fi setup would include speakers, an 

, or hi-res audio for short, is related to lossless audio but not exactly the same.

Above, we mentioned that compression can result in a lossy audio file or a lossless audio file. 

But an audio file does not need to be compressed at all

. Uncompressed formats can support even higher bit depths and sampling rates than some lossless audio formats.

The term “hi-res audio” tends to bucket together lossless and uncompressed formats that achieve a certain sound quality — typically superior to that of a CD.

 describes an immersive, three-dimensional listening experience that makes you feel as if sounds are coming from all directions. Spatial audio technologies like 

 add the sense of height to audio playback that more closely reflects how you hear sound in real life. This can be an impressive feature of a 

Lossless audio has become a buzzy topic in recent years, as people have realized that even the best sound systems can’t compensate for lossy streaming quality. The good news is that more and more streaming services are debuting their own lossless formats, and we may be fast-approaching a day when lossless audio compression becomes the norm. To prepare yourself for that eventuality, upgrade to a Sonos 

 that can support lossless audio quality over WiFi.

Parent and child making crafts while listening to a black Move 2

What Is Lossless Audio — And How To Stream It at Home

We know that too many of you have experienced significant problems with our new app which rolled out on May 7, and I want to begin by personally apologizing for disappointing you. There isn’t an employee at Sonos who isn’t pained by having let you down, and I assure you that fixing the app for all of our customers and partners has been and continues to be our 

We developed the new app to create a better experience, with the ability to drive more innovation in the future, and with the knowledge that it would get better over time. However, since launch we have found a number of issues. Fixing these issues has delayed our prior plan to quickly incorporate missing features and functionality.

Since May 7, we have released new software updates approximately every two weeks, each making significant and meaningful improvements, adding features and fixing bugs. Please see the 

 for detailed information on what has been released to date.

While these software updates have enabled the majority of our customers to have a robust experience using the Sonos app, there is more work to be done. We have prioritized the following improvements in our next phase of software updates:

Improving the stability when adding new products

Implementing Music Library configuration, browse, search, and play

User interface improvements based on customer feedback

Improving overall system stability and error handling

Improving Alarm consistency and reliability

Restoring edit mode for Playlists and the Queue

We plan to continue releasing new software updates on a bi-weekly cadence. With each release, we will share 

 and what we’re working on next in our 

We deeply appreciate your patience as we address these issues. We know we have work to do to earn back your trust and are working hard to do just that. I am always open to your feedback, you can find me via email at 

Two people using the Sonos app to control their Sonos system

Update on the Sonos app from Patrick

A speaker amplifier, or “amp” for short, is an electronic device that boosts an audio signal’s power to a level that can be heard through speakers or headphones. Some form of a speaker amp is necessary regardless of whether you’re playing music from a turntable, a laptop, or a CD player. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need to invest in a standalone amp, as many amps these days are built into the speakers themselves.

In this guide, we’ll review the basics of speaker amplification and help you decide if you need an amp for your setup.

To explain the job of a speaker amp within the context of a home audio setup, let’s start with an example of what an audio signal can sound like 

If you play a vinyl record before connecting or turning on your speakers, you’ll notice a faint sound of music emanating from the turntable itself. Sometimes referred to as “needle talk," this sound is actually the vibration of your record player’s stylus as it runs along the record’s groove. Without amplification, this vibration can sound high-pitched and whisper-quiet. Before you can enjoy it as music, it must be converted into an electrical signal and made louder. Much louder.

A speaker amp is the device responsible for boosting — or 

 — this electrical signal so that it can be heard from your speakers as music. Think of an amp as the muscle of your audio setup, taking a weak signal from your audio device and pumping it up to a level that can drive your 

So, the speaker amplifier’s primary job is to increase the volume of your audio. But an amp has other responsibilities, too. It helps to regulate the level of power supplied to your speakers so they don’t get pushed beyond their limits and damaged. An amp can even shape your sound in various ways, from reducing distortion to adjusting the audio signal’s tone and frequency to suit your preferences (a process known as equalization, or EQ).

A speaker amplifier works by taking a weak electrical signal from your musical source — like a turntable or CD player — and increasing its 

. Amplitude is a measurement of a sound wave’s strength, with higher amplitude sound waves creating louder sounds and lower amplitude sound waves creating quieter sounds.

Once the audio signal is amplified, the amp sends it to the speakers. The powered signal then creates vibrations in the speaker cone, which generate sound waves that your ears hear as music.

Most amps come with controls that allow you to fine-tune the sound and adjust the gain, which refers to how much the audio signal is boosted before it’s sent to the speakers. More gain means more volume, but too much gain can distort the sound quality and result in a phenomenon called “clipping,” whereby the tops and bottoms of the sound wave are chopped off because the amp can’t handle the full breadth of the signal. Not only can this sound unpleasant, but it can also damage your speakers by pushing them beyond their maximum capacity.

Fortunately, most high-quality amplifiers have built-in protections to prevent any damage resulting from excessive gain. These amps may limit the amount of power sent to the speakers to avoid issues like overheating and tearing of the speaker cone.

One point to underline here is that, regardless of its type, an amp relies on electricity to work, so it will need to be either plugged into an electrical outlet or powered by a battery.

Amp placed next to a turntable on a shelf

 to listen to music or watch movies with your 

. But if you’re looking for the amp in your home audio setup and can’t find it, there may be a good reason.

While an amp is always a necessary component, it isn’t always a 

 component. Most Sonos speakers, for example, include a built-in amp so they’re ready to play right out of the box. These are called 

, or powered speakers, because they actively generate their own power and don’t require an external amp.

Speakers without built-in amplifiers are commonly referred to as passive speakers. These speaker types are often used in 

, where the speakers are discreetly installed into a room’s walls or ceiling. Passive speakers require power from an external amp, like our WiFi-enabled 

 will largely depend on your audio setup and your willingness to pair your speakers with an external amplifier. A 

 with in-ceiling or in-wall speakers will likely require a separate amp for power. But you can also achieve phenomenally realistic surround sound with, say, a pair of Sonos 

 speakers, each of which includes six class-D digital amplifiers to power your sound experience.

If you’re set on including architectural or outdoor speakers in your home audio system, you’ll need a high-quality amplifier that can deliver enough power for multiroom listening. That’s where 

 can help. With 125 watts per channel, it has more than enough power to produce high volumes with clear, undistorted sound. Whether your goal is a 

 or a smart home with seamless control, Amp is all the amp you’ll ever need.

What Is a Speaker Amplifier (And Do You Need One)?

They say actions speak louder than words, but that’s cold comfort when you’re straining to hear the dialogue on your favorite TV show. Smart, snappy, and (most of all) intelligible dialogue is the backbone of the best films and shows, but the wrong audio setup can make it hard to parse key conversations between characters.

There are a number of ways to tackle this issue, from tweaking your TV’s audio settings to investing in a proper home theater system. We’ve put together a guide with five steps toward improving and upgrading your TV’s sound, so that you’ll never have to settle for subtitles again.

1. Check the audio settings on your streaming service

If the dialogue in your streamed film or TV show sounds muffled, start by checking the audio settings on your streaming service. Though most streaming services can automatically detect and adjust to the audio capabilities of your device, this doesn’t always work as intended.

For example, many Netflix titles support streaming in 

 through just any old device — you’ll need a system that supports it, too. Netflix isn’t always great at realizing this, and it may default to 5.1 surround sound even when it doesn’t detect an appropriate 5.1 system. This mismatch may result in subpar sound, so always be sure to check that the audio settings on your streaming service match your setup’s capabilities.

Downmixing is usually a fairly precise process, but it can sometimes result in dialogue that sounds a bit garbled or undermixed. As such, it’s best to make sure that your streaming service’s audio settings match your device’s capabilities. The built-in speakers on your laptop or TV may only support 

, so chances are you’ll have to upgrade to a 

 before you can enjoy high-quality streamed audio.

Tip: Look for speech-enhanced versions of your favorite titles

Even if there’s nothing technically wrong with your audio levels, you may want to give the dialogue a bit of extra boost. Maybe you’re watching an action movie with massive explosions and hushed dialogue, or maybe your ears are battling with heavy accents.

If so, we have good news: some services, like Amazon Prime, offer speech-enhanced versions of certain content titles. Check to see if there’s one for your favorite show before streaming.

If everything looks good with the audio settings on your streaming service, your next stop should be the settings menu on your TV. This is true even if you aren’t using your TV’s built-in speakers, as the audio output settings on your TV can also be responsible for gumming up the sounds emanating from your home theater setup.

When it comes to muddy and unintelligible dialogue, the lowest frequencies are often the biggest offenders. The same bass frequencies that add a deep, rich oomph to explosions and orchestral soundtracks can make it nearly impossible to decipher what someone is saying. That’s because most human speech actually falls in the midrange of frequencies, and these can be drowned out if the bass is overemphasized.

So, it may well be that the bass frequencies on your TV are set too high. But instead of fine-tuning the individual frequencies or 

, you might want to first try out some different preset audio modes to see if one solves the issue. Many TVs come with audio modes that specifically emphasize the human voice. Look for a setting labeled “Speech” or “Dialogue”; if you can’t find one, try out other presets that increase the midrange frequencies in your TV’s audio.

Some TVs even offer a feature called dynamic range compression, which essentially levels out sound differences so that quiet sounds are louder and louder sounds are quieter. This can make dialogue louder and more intelligible without actually having to turn the volume up on your TV. Sure, a dramatic cymbal crash or explosion may not have the same chest-rumbling effect, but at least you’ll be able to follow along (and avoid complaints from your neighbors).

Family watching TV with white Beam, Sub Mini, and Era 100 pair

Your TV’s speakers can only take you so far. These built-in speakers tend to be quite small and capable of handling only a limited range of frequencies. If your goal is audio with the highest degree of clarity and detail, consider adding a soundbar.

Even from a position directly beneath your TV, a 

 can create multidimensional audio that immerses you in sound as if it’s coming from all directions. Some premium soundbars, like 

 that fires sound in all directions, bringing more clarity to dialogue even if it’s merely a whisper.

Short of adding actual surround sound speakers to your 

, a soundbar is the best way to achieve cinematic sound at home. It’s also a great option if you’re limited on space and prefer a setup without the need for hard wiring, as many soundbars are designed to fit right in whether they’re placed atop furniture or mounted on the wall.

If you’re ready to permanently stomp out the problem of unintelligible audio — and add dramatic clarity to every other part of your audio experience — a multi-speaker setup is the logical next step. A soundbar serves as a perfect basis for this type of setup. From there, you can add a pair of rear speakers and a 

, as its name implies, describes an audio setup that immerses you in sound from multiple angles — left, right, front, back, and above. A surround sound system with Dolby Atmos expands this immersive experience even further, firing sounds skyward so that they reflect off the ceiling and come raining down from above. You can achieve a realistic, spatial audio experience with just a soundbar, but nothing beats a 

Man watching TV with a black Arc and Sonos Ace headphones

Of course, investing in an entire home theater system may not be in the cards. Or perhaps you live in a place with neighbors or roommates who won’t take kindly to a full surround sound system. If you’re watching alone, there’s no faster route to crisp, clear dialogue than a pair of good headphones.

This is true even if you do have an existing home theater setup. For example, with 

, you can swap the TV audio from your Sonos soundbar to your headphones for a private surround sound experience. So, if you’ve exhausted your patience with audio settings menus or simply can’t wait to dive into the latest episode of your favorite show, wirelessly connect your headphones and let the dialogue flow.

Isn’t it nice to know you’re not alone? Trouble understanding TV dialogue is a common complaint, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re hard of hearing. Every Sonos product is built to achieve stunningly clear audio, and dialogue is no exception. We turned to Oscar-winning sound engineers to help tune our 

, so that even the slightest whisper rings with clarity. And with added features like 

 available in the Sonos app, you’ll never reach for the subtitles button again.

Couple watching tv in the living room with home theater surround sound system with Arc Ultra, Sub 4 and a pair of Era 300

How to Hear Dialogue Better When Watching TV Shows and Movies

There’s a lot to love about headphones. For starters, nothing is better at blocking out the bustle of a crowded office or subway car. But the right pair of headphones can do much more than that, inviting you into an immersive listening experience where the music seems to be coming from all around you.

Is it possible to love your headphones too much? We’re not here to answer that question, but we do want to shed some light on some more common questions about headphone safety. So, if you’ve ever wondered how loud is “too loud” or if you should limit your daily listening time, you’ve come to the right place.

Bluetooth headphones are widely considered to be safe for general use, and no study to date has linked Bluetooth technology to health risks.

Wireless Bluetooth devices use a type of electromagnetic radiation (EMF) known as radiofrequency radiation (RF). This is the same kind emitted by smartphones, televisions, laptop computers, and many other common consumer electronic devices.

There are two types of RF radiation: ionizing and non-ionizing. Bluetooth radiation is of the non-ionizing variety. The ionizing type — the kind found in X-rays, for example — can pose some health risks with repeated or prolonged exposure. But non-ionizing radiation is generally thought to be harmless to humans.

How long should you wear headphones at a time?

Listening to loud sounds for an extended period of time can damage your hearing. But how loud is too loud? The answer depends on several factors, including not only the 

Let’s apply this to headphones, which typically have an output ranging from 60 decibels (dB) to about 110 dB. Note that the volume bar on your phone or audio device does not directly translate to decibels, but it’s usually safe to assume that 50–60% of the volume meter puts you in the 80–85 dB range.

 from the World Health Organization, you can safely listen to sounds at 100 dB for only 15 minutes a day. Note that we said 

— not just music. So if your commute involves waiting for a screeching subway train (about 100 dB), you should shave a few minutes off your day’s headphone use, especially if you tend to listen at high volumes.

You can expand your listening time by taking a few practical steps, such as giving yourself short listening breaks and using earplugs to reduce the volume of loud environments such as concerts and sporting events.

We mentioned above that this question depends not just on loudness, but also on the duration and frequency of exposure. With that in mind, some volumes can be safely listened to for up to an hour or more, while others can cause hearing loss within a matter of minutes.

 notes that exposure to sounds of 80–85 dBs (about equal to the 50–60% mark on your device’s volume meter) can cause damage to hearing after two hours of exposure. The duration of safe-listening time goes down from there, with sounds of 95 dBs leading to possible hearing damage after 50 minutes, and sounds of 100 dBs (close to max volume) causing possible hearing loss after only 15 minutes.

Most consumer headphones max out at volumes that are quite a bit higher than the 100 dB threshold, so you need to take some care and avoid the temptation to crank it up. If there’s one song you really need to hear in all its glory, we get it — but try to offset this with listening at lower levels, or for shorter durations.

When it comes to loudness, the headphones you choose matter, too.

A good, snug fit goes a long way in blocking out excess noise, so you can clearly hear music at lower volumes. This is especially true if you typically listen to headphones in a noisy or crowded environment, such as on your commute to work. “Snug” shouldn’t mean “uncomfortable,” though. That’s why Sonos Ace headphones come with memory foam ear cushions and an extendable headband.

Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation, like Sonos Ace, also block out external sounds and make it easier to listen at lower volumes without feeling like you’re missing something.

Can headphones cause a dent in your head?

 have spread throughout the online-gaming community. This term describes an arch-shaped divot imprinted into the skull after wearing headphones for hours, days, or even weeks at a time. Here’s the good news: It is 

 that wearing headphones will cause a dent in your head.

If this happens to you, what you’re probably experiencing is simply a dent in your hair or skin caused by a prolonged period of wear. This can happen with any head accessory, and reports of similar indentations are associated with hats, headbands, and even sunglasses. In any case, it should clear up within a few minutes or hours. If you’re experiencing pain, it’s probably a sign that you should adjust the fit of your headphones or try adding some extra padding by wearing a hat or a beanie under them.

This is probably related to the age-old myth that wearing a hat can cause hair loss, and there is no concrete evidence to back it up.

The legality of driving while wearing headphones varies from state to state, and from country to country. And in many places, it’s not as simple as “yes” or “no.” Some U.S. states, for example, ban over-ear headphones but allow using a single earbud. Other states and countries may also have a law against driving with headphones that provides exceptions for those with hearing impairments.

Before getting behind the driver’s seat with headphones, check with your local authorities. The EU maintains an official website where you can review the 

. In the US and in other jurisdictions, you’ll need to contact local authorities to verify the current road rules.

But is driving with headphones a good idea — even if it’s not explicitly illegal? Keep in mind that listening to loud music while driving can impair both your hearing and your attention on the road, and make you more likely to miss important signals. In almost every case, it’s better just to not.

Listening to music at night can help to block out the constant ringing noise associated with tinnitus, while recorded meditations or ambient noise can also get the mind calm and sleep-ready.

It is generally safe to sleep with headphones on, though a few caveats apply:

What Is Lossless Audio — And How To Stream It at Home

Update on the Sonos app from Patrick

What Is a Speaker Amplifier (And Do You Need One)?

How to Hear Dialogue Better When Watching TV Shows and Movies

The Ultimate Guide to Wearing Headphones

Things To Consider When Choosing New Headphones

Which Is Best: Over-Ear vs. On-Ear vs. In-Ear Headphones

How Do Noise-Canceling Headphones Work?

Active vs. Passive Speakers: Which Is Best For Your Home?

What Is Phase on a Subwoofer (And How To Adjust It)

5.1 vs 7.1 Surround Sound: What's the Difference?

The Beginner's Guide to Surround Sound

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