Portable Sonos speakers tune themselves. Automatic Trueplay is available on the Move, Move 2, Play, Roam and Roam 2 in WiFi and Bluetooth modes, needs the microphone enabled, starts tuning when you play audio and re-tunes as you play new content or move the speaker; you may notice a change when it adjusts. Turn it on or off from the Sonos app: Settings, Your System, the speaker, Sound, Trueplay, Auto Trueplay tuning. It works on a single portable, a stereo pair or two portables as surrounds, with both microphones enabled.
Beyond Trueplay, the EQ lets you change Bass, Treble and Loudness, which boosts bass at low volume. If the sound is thin or boomy after a move, check that auto Trueplay is on, that the microphone is on and that the speaker is not against a wall or on the floor in a corner. In Bluetooth mode the same auto Trueplay applies, except that a Move with the Google Assistant loses it in Bluetooth mode. Sound quality over Bluetooth also depends on the source's codec and a strong connection.
Differential
Likely causes of “Sonos portable speakers sounds distorted, muffled or unbalanced”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Auto Trueplay is off
What separates it The sound does not adapt to the room because auto Trueplay is off
How to confirm Turn auto Trueplay on in the app, and play some music
- 2
The microphone is disabled
What separates it Auto Trueplay cannot tune because the microphone is disabled
How to confirm Enable the microphone, since auto Trueplay needs it to tune the sound
- 3
The speaker is against a wall or in a corner
What separates it The bass is boomy because the speaker is against a wall or in a corner
How to confirm Move the speaker into the open, away from walls and corners
- 4
EQ is extreme
What separates it The sound is muddy or thin because the EQ is extreme
How to confirm Reset Bass, Treble and Loudness to neutral, and listen again
- 5
A weak Bluetooth link
What separates it The sound is choppy or thin because the Bluetooth link is weak
How to confirm Move the source closer to the speaker, and check the sound again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The product and mode: WiFi or Bluetooth
- Where it sits and whether it moved
- Whether auto Trueplay and the microphone are on
- The EQ settings that are set in the app
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck auto Trueplay
ReversibleCheck auto Trueplay, in Settings, your speaker, Sound and Trueplay, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the microphone
ReversibleCheck the microphone, and make sure that it is enabled for the speaker, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Move the speaker
ReversibleMove the speaker, and put it in the open, away from walls and corners, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Play something
ReversiblePlay something, since auto Trueplay tunes the sound as you play, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Adjust EQ
ReversibleAdjust the EQ, in Settings, Sound and EQ, keeping the settings close to neutral, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the link
ReversibleCheck the link, and keep the Bluetooth source close to the speaker, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Contact Sonos
ReversibleContact Sonos Support if the sound is distorted after these steps, giving them the model.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Auto Trueplay
- Sonos lists the Move, Move 2, Play, Roam and Roam 2; a Move with the Google Assistant loses auto Trueplay in Bluetooth mode.
- EQ
- Bass, Treble and Loudness are in Settings, Sound, EQ, and an EQ Shortcut can be enabled in App Preferences.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Roam 2 speaker.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the sound is distorted at low volume with neutral EQ, contact Sonos Support
- !If auto Trueplay never runs, contact Sonos, and give them the model
- !If one speaker of a pair sounds different, check both microphones
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Supported portables, WiFi and Bluetooth modes and how to toggle it.
EQ steps and what Bass, Treble and Loudness do.
Auto Trueplay with the microphone on.
Subtle changes and using the EQ.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Do portables tune themselves?+
Yes, automatic Trueplay on the Move, Move 2, Play, Roam and Roam 2.
Does auto Trueplay work on Bluetooth?+
Yes, in WiFi and Bluetooth modes, with a Google Assistant exception on a Move.
Do I need the microphone?+
Yes, the microphone must be enabled, for auto Trueplay to tune the speaker.
Does it re-tune?+
Yes, as you play new content and change location.
Will I hear it change?+
You may notice a change when the adjustment takes place.
What does Loudness do?+
It boosts frequencies including bass at low volumes.
Can I turn it off?+
Yes, you can turn it off from the Trueplay menu, if you prefer.
Does a stereo pair tune?+
Yes, a stereo pair tunes, when the microphones on both speakers are on.
Why is the bass boomy?+
Speaker placement; move it away from walls.
Does the dock reduce battery life?+
No. Sonos says leaving a Move 2 on its dock long-term will not reduce lifespan.