Recommended Sonos Settings for Soundsuit Playback

 

This article provides practical guidance on how to configure Sonos speakers for optimal playback with Soundsuit, depending on your usage scenario.

Correct EQ and Loudness settings ensure consistent sound quality, listening comfort, and accurate loudness behavior across the day.

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General Principle

Soundsuit music streams are professionally loudness-normalized upstream (typically −14 to −16 LUFS, EBU R128 compliant).
For most business environments, Sonos EQ features should therefore be used conservatively to avoid unwanted bass inflation, loudness jumps, or listener fatigue.

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How to find the EQ settings:

In the Sonos app, go to Settings → System → select the room (Era 100) → EQ, where you can adjust Bass, Treble, and Loudness.

 

1. Background / Business / Continuous Playback

(Typical retail, hospitality, office use)

Goal:
Consistent, comfortable sound with no surprises throughout the day.

Recommended Settings:

• Loudness: OFF

• Bass: 0 or −1

• Treble: 0 or −1

Why this works:

• Keeps the frequency response flatter and more natural

• Prevents exaggerated bass on louder tracks

• Preserves the intended balance of loudness-normalized music

✅ This is the default and recommended setup when using Soundsuit as a continuous background music solution.

 

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2. Low-Volume Ambience

(Cafés, hotel lobbies, early mornings, quiet environments)

Goal:
Warmth and musical presence at very low listening levels.

Recommended Settings:

• Loudness: ON

• Bass: 0

• Treble: 0

Why this works:

• Compensates for reduced human hearing sensitivity at low volumes

• Makes music feel fuller and present without increasing volume

⚠️ Important:
If volume is raised later in the day, disable Loudness again to avoid excessive bass and treble.

 

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3. Higher Playback Levels / Peak Hours

(Busy retail, gyms, high-energy moments)

Goal:
Control, clarity, and reduced listener fatigue.

Recommended Settings:

• Loudness: OFF

• EQ: Adjust manually only if necessary, in small steps

Why this works:

• At higher sound pressure levels (SPL), Loudness boosts can become excessive

• Reduces harshness, fatigue, and perceived loudness jumps

• Maintains a stable and controlled sound signature
   

  
   

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Best-Practice Summary

• Use Loudness OFF as your default for business playback

• Enable Loudness ON only at very low volumes, and disable it again when volume increases

• Keep EQ adjustments minimal — Soundsuit content is already optimized

If you manage multiple locations or changing dayparts, consider defining standardized speaker presets to ensure consistent sound across all sites.