Bluesound Surround Sound

[J_B]

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number)

Latest version on a Linux machine

Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)

Wifi and Ethernet combo

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)

Bluesound Surround Sound (5.1) System. This includes a Soundbar 2i (l/c/r) and a Flex 2 (rear) and a Flex 2i (rear) a wired sub is also attached to the Soundbar.

Description Of Issue

I can play multichannel music in the native BluOS software; however, when I try in Roon it down mixes to 2 ch. How do I setup the 5.1 to work with roon?

[J_B]

Hi Roon folks, is this something you can help me with? Do you need more info?

[Rob_BrownGHF (Robert Brown)]

I’ve had poor luck in getting 5.1 tracks played through any system within Roon except AV receivers, I was hoping someone else might be able to @support.

This also applies to B&W Formation 5.1 configuration and Linn Surround configuration. They are seen as stereo endpoints regardless of their configuration.

One way of getting surround sound would be using the HDMI output of a Roon Nucleus/core as an endpoint into the Bluesound Soundbar 2i and let the Bluesound distribute it internally.

[john (John Iburg)]

Hello @J_B,

It is not currently possible to stream multichannel content to Bluesound surround sound setups without downmixing using Roon Ready.

We’re going to reach out to Bluesound and clarify what the BluOS application is doing when playing multichannel content.

-John

[J_B]

Ok, thanks for the info.

[J_B]

Hi, any update on this?

[john (John Iburg)]

Hello @J_B,

BluOS does not support network playback of multichannel files, regardless of source.

-John

[J_B]

So I’ve been testing some of my multichannel albums and BluOS is working with multichannel flacs. Do you mean it’s not officially supported?