I have been a user of Sonos Arc for many years and was excited to see the new version. Sonos Arc Ultra Excitement The following are some examples of how to get started: skepticism.
The original Arc is a mainstay in my home theater setup. It integrates seamlessly with Sonos and delivers Dolby Atmos audio.
The Arc Ultra promised upgrades in sound quality and design as well as connectivity. I was curious to see if the product could justify its price.
After spending some time with Ultra, it is clear that Sonos haven’t only refined their flagship soundbar. They’ve reimagined the possibilities of a standalone system. Will it be enough to tempt Arc owners like myself to make the jump? Let’s take a look.
Sonos Arc Ultra was released on the 29th of October and is its latest flagship soundbar. The price is $999. It comes in either black or white.
This new release represents a slight increase in price over its predecessor, Arc. The original Arc is now discontinued and being sold at reduced rates to clear remaining stock.
The Arc Ultra is a competitor in a market that includes the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 as well as the Samsung HWQ990D. Both have compelling features, and at times significant discounts.
Design and Build
Visually, Arc Ultra is very similar to the original Arc. It maintains Sonos’ minimalistic aesthetic, with a perforated mesh grille covering most of the chassis. However, subtle changes include a ledge at the back housing touch controls — play/pause, skip, volume slider, and a voice control button — relocated from the main grille.
The dimensions of the soundbar have been slightly adjusted: It is now wider, at 118cm. (up from 112cm), and shorter in height, at 7.5cm. (down from 8cm). This reduces the possibility that the TV screen will be obstructed when it is placed in front. Arc Ultra’s weight is approximately 350g lighter than its predecessor. It can also be wall mounted.
The design calls for an open installation, as placing the speaker in a nook under a bookcase or under a shelf could prevent it from firing upwards. This is essential to maximizing sound dispersion.
Features and connectivity
The Arc Ultra has a 9.1.4-channel setup, a huge upgrade over the original Arc’s 5.0.2 configuration. It features 14 drivers, powered by Class D amplifiers. These include seven tweeters, 6 midrange woofers and a Sound Motion Woofer.
This innovative woofer employs four smaller and lighter motors that move the cone. According to Sonos this enables greater air displacement resulting in up to double the bass of the Arc. Dual-cone technology also reduces mechanical vibrations to produce a more balanced sound.
Arc Ultra does not support DTS audio formats. Instead, it focuses solely on Dolby atmos spatial audio. The connectivity options are limited with only a single HDMI port, and no HDMI inputs. All external sources need to be connected through the television. This may be a problem for users who have multiple high-spec gaming consoles and limited HDMI 2.0 ports on their televisions.
Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar, front and rear views (top view).
Arc Ultra’s Bluetooth support is a first among Sonos soundbars. It also extends Sonos Trueplay’s excellent calibration support for Android devices to improve user accessibility.
It is a good way to get started
In terms of audio performance, the Arc Ultra delivers a clean, precise, and spacious soundstage with impressive three-dimensionality. The deep, expressive bass provides a solid base without overpowering the overall sound profile.
The new speaker array aimed at the center channel has enhanced the clarity of dialogue. This ensures crisp and clear speech reproduction. The soundbar excels at retrieving subtle nuances from various content types.
The absence of HDMI passthrough or DTS may limit some users. Despite the fact that the Sonos App offers a wide range of customization and control options, users have also reported some issues which could negatively impact the overall user experience.
How Arc Ultra compares to its Rivals
The Arc Ultra is a superior product in terms of design and sound quality when compared to other competitors such as the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 or the Samsung HWQ990D.
Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 has a higher price tag, but is often discounted to resemble the Arc Ultra. The Bravia Theatre Bar 9 has a rich feature set that includes HDMI passthrough as well as support for Dolby ATmos and DTS-X formats. Users with a variety of content sources will benefit from the Bravia Theatre Bar 9’s comprehensive features.
The Samsung HWQ990D is more expensive but includes a surround speaker and a subwoofer that delivers a surround sound experience. The Samsung HW-Q990D has a wider range of connectivity options, including multiple HDMI inputs, and supports a variety of audio formats. This makes it an excellent choice for those looking for a complete home theater system.
Arc Ultra Upgrade Worth it?
Sonos’ app has received criticism over the years, despite its sleek design, robust control options and occasional connectivity problems.
Users frequently report frustration with delays in updates, problems adding new devices, or issues syncing between ecosystems. These problems are particularly frustrating, given that Sonos products come at a premium price and users expect seamless integration.
The app still has room for improvements, even though the recent updates addressed many of these issues. This is particularly true because competitors are constantly improving their platforms. The app was a bit buggy when I first tried it (with Sonos’ Ace headphones, which are fantastic over-the ears), but now the app is much more mature and doesn’t hinder the setup.
The Sonos Arc Ultra, however, is still a significant improvement over its predecessor. It provides enhanced bass performance and dialogue clarity as well as an immersive soundstage.
Its elegant design and increased connectivity options, such as Bluetooth and Trueplay, make it an appealing choice for those looking for a soundbar that offers high quality and is all-in-one. Potential buyers may consider the lack of HDMI support and DTS.
Overall, Arc Ultra offers a superior soundbar experience that will elevate your home audio. This makes it a strong contender in the premium market.
This article credits Sonos for the Arc Ultra images.