When it comes to surround sound, many of us remember the days when you had to get a lot of speakers to connect to an audio receiver connected to your TV or cable box to get that immersive sound. Today, the number of speakers and wiring needed to achieve that perfect immersive surround experience has dwindled thanks to companies like Sonos and their new smart speakers and soundbars. I was recently sent Sonos's new smart soundbar, Arc Ultra, and got to test it in the same environment I tested the original Sonos Arc Soundbar. What an experience that was for me. See below my review of what I learned and experienced testing this powerful, easy-to-use smart soundbar.
Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar unboxed
GearBrain
Transform your living room into a cinematic oasis with the Sonos Arc Ultra, a premium soundbar engineered to deliver theater-quality sound and a spine-tingling audio experience. Featuring state-of-the-art transducer technology and Dolby Atmos®, the Arc Ultra creates immersive, multidimensional soundscapes that elevate every movie, show, and soundtrack. Whether mounted or placed on a credenza, this sleek, curved design perfectly complements large TVs while blending seamlessly into your space.
Dive into an expansive audio experience with the Arc Ultra’s 9.1.4 spatial audio capability, powered by 14 Sonos-engineered drivers. At its core, the soundbar boasts innovations like the Sound Motion woofer and precision-engineered tweeters equipped with waveguides for immersive sound placement. Every whisper, crash, and note is expertly positioned within your space to envelop you in the content.
Optimize your sound with Trueplay tuning technology, which customizes audio performance to match your room's unique acoustics. Trueplay is now available for iOS and Android devices, making achieving the perfect sound stage easier than ever.
Never miss a word with the Arc Ultra’s cutting-edge center channel architecture, designed to elevate vocal clarity. The soundbar’s advanced Speech Enhancement feature, accessible via the Sonos app, allows you to adjust dialogue clarity to your liking, ensuring every conversation and whisper comes through crisp and clear—even during action-packed scenes.
Sonos has partnered with celebrated industry veterans, including movie producers Chris Jenkins and Onnalee Blank, to fine-tune the Arc Ultra for Dolby Atmos content playback. These collaborations ensure the soundbar delivers a studio-grade audio experience that rivals professional setups, letting you hear content as the creators intended.
The Arc Ultra doesn’t sound exceptional—it looks the part, too. Its sleek curved profile, elegant matte finish, and slim design complement modern interiors without obstructing your TV’s bezels. Whether mounted or placed on a credenza, the Arc Ultra is as much a statement piece as it is an audio powerhouse.
Unlock the power of theater-grade sound in minutes with a straightforward HDMI eARC connection. Control the soundbar using your TV remote, the Sonos app, Sonos Voice Control, or Amazon Alexa. Discreetly housed behind the soundbar on a dedicated ledge, the touch controls prevent visual distractions while maintaining easy access. The Bluetooth line-in adds even more ways to stream your favorite content.
Sonos is committed to sustainability, and the Arc Ultra is no exception. It’s built with improved serviceability, incorporating more screws and fewer adhesives for easier repairs. Materials like halogen-free PCBs and reduced silicon enhance environmental responsibility, while the soundbar’s power consumption is reduced by 20% in idle mode compared to its predecessor. Its smaller, lighter packaging—18% smaller in volume and 15% lighter in weight—is fully recyclable, reducing shipping emissions and waste.
Add Sonos Arc Ultra to Sonos app for iOS and AndroidGearBrain
Alongside the Arc Ultra, Sonos introduces significant enhancements to its app, offering improved performance and new features to streamline setup, control, and updates. Whether you’re a new Sonos owner or a long-time user, the app has been designed to meet your needs with faster system identification, intuitive device grouping, and seamless integration for Arc Ultra and other Sonos products.
The latest software update, released alongside the Arc Ultra, brings a host of upgrades to improve usability:
For long-time Sonos customers, 90% of the new app's previously missing features have been reintroduced, and more improvements are planned in upcoming updates.
Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar can be controlled by voice commands using Alexa or Sonos Voice. No Google Assistant compatibility.GearBrain
The app’s enhanced functionality simplifies setup for new devices like the Arc Ultra and Sub 4, making it easy to group multiple Sonos devices for synchronized audio throughout your home. Whether managing playback in one room or coordinating a multi-room system, the app ensures a smooth and hassle-free experience.
Before you start connecting your Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar, make sure you have the following items:
Port and buttons on the back of Sonos Arc Ultra soundbarGearBrain
Calibrate with Trueplay (Optional but Recommended)GearBrain
Sonos’ Trueplay tuning technology customizes the soundbar’s audio to match your room’s acoustics.
The Sonos Arc Ultra supports voice assistants for hands-free operation.
Use the Sonos app to access Help Center if you run into any problems with Sonos Arc UltraGearBrain
The Sonos Arc Ultra is designed to deliver premium sound quality. While it can connect to TVs using HDMI eARC, HDMI ARC, or optical audio outputs, each option affects the audio performance differently. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect if you don’t have an HDMI eARC cable:
Using HDMI eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) ensures the best audio experience for the Sonos Arc Ultra. This connection supports the most advanced Dolby audio formats, including:
Without an HDMI eARC connection, the soundbar's ability to deliver full-featured Dolby Atmos and uncompressed, high-fidelity audio is limited.
The audio performance depends on your TV's capabilities if you connect the Arc Ultra to a TV with HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel). HDMI ARC can support:
However, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby MAT, which offer uncompressed and lossless audio, are not supported with HDMI ARC. While the sound quality remains excellent, it may not achieve the full clarity and depth possible with HDMI eARC.
If your TV doesn’t have HDMI eARC or ARC, you can use the Sonos Optical Audio Adapter (sold separately) to connect the Arc Ultra to an optical output. This connection supports only Dolby Digital formats, and it does not allow for:
Optical connections provide basic surround sound but lack the immersive 3D audio experience Dolby Atmos delivers. They’re a functional fallback, but they don’t fully leverage the advanced capabilities of the Arc Ultra.
If you don’t have an HDMI eARC cable, the Sonos Arc Ultra can still provide great audio through HDMI ARC or optical connections. However, you’ll miss out on the full range of Dolby formats, particularly Dolby Atmos in its most advanced form and uncompressed audio formats like TrueHD. To unlock the Arc Ultra’s full potential, it is highly recommended that you upgrade to a TV with HDMI eARC and use an eARC-compatible cable.
The Sonos Arc Ultra costs $999 and is available on Sonos.com, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and online retailers that sell consumer electronics like B&H Electronics and Crutchfield. It comes with a 6 ft (2 m) power cable and an HDMI Cable of 4.9 ft (1.5 m). Sonos sells the Sonos Arc Ultra Wall Mount separately, which costs $79 on Sonos.com.
Testing Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar with and without Sonos Sub 4GearBrain
After spending two months testing the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar, we’ve gathered insights into its performance, features, and how it compares to other setups, including a 5.1 surround system by Bose. Here’s a detailed review of our experience to help you decide if this premium soundbar is the right fit for your home theater.
One of the standout features of the Sonos Arc Ultra is its effortless setup. Compared to the wired complexity of our Bose 5.1 surround system, the Arc Ultra was a breeze to install. Using the Sonos app, we connected the soundbar and paired it with additional Sonos speakers, such as the Era 100 and Era 300, in minutes.
A key advantage of the Arc Ultra is its TruePlay tuning, which adapts sound to the room’s acoustics. Unlike the original Sonos Arc, the Arc Ultra supports TruePlay on both iOS and Android devices, making it accessible to a broader audience. If you’re adding other Sonos speakers, TruePlay is a must-use feature—it significantly enhances sound quality, especially in surround sound setups.
Sonos Sub 4GearBrain
The sound performance of the Arc Ultra is where it truly shines. We tested it by listening to music and watching various types of content, including movies, sports, talk shows, and news. The sound quality was impressive, and when paired with additional speakers or the Sonos Sub 4, it became exceptional.
The Arc Ultra is compatible with HDMI eARC, HDMI ARC, and optical outputs, but for optimal sound quality, HDMI eARC is recommended. Here’s how each option compares:
If your TV lacks eARC, the Arc Ultra will still deliver excellent sound, but you won’t experience the uncompressed audio quality that makes this soundbar stand out.
The Arc Ultra supports Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa. This allows you to control playback and manage smart home devices with voice commands. For example, you can turn lights on or off, check the status of your security system, or activate a video doorbell—all through the soundbar. Unfortunately, Google Assistant is not supported, which may be a drawback for some users.
Sonos Arc Ultra is shorter than the Sonos Arc soundbarGearBrain
The Arc Ultra is slightly shorter than the original Arc, making it easier to fit into tighter spaces. Its sleek, minimalistic design blends seamlessly into modern living rooms, complementing its premium aesthetic. But don't worry about loss of sound quality. Sonos's new Sound Motion feature helps you still achieve the high quality sound experience eventhough the soundbar's size has been reduced. In other words, big sound doesn't have to come from big speakers anymore thanks to the Sound Motion feature.
At $999, the Sonos Arc Ultra is positioned alongside other high-end soundbars from brands like Bose, Samsung, and LG. Adding the Sonos Sub 4 increases the total cost to $1,799, making this a significant investment. For serious audiophiles or those seeking an immersive, wire-free home theater experience, the Arc Ultra is worth the price. However, if you’re more budget-conscious or not looking for advanced features like Dolby Atmos, the Sonos Beam 2 might be a better fit.
(Note: Check Sonos Site during the holiday season and throughout the year for special sales. I know they offer deep discounts on Sonos products during these times.)
The Sonos Arc Ultra exceeded my expectations with its top-tier sound quality, user-friendly setup, and advanced features like adjustable speech enhancement and TruePlay tuning for both iOS and Android. This premium soundbar adapts seamlessly to your room, integrates with other Sonos speakers, and delivers unparalleled sound immersion. To fully unlock its potential, ensure your TV supports HDMI eARC; without it, you’ll miss out on the superior audio formats that set the Arc Ultra apart. For those building a Sonos ecosystem, adding components like the Sub 4 or Era speakers will elevate your audio experience even further.
Theater-quality sound is now within reach with the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar. Pair it with the updated Sonos app to explore additional features, connect to your favorite streaming services, and enjoy seamless control. With unmatched audio performance, cutting-edge design, and a focus on sustainability, the Arc Ultra redefines what a soundbar can be. If you are in the market for a soundbar, you can easily elevate your home audio setup today with the Sonos Arc Ultra. It will provide you with a gateway to best immersive entertainment designed for your room.
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