The Sonos Arc Ultra: A Comprehensive Review
As a longtime user of the original Sonos Arc, I approached the new Sonos Arc Ultra with a mix of excitement and skepticism. The original Arc had been a staple in my home entertainment setup, delivering impressive Dolby Atmos sound and seamlessly integrating with the Sonos ecosystem. With the Arc Ultra promising upgrades in sound quality, design, and connectivity, I was eager to see if it could live up to the hype and justify its higher price tag.
Released on Oct. 29, the Sonos Arc Ultra is Sonos’ latest flagship soundbar priced at $999 and available in black or white. This new release marks a slight price increase over its predecessor, the original Arc, which is now being sold at discounted rates as retailers clear remaining stock. The Arc Ultra enters a competitive market, facing rivals like the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 and the Samsung HW-Q990D, both of which offer compelling features and, at times, significant discounts.
Design and Build
Visually, the Arc Ultra closely resembles the original Arc, maintaining Sonos’ minimalist aesthetic with a perforated grille encompassing 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 soundbar’s dimensions have been adjusted slightly: it’s wider at 118cm but shorter in height at 7.5cm, reducing the likelihood of obstructing the TV screen when placed in front. Weighing approximately 350g less than its predecessor, the Arc Ultra is also more wall-mount friendly. The design requires an open placement to ensure optimal sound dispersion.
Features and Connectivity
The Arc Ultra boasts a 9.1.4-channel configuration, a significant upgrade from the original Arc’s 5.0.2 setup. It incorporates 14 custom-engineered drivers powered by 15 Class D amplifiers, including seven tweeters, six midrange woofers, and a novel Sound Motion woofer. This innovative woofer utilizes four smaller, lightweight motors to move the cone, enabling greater air displacement and delivering up to twice the bass of the original Arc. The dual-cone design aims to minimize mechanical vibrations, contributing to a more balanced sound profile.
Despite these advancements, the Arc Ultra lacks support for DTS audio formats, focusing solely on Dolby Atmos for spatial audio. Connectivity options are limited, with a single HDMI eARC port and no dedicated HDMI inputs, requiring all external sources to be connected through the TV. The introduction of Bluetooth connectivity and expanded Trueplay calibration support to Android devices enhance user accessibility.
Performance
In terms of audio performance, the Arc Ultra delivers a clean, precise, and spacious soundstage with impressive three-dimensionality. The enhanced bass is deep and expressive, providing a solid foundation without overwhelming the overall sound profile. Dialogue clarity has improved thanks to the new front-firing speaker array dedicated to the center channel, ensuring crisp and intelligible speech reproduction. The soundbar excels in detail retrieval, capturing subtle nuances across various content types. However, the absence of HDMI passthrough and DTS support may be limiting for some users, and occasional issues with the Sonos app could affect the overall user experience.
How Arc Ultra Stacks Up Against Rivals
Compared to competitors like the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 and the Samsung HW-Q990D, the Arc Ultra holds its ground in terms of sound quality and design. The Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9, often priced similarly to the Arc Ultra due to discounts, offers HDMI passthrough and support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats, providing greater flexibility for users with diverse content sources. The Samsung HW-Q990D, although pricier, includes a wireless subwoofer and surround speakers for a more immersive surround sound experience out of the box. Its connectivity options are more extensive, making it a versatile choice for users seeking a comprehensive home theater setup.
Is Arc Ultra Worth the Upgrade?
Sonos has faced criticism for its app, which, while offering robust control options, has been plagued by occasional connectivity issues and limited flexibility. Recent updates have aimed to address some of these issues, but there is still room for improvement. From a hardware standpoint, the Sonos Arc Ultra represents a significant advancement over its predecessor, offering enhanced bass performance, improved dialogue clarity, and a more immersive soundstage. Its sleek design and expanded connectivity options make it a compelling choice for users seeking a high-quality, all-in-one soundbar solution. However, the lack of HDMI passthrough and DTS support may be a consideration for potential buyers.
Overall, the Sonos Arc Ultra is a superb soundbar that elevates the home audio experience, making it a worthy contender in the premium soundbar market. Whether it’s worth the upgrade for existing Arc users will depend on their priorities and needs. Sonos has made significant strides with the Arc Ultra, and it stands as a testament to their commitment to innovation in the audio industry.
