Sonos has launched a new sound bar, but not just any model, but one superior to the (until now) all-powerful Sonos Arc. The new Sonos Arc Ultra comes with a very similar design although with changes that improve it, and above all with a sound that impresses from the first moment that you hear it.
Sonos has managed the difficult task of improving the best sound bar in its catalog, the Sonos Arc, and it has not done so in a subtle way, but with some more than evident improvements in terms of clarity, bass power and balanced sound when it comes to listening to music. After a long time with the Sonos Arc under my TV and as an audio system for the living room at home, replacing my two HomePods that have been relegated to my children's bedrooms, this Sonos Arc Ultra has managed to make me fall in love at first sight.
Details of the product
- Size 75 x 1.178 x 110mm
- Peso 5,9Kg
- 14 speakers (including subwoofer)
- Connectivity WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, AirPlay 2, Ethernet
- Voice control: Alexa and Sonos Assistant
- Fast Trueplay (Android and iOS) and conventional (iOS only)
- Audio: PCM Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, PCM Multichannel, Dolby PCM Multichannel, DTS Digital Surround Sound
- Price € 999
The design has been updated to make it more in line with the brand's new speakers, such as the Era 100 and 300. The grille that takes up almost the entire surface of the bar now has a back part where we find the touch controls to activate/deactivate the voice assistant, control playback and volume. The latter is now an elongated touch surface that we slide our finger over to raise or lower the volume, a much more useful control than the buttons on the Sonos Arc. It is slightly longer than the previous model, and slightly lower, which you will appreciate if your TV does not rise much from the table, because the Sonos Arc Ultra will not cover the bottom of the screen, or hide the infrared receiver of your TV. On the back we find the connections (HDMI eARC, power socket, Bluetooth button, Ethernet socket and the physical switch to activate/deactivate the microphones). It is perfect in size for TVs of 55 inches or moreIf your TV is smaller you can of course use it, but it will stick out at the sides. Personally I would recommend a Sonos Beam 2 in that case.
Sonos continues to offer a single HDMI socket, so we won't have Passthrough. This is important if your TV has few HDMI connections, since the speaker will take up one of them, specifically the eARC socket. In most modern televisions there is already more than one of this type of socket, but in those that have been around for some time there is usually only one, the rest of the HDMI being more conventional. It is the only drawback we can find with this sound bar, a point that Sonos should have corrected after the experience with the Sonos Arc, but which remains the pending issue with this Sonos Arc Ultra.
In the box we find the power cable, which does not have a transformer (an important detail), and an HDMI 2.1 cable, a nice detail that is not usually included. We can use an optical cable but we will need the adapter that Sonos does not include in the box (it did in previous models). There is no remote control, which is a delight since all sound control can be done from the TV's own remote control. You can also control the volume with the touch buttons, something I've hardly ever done on my sound bars, or even through the voice assistant, in my case Alexa.
If you are familiar with Sonos products, there is little to say about the quality of their finishes and design. The plastic used is of high quality, and the construction of the bar is more than solid.. It's not a device that you're going to move around, or that's prone to being knocked around, but it's always appreciated that a product of this price has a finish to match, and Sonos always delivers above and beyond expectations. Available in black and white, either finish is stunning. Something very important for those who like the color white: it doesn't turn yellow over time, as my Sonos Play:5 and the Sonos Beam, which are over 6 years old, can attest to.
Configuration
The setup process is very simple, in fact it is semi-automatic. Place the sound bar, connect it to the power and to your TV via the HDMI eARC port on your TV and open the Sonos app on your iPhone (or Android). After a few seconds the application will automatically detect the speaker and you will be guided through the entire setup process, in Spanish and very intuitive, with drawings and videos that explain all the steps in detail. Once configured you will also be offered the option to configure some advanced features like TruePlay, a procedure that Sonos has now made more direct and is also available on Android. Thanks to this feature, the sound of the bar will adapt to the room in which you have placed it, so it is highly recommended that you do so. You can also use the classic configuration procedure by moving the iPhone around the room, but personally I have not noticed any difference in the result, so I recommend the quick, simpler method.
Once configured, in the app, we can modify functions such as equalization, add the virtual assistant (Alexa or Sonos' own), activate dialogue clarity or add other speakers to create a complete home theater system. The process of adding speakers is just as simple and straightforward, guiding you through each of the steps you must perform in a clear manner. For this analysis I have not added the Era 300 that I use as rear speakers or the Sub Mini, All my impressions are with the sound bar as a single device. We can also configure the streaming music services we want to add to the Sonos app, in my case Apple Music, the only way to enjoy Dolby Atmos sound with this Sonos Arc, since AirPlay does not allow it. By the way, the Sonos app has long since left behind all the problems (which were many) after its launch. Both for the configuration process and for listening to music, its operation is more than adequate.
Connectivity
The Sonos Arc Ultra is primarily intended to be a soundbar for your TV, but it's much more than that. You can use it for music, using the Sonos app, or by adding your music service's skill to Alexa, and using voice commands to play it. We can also use AirPlay 2 from our iPhone, iPad or Mac to transfer the sound to the Sonos Arc Ultra, and in this new generation even the BluetoothThis last feature was one of the most repeated requests from Sonos users, although I personally don't understand why. But Sonos has listened to its users and all of its latest speakers now have Bluetooth. Having AirPlay 2 or the Sonos app, I have never used Bluetooth to listen to music, mostly because the quality is inferior.
To switch from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth connectivity, simply press a button on the back of the speaker, which can be a problem if you hang it on the wall. You can also activate it from the Sonos app. The front LED on the speaker turns blue when Bluetooth is active, and white when the connection is via Wi-Fi. By the way, We can also use an Ethernet cable to connect the speaker to our home network. I have always had my speakers connected via WiFi, and I have never noticed any disconnections or any other kind of problems with them, so I always opt for this connection, even more so now with WiFi 6 support.
Let's not forget the Audio Swap with the Sonos Ace, the headphones that were launched a few months ago. If you don't want to disturb anyone at home while watching your series or movies, it's as simple as pressing a button on the headphones and the audio will go from the sound bar to the headphones, without any delay in the sound. This functionality is compatible with all Sonos sound bars, not just the Arc Ultra. The sound experience is really good, although the update that will give Dolby Atmos compatibility to your headphones is still pending, further improving the sound quality.
Sound quality
As I said before, this analysis only refers to the Sonos Arc Ultra, without any other added speakers. The sound it offers us is Dolby Atmos 9.1.4, which means there are 9 full-range channels (front, side and rear), 1 subwoofer and 4 height channels. The Sonos Arc achieves this thanks to its 14 speakers distributed throughout the soundbar, facing in different directions so that the sound reaches us either directly or bouncing off the walls to give that surround sound sensation with a single device placed in front of us. This is a huge improvement over the original Sonos Arc, which offered us 5.1 sound with 11 speakers. The Sonos Arc Ultra includes a subwooferSonos calls it Sound Motion, which the Sonos Arc doesn't have, and it creates powerful bass that also frees up the rest of the speakers in the soundbar from that work, improving its sound quality.
The result is a Spectacular sound quality, surround sound that lets you enjoy movies and series like never before, and all of this with a single sound bar. The difference between the Sonos Arc and the Sonos Arc Ultra as independent sound bars is more than evident, you don't need to have a very trained ear to notice it. And it is very noticeable when it comes to the clarity of the dialogues, a functionality of the Sonos sound bars that I have always valued very positively, and that with this Sonos Arc Ultra I have not needed to activate to perfectly understand the conversations even in noisy scenes. You also have the option of activating night mode, to reduce loud noises at night and not disturb those in other rooms or neighbors. The improvement in sound is even more noticeable with music, with a more balanced, crystalline and nuanced sound. The Sonos Arc sounds great, but this Arc Ultra is also better in this section.
Obviously, everything improves if we add a subwoofer, in my case the Sub Mini, since I have not yet been able to try the Sub 4 recently launched by Sonos. The bass is even more powerful than that offered by the Arc Ultra, it's all a question of size. And the final touch comes when we add two Sonos Era 300 as rear speakers, the sound experience is spectacular, whether with movies or music. If you find Dolby Atmos sound in music a bit "fireworks" it's because you haven't tried this set, it can't be described in words. It's true that all these speakers come at a high price, but the great thing about Sonos is that you can buy them in stages and expand your system little by little.
Editor's opinion
If you're looking for a hassle-free home cinema system, the different solutions offered by Sonos are adapted to different budgets, but the jewel in the crown is without a doubt this new sound bar, Arc Ultra, which offers spectacular sound on its own, without needing other elements to enjoy your favourite films, series or music. Obviously, everything improves if we add more elements, something that you can do later if your budget is tighter. You can buy it on Amazon for €999 (link) and (link).
Pros
- 9.1.4 sound
- Superior sound quality
- Ease of installation and handling
- Possibility of expanding the system
Cons
- Only one HDMI connection