Sonos Arc Ultra Black

I think the Sonos Arc Ultra is a worthy successor to the Sonos Arc. This 9.1.4 soundbar has a new built-in subwoofer, which is smaller yet delivers a deeper sound. This eliminates the need for a separate subwoofer. I enjoy True Dolby Atmos through the upward-firing speakers, but I still miss the sound behind me.

Built-in subwoofer with Sound Motion On the outside, the Arc Ultra looks a lot like the original Arc, but inside, the soundbar is completely different. The biggest improvement is the new built-in subwoofer. It's considerably smaller, yet thanks to Sound Motion technology, it delivers deeper bass. An explosion in an action movie sounds lifelike. Because the subwoofer is smaller, there's also more room for other speakers. This way, I hear clear highs, realistic mid-range, and incredibly deep bass. The balance between the different tones is so good that I don't feel a separate subwoofer is necessary.

Rich Dolby Atmos sound The Arc Ultra supports True Dolby Atmos and has four upward-firing speakers. The soundbar also has sound channels on the sides. This bounces the sound from the speakers off the walls and ceiling, back to where I'm sitting. I'm right in the middle of the action when I'm watching a thrilling movie. However, I still miss the sound behind me, especially when I'm watching a movie or series specifically designed for Dolby Atmos. For a true home theater experience, I recommend separate rear speakers, such as the Sonos Era 300 speakers.

User-friendly design You can already tell from the packaging that the Arc Ultra is a top-notch soundbar. The sound system comes in a luxurious box that clicks open instead of tearing. This makes it easy to return the soundbar if something is wrong or you're not satisfied. Once out of the box, I quickly connect the soundbar to my 55-inch TV. I only need the included HDMI and power cables. The Arc Ultra is then ready to use. I do notice that the soundbar looks quite large. Therefore, I recommend it for TVs 65 inches or larger. I adjust the soundbar's sound settings using the Sonos app. I can quickly find the bass, midrange, and treble settings and hear an immediate difference when I change anything.

Sonos is known for its ease of use, but even with this soundbar, the sound quality leaves much to be desired. Even with all audio processing turned off, the sound is still being processed. You can hear this muffling of music and voice. Very annoying. So, after trying everything, I returned the soundbar and replaced it with a Bose Ultra Smart, which has crystal-clear sound without all the processing.

Very impressed. Movies sound great (especially with Dolby Atmos!) and music sounds great too. The sound is detailed and balanced, without distortion. The bass is definitely impressive for a solo soundbar. Installation went fine, no problems with it. I come from a soundbar + sub from another well-known brand, and I have to say this is really in a class of its own. And now I only have the soundbar. I will definitely upgrade it in the future with a subwoofer. Although the neighbors will not like that so much.