Connections: HDMI, optical, ethernet
ARC/eARC: eARC
Bluetooth: No
Dimensions (hwd): 8.7 x 114 x 12cm
Weight 6.3 kg
The original Arc is the long-reigning champ who's due a dignified and comfortable retirement. It's still one of the best Dolby Atmos performers around, even four years after launch, and its new low price could make it the better buy, depending on your budget and requirements. But sonically, it can't compete with its successor. Thanks for the memories, old fella.
For
- Convincing Dolby Atmos
- Dynamic, detailed and controlled
- All of the usual Sonos smarts
Against
- Music could be better projected
- Some rivals sound weightier
- No HDMI pass-through ports
Connections: HDMI, optical, ethernet
ARC/eARC: eARC
Bluetooth: Yes
Dimensions (hwd): 7.5 x 118 x 11 cm
Weight: 5.9kg
With more drivers, new Sound Motion technology for improved bass, and extra features like Bluetooth and advanced Speech Enhancement, the Arc Ultra is the premium option for those seeking top-tier sound quality. It's certainly not cheap, but if you want the best soundbar Sonos makes, this is it.
For
- Clean, precise, spacious and three-dimensional sound
- Deep, tuneful and expressive bass
- Terrifically detailed for a soundbar
Against
- No HDMI passthrough
- No DTS support
- Still some app issues
Buying one of the best soundbars is a surefire way to upgrade the sound of even the best TVs. And Sonos’ newly unveiled Arc Ultra Dolby Atmos soundbar has arrived on the scene, looking to tempt you away from rivals.
Those rivals include the existing Sonos Arc, which earned a well-deserved five stars in our review, and has picked up multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards in its lifetime (including one in 2024). But is it worth upgrading from the regular Arc to the Ultra? Or, if you’re currently soundbar-less, should you save some cash and nab the regular Arc for less? That’s what we’re here to find out.
Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sonos Arc: price
Both the Sonos Arc Ultra and the original Sonos Arc are premium soundbars, but there's a significant price difference between the two models. The Sonos Arc Ultra is priced at $999 / £999 / AU$1799, positioning it as Sonos' new flagship soundbar.
The original Sonos Arc, launched in 2020, was initially priced at £799 / $799 / AU$1399, but like a lot of Sonos products it saw its price increase in 2021 (to £899 / $899 / AU$1499). But with the emergence of its successor, the original's price has come down again – we've seen it as low as £629.
In other words, the Arc Ultra is considerably more expensive than its predecessor. It's worth noting, though, that the original Arc has now been discontinued, so it won't be available with those discounts (or at all, in fact) for much longer.
** Winner: Sonos Arc **
Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sonos Arc: design and build
Both soundbars share the Sonos design DNA, and are available in black or white, featuring Sonos' signature minimalist aesthetic with a hard plastic grille.
The Arc Ultra has seen some minor design tweaks, mind, including relocated touch controls (on a 'ledge' at the back of the top of the chassis) and the addition of a Bluetooth pairing button.
And while the Arc Ultra maintains the sleek, curved design of its predecessor, it’s actually 18 per cent smaller by volume, and weighs in at a slightly lighter 5.9kg versus the original Arc’s 6.3kg, making it even more wall-mountable than the original Arc.
** Winner: Sonos Arc Ultra **
Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sonos Arc: features and connectivity
This is where things get more interesting, as the Sonos Arc Ultra brings several new features to the table that set it apart from its non-Ultra sibling.
One of the most significant upgrades is the speaker arrangement. The Arc Ultra boasts 14 speaker drivers in a 9.1.4 channel configuration, compared to the original Arc's 11 drivers in a 5.0.2 set-up. This includes seven tweeters, six midrange drivers, and one woofer in the Ultra, versus eight mid drivers and three tweeters in the original Arc. Both soundbars support Dolby Atmos, but the Arc Ultra's additional drivers provide a more immersive spatial audio experience (more on this below).
But that’s not all. The Arc Ultra's woofer is what Sonos refers to as a 'Sound Motion' speaker. This proprietary tech is designed to deliver exceptional bass in a compact design, with Sonos claiming it can double the bass output of the original Arc. (Again, you can find out if this is true in the 'Sound' section below.)
The Arc Ultra also brings some software enhancements to the party. It features an advanced version of Sonos' Speech Enhancement technology, for a start, allowing users to adjust dialogue clarity via a slider in the Sonos app, offering more customisation than the regular Arc’s dialogue feature. Additionally, Trueplay tuning is now available on Android devices for the Arc Ultra, whereas it was limited to iOS for the original Arc.
In terms of connectivity, there's still only a single HDMI eARC port on the Ultra with no passthrough ports, which is disappointing as we were hoping for more options on this front. The Arc Ultra does, at least, add Bluetooth connectivity, which was absent in the original Arc and may be useful as an additional connection method for some users – though we imagine wi-fi streaming will still be the preferred choice for most.
** Winner: Sonos Arc Ultra **
Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sonos Arc: sound
Our first test of the Sonos Arc Ultra was with music, and it's one it passed with flying colours. Hearing it play our test track, "the step up from the original Arc is striking," we wrote in our review. The Ultra has better precision, crispness and tightness – the original Arc sounds a little casual by comparison.
The bass is a big improvement too, not just in terms of quantity, but quality. With increased tonality and agility, the Ultra serves up a low-end with more force and refinement at the same time. Impressive.
It's equally as impressive conveying film soundtracks. Again, the low end if a real highlight – it might not be as adept as a full surround sound system, but for a soundbar it's pretty great, effortlessly combining weight and control. Play the same scene from Blade Runner 2049 through the original Arc, and it sounds wooly and overbearing.
Spatially, the Ultra is a cut above. It expertly places sounds around the room, which makes for a much more engrossing experience. It's a detailed performer too, with even the subtlest sounds getting their moment in the limelight, but always in a way that's natural and never distracting.
Played on its own, the original Arc is a very impressive performer: "one of the most convincing Atmos presentations of any soundbar we’ve heard," was the verdict in our original review. Obviously plenty of models have launched since the original Arc in 2020, but Sonos' soundbar has stood the test of time, earning a 2024 What Hi-Fi? Award. Quite how the Ultra is able to make an Award-winner sound so bad by comparison is nothing short of staggering.
As we wrote in our Ultra review: "[the original Arc's] voices aren’t projected out and into the room as effectively and there’s less texture and detail to them. The spatial effect is far less pronounced, too, and the audio is comparatively muddled and vague." Looks like there's a new sheriff in town.
** Winner: Sonos Arc Ultra **
Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sonos Arc: verdict
The Sonos Arc Ultra is a significant upgrade on the standard Arc, both in terms of specs and performance. It has more bass, with more detail in the low end, more precise spatial skills and an airier, more spacious presentation overall. It's "that bit more energetic, exciting and engaging as a result. It’s a crackingly musical soundbar," we wrote in our review.
But is it £300+ better? That's the current difference between these two, and let's not forget the original Arc is a very good performer – not many products can win an Award in their fifth year in existence. The Arc Ultra is unlikely to see any big discounts anytime soon either, as Sonos kit is rarely discounted, and new Sonos kit even rarer still.
Soon this will be a moot point, as the original Arc has been discontinued. So if do want one, you'd better buy one soon!
For an even more in-depth guide, check out our Sonos Arc Ultra review
Which Sonos speaker should you buy?
Read our Sonos Ace review
