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. 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.
Below, we’ve compared the Sonos Arc Ultra and Sonos Arc. Granted, the Arc Ultra has yet to pass through our hallowed testing rooms, so we can't yet offer an assessment of sound quality – but we can dissect and compare the specs and features.
We’ll of course update this comparison once our Arc Ultra review has been published, but for now, let’s see how they stack up based on what we know so far…
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 $899 / £899 / AU$1,399. However, it has seen price reductions since then, and is currently available for around £719 / $719 (sadly there’s no price drop in Australia that we can spot).
In most regions, this makes the Arc Ultra considerably more expensive than its predecessor. It's worth noting, though, that the original Arc has now officially been discontinued, so it won't be available with those discounts (or at all, in fact) for much longer.
Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sonos Arc: design and build
Both soundbars seem to share the near-identical 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 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 6.25kg, making it even more wall-mountable than the original Arc.
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 should, in theory, provide a more immersive spatial audio experience.
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. We’ll have to hear it to believe it, but if it can deliver sub-like levels of low-end without the need for an extra sub taking up floor space, this could be a massive boon for those looking for a complete all-in-one solution without additional devices cluttering their living rooms.
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.
Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sonos Arc: sound
Without having tested the Arc Ultra, we can't make definitive judgements about its sound quality compared to the original Arc. However, based on the specs, we can make some educated predictions.
The original Sonos Arc impressed us with its powerful, room-filling sound and convincing Dolby Atmos performance. With the aforementioned additional drivers and new Sound Motion technology, the Arc Ultra has the potential to deliver even more impressive audio.
The Arc Ultra's 9.1.4 channel configuration, compared to the Arc's 5.0.2, suggests a more expansive soundstage and potentially more precise spatial audio. The new Sound Motion woofer also promises up to twice the bass of the original Arc, which could result in a more impactful low-end performance.
If the additional drivers and promised bass improvements, combined with the more powerful Speech Enhancement feature for clearer dialogue, deliver on Sonos’ promises, then it’s safe to say that the Arc Ultra will be the better-sounding device. Of course, those are big ifs, and marketing claims rarely tally exactly with actual performance, so let's just wait and see if the Arc Ultra is all it's cracked up to be.
Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sonos Arc: early verdict
Based on the specs alone, the Sonos Arc Ultra appears to be a significant upgrade over the original Arc. With more drivers, new Sound Motion technology for improved bass, and additional features such as Bluetooth connectivity and advanced Speech Enhancement, the Arc Ultra is positioning itself as a premium option for those seeking top-tier sound quality.
However, these upgrades come at a considerable price premium. The original Arc, especially at its current reduced price, remains an excellent soundbar that still delivers impressive performance for its cost.
The choice between these two models may come down to your budget and how much you value the latest audio technology. If you're after the absolute best that Sonos has to offer and don't mind paying a premium, the Arc Ultra could be the way to go. However, if you're looking for great performance at a more affordable price, the original Arc is still a strong contender.
Ultimately, we'll need to put the Arc Ultra through our rigorous testing process to determine if its performance justifies the higher price tag. Stay tuned for our full review, where we'll delve deeper into the sound quality, features and overall performance of Sonos’ newest family member.
For an even more in-depth guide, check out our Sonos Arc Ultra preview
