The Sonos Arc has been one of our favourite Dolby Atmos soundbars since it launched in 2020, but four years on, we think it's high time for an update. Well, according to this new leak, it looks like our prayers will be answered, as a successor to the Arc could be on the way.
Pictures of the new Sonos soundbar have surfaced, with the code name "Lasso" attached. That likely won't be the final name that Sonos settles on, however, we can't say for sure what it will be; although our bets are on the Sonos Arc (Gen 2), akin to the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). Those hoping for a radical redesign will likely be disappointed, as this supposed soundbar looks practically identical to the existing Arc, albeit with a few subtle tweaks.
It retains the rounded exterior and front-mounted Sonos logo, however, there is now a physical microphone mute switch on the rear (ideal for privacy-minded users). Interestingly there also appears to be a Bluetooth pairing button, which could hint towards Bluetooth connectivity coming to a Sonos soundbar for the first time; this is in line with the Era 100 and Era 300 speakers which feature Bluetooth alongside wi-fi streaming via the Sonos app.
Inside the bar is where we'll see the biggest changes according to this leak. The Verge's Chris Welch, who shared the first images and details of the Lasso, claims that this will be the first Sonos product to use a new speaker technology originated by a company that Sonos bought back in 2022. Sonos acquired the Netherlands-based startup Mayht for $100 million dollars, citing its development of a "new, revolutionary approach to audio transducers” as its reason for doing so.
These Mayht-derived drivers reportedly leverage neodymium magnets to create driver units that are smaller and lighter, while retaining audio quality. However, those magnets are expensive, so Sonos has reportedly been working on ways to get prices down – hence why we're yet to see them in any of the latest speakers from the company such as the Move 2 or Roam 2.
The Verge reports that the new Arc could cost nearly $1200 (around £925 / AU$1770), an eyebrow-raising step up from the original Arc's launch price of £799 / $799 / AU$1399. We will, of course, have to take all of this with a hefty pinch of salt, as nothing will truly be confirmed until Sonos decides to reveal the product itself, so this is all speculation for now.
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