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Sonos is one of the most notable and respected names in audio tech. From its wireless speakers to its more recently released Ace Bluetooth headphones (which we’ve tested and reviewed), the brand is well-anchored in the tech shopping space.
For a number of years, its flagship premium soundbar (at the time) was the 2020-released Sonos Arc, which topped several publications’ rankings as an overall hit audio accessory for home theater systems. So, when the brand quietly discontinued the product and launched a similarly designed, but slightly renamed product called the Sonos Arc Ultra, many were intrigued — myself included.
Curious to see if it lived up to its claims as being one of the best soundbars money can buy, and to inadvertently compare its prowess to its no-longer-existing predecessor, I got my hands on one and put it trough a series of tests.
My findings were interesting and a bit unsurprising, in both positive and opposing ways.
Sonos Arc Ultra
Sonos Arc Ultra
An all-encompassing soundbar and subwoofer pair that is sure to give you that movie theater “boom”
Product Specs
- Standout featureUpward-facing internal speakers that bounce sound off the ceiling
- Smart integration?Yes
- Assembly required?No
- Dimensions2.95 x 46.38 x 4.35 inches
What we love
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9.1.4 spatial audio experienceNine individually powered speakers, one dedicated subwoofer and four upward-facing speakers
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Detailed soundBoth treble and bass weren’t muffled, dialogue was clear, and Dolby Atmos led to more detailed effects
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Great with musicIn terms of connectivity and streaming quality, this soundbar emits music expertly
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Sleek designAttractive, lengthy and thoughtfully curved form factor
What could be better
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ExpensiveThis soundbar is a bit of an investment and is more expensive than the original Arc
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Buggy appThe Sonos app experiences occasional bugs and glitches
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No DTS:X supportThough it supports Dolby Atmos, it lacks DTS:X integration
Our Verdict
One thing’s for certain: the Arc is the very best Sonos soundbar available on the market right now. For those who already have Sonos products integrated into their homes and lifestyles, this soundbar would be a fitting purchase that will seamlessly pair with those other components.
Having tested the original Sonos Arc soundbar a few years ago, I can confidently say that this reimagining of the brand’s premium home theater speaker offering isn’t a fluke release. In fact, it delivers some pretty spectacular improvements when compared to its older sibling.
It certainly ranks several steps above some of its peers in sound performance for movies, series and even music. All in all, it’s an A-1 product for those who want a Dolby Atmos audio system that packs a powerful punch with a thoughtful balance of deep bass and crystal-clear dialogue.
The Arc Ultra, however, though expertly designed, falls just a bit short when intense, action-packed scenes come into play. Pairing it with its integrated subwoofer (the Sub 4) almost makes up for this shortcoming, but, still leaves you expecting just a little more, especially given the grandeur of the original Arc which doesn’t trail the Ultra by much in certain performance metrics.
Where this soundbar shines best, though, is in its explicitly well balanced mid-range that delivers movie dialogue in an extremely clean and completely unmuffled format.
For casual movie viewers who want that larger-than-life boom from their living room, the Sonos Arc Ultra will definitely deliver — only if paired with the Sub 4.
These two products make for an incredible marriage, but should be able to stand firmly in their talents, individually. Without one another, the glass, while almost filled to the brim, leaves just a bit of room for expectation.
How we test
We put all of our products through a rigorous testing process and TVs are no different. We test every television’s picture quality, brightness levels, contrast ratio, input lag, sound performance without the inclusion of external speakers and more.
Ease of use and value for money are also major factors that we test to determine if a TV is worth recommending to our readers.
You can read more about how we test tech products on our dedicated page.
Why trust us
While implementing and enforcing a thorough testing process is essential for producing honest and well-researched content, we also believe that experience is invaluable. This is why all of our testers are experts in their field.
Moriba has been testing and reviewing tech products for over six years and formulates the testing methodologies and rubrics we use in our tech, men’s fashion and travel reviews and buying guides.
His reviews are honest, impartial, direct and don’t shy away from highlighting the bad as much as the good to help you make the most informed buying decision.
Sonos Arc Ultra review
Design and controls
The Sonos Arc Ultra doesn’t depart much from the original design made popular by the Arc. It has a sleek, cylindrical body and slightly textured perforated grilles on both the front and sides of the unit.
You can manually adjust the volume directly from the unit
Where it differs from the original soundbar, though, is in its rear design. In the back of the unit, you’ll now find a slim rectangular section that protrudes just a bit. There, you’ll find the inputs (at the bottom), the controls (at the top, far right) and the virtual assistant button (at the top, far left).
The center control buttons are location right above the embedded input slots
The control functions (play, pause, back, forward, increase/decrease volume and virtual assistant) don’t protrude from the panel like standard buttons. Instead, they have a tactile and almost tap-friendly design that lends to a seamlessly unified aesthetic that looks like one solid piece. A status indicator light is visible at the front, center position of the soundbar, but since it’s embedded into the grille, you won’t see it at all unless the light itself is on (you can turn it off in the Sonos app for a cleaner and more seamless viewing experience).
The Sonos Arc Ultra also comes in both black and white — an option that we don’t come across often in the home theater audio space.
Keep in mind, though, that if you plan on mounting this bar to your wall, you will have to purchase the mounting kit separately for an additional $79.
Performance tests
This soundbar produces up to 9.1.4 channels of Dolby Atmos surround sound (check out our soundbar explainer piece to learn more about what this means). The last number in this decimal notation represents the four upward drivers that fire sound toward your ceiling. When paired with the nine speakers housed in the left, center and right of the soundbar, this produces a room-filling sound that travels both vertically toward you and above your head.
During my tests, I found that the sound performance was much more balanced and immersive than I was expecting. I tested the sound with specific action scenes in the Avengers: Endgame movie since it has a Dolby Atmos soundtrack and has those deeply room-rumbling action scenes as well as whisper-like dialogue that can showcase the Arc Ultra’s true potential.
The sound was so wide-ranging that I found myself sometimes looking around to confirm that sound effects, that were once almost impossible to detect from my TV’s native speakers, were not coming from outside my window but actually from this device.
This is also made possible thanks to the Arc Ultra’s new Sound Motion feature. It’s essentially a built-in subwoofer consisting of a range of front, side, and upward-firing drivers, all packed into this slim, long unit. These work in conjunction with one another to deliver deep, unobstructed bass — noticeably deeper bass than the original Sonos Arc.
What’s even more impressive is that this was done without adding any extra bulk to the hardware. In fact, the Arc Ultra is shorter that the original Arc.
When paired with the Sub 4, however, that room-shaking bass is intensified to a level that is just unachievable with the standalone soundbar. So keep this in mind when considering your priorities and movie-watching needs.
There’s also a newly added internal speaker configuration that vastly improves midrange performance and vocal delivery. This paired with the new version of Sonos’ Speech Enhancement feature leads to more amplified and defined dialogue which comes in handy during scenes with whispers and low-registered voices.
A few extras
Few soundbars have such a detailed customization panel at hand
This unit, as with all of Sonos’ audio products, does not come with a dedicated physical remote. Instead, everything is controlled via the Sonos app which isn’t perfect by any means.
While the app itself is beautifully designed, it is notoriously buggy in some instances — most of which arise at no fault of the user. I once noticed that my soundbar system was missing from the app and later reappeared on its own.
The beauty of the app, though, is its customization. Inside, you’ll find personalization features like Trueplay (a feature that optimizes the sound for your room for the best listening experience), an equalizer where you can adjust your Arc Ultra’s bass and treble levels, the previously mentioned Speech Enhancement feature, and more.
In the app, you’ll also be able to add a voice assistant like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa to control your soundbar’s feature with just your voice.
Value for money
So, is the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar worth the investment? Well, in short, it depends. If you already own the original Sonos Arc, this is definitely not a necessary upgrade. While this newly improved unit provides a more expansive performance boost than the original Arc, it’s not something that you will noticeably detect if you were to replace your unit with this new model, especially considering its hefty price.
Those who either don’t own a soundbar or are seeking to upgrade an entry-level system that they currently own should certainly consider the Arc Ultra, if their budgets permit. This soundbar, above all, prioritizes clean, crisp sound, deep bass and multi-use functionality like the ability to wirelessly pair the device to your phone via Bluetooth to use it secondarily as a wireless speaker.
Sonos Arc Ultra
An all-encompassing soundbar and subwoofer pair that is sure to give you that movie theater “boom”
FAQs
Is the Sonos Arc ultra bigger than the Sonos Arc?
The Sonos Arc Ultra is wider and slightly deeper than the original Arc (due to the slightly protruding back panel). However, it is 12mm shorter than the original, making it specifically ideal for low-profile televisions.
Has Sonos discontinued the Arc soundbar?
Yes, Sonos has discontinued the original Arc soundbar. Back in January 2025, the brand listed the product as a “Last Chance” option for shoppers on its website.
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