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Changing Home Theater, Again -- Sonos Arc Ultra Review

Andrew Robinson

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Sonos Arc Ultra Review - Changing Home Theater, Again. -- © 2024 Andrew Robinson
Get the ARC ULTRA ↳ https://andrewr.link/arc-c • https://amzn.to/4br9EGH
Get the Ultimate Sonos System ↳ https://andrewr.link/ultarc-c

In this Sonos Arc Ultra review, we test the new Sonos soundbar to see how it compares to the older Arc soundbar, and how the new Sonos Ultimate Immersive Set featuring the Arc sounds when you pair it with Sonos Era 300s and the Gen 4 Subwoofer.

➕ SHOP THE NEW SONOS SOUNDBAR: Sonos Arc Ultra

Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar https://andrewr.link/arc-c • https://amzn.to/4br9EGH
Sonos Era 300 Surrounds https://andrewr.link/era300-c • https://amzn.to/3TxTAMW
Sonos Sub 4 https://andrewr.link/sub4-c • https://amzn.to/4bC5yeG

– Bundled Package
Sonos Arc Ultra Ultimate Immersive Set --- https://andrewr.link/ultarc-c

– previous gen
Sonos Arc https://andrewr.link/arc • https://amzn.to/4xOgQok
Sonos Sub 3 https://andrewr.link/sub3

– other
Sonos Era 100 Surrounds https://andrewr.link/era100 (no atmos)
Sonos Era 100 Stands https://andrewr.link/era-100-stands
Sonos Era 300 Stands https://andrewr.link/era300stands
Sonos Arc Ultra Wall Mount https://andrewr.link/arc-mount

– our speaker stands (shown with the Era 300s)
https://andrewr.link/our-speaker-stands

➕ COMPARABLE SOUNDBAR & SOUNDBAR LIKE SYSTEMS

Sony Home Theatre Quad https://amzn.to/47wQ6PS
Samsung Q990H https://amzn.to/4feDNLz
Original Sonos Arc https://andrewr.link/arc
Sonos Sub 3 https://amzn.to/37HS9zQ
Samsung Q990D https://amzn.to/4pzce2R
Bose Ultra Soundbar https://andrewr.link/bsu
Bose Surrounds https://amzn.to/3lqvnEZ
Bose Sub https://andrewr.link/bassmod700
Nakamichi Dragon https://amzn.to/4yX0Ilu

Sonos Soundbar vs Traditional Home Theater

SVS Titans https://andrewr.link/titans-c
SVS Center https://andrewr.link/titan-center
SVS SB17 https://andrewr.link/sb17-c
SVS Micro 3000 https://andrewr.link/3000m1-c
SVS Wireless Subwoofer Kit https://amzn.to/3UpH1Ru

🧪 TESTING THE SONOS ARC ULTRA

POWER
Sonos Amp https://andrewr.link/sonos-amp (used to power our in-ceiling speakers)

SPEAKERS
Sonos Era 300 https://andrewr.link/era300-c
In Ceiling Surrounds/Atmos https://amzn.to/3VFWD28

SUBWOOFER
Sonos Sub 4 https://amzn.to/3AXfErz
Sonos Sub 3 https://amzn.to/37HS9zQ

TVs
Sony Bravia 9 https://amzn.to/4hRw5bn
SONY 98” A90L https://amzn.to/45WmbOW
TV Mount https://andrewr.link/vivo

SOURCES
Apple 4K TV: https://amzn.to/3em0YUp
Sony PS5 https://amzn.to/3Cku2qD
iPhone

MEDIA
Deadpool Wolverine https://amzn.to/3XYmPHp
Top Gun Maverick https://amzn.to/3RnEfbv
Ambulance https://amzn.to/3FwVyCn
A Perfect Circle https://amzn.to/3YXcIlj
The Lastlings https://amzn.to/2YiZ5TG
Lady Blackbird https://amzn.to/3rj5ARc
Sam Smith

SPEAKERS STANDS, CABLES & ACCESSORIES
Front Speaker Stands https://andrewr.link/our-speaker-stands
Rear Speaker Stands https://amzn.to/3DD0UJX
HDMI Cable https://amzn.to/3VRhvVa

➕ SONOS ARC ULTRA REVIEW: Changing Home Theater AGAIN

00:00 SONOS ARC ULTRA REVIEW: What’s new?
02:05 SONOS ARC ULTRA SETUP & SONOS APP
03:32 SONOS ARC ULTRA SOUND QUALITY (just the bar)
08:25 ULTIMATE IMMERSIVE SET SOUND QUALITY: Sonos Ultra, Era 300s and Subwoofer(s)
10:19 SONOS SUB GEN 4 vs GEN 3
11:24 ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
12:14 SONOS ULTRA vs Samsung Q990D and the Sony Quad
14:48 SHOULD YOU UPGRADE YOUR ARC TO THE ARC ULTRA?
15:16 SONOS vs OTHER SOUNDBARS

📥 CONNECT WITH US

New Videos ↳ Every Sunday!
Need a Direct Response? ↳ Consider a Super Thanks to highlight your comment.
Become a Channel Member ↳ https://andrewr.link/join
Follow Me Behind the Scenes ↳ https://andrewr.link/ig
Work With Us ↳ https://andrewr.link/contactus

⚖️ TRANSPARENCY & ETHICS

LINKS: Some links are affiliate links. They add no cost to you and help us remain independent.
SPONSORSHIP: This video is NOT sponsored. This means that no payment was received.
REVIEW POLICY: We don’t accept payment or free gear for coverage. Brands don’t see videos before they’re published. If we keep a product, we bought it ourselves.

⚖️ LEGAL & COPYRIGHT

© 2024 Andrew Robinson. All rights reserved. No portion of this video, including footage, audio, narration, graphics, measurements, screenshots, name, voice, or likeness, may be copied, reuploaded, redistributed, repackaged, used in AI training, used in AI-generated or AI-assisted content, or used commercially without prior written permission.

This video is not licensed for third-party uploads of any kind. We take unauthorized use very seriously. If you see our work on another channel, website, or publication, please notify us via the contact form on our website. You can help stop theft and content farms by reporting the user to YouTube.

For licensing, please contact us via our website.

#sonos #soundbar #hometheater

20 Comments

@andrewrobinsonreviews Creator 1 year ago (edited) Pinned

Check out our follow-up video to our Arc Ultra review where we answer some of your most common questions! https://youtu.be/Bxb-qeGYEww?feature=shared

@SpankyGolfaddict65 4 days ago

i now have the Arc Ultra / Beam Ultra / Ace Ultra / Sub4 / Era 300's / Move 2 / and am extremely happy with no issues whatsoever...cheers all from Canada

@TS-yf2zf 2 weeks ago (edited)

I think it went downhill after the "update" everyone seems to be talking about.
The voices are way too quiet & the action scenes are way too loud.
Music has to be set at 80 !! & it now sucks......🤷‍♂️

@h1dd3n5h0t5 3 weeks ago

How good or bad is the audio delay, with any bluetooth speaker I can usually notice some audio visual delay

@adhamteymour526 3 weeks ago

How would you rank on sound quality only the Bose lifestyle ultra vs Sonos arc ultra vs Klipsche flexus 300

@andreas-z5g 1 month ago

Therefore, Andrew is number one, it is better to have one person testing the systems than to listen to 15 others because there will always be a different result, so I always go after Andrew, thanks.

@earlwillis5958 1 month ago

I just watched an old review of yours for the era 300’s and you werent exactly trilled, your wife even less so it seemed. You mentioned in the video that you had not yet heard the Arc. Then this review is praising the whole Sonos system haha. I was pretty set on getting Sonos but ordered after this review. Arc Ultra, gen 4 sub, and a pair of 300’s will be here in a few days to go with the new TV I plan to get tomorrow for our Movie/Rec Room.

@enex34 1 month ago

Era 300 is absolutely useless as rear speakers, most of the time you don’t even know they are there, not worth the money!
They work better as individual stereo speakers rather than part of surround system, just save your money. I regret purchasing them.

@AndrewRobinson-z1g3y 1 month ago

We have the same name

@R357L355 1 month ago

Hi! Thanks for a great review! I know it’s an oldish review and am not sure if you are able to keep up with any questions here but I have a couple:
1. You mentioned (stereo?) imaging getting significantly better once era 300 were introduced as surrounds. Can you recall what surrounds settings you used? Like surrounds full or ambient? Did you mess with the levels in any way?
2. How were your era 300s positioned? Way behind the sofa and a little toed in like you can surmise from the video? Did you notice any changes to atmos imaging when you played around with the position?

@SpearPol 2 months ago (edited)

Hi, thank you so much for this fantastic review. 💎 🙏

Your comment about a hifi system costing at least 5 grand can outperform the ultimate Sonos system actually sparked this dilemma:

We’re currently in the return window with a Klipsch RP-600M II pair and an RP-500C II driven by a Denon 3700. I’m torn between this setup and the Arc Ultra with a pair of Era 100 speakers, which costs the same as a starting point. If I set the Era 100s as L/R speakers, I plan to add another Era 100/300 pair of surrounds in the near future.

I’m wondering if replacing the Klipsch system is a mistake. I know Sonos offers height channels and is easy to use for movies and music, unlike the cumbersome Denon app/menu. However, Klipsch speakers are fantastic for music too. Our usage is about 65-70% movies and the rest is music. I intend to keep at least the Denon AVR.

Could you please offer some advice? I truly appreciate it.

@johnvdl 2 months ago

Great presentation, but don't even start. We bought a complete Sonos cinema set and some separate speakers. We paid €3600, and the result is truly terrible. Everything comes out of the center speaker, and the biggest disappointment was the Era 300; what came out of that was really bad. Separately, they were okay, but in the set... terrible! The Era 100 was somewhat reasonable, but I learned one thing: I never want Sonos again! In the demos, you hear helicopters and space sounds; the voice audio is chosen very deliberately, always in the cockpit of an airplane for example. Then it doesn't stand out that voices sound very nasal and tinny, whereas that is the most important thing. For the vast majority of the time, you're listening to voices anyway. And that is also what you have the best reference for. Even though I had the newest version of everything, I found it very disappointing. Actually scandalous how bad it is for so much money... We have a Sony cinema set in Spain and it knocks holes in the walls. Voices sound super warm and full, and music is also super; we bought that set on sale for €500 and it's 100 times better, with wireless rear speakers and a real sub that actually thumps and doesn't just go whooeeehooooee like that expensive Sonos garbage (paid €3600 f*cking Euro for it). And as a producer who spends a lot of time in the studio and works with top gear, I really do know a bit about music, and especially what to pay attention to. Those space sounds and action scenes overwhelm most laypeople in the store, and then they think wow, that goes hard, and that is literally true, but pay attention to a warm voice. That is the biggest pitfall of many soundbars: the voices sound tinny, and you really shouldn't want that because ultimately you listen to voices 90% of the time!!! That is the same as a TV where everyone has pink skin; that is unnatural and you shouldn't want that, no matter how much the colors pop. If you buy a speaker set, pay attention to a natural voice sound and a warm tone. If you buy a TV, pay attention to a natural rendering of the skin. For a lawn, a car, or an animated movie, you have no reference for that: is it green 1, green 2, or green 3 and so on., but you immediately see it if the skin is not natural. And that is exactly how it is with sound regarding the warm voice.

@thesmartaudioengineer 2 months ago

As a CCNP network engineer, I see many people blame Sonos for audio drops when they’ve actually hit a hidden Spanning Tree loop that chokes their router. I got fed up with this glitch and mapped out the exact Wi-Fi settings, router fixes, and verified hardware switch lists on my site.

Just Google: The Ultimate Sonos Troubleshooter

@SamVimes-b6s 2 months ago

I'm sat here in my bedroom,with the complete sonos system, except for 1 of the era 300"s Andrew, after watching the review multiple times, the 2nd 300 is being delivered tomorrow btw. I'm wondering if I should wait for the 2nd 300 before I install them as the rear surrounds, if you or or someone from your community could help,I'd appreciate that 😊

@igorkuzevski5431 4 months ago

Greetings from Macedonia! 🙂 Hey Andrew and Kristi! Love your brutally honest reviews. I have a specific dilemma that I know only you can answer based on your recent reviews of the Sony Bravia Theatre Quad and the Sonos Ultimate system.
I am currently a hardcore Sonos user (running a Beam Gen 2, two Era 100s as surrounds, and a Sub Mini) in a compact 5x3m room. I absolutely adore the 'Sonos sound signature'—that warm, full, emotional velvet tone, and how clean it stays even when I crank it up to 90% for parties.
However, I am moving into a new open-space apartment. The living room area is 7 x 4.6 meters, but here is the catch: it is acoustically asymmetrical. One side is a solid wall, while the other side completely opens up into a dining room and kitchen area.
Given my new larger, open-concept, and asymmetrical room layout, what do you honestly suggest?
Will the Sony Quad + Sub sw5 pull off the ultimate 'Era 100s on steroids' experience with proper room calibration for this asymmetrical space, or will my ears constantly crave that signature Sonos warmth and house sound? Would love to get your thoughts on this! Thanks

@lyndonramchatesingh105 5 months ago

And if comparing two subs which would be louder and deeper bose or sonos

@lyndonramchatesingh105 5 months ago

Hey andrew on the topic of bose and sonos can a bose 700 sub go lower or sound deeper than sonos gen 4 sub

@DrCarlosAltamirano 5 months ago

I own 3 full sounbar setups (and a dedicated one that we can’t compare here): the Nakamichi Dragon, The Arc Ultra and the Bose 900. I have to say that that my favorite BY FAR is the Nakamichi but all are good of course. The Bose I use in my bedroom with the surrounds on the head of my bed and I have to say that they are TINY but the ambient sounds are SO REAL that it’s scary (specially if someone knocks the door in a movie, you would think they are knocking at your door!). For music (I would say better for bigger rooms) I prefer the warmer, rounder more filling sound of the sonos, which is unfair to compare to the Bose because the surrounds and woofers are in a different category. I also had lots of issues with the app and setting things up with Sonos. So in terms of cost-benefit and versatility the Sonos is the winner (bigger sound, good for movies and music and cheaper than the Nakamichi) but I have to say that if you want the best of the best I DON’T HESITATE TO RECOMMEND THE NAKAMICHI specially for dedicated spaces for movies or music. So it comes to this:

1.- Plug and play good sound for 85% of people and probably less expensive now= Bose

2.- For Enthusiast, more versatility, you can grow your system step by step= Bang for the Buck Sonos

3.- The best of the best (significantly better than Sonos and I know that Andrew doesn’t agree to this), equalization and more “Pro” oriented= Nakamichi Dragon Quad 12in

@mayankmiharia8457 6 months ago

Hey! What would be a better option in terms of the audio experience, a 7.1 vs the full setup? Considering the 7.1 setup is approximately in the same range of the full sonos setup.