Quick Summary
Sonos has announced.a new flagship soundbar, as well as a replacement for its much-loved Sub subwoofer.
The Sonos Arc Ultra is sleeker, but still managed to cram 14 drivers into the thinner form factor. It'll be available from 29 October, priced at $999.
Sonos has unveiled a replacement to its four year-old Arc – which has been considered one of the best soundbars since its launch in 2020. The new model sports a sleeker build and several big upgrades.
Called Sonos Arc Ultra, it is the company's new flagship all-in-one home cinema solution, which comes with the company's proprietary Sound Motion transducer technology to pack a staggering 14 driver units into the thinner form factor.
Sound Motion effectively reduces the size of the transducers, while also enabling larger sound from smaller components, so allows for tidier aesthetics without impacting performance. The Arc Ultra is the first Sonos device to benefit.
Its 9.1.4 array is therefore capable of providing a full spatial audio experience, whether that be Dolby Atmos or another technology, such as Apple's own multi-channel format. There is new centre channel architecture too, in comparison with its predecessor, which maximises vocal clarity. And with Trueplay tuning available (as on other Sonos speakers), the bar should match your room no matter the size.
As with the previous Arc, this Sonos soundbar comes with on-board Amazon Alexa, or you can opt for the brand's own voice control. There are also touch controls on a dedicated ledge just behind the speaker system.
HDMI eARC is provided for connectivity and Bluetooth support is included if you just want to stream from your phone directly. An audio line-in input is present, too.
New Sonos Sub 4
As well as the bar, Sonos has launched a new version of its popular wireless Subwoofer – the Sonos Sub 4.
It has been rebuilt "inside and out", with a similar aesthetic but a new matte finish and more sustainable form.
There is increased processing power and memory on board, as well as new Wi-Fi radios for better connectivity.
Both the Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 will be avilable in white or black globally from 29 October 2024.
The Arc Ultra will be priced at $999 in the US, while the Sub 4 will be $799. We're still awaiting UK and Australian pricing details.
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