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I’m a subtitles guy and have been for years. Part of it comes down to aging—I’m approaching 40 and my hearing is not what it used to be. The other part comes down to the fact that, and I cannot emphasize this enough, my TV’s built-in speakers are utter dog shit. Even with the volume turned up dangerously high, I can’t for the life of me decipher what anybody is saying; I only catch the sibilants of conversations. Thank God for the Sonos Arc Ultra, because for the first time in years, I can finally turn the subtitles off.
I’m not kidding, actually understanding what the hell people are saying in my favorite movies feels life-changing. One of the Arc Ultra’s secret weapons is its Speech Enhancement, which improves the clarity of dialogue so you can understand what Tom Hardy is mumbling about behind his mask. Pair that with the brand’s Trueplay technology, which custom-tunes the soundbar to your room, and it makes me a little angry I’ve been subjecting myself to bad audio for so long.
We haven’t been shy about endorsing Sonos speakers in the past, heaping praise on the brand’s portable Sonos Move 2, the robust Era 300, and the noise-canceling Ace wireless headphones. I’m putting the Arc Ultra at the top of the best gadgets of 2024. Let me put it this way: If you’re sick of your TV’s speakers, this is the upgrade you’ve been waiting for.
Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar
The setup is a breeze
When tech doesn’t cooperate, I’m out. It’s what editors at Esquire are calling the AirPods argument. I don’t want to fiddle around with something that won’t connect to Wi-Fi or fails to find nearby devices. Tech brands don’t realize that that user experience is half the battle. Thankfully, Sonos gets it. Taking the Arc Ultra out of the box—an A+ unboxing experience, by the way—I got the soundbar up and running in 30-ish minutes, including connecting it to my bum TV and letting it optimize the sound with Trueplay. This kind of no-nonsense simplicity is exactly what consumers deserve when paying for premium tech.
Once you get the Arc Ultra set up, there are several ways to control it. First, you have the Sonos app, which has been a lightning rod for controversy in 2024 after a botched app redesign. You have voice control via Alexa or Sonos Voice Control. And, you have touch controls that sit toward the rear of the soundbar. It’s all pretty intuitive—Sonos is re-addressing the app, and for Apple users it’s about as good as it was—especially if you’ve used one of Sonos’ more recent products.
While Sonos is still prioritizing Wi-Fi with the Arc Ultra, the soundbar now supports Bluetooth for more flexibility. It also features AirPlay 2, allowing you to stream audio seamlessly from your iPhone, and an ethernet jack to get the most reliable and stable internet connection. Unfortunately, there is no HDMI passthrough, meaning you’ll need to plug your PS5 Pro, Apple TV, and other HDMI devices directly into your TV rather than routing them through the soundbar. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does mean you’ll need to manage your HDMI ports more carefully.
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The perfect companion for movie night—and music too
My first order of business was to throw on a few classics: Thelonious Monk’s Palo Alto, Them’s Them Again, and you bet your ass I played Bob Seger’s Night Moves. Before inviting the Arc Ultra into my home, I was satisfied with my original HomePod, and considered it pretty good. But, my God, the difference is night and day. The Arc Ultra doesn’t just play music—it creates this incredible sense of space, making me feel as if I’m listening live to Monk’s 1968 concert at Palo Alto High School. That’s the magic of the soundbar’s 14 drivers working together.
As impressive as music sounds, the Arc Ultra is part of the Sonos push into TV audio; movies are where the Arc Ultra earns its keep. Along with the the 14 drivers, there’s a Sound Motion woofer that gives the soundbar that bone-shattering oomph you get in theaters. I fired up Top Gun: Maverick, and holy hell. That opening sequence where Maverick goes Mach 10 is as good as you’ll get outside a movie theater. The soundbar’s upward- and side-firing drivers give sound so much dimensionality and depth. Even the Bluey theme song sounds so much more vibrant, not that my toddler cares. Add in the all-new Sub 4 and a few Era 300 speakers if you have the space and money, and you have a sound system that’s actually theater-level.
And remember what I said about dialogue clarity? The Arc Ultra’s Speech Enhancement feature lets you choose between three levels (low, medium, and high), so you can dial in exactly how much clarity you need. It comes at a slight detriment to atmospheric sound, but for dialogue-heavy viewings, it’s perfect. Plu for those late-night movie marathons, a Night Sound feature can reduce the intensity of loud sounds while increasing the level of quieter sounds, so you won’t wake the household.
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Yes, the Sonos Arc Ultra is that good
Am I overselling the Arc Ultra just because I suffered through my TV’s built-in speakers for so long? Maybe. But I’m never going back, I can tell you that much. The praise is entirely warranted. The Arc Ultra is impressive, from its room-filling sound to its dead-simple setup. And if the soundbar alone isn’t enough, you can create a robust home theater setup by adding a Sub 4 and a few Era 300 speakers. Better yet, pick up an Arc Ultra bundle so you can hear Tom Cruise break the sound barrier in beautiful surround sound.
If it had been any other year, the Arc Ultra would be raking in awards. Sonos had a bumpy year following the rollout of its overhauled mobile app, and that means the Arc Ultra has largely flown under the radar. But it’s perhaps the best possible step toward putting those troubles in the rearview. It’s a triumph of a soundbar. As a newcomer to Sonos, it only took a few weeks of testing to understand why the brand has such a cult-like following. The hardware is immaculate and intuitive, delivering an audio experience that truly elevates home entertainment. If you’re looking to upgrade your current setup or want something far superior to your TV’s built-in speakers, the Arc Ultra is the soundbar to get.
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