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I picked up Sony Quads with SW5 this week based on you review. I heard the Ultra right before my purchase at my neighbors house, while both are fantastic. My back living room wall is a main walkway from our front door so having the quads wall mounted vs. era 300s was a no brainer for my room. We are absolutely loving the set up! From sound to aesthetics.
I have always been sceptical towards sonos, but having heard a Arc + Sub recently, I am blown away. I ALWAYS find some time to listen to some music on it, because it is that good.
Sonos just has so many little things that I love. That app thing was rough for sure. But it seems okay now. The simplicity of setup and use are huge pluses. And I cannot stress enough the Apple Music being native is the single biggest reason that I continue to buy their products. Have a great week love what you are doing!
I have 20 Sonos pieces and don't have issues with the app like other had experienced (oldest Beam 1, newest Arc Ultra). Worse thing that happened was being away from home for several weeks and some speakers fell asleep and didn't wake up in the app. Power reset at each speaker woke everything up (only happened once in 4 years). Having an on/off button on the speakers would have been quicker instead of crawling around for the power cords.
I bought the Nakamichi Dragon as soon as it launched because every UA-camr was saying things like, “The Dragon is unmatched, it’s the best, it’s on another level.” But now, they all seem to be backtracking, which makes it hard for me to trust them anymore.
Another great review. Very impressive that this level of performance is available with the simplicity of an all in one system solution and is available at this price level versus building out a traditional home theater system. It seems like we're approaching the point where only those seeking very high level performance need to invest in such a traditional home theater system. The vast majority will be completely satisfied with a system such as the Sonos. Enjoy the last of the holiday weekend.
Great review as always! I own the original Arc, plus era3’s, plus 2 gen 3’s with the 95” sony you recommended. I feel like that combo is better than a previous $60k high end audio/surround. That said, for music, i use a 2 channel system that bests it. I love your reviews - and have made me very happy when i’ve followed your recommendations! Appreciate you and Kristi so much! BTW, recently visited Montreal, and in the Four Seasons hotel, they had B&O’s in every room. Made me very happy!
Thanks for your hard work on this review. I can tell your experience with this product excites you. In my home this type of a setup will be instrumental over a traditional home theater.
I can’t agree with you more about this new arc. I absolutely love it paired with era 300s and only need one gen 4 sub. I had tried the Nakamichi but after 3 weeks I couldn’t get it anywhere that sounded to my liking and this setup is so much better than the dragon. I might add another sub down the road but for now this is outstanding for me!! It really outshines the old arc as well as the eras didn’t mesh with the arc the way they do with the ultra. Awesome review and 25hz is pretty damn impressive.
If I were in the market for a premium sound bar setup, I would seriously consider the Sonos system based on your overall review impressions. I'm glad to see that an American speaker company can compete with the best from all over the world. Their speakers really do sound fantastic.
If you are wondering why Bose bought McIntosh, you are probably looking at the answer right here. Wait for the review on the new McIntosh soundbar, coming soon! My guess would be soundbars are outselling home theater 10 to 1. And I have nothing against soundbars, I have a basic Yamaha soundbar with a sub upstairs and I have no complaints with the sound. In fact it did make me wonder if home theater really is worth all the trouble. I'm old school though, so I like tinkering with all the home theater gear. But for most people, I think this is what the large majority will be choosing from now on. I mean if you do most of your music listening on ear buds or phones, you are not going to mind the sound of a soundbar in the least.
A few years ago, I tested a few different setups and ended up with the original Arc + sub + Era 300s and it is fantastic. Especially Atmos. When I win the lottery, I’ll upgrade.
@andrewrobinsonreviews sorry did not mean to be short with the comment. I appreciate your honest reviews on AV based on testing and knowledge. Having Sonos gear in my house already and looking for solutions for my basement, I was waiting for the Ultra and your review to make a decision. Thank you for the videos, and Happy Holidays!
I really like the design and the fact that you can buy components later but the lack of DTS-X support really bugs me. At this price it is inexcusable. I still listen to physical media so for me it's a must.
Pairing a stereo pair of Era 300’s with a sub up front along with the full Sonos surround systems is Dramatically better than not having them paired. I have been doing it everyday for 18 months and it is a HUGE improvement if you want to be Inside the movie instead of just watching it. People really should try it, you won’t go back on movie night.
Explain in depth plz ... so don't add era as surrounds pair and group and use as stereo pair in front paired with a sub so I have 2 subs use one with arc other paired to 300s paired as stereo and grouped to arc in main living space?
How’s the audio delay these days? Last time I tried this I had a hell of a time dialing in the offset, seems like it varied per content/codec almost and the echos weren’t worth it for dialogue.
I have very little audio sync issues at all. The only pain is the volume for the tv remote doesn’t control the front era 300’s pair, but it is completely worth it for movies. It is basically the Sony quad system made of 4 Era 300’s, soundbar and 2 subs. I love it.
I served on a Sonos advisory board in Seattle Washington last month. I can confirm…. Sonos IS listening to dealers and customers as well. They have demonstrated to me they have heard the criticisms of their app debacle and continue to not only fix the issues of the past but are also charting a new course. I have historically felt Sonos is chasing the low to mid fidelity market. From what I saw and heard at my recent meeting they are now and will be knocking on the door of their higher priced competitors very soon. So excited to see where Sonos is heading.
@@SENCORE_ISF That’s all well and good but what happens in 5 years when Sonos decides that my $2,000 system is obsolete and shuts down support on its app? With no Bluetooth I’m not going to be able to stream my music directly to it. My blu-ray collection might as well be garbage because there’s no DTS support. I agree that if all you do is stream content with Dolby Atmos/DD+ and listen to Spotify then this will be fine for you…for a couple of years. No thanks from Texas.
@@jamesphillips4599 Sonos does not support DTS HD formats, if that Is a dealbreaker when considering purchasing a Sonos system, I get it, I understand completely. The obsolescence statement I find super interesting. Would be interested to hear your thoughts after you read this….. Sonos in my experience is far and away your best bet bar none regarding any technological advancements and preventing your products from becoming obsolete. Sonos has consistently offered firmware updates to products to enhance their feature sets. This alone has increased the lifespan of their products. Customers should be extremely happy being back in the day if you purchased a receiver in 1998, you were almost assured of feeling some envy in 1999 when the new receiver came out with a feature or two yours did not possess and could not be updated to. Sonos has essentially offered their clients free product upgrades. Personally and as a dealer I love this. Now the most important and I find the most interesting aspect of your comment. Definitely let me know your thoughts. Sonos has never shutdown a product, in fact they have done the opposite. They have allowed their older products to continue to live on in the form of the S1 app. You still have all of the features your products had at purchase, nothing has been removed or taken offline. I find this extraordinary. Sonos maintains the S1 app and as I understand will do so indefinitely. It is not the fault of Sonos that a product sold ten years prior cannot support a new technology but what is extraordinary is that they have allowed all older products to operate unchanged from their last tech update. Could you imagine holding other companies to this standard? Imagine going to your local Porsche dealer ten years after you purchased your car and saying…. “I’m never going to buy a new car from you because my older car cannot be upgraded to a hybrid EV??” Great question hope this lends some perspective. If though you feel I’m missing something in my interpretation, please LMK. Cheers
I actually ended up selling my arc for $500 and got the ultra with a 15% discount direct from Sonos for having older products. I had a pair of Sonos 5s strictly for music listening and when I compared stereo listening to my new full Ultra + 300s + dual sub gen 3s, in full music listening modes, they were pretty similar so I ended up selling my pair of 5s. Ended up with a net positive $$ by a few hundred for upgrading lol.
Good review, glad to see things are going better for Sonos. I have the Beam and was waitung for the new Arc reviews to come out before deciding to move forward. I have the old Sonos 1's for my surrounds. Will be interested to see how they perform with the Arc Ultra and how the Atmos works with them.
Excellent Review 👍🏼 I can definitely see myself getting this system when I go from my dedicated theater to a more simplistic theater experience without giving up much..
i love class d like the sonos arc ultrasound bar - its the perfect vehicle for home theater - your not so critical as to the sound quality having to be perfect - i like listening to music critically with a tube amp or class a or even class g - going forward thats what im doing - sonos ultra for home movies and tv - the previous that i mentioned for critical listening
Great review! I love the flexibility. In my case, I want less boxes, not more. I would totally replace my current soundbar and conservative sub for just a soundbar 😊 If someone else wants lots of bass and rear speakers, they also can. Everybody wins! Oh and everything goes through my tv so one HDMI port is enough for me.
I've been looking at a new stereo hifi system with an amp including an HDMI port, or something like the Q990D. But I've since changed my mindset. I may get a traditional stereo system without AV connections, and just plonk an Arc Ultra in the middle. Job done for both music and movies!
I have a bit of a negative personal experience with Sonos and especially their software. And even with your endorsement/compliments on the software, it definitely left a really dark stain in my mind. I’m glad the performance is there, that this hobby is moving into a direction like simplifying the home theater experience with all in one packages with minimal cable mess and such, but I’ll have to wait a few years and see if their software is finally up to the task and on par at least with Bose or B&O to even consider Sonos as the next system. Great video and review as always! Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday!
@ I purchased the Sonos One speaker, that supposedly has Bluetooth, and WiFi for a background music. First of all, it was a sealed box, brand new. Upon opening and turned out the speaker has been used before with significant scuff marks. Then, after replacement, I could not use Bluetooth without WiFi. It required WiFi connection for setup through app. And then on top of it, it would only play back music via the Sonos app as well, like I couldn’t play from AppleMusic app on my phone and just use Bluetooth directly. Only login through the connected app within the Sonos app, then play music. Just such an over complicated process, it was insane. It would also constantly lose connection and had to be reset multiple times via the app. Every single software update led to the speakers forgetting every device connected to it completely and had to be factory reset via a button on the back. It’s just terrible. The worst Bluetooth/wifi speaker experience I’ve ever had.
This soundbar and sub look sleek AF!! I wish they would update their Sonos 5 with HDMI with eARC for a stereo setup. That’s the one ☝️ I’ll be waiting for!!
Still rocking the Sony HT-A7000 with SR5 rears and SW5 sub, quite happy with it, although, I am having issues with 4k UHD Dolby Vision content that is encoded with Dolby Atmos. The sound is muted, very muffled, heavy center, not much else when in surround mode Dolby-X. Placing it in DTS, the audio is much better, but the picture becomes washed out, so I end up using the Surround mode option. For DTS encoded audio, I have had no issues with 4k UHD Dolby Vision content.
Sonos arc Ultra is a great product, unfortunately I have to returned, I installed in a small room with a Pair of era 100, was so great at some point, but because of the new twitters I feels that improve the clarity and atmos effects, but also that feels little bit harsh in some scenes and was cutting my ears, highly recommended for medium to large room size. So I went for a traditional system, after watching the great review here of the Marantz Cinema 70s I picked this Avr+ Focal Dome Flax and sounds amazing in small rooms!!
I have tested two Ultra’s in my home studio then deployed them within my clients homes. As good as the new Ultra Is (I agree with all Andrew specified, a flatter response, a more cohesive interpretation with greater low frequency extension) the ARC U alone cannot combat room acoustics. “If” you place the Ultra low to the ground or in a corner its bass presence and extension is impressive BUT if you place it above a mantle for example, do not be disappointed if you do not feel the Arc U lives up to the hype. placement with any system is still the largest determining factor in terms of the overall presentation. I would recommend if you’re not certain, purchase the Arc U alone. Then after testing and break in purchase a sub Gen4 if you feel it’s warranted. Cannot tell you how cool it is to be able to place subs virtually anywhere within a room where the acoustics of your room demand they be located given the flexibility of wireless placement. Sonos has without question again closed the performance gap and continues to raise the “Bar 😏” as to how much you need to spend to achieve a high quality end result.
Sonos are the masters of DSP, I had a Sonos FIVE on a Flexson stand in my guest room, blow away that little thing could dig into the mid 20hz range at decent volume.
I have the (Arc 1, 2 Era300, 2x Sub Gen 3), I was very disappointed when i found out no DTS:X. I waited and waited and still no support. I wanted to get the Arc Ultra, but I might end up going with Sony or Samsung instead now. Good review though. Thanks
Thanks! Having spent 4X the amount mentioned it would take a dynamite system to convince me or a need to down size. Still, it is great to know the options as I am getting older and one NEVER knows what tomorrow holds.
As for the comparisons, i feel the only thing lacking for the Samsung is bass. If they upgraded the sub and allowed 2 subs it could be a real game changer.
Still found the Sonos ultra full setup to be front heavy in comparison to the Bravia quads and more aggressive lol. Suppose everyone's ears are different as quads sound more neutral to me. Maybe Sonos should try allow 4 era 300's and try the quad route.
That might be on the cards - the Arc Ultra has a much beefier processor and network transceiver setup than the old Arc, so presumably can support the extra I/O you'd need to run another set of surrounds. Totally speculating though.
It delivers- UNTIL the app issues, inept tech support, vanishing products from your system, Alexa conflicts, and you spend two days getting them to reconnect- but other than that, it delivers. Once you go Sonos, you’ll NEVER go back to Sonos.
Had Sonos, sold everything. Now I have an old school system again, amplifier, 2 very large speakers, a Rel subwoofer, and a bluesound. Works like a charm, en much much better sound quality!!
Thank you for the video! With your comparisons, it answered a lot of my questions because I was debating between this system, and the Sony quad as well as a budget amp + speaker combination. I think I might need to get the sound bar now.
If it had a remote, and more inputs, I would have updated our attic with this system. Instead I chose the Samsung, and it does the job my wife and daughter need. Truthfully, I’d probably buy a new system a month, just because I’d want to check each one out like you guys. Nice vid. 👍🤪🏳️🌈
You're one of the best reviewers, keep doing what you're doing. If I had the Arc + gen 3 + One SL, and I could do one upgrade (In a studio about 600 square feet but concrete building so no sound issues), would you recommend me upgrade to the ultra first or the 300s? Appreciate you and hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
Sweet! Great review. Sonos and Sony are making it very clear to me I can finally dump my AVR based surround system within the next 3 years. If Sonos introduced front L & R, I'd get rid of my AVR tomorrow. I have a beam gen 2, sub mini, and two ones at my mom's place. I'll swap out the Beam Gen 2 for the Ultra.
Swapped out my v1 Arc for the Arc Ultra (dual Gen 3 subs+Fives). The new Arc Ultra have much better L/R/Center with improved dialogue over the old Arc. You might be ready to switch already.
Gee, thanks man. Here I was thinking I had it all figured out, and that building an invisible system using separate speakers was the way to to renovating our livingroom. Then this? Well back to the drawing board then 😅 I already own multiple Sonos speakers and like the «Sonos Sound». And the fact that the ERA 300’s could double up as a stereo pair as well. It’s a though sell going with separate everything, which is gonna run me twice as much, without installation and labor. 😅
Great review Andrew. I just can’t get over the limitations of physics a bar system would have compared to traditional. I can however see that these limitations are also kind of an advantage. You won’t fuss over placement, cabling, aesthetics etc with a sound bar system, you’re more likely to plug n play and not stress. I can see that attraction.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews And when the control app works, the ease of set-up, daily use and flexibility is hard to ignore. I’ve mentioned numerous times that I have two adult children heavily invested in the whole home Sonos ecosystem - one of them even use Sonos in a restaurant- and it absolutely worked wonders for them, until this year’s “issues”.
@@ClemFandango72 it’s about setting expectations. They’re claiming all those channels but they’re all packed into a 1.1 physical system. So it’s mono plus and very room dependent. I like them for a lot of people but also worry that we’re not exposing people to actual good front soundstage.
@ I own a couple soundbars (Sonus Playbars), and I think I’m like 95% of people who own one. Which is we bought it to assist with vocals/dialogue issues that we experience with rear facing speakers from panel TVs. We didn’t buy it to replace a home theater. I’m sure there’s plenty of people in that camp too but I gotta assume the majority are like me.
@@ClemFandango72 those are the majority in the more budget range. But the people buying these higher end bars are getting sucked into the marketing behind them. 5.1, 7.1, 9.1, 11.1 channels! They see 11.1 channels and think they’re getting a home theater experience. I run into it all the time. For someone without a reference this is home theater to them. And that’s just sad really. Especially when a powered stereo monitor is almost as convenient and performs better for less money.
Great review!! Have you ever thought about making a video showing off all your wrist watches? They all seem very interesting. Many hifi people are into watches for some reason. I think your audience would appreciate it.
So I have the arc, with two 300’s and two gen 3 subs connected. And we really love the sound! Seems like the main improvement with the ultra is the base response. But if someone already have two sub gen 3s, am I correct to assume you don’t really get the added benefit of increase base response from the ultra? In my system it wouldn’t make senses to upgrade to the arc ultra would it?
Hello Andrew, I have a general question rather than a specific comment or question about the Sonos Arc Ultra. I've been a fan of your channel for a long time, and while I’ll admit that we have different philosophies on home theater and HiFi, I always make sure to follow your content when considering a new purchase. My question is simple: why do you choose to listen to music via Bluetooth connection instead of using a streamer or the built-in streaming options within an AV receiver? I’ve tested various methods and spoken to many experts at shows and dealers, and I’ve never encountered anyone who advocates for listening to music through Bluetooth as you do. Given your reviews of high-end speakers and amplifiers, I feel that this approach does a disservice to the music.
Thanks for your review. I'm getting ready to upgrade my home theater setup and was considering Bose vs Sonos. Your video gave me an idea I hadn't considered. I don't have a good option for free standing surround speakers but my living room is pre-wired for 5.1 ceiling speakers. In your opinion would the Ultra paired with in ceiling surround be a good option or would I be better off ditching the sound bar and going with 5 ceiling speakers? Thanks~
Thank you for the review, but as you said last time, we already bought it :) But no Google Assistant on Arc/ultra and no Era setup on my Pixel 6 Pro. As a music lover, I wasn't happy with the 1st system I bought, arc, 2 one SL and sub 3. I have no space, so there was little choice. I had to buy a soundbar. What I like a lot about Sonos is the upgrade path and how well their products retain demand and price over time, even in a small, non-tech savvy (at least on average) country like Italy. The Era 300s upgrade as surrounds was incredible ( I don't like them much as stereo pair, unless Dolby atmos happens and even then not impressed ), and with more and more spatial audio remastering, there is constant improvement in the experience. At least for what I like, I don't think that the Sonos system is going to be better than a full-fledged system; stereo music is the reason. Only Dolby Atmos remastering can balance the scale. Luckily, it seems a big part of the industry is moving in that direction.
Happy Sunday and Go Longhorns! the question of long term support is an interesting one. For those familiar with Sonos what is their longest supported product? Can you expect at least 7-8 years? It’s not like they stop working if they no longer update the software.
They didn't "brick" them, they simply stopped giving them updates and let people know due to changes in architecture and chipsets they wouldn't necessarily be 100% compatible with future products. Older Sonos products didn't one day stop working, they just got frozen in time and no longer received updates. There's a world of difference between what Sonos did and how they handled it versus "bricking" their past products.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews when the products stop getting updates, if any music service or app partner release a security update or change that the current firmware doesn't agree with, the system will stop operating as expected. This rendered some user's systems completely unstable only months after. No, they didn't hit an off switch, but there needs to be better support for legacy devices that cost this much to make sure functionality remains intact. There was also the whole debacle with recycle mode
Hi thanks for your reviews, always a great listen. When you say the full Sonia setup depends on room size would love to know your thoughts when the bar alone is not enough for a room size. I ask as we have a roughy 13’ square space open at the back to another 13’x26’ open plan area.. L shape basement. Don’t want the base too boomy but also don’t need to over spend if we don’t have to. Hoping to pair with 2x Era 300.
I was waiting on this review from you (and also from Caleb Denison at Digital Trends) as wifey gave the green light on this purchase. However, I was on the fence between Sonos and Sony Quad. Now I’m 100% team Sonos after your review! Thanks as always for your entertaining, thoughtful and informative reviews!
Jbl 1300x or the Sonos arc ultra with 300s and a sub? I watch movies/tv mostly with some music. Does the Sonos sub produce room shaking bass that you can feel?
I think it's great that Sonos is competing blow for blow with Sony (I own the HT-A9/SWS5 and am not in the market for an upgrade) . Hopefully they will push each other down in price a bit, too.
@@Darkk_Sage The grand majority of blu-ray movies have a dts-ma track with or without the :X overheads, and even some 4k discs have only a dts-ma. I would say that if you mostly do streaming apps, than yes, but if you have lots of physical media, than the Sonos is unfortunately a no go. And I say that as someone who would love the ability to buy an arc ultra and start adding components with time as budget allows it.
@ I agree with you, for price point it should be included. My suspicion is most Sonos buyers are streaming, but including the codes could definitely get more home theater people on board with getting a system like Sonos. I know some people specifically choose the Q990D over Sonos because of it.
@@Darkk_Sage It’s not even only Sonos or “sound bar” system customers in general who have eschewed physical media in favour of streaming; hell, some of us old farts aren’t even gamers, so the lack of multiple HDMI2.1 ports on TVs that many reviewers bemoan isn’t even a factor - as long as eARC/CEC functionality is resilient, I’m a happy camper.
I still own physical film media however atmos support is more important for what I watch then dts x. I stream 80% of the time even some films I own physically I’ll just play the digital copy.
I can now see where arguements for soundbars arent for music comes from i think pop music dont matter too much for stereo separation and music is further enhanced by the ultras dolby atmos playback. I also do think a more centralized sound from a soundbar makes it so that singers are really in front of you like having a center channel in home theatre. I can also see that the arc rolls off smoothly were gonna miss that sparkle at the top. Hopefully you guys can review the Sennheiser Ambeo Mini and compare it with the arc ultra.
From your point of view: How would the Sonos ARC Ultra compare to the Onkyo RZ30 you just recently reviewed? If you had set up multiple speakers with the RZ30, would regular (streaming) music sound better on the RZ30 (better stereo representation)? 🤔
Thank you Andrew for this review. Please help me with this hesitation: Should I go for sonos arc ultra + surrounds era 100 OR a beam2 + surrounds era 100 + sub mini? Which set up delivers better sound quality for both movies and music? I’ve heard that beam 2 works better with eras and sub mini. Thank you.
Within the last week this is the system I went with and added to my media room - I LOVE IT - but I am curious about your sub placement. My room is also fairly deep in that the rear 300s are a decent distance behind the primary seating area (I’d say similar to how it appears in your video). I have a sub up front positioned almost exactly as your front sub is - but my second sub is in the rear near one of the 300s and on the opposite side from the front sub. Looked to me like your second sub was more middle of the room and opposite side from the front - this is something I could accommodate in my room. Do you think the best performance for the second sub is more in the middle? Or was that more about just what worked best for your room. Thanks and love the videos.
LOL, I had no option with my 2 subs - they had to go where they could not be seen unless you went looking for them Fortunately I'm happy with the bass, so unlike the Era 300 placement, it didn't end in an argument. My Era 300's are placed about 1.5 meters behind my seating position and fairly high up (again, it was a compromise) - my room is about 6 meters by 8 meters with a 3.5 meter high cathedral ceiling - so it's a fairly big space - I fiddled around quite a bit with the distance, volume and height settings on the era 300s before I was happy with them - then ran through the full trueplay tuning - but they are spot on now. The subs are in opposite corners of the room, one front right, one rear left - facing 90 degrees to each other to help reduce waveform cancelling. Seems to work nicely.
I’ve never had Sonos, and have always been Sonos curious, but I’m tiring of all the closed systems and their reliance on apps for control, especially with all the negative feedback on Sonos’ app. There’s just no way I’m going to get my wife to pull out her phone, and find an app just to be able to use the sound system, and I’m not sure I want to make a substantial investment into a proprietary platform. Why don’t manufacturers use something wireless and more open source like maybe a setup using WISA-based active stereo speakers and a third party hub that would and allow components from different manufacturers to wirelessly connect to build a system? Truly being able to wirelessly build an x.y.z system with native room correction or DSP control sounds like a good place to get to, but I may not understand all the challenges to get there.
My room won't allow for surrounds. I have the original arc and can sell it for about £500 and with sonos's upgrade programme can get the arc ultra for £250. At that price is it worth the upgrade
maybe a bad comparison, but i was thinking of putting together a 5.1.4 kef q meta set up for HY movie use on a 83inch lg g4, wondering how this would compare, cost aside. large square room and can sit 7 to 11 feet away
Can you stretch to 7 bed layers with 2 subs? Personal opinion is there isn't much point going separates with 5 bed layers. In fact the eras here would likely work better at getting sound both behind you and to the side of you. That's for movies. Said Kef system would be much better for music particularly if you like to upmix it.
I just purchased the Sennheiser AMBEO plus with 2 matching subs. I don’t understand why Sennheiser doesn’t have surround speakers 🔊! That would make the AMBEO plus very competitive. I paid 22 hundred for the setup I have without surround speakers 🔊
If you have parallel side walls in your room and you sit at an appropriate distance, rears/surrounds may not be necessary. Plus, not everyone can accommodate or want rears, which is no doubt something Sennheiser has considered.
I’m currently trialing this set up (but with one sub 4) and it’s awesome. The main issue I have is streaming prime tv the dialog in most shows is too loud and bright (all dialog enchantments are disabled, loudness is off and treble has been lowered). Netflix and uhd discs are amazing though! My avr didn’t have any problem with prime, is what I’m experiencing normal for a soundbar?
I can't say I've experienced this with Amazon Prime, but admittedly, we don't use that service much. What is your source/streamer, or what show, specifically, are you watching?
@ I’m using the latest Apple TV and the show I’m currently watching is the boys season 4. It’s mostly with the female characters voices. I’ve made sure the Apple tv’s dialog enhancer was also turned off.
Having been a Sonos customer for a long time and being screwed by them twice, I don't see how you should trust them again. Do you think that you will get 10 years out of this system? I can't say I believe that to be the case. If you want the rocking sound, I get it but just know going in, this company is not to be trusted!
@@alb-mk2mt they killed off the vast majority of speakers a few years back until there was such an uproar that they gave them the S1 app so they would still work but not integrate or function with new products. Then with the app problems, we went months without functioning products. They are by all accounts a dysfunctional company and have had a huge hit in reputation and revenue due to the app issues. This will put them in a precious position as a public company and will force them to screw over their customers yet again. After having Sonos speakers in every room, along with the Arc, I sold off the home theater piece and purchased a Q990D and I am very happy with the purchase and having a system that doesn't need an app to function. They are not the beloved company they once were.
I'll never understand why higher end soundbars aren't made so you can detach the left and right drivers so you can place them properly. Seems such an obvious simple improvement that would make imaging much better.
lol that defeats the whole purpose of what a soundbar is for. At that point it basically becomes a 2 channel setup. You might as well go with a real 2 channel setup.
@Prometheus1979 it would be 3 channel and you'd be free to leave them attached and use it as a single bar. But people who want the sides actually at the sides could do so. Stereo imaging was the only complaint Andrew had of this system. Doesn't seem an unreasonable feature at this price point.
I really just want a powered Left/Right/Center channel system with HDMI to come out at some point. In my mind it seems obvious, but maybe I'm one of only like 5 people who would buy one 😅
@@paulc5389Sony have that concept with the portable Sony HT A7x, it doesnt have any home media system feature basics like Dolby, DTS, heck theres not even any cable digital/ analog input option tho so who knows? Maybe that concept can become one for future home use. Basically the soundbar can be a home for the L/R satellite with a pin connector and each sattelites have battery in it/ plug if you want to permanently put them would be good
That’s what I meant to say a 3channel. I forgot about the center since I switched from theater setup to a 2 channel. I get what you saying but like I said it kind of defeats the purpose of a soundbar.
Great review like always. But the Sonos app still has a lot to desire. And it's the one thing that still has me looking to not upgrade but replace my system. I have slow response for changing audio level or source like from youtube music to controling audio for my tv shows and movies. True it has impoved from the train wreck this year but still for a premuim product I want better.
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I picked up Sony Quads with SW5 this week based on you review. I heard the Ultra right before my purchase at my neighbors house, while both are fantastic. My back living room wall is a main walkway from our front door so having the quads wall mounted vs. era 300s was a no brainer for my room. We are absolutely loving the set up! From sound to aesthetics.
That's great to hear - glad you found the right setup for your room!
I have always been sceptical towards sonos, but having heard a Arc + Sub recently, I am blown away. I ALWAYS find some time to listen to some music on it, because it is that good.
We have the same Sonos arc ultra, two 300s and two gen 4 subs in our bedroom and damn! Insanely good for movies and music.
Wish we could add eras 300s to the front right and left. Would be a crazy complete setup
Sonos just has so many little things that I love. That app thing was rough for sure. But it seems okay now. The simplicity of setup and use are huge pluses. And I cannot stress enough the Apple Music being native is the single biggest reason that I continue to buy their products. Have a great week love what you are doing!
I really think Sonos has rebounded nicely, and the user experience inside the App is now, more or less, how it's always been, which is great!
I have one. I love it. No issues with the app. Thanks for the review I watched to confirm I made good choices!
I have 20 Sonos pieces and don't have issues with the app like other had experienced (oldest Beam 1, newest Arc Ultra). Worse thing that happened was being away from home for several weeks and some speakers fell asleep and didn't wake up in the app. Power reset at each speaker woke everything up (only happened once in 4 years). Having an on/off button on the speakers would have been quicker instead of crawling around for the power cords.
I bought the Nakamichi Dragon as soon as it launched because every UA-camr was saying things like, “The Dragon is unmatched, it’s the best, it’s on another level.” But now, they all seem to be backtracking, which makes it hard for me to trust them anymore.
Lol😂😂
Not a single soul said dragon was a great investment
😂
You can't say that about us.
Another great review. Very impressive that this level of performance is available with the simplicity of an all in one system solution and is available at this price level versus building out a traditional home theater system. It seems like we're approaching the point where only those seeking very high level performance need to invest in such a traditional home theater system. The vast majority will be completely satisfied with a system such as the Sonos. Enjoy the last of the holiday weekend.
Thank you, and I think you and I are on the same page when it comes to how the home theater hobby has changed and is likely to be split going forward.
Oof. Nakamichi wishing Andrew would forget the Dragon exists. 😂😂
Great review as always! I own the original Arc, plus era3’s, plus 2 gen 3’s with the 95” sony you recommended. I feel like that combo is better than a previous $60k high end audio/surround. That said, for music, i use a 2 channel system that bests it. I love your reviews - and have made me very happy when i’ve followed your recommendations! Appreciate you and Kristi so much! BTW, recently visited Montreal, and in the Four Seasons hotel, they had B&O’s in every room. Made me very happy!
Thanks for your hard work on this review. I can tell your experience with this product excites you. In my home this type of a setup will be instrumental over a traditional home theater.
I can’t agree with you more about this new arc. I absolutely love it paired with era 300s and only need one gen 4 sub. I had tried the Nakamichi but after 3 weeks I couldn’t get it anywhere that sounded to my liking and this setup is so much better than the dragon. I might add another sub down the road but for now this is outstanding for me!! It really outshines the old arc as well as the eras didn’t mesh with the arc the way they do with the ultra. Awesome review and 25hz is pretty damn impressive.
Thank You Andrew for your great description on the Arc system, You have put me on the right track for my purchase.
Happy Sunday. As always excellent review! Now heading to Best Buy before sales end. Thank you.
The GOAT is dethroned! Thanks for getting this out just in time for Cyber Monday.
If I were in the market for a premium sound bar setup, I would seriously consider the Sonos system based on your overall review impressions. I'm glad to see that an American speaker company can compete with the best from all over the world. Their speakers really do sound fantastic.
If you are wondering why Bose bought McIntosh, you are probably looking at the answer right here. Wait for the review on the new McIntosh soundbar, coming soon!
My guess would be soundbars are outselling home theater 10 to 1. And I have nothing against soundbars, I have a basic Yamaha soundbar with a sub upstairs and I have no complaints with the sound. In fact it did make me wonder if home theater really is worth all the trouble. I'm old school though, so I like tinkering with all the home theater gear. But for most people, I think this is what the large majority will be choosing from now on.
I mean if you do most of your music listening on ear buds or phones, you are not going to mind the sound of a soundbar in the least.
A few years ago, I tested a few different setups and ended up with the original Arc + sub + Era 300s and it is fantastic. Especially Atmos. When I win the lottery, I’ll upgrade.
I was waiting for your review on this. Thanks
Glad you didn't have to wait too long.
@andrewrobinsonreviews sorry did not mean to be short with the comment. I appreciate your honest reviews on AV based on testing and knowledge. Having Sonos gear in my house already and looking for solutions for my basement, I was waiting for the Ultra and your review to make a decision. Thank you for the videos, and Happy Holidays!
I really like the design and the fact that you can buy components later but the lack of DTS-X support really bugs me. At this price it is inexcusable. I still listen to physical media so for me it's a must.
Right on. Happy Sunday! Greetings
Enjoy Max!
I'm looking forward to watching this one and see how you two "ruffle the apple cart" this time! :-) Happy post-Thanksgiving!
I never intend to upset anyone; nevertheless, it always seems to happen. Enjoy the video!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews and now you know I do indeed watch the end of your videos!
Heck yeah! I hope Kristi is preparing a new saying for the next unplugged episode 😂
I am happy with this beast! I am planning on changing from a Samsung tv to Benq TK710 eARC projector hope works smooth
Pairing a stereo pair of Era 300’s with a sub up front along with the full Sonos surround systems is Dramatically better than not having them paired. I have been doing it everyday for 18 months and it is a HUGE improvement if you want to be Inside the movie instead of just watching it. People really should try it, you won’t go back on movie night.
Explain in depth plz ... so don't add era as surrounds pair and group and use as stereo pair in front paired with a sub so I have 2 subs use one with arc other paired to 300s paired as stereo and grouped to arc in main living space?
How’s the audio delay these days? Last time I tried this I had a hell of a time dialing in the offset, seems like it varied per content/codec almost and the echos weren’t worth it for dialogue.
I have very little audio sync issues at all. The only pain is the volume for the tv remote doesn’t control the front era 300’s pair, but it is completely worth it for movies. It is basically the Sony quad system made of 4 Era 300’s, soundbar and 2 subs. I love it.
I served on a Sonos advisory board in Seattle Washington last month. I can confirm….
Sonos IS listening to dealers and customers as well. They have demonstrated to me they have heard the criticisms of their app debacle and continue to not only fix the issues of the past but are also charting a new course. I have historically felt Sonos is chasing the low to mid fidelity market. From what I saw and heard at my recent meeting they are now and will be knocking on the door of their higher priced competitors very soon.
So excited to see where Sonos is heading.
@@SENCORE_ISF That’s all well and good but what happens in 5 years when Sonos decides that my $2,000 system is obsolete and shuts down support on its app? With no Bluetooth I’m not going to be able to stream my music directly to it. My blu-ray collection might as well be garbage because there’s no DTS support. I agree that if all you do is stream content with Dolby Atmos/DD+ and listen to Spotify then this will be fine for you…for a couple of years. No thanks from Texas.
@@jamesphillips4599
Sonos does not support DTS HD formats, if that Is a dealbreaker when considering purchasing a Sonos system, I get it, I understand completely.
The obsolescence statement I find super interesting.
Would be interested to hear your thoughts after you read this…..
Sonos in my experience is far and away your best bet bar none regarding any technological advancements and preventing your products from becoming obsolete.
Sonos has consistently offered firmware updates to products to enhance their feature sets. This alone has increased the lifespan of their products. Customers should be extremely happy being back in the day if you purchased a receiver in 1998, you were almost assured of feeling some envy in 1999 when the new receiver came out with a feature or two yours did not possess and could not be updated to. Sonos has essentially offered their clients free product upgrades. Personally and as a dealer I love this.
Now the most important and I find the most interesting aspect of your comment.
Definitely let me know your thoughts.
Sonos has never shutdown a product, in fact they have done the opposite. They have allowed their older products to continue to live on in the form of the S1 app. You still have all of the features your products had at purchase, nothing has been removed or taken offline. I find this extraordinary. Sonos maintains the S1 app and as I understand will do so indefinitely. It is not the fault of Sonos that a product sold ten years prior cannot support a new technology but what is extraordinary is that they have allowed all older products to operate unchanged from their last tech update. Could you imagine holding other companies to this standard? Imagine going to your local Porsche dealer ten years after you purchased your car and saying…. “I’m never going to buy a new car from you because my older car cannot be upgraded to a hybrid EV??”
Great question hope this lends some perspective. If though you feel I’m missing something in my interpretation, please LMK.
Cheers
@@SENCORE_ISF period
@@jamesphillips4599totally agree!
I actually ended up selling my arc for $500 and got the ultra with a 15% discount direct from Sonos for having older products. I had a pair of Sonos 5s strictly for music listening and when I compared stereo listening to my new full Ultra + 300s + dual sub gen 3s, in full music listening modes, they were pretty similar so I ended up selling my pair of 5s. Ended up with a net positive $$ by a few hundred for upgrading lol.
Side note, I’m listening through both airplay 2 and Bluetooth to get the music source.
Good review, glad to see things are going better for Sonos. I have the Beam and was waitung for the new Arc reviews to come out before deciding to move forward. I have the old Sonos 1's for my surrounds. Will be interested to see how they perform with the Arc Ultra and how the Atmos works with them.
Excellent Review 👍🏼 I can definitely see myself getting this system when I go from my dedicated theater to a more simplistic theater experience without giving up much..
Thank you for finally answering the question of Bravia Quad vs Sonos Arc Ultra full system vs Q990d.
i love class d like the sonos arc ultrasound bar - its the perfect vehicle for home theater - your not so critical as to the sound quality having to be perfect - i like listening to music critically with a tube amp or class a or even class g - going forward thats what im doing - sonos ultra for home movies and tv - the previous that i mentioned for critical listening
Great review! I love the flexibility. In my case, I want less boxes, not more. I would totally replace my current soundbar and conservative sub for just a soundbar 😊 If someone else wants lots of bass and rear speakers, they also can. Everybody wins! Oh and everything goes through my tv so one HDMI port is enough for me.
I've been looking at a new stereo hifi system with an amp including an HDMI port, or something like the Q990D. But I've since changed my mindset. I may get a traditional stereo system without AV connections, and just plonk an Arc Ultra in the middle. Job done for both music and movies!
I have a bit of a negative personal experience with Sonos and especially their software. And even with your endorsement/compliments on the software, it definitely left a really dark stain in my mind. I’m glad the performance is there, that this hobby is moving into a direction like simplifying the home theater experience with all in one packages with minimal cable mess and such, but I’ll have to wait a few years and see if their software is finally up to the task and on par at least with Bose or B&O to even consider Sonos as the next system.
Great video and review as always! Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday!
What happened, specifically, with their software apart from the obvious issues they had earlier this year.
@ I purchased the Sonos One speaker, that supposedly has Bluetooth, and WiFi for a background music. First of all, it was a sealed box, brand new. Upon opening and turned out the speaker has been used before with significant scuff marks. Then, after replacement, I could not use Bluetooth without WiFi. It required WiFi connection for setup through app. And then on top of it, it would only play back music via the Sonos app as well, like I couldn’t play from AppleMusic app on my phone and just use Bluetooth directly. Only login through the connected app within the Sonos app, then play music. Just such an over complicated process, it was insane. It would also constantly lose connection and had to be reset multiple times via the app. Every single software update led to the speakers forgetting every device connected to it completely and had to be factory reset via a button on the back. It’s just terrible. The worst Bluetooth/wifi speaker experience I’ve ever had.
This soundbar and sub look sleek AF!! I wish they would update their Sonos 5 with HDMI with eARC for a stereo setup. That’s the one ☝️ I’ll be waiting for!!
Still rocking the Sony HT-A7000 with SR5 rears and SW5 sub, quite happy with it, although, I am having issues with 4k UHD Dolby Vision content that is encoded with Dolby Atmos. The sound is muted, very muffled, heavy center, not much else when in surround mode Dolby-X. Placing it in DTS, the audio is much better, but the picture becomes washed out, so I end up using the Surround mode option. For DTS encoded audio, I have had no issues with 4k UHD Dolby Vision content.
Sonos arc Ultra is a great product, unfortunately I have to returned, I installed in a small room with a Pair of era 100, was so great at some point, but because of the new twitters I feels that improve the clarity and atmos effects, but also that feels little bit harsh in some scenes and was cutting my ears, highly recommended for medium to large room size. So I went for a traditional system, after watching the great review here of the Marantz Cinema 70s I picked this Avr+ Focal Dome Flax and sounds amazing in small rooms!!
I have tested two Ultra’s in my home studio then deployed them within my clients homes.
As good as the new Ultra Is (I agree with all Andrew specified, a flatter response, a more cohesive interpretation with greater low frequency extension) the ARC U alone cannot combat room acoustics. “If” you place the Ultra low to the ground or in a corner its bass presence and extension is impressive BUT if you place it above a mantle for example, do not be disappointed if you do not feel the Arc U lives up to the hype. placement with any system is still the largest determining factor in terms of the overall presentation. I would recommend if you’re not certain, purchase the Arc U alone. Then after testing and break in purchase a sub Gen4 if you feel it’s warranted. Cannot tell you how cool it is to be able to place subs virtually anywhere within a room where the acoustics of your room demand they be located given the flexibility of wireless placement.
Sonos has without question again closed the performance gap and continues to raise the “Bar 😏” as to how much you need to spend to achieve a high quality end result.
Thank you for this brother Andrew…was seriously awaiting it…
From DUBAI with ❤
Appreciate you tuning into the video! We hope it was helpful and worth the wait.
@ god bless you brother Andrew..
Great Sunday everyone!!!
Good morning! Happy rivalry weekend to you all.
Hook 'em! I love how Manning entered the game and one-play, one-score 😂
Sonos are the masters of DSP, I had a Sonos FIVE on a Flexson stand in my guest room, blow away that little thing could dig into the mid 20hz range at decent volume.
I have the (Arc 1, 2 Era300, 2x Sub Gen 3), I was very disappointed when i found out no DTS:X. I waited and waited and still no support. I wanted to get the Arc Ultra, but I might end up going with Sony or Samsung instead now. Good review though. Thanks
So glad you made the right comparisons !!
Thanks! Having spent 4X the amount mentioned it would take a dynamite system to convince me or a need to down size. Still, it is great to know the options as I am getting older and one NEVER knows what tomorrow holds.
Great review my man
Thank you.
Thanks for the review Andrew keep up the great work! ✌🏻
Appreciate you watching.
Dang - you and other reviewers have me seriously considering this.
As for the comparisons, i feel the only thing lacking for the Samsung is bass. If they upgraded the sub and allowed 2 subs it could be a real game changer.
Still found the Sonos ultra full setup to be front heavy in comparison to the Bravia quads and more aggressive lol. Suppose everyone's ears are different as quads sound more neutral to me. Maybe Sonos should try allow 4 era 300's and try the quad route.
That might be on the cards - the Arc Ultra has a much beefier processor and network transceiver setup than the old Arc, so presumably can support the extra I/O you'd need to run another set of surrounds. Totally speculating though.
It delivers- UNTIL the app issues, inept tech support, vanishing products from your system, Alexa conflicts, and you spend two days getting them to reconnect- but other than that, it delivers. Once you go Sonos, you’ll NEVER go back to Sonos.
Had Sonos, sold everything.
Now I have an old school system again, amplifier, 2 very large speakers, a Rel subwoofer, and a bluesound.
Works like a charm, en much much better sound quality!!
Yet every review video they recommend it like its worth its price
I never have any issues with my system. 2yrs strong 💪🏾 it’s mainly about your WiFi connection honestly.
Thank you for the video! With your comparisons, it answered a lot of my questions because I was debating between this system, and the Sony quad as well as a budget amp + speaker combination. I think I might need to get the sound bar now.
Love my upgrade from the original ones. Love you channel keep up the good work 👍
Sold! I’ll be picking up one soon…now all I need is some sort of discount.
If it had a remote, and more inputs, I would have updated our attic with this system. Instead I chose the Samsung, and it does the job my wife and daughter need. Truthfully, I’d probably buy a new system a month, just because I’d want to check each one out like you guys. Nice vid. 👍🤪🏳️🌈
You're one of the best reviewers, keep doing what you're doing. If I had the Arc + gen 3 + One SL, and I could do one upgrade (In a studio about 600 square feet but concrete building so no sound issues), would you recommend me upgrade to the ultra first or the 300s? Appreciate you and hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
I would get a pair of 300s to mate with the ARC for a better, more immersive surround/Atmos experience since you already own a sub.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Appreciate yall. Thank you!
Damm. I was looking for an excuse to convince the wife to upgrade from the arc to the ultra but you burst that bubble 😂
I burst that bubble?
@ meh, not really 😂🙌
Sweet! Great review. Sonos and Sony are making it very clear to me I can finally dump my AVR based surround system within the next 3 years. If Sonos introduced front L & R, I'd get rid of my AVR tomorrow.
I have a beam gen 2, sub mini, and two ones at my mom's place. I'll swap out the Beam Gen 2 for the Ultra.
Swapped out my v1 Arc for the Arc Ultra (dual Gen 3 subs+Fives). The new Arc Ultra have much better L/R/Center with improved dialogue over the old Arc. You might be ready to switch already.
If sonos enables adding 2 more era 300s in the front, then its game over
Waited hard for this ❤
Gee, thanks man. Here I was thinking I had it all figured out, and that building an invisible system using separate speakers was the way to to renovating our livingroom. Then this? Well back to the drawing board then 😅
I already own multiple Sonos speakers and like the «Sonos Sound». And the fact that the ERA 300’s could double up as a stereo pair as well. It’s a though sell going with separate everything, which is gonna run me twice as much, without installation and labor. 😅
Perfect! You covered everything flawless! Hope to se comparisons with the Q990E and next Gen Bravia quad when launch.
Great review Andrew. I just can’t get over the limitations of physics a bar system would have compared to traditional. I can however see that these limitations are also kind of an advantage. You won’t fuss over placement, cabling, aesthetics etc with a sound bar system, you’re more likely to plug n play and not stress. I can see that attraction.
Soundbars typically are low on stress, clutter, and space while maximizing the experience with a lower buy-in.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews And when the control app works, the ease of set-up, daily use and flexibility is hard to ignore. I’ve mentioned numerous times that I have two adult children heavily invested in the whole home Sonos ecosystem - one of them even use Sonos in a restaurant- and it absolutely worked wonders for them, until this year’s “issues”.
@@ClemFandango72 it’s about setting expectations. They’re claiming all those channels but they’re all packed into a 1.1 physical system. So it’s mono plus and very room dependent. I like them for a lot of people but also worry that we’re not exposing people to actual good front soundstage.
@ I own a couple soundbars (Sonus Playbars), and I think I’m like 95% of people who own one. Which is we bought it to assist with vocals/dialogue issues that we experience with rear facing speakers from panel TVs. We didn’t buy it to replace a home theater. I’m sure there’s plenty of people in that camp too but I gotta assume the majority are like me.
@@ClemFandango72 those are the majority in the more budget range. But the people buying these higher end bars are getting sucked into the marketing behind them. 5.1, 7.1, 9.1, 11.1 channels! They see 11.1 channels and think they’re getting a home theater experience. I run into it all the time. For someone without a reference this is home theater to them. And that’s just sad really. Especially when a powered stereo monitor is almost as convenient and performs better for less money.
I’d love to hear how you felt about the room correction on the Sonos after all of the praise you gave the Sony.
Great review!!
Have you ever thought about making a video showing off all your wrist watches? They all seem very interesting. Many hifi people are into watches for some reason. I think your audience would appreciate it.
I got the era 300’s, the arc and one sub, and it’s loud. I couldn’t imagine a second sub. But u have me interested
Happy December 1 Andrew 😊
Same to you! I hope all is well. Thanks for tuning in.
Thanks for another detailed review.
Thanks for tuning in!
So I have the arc, with two 300’s and two gen 3 subs connected. And we really love the sound! Seems like the main improvement with the ultra is the base response. But if someone already have two sub gen 3s, am I correct to assume you don’t really get the added benefit of increase base response from the ultra? In my system it wouldn’t make senses to upgrade to the arc ultra would it?
Hello Andrew,
I have a general question rather than a specific comment or question about the Sonos Arc Ultra. I've been a fan of your channel for a long time, and while I’ll admit that we have different philosophies on home theater and HiFi, I always make sure to follow your content when considering a new purchase.
My question is simple: why do you choose to listen to music via Bluetooth connection instead of using a streamer or the built-in streaming options within an AV receiver? I’ve tested various methods and spoken to many experts at shows and dealers, and I’ve never encountered anyone who advocates for listening to music through Bluetooth as you do. Given your reviews of high-end speakers and amplifiers, I feel that this approach does a disservice to the music.
Noted for Friday's discussion.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank you so much and please know there is no disrespect in your point of view.❤
Thanks for your review. I'm getting ready to upgrade my home theater setup and was considering Bose vs Sonos. Your video gave me an idea I hadn't considered. I don't have a good option for free standing surround speakers but my living room is pre-wired for 5.1 ceiling speakers. In your opinion would the Ultra paired with in ceiling surround be a good option or would I be better off ditching the sound bar and going with 5 ceiling speakers? Thanks~
Thank you for the review, but as you said last time, we already bought it :) But no Google Assistant on Arc/ultra and no Era setup on my Pixel 6 Pro.
As a music lover, I wasn't happy with the 1st system I bought, arc, 2 one SL and sub 3. I have no space, so there was little choice. I had to buy a soundbar. What I like a lot about Sonos is the upgrade path and how well their products retain demand and price over time, even in a small, non-tech savvy (at least on average) country like Italy.
The Era 300s upgrade as surrounds was incredible ( I don't like them much as stereo pair, unless Dolby atmos happens and even then not impressed ), and with more and more spatial audio remastering, there is constant improvement in the experience. At least for what I like, I don't think that the Sonos system is going to be better than a full-fledged system; stereo music is the reason. Only Dolby Atmos remastering can balance the scale. Luckily, it seems a big part of the industry is moving in that direction.
Have the ultra with 300s and dual gen3 subs. Its fantastic! 🤌
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Happy Sunday and Go Longhorns!
the question of long term support is an interesting one. For those familiar with Sonos what is their longest supported product? Can you expect at least 7-8 years? It’s not like they stop working if they no longer update the software.
They did in fact brick their first gen products and give everyone a 30% off coupon for upgrading
They didn't "brick" them, they simply stopped giving them updates and let people know due to changes in architecture and chipsets they wouldn't necessarily be 100% compatible with future products. Older Sonos products didn't one day stop working, they just got frozen in time and no longer received updates. There's a world of difference between what Sonos did and how they handled it versus "bricking" their past products.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews when the products stop getting updates, if any music service or app partner release a security update or change that the current firmware doesn't agree with, the system will stop operating as expected. This rendered some user's systems completely unstable only months after. No, they didn't hit an off switch, but there needs to be better support for legacy devices that cost this much to make sure functionality remains intact.
There was also the whole debacle with recycle mode
Hi thanks for your reviews, always a great listen. When you say the full Sonia setup depends on room size would love to know your thoughts when the bar alone is not enough for a room size. I ask as we have a roughy 13’ square space open at the back to another 13’x26’ open plan area.. L shape basement. Don’t want the base too boomy but also don’t need to over spend if we don’t have to. Hoping to pair with 2x Era 300.
Wow Sonos is king know it seems
I was waiting on this review from you (and also from Caleb Denison at Digital Trends) as wifey gave the green light on this purchase. However, I was on the fence between Sonos and Sony Quad. Now I’m 100% team Sonos after your review! Thanks as always for your entertaining, thoughtful and informative reviews!
I'm glad you found the review helpful!
Jbl 1300x or the Sonos arc ultra with 300s and a sub? I watch movies/tv mostly with some music. Does the Sonos sub produce room shaking bass that you can feel?
Samsung Q990D blows this out of the water easily in terms of value, maybe even sound.
I think it's great that Sonos is competing blow for blow with Sony (I own the HT-A9/SWS5 and am not in the market for an upgrade) . Hopefully they will push each other down in price a bit, too.
I wonder if the atmos on the full sonos system is on par with the ht-a9
I wonder how many other many customers Sonos is missing by not having DTS compatibility, and I mean full DTS:X, not just the core variant.
Probably not a whole lot. DTS X is on a small amount of physical media and no streaming media. It’s niche.
@@Darkk_Sage The grand majority of blu-ray movies have a dts-ma track with or without the :X overheads, and even some 4k discs have only a dts-ma. I would say that if you mostly do streaming apps, than yes, but if you have lots of physical media, than the Sonos is unfortunately a no go. And I say that as someone who would love the ability to buy an arc ultra and start adding components with time as budget allows it.
@ I agree with you, for price point it should be included. My suspicion is most Sonos buyers are streaming, but including the codes could definitely get more home theater people on board with getting a system like Sonos. I know some people specifically choose the Q990D over Sonos because of it.
@@Darkk_Sage It’s not even only Sonos or “sound bar” system customers in general who have eschewed physical media in favour of streaming; hell, some of us old farts aren’t even gamers, so the lack of multiple HDMI2.1 ports on TVs that many reviewers bemoan isn’t even a factor - as long as eARC/CEC functionality is resilient, I’m a happy camper.
I still own physical film media however atmos support is more important for what I watch then dts x. I stream 80% of the time even some films I own physically I’ll just play the digital copy.
I can now see where arguements for soundbars arent for music comes from i think pop music dont matter too much for stereo separation and music is further enhanced by the ultras dolby atmos playback. I also do think a more centralized sound from a soundbar makes it so that singers are really in front of you like having a center channel in home theatre. I can also see that the arc rolls off smoothly were gonna miss that sparkle at the top. Hopefully you guys can review the Sennheiser Ambeo Mini and compare it with the arc ultra.
I’ve been using the original Arc with Sub and 2 Era300s since their release. Does Apple Dolby Atmos music sound any better on the Arc Ultra?
Atmos works better with real speakers positioned properly in the room, not "bouncy house" upfiring speakers.
From your point of view:
How would the
Sonos ARC Ultra
compare to the
Onkyo RZ30
you just recently reviewed?
If you had set up multiple speakers with the RZ30,
would regular (streaming) music sound better on the RZ30
(better stereo representation)?
🤔
Is it better than the theatre + beolab 28s?
No.
How does the bar compare to the theatre? Or the stage for that matter.
Thank you Andrew for this review. Please help me with this hesitation: Should I go for sonos arc ultra + surrounds era 100 OR a beam2 + surrounds era 100 + sub mini? Which set up delivers better sound quality for both movies and music?
I’ve heard that beam 2 works better with eras and sub mini. Thank you.
Within the last week this is the system I went with and added to my media room - I LOVE IT - but I am curious about your sub placement.
My room is also fairly deep in that the rear 300s are a decent distance behind the primary seating area (I’d say similar to how it appears in your video).
I have a sub up front positioned almost exactly as your front sub is - but my second sub is in the rear near one of the 300s and on the opposite side from the front sub.
Looked to me like your second sub was more middle of the room and opposite side from the front - this is something I could accommodate in my room.
Do you think the best performance for the second sub is more in the middle? Or was that more about just what worked best for your room. Thanks and love the videos.
LOL, I had no option with my 2 subs - they had to go where they could not be seen unless you went looking for them Fortunately I'm happy with the bass, so unlike the Era 300 placement, it didn't end in an argument. My Era 300's are placed about 1.5 meters behind my seating position and fairly high up (again, it was a compromise) - my room is about 6 meters by 8 meters with a 3.5 meter high cathedral ceiling - so it's a fairly big space - I fiddled around quite a bit with the distance, volume and height settings on the era 300s before I was happy with them - then ran through the full trueplay tuning - but they are spot on now.
The subs are in opposite corners of the room, one front right, one rear left - facing 90 degrees to each other to help reduce waveform cancelling. Seems to work nicely.
I’ve never had Sonos, and have always been Sonos curious, but I’m tiring of all the closed systems and their reliance on apps for control, especially with all the negative feedback on Sonos’ app. There’s just no way I’m going to get my wife to pull out her phone, and find an app just to be able to use the sound system, and I’m not sure I want to make a substantial investment into a proprietary platform. Why don’t manufacturers use something wireless and more open source like maybe a setup using WISA-based active stereo speakers and a third party hub that would and allow components from different manufacturers to wirelessly connect to build a system? Truly being able to wirelessly build an x.y.z system with native room correction or DSP control sounds like a good place to get to, but I may not understand all the challenges to get there.
My room won't allow for surrounds. I have the original arc and can sell it for about £500 and with sonos's upgrade programme can get the arc ultra for £250. At that price is it worth the upgrade
How about the Arc Ultra plus Era 100s vs the Theatre Quad? Especially in the Dolby Atmos category?
The Era 100s are not Atmos speakers.
FYI the mount you have listed is unavailable. Any others suggestions for a 98”
maybe a bad comparison, but i was thinking of putting together a 5.1.4 kef q meta set up for HY movie use on a 83inch lg g4, wondering how this would compare, cost aside. large square room and can sit 7 to 11 feet away
Can you stretch to 7 bed layers with 2 subs?
Personal opinion is there isn't much point going separates with 5 bed layers. In fact the eras here would likely work better at getting sound both behind you and to the side of you.
That's for movies. Said Kef system would be much better for music particularly if you like to upmix it.
@@Adamm115 had same thoughts, kef 5 1.4.. will veba decition next year..
Best review I’ve watched all year. Congrats
That's so kind of you.
I just purchased the Sennheiser AMBEO plus with 2 matching subs. I don’t understand why Sennheiser doesn’t have surround speakers 🔊! That would make the AMBEO plus very competitive. I paid 22 hundred for the setup I have without surround speakers 🔊
If you have parallel side walls in your room and you sit at an appropriate distance, rears/surrounds may not be necessary. Plus, not everyone can accommodate or want rears, which is no doubt something Sennheiser has considered.
But... if compare full set of SONOS ARC Ultra with Samsung 990D with price ~750€? Yes, it is Samsung's 'Black Friday' price here, in Lithuania.
I’m currently trialing this set up (but with one sub 4) and it’s awesome. The main issue I have is streaming prime tv the dialog in most shows is too loud and bright (all dialog enchantments are disabled, loudness is off and treble has been lowered). Netflix and uhd discs are amazing though!
My avr didn’t have any problem with prime, is what I’m experiencing normal for a soundbar?
I can't say I've experienced this with Amazon Prime, but admittedly, we don't use that service much. What is your source/streamer, or what show, specifically, are you watching?
@ I’m using the latest Apple TV and the show I’m currently watching is the boys season 4. It’s mostly with the female characters voices. I’ve made sure the Apple tv’s dialog enhancer was also turned off.
Is the 990D sub comparable to 1 Sonos sub?
Not quite. The Sonos Sub 4 is slightly better than what Samsung offers with their Q990D.
Having been a Sonos customer for a long time and being screwed by them twice, I don't see how you should trust them again. Do you think that you will get 10 years out of this system? I can't say I believe that to be the case. If you want the rocking sound, I get it but just know going in, this company is not to be trusted!
@@dipandvelcro what happened to you? I thought they were really trustworthy
@@alb-mk2mt they killed off the vast majority of speakers a few years back until there was such an uproar that they gave them the S1 app so they would still work but not integrate or function with new products. Then with the app problems, we went months without functioning products. They are by all accounts a dysfunctional company and have had a huge hit in reputation and revenue due to the app issues. This will put them in a precious position as a public company and will force them to screw over their customers yet again. After having Sonos speakers in every room, along with the Arc, I sold off the home theater piece and purchased a Q990D and I am very happy with the purchase and having a system that doesn't need an app to function. They are not the beloved company they once were.
I'll never understand why higher end soundbars aren't made so you can detach the left and right drivers so you can place them properly. Seems such an obvious simple improvement that would make imaging much better.
lol that defeats the whole purpose of what a soundbar is for. At that point it basically becomes a 2 channel setup. You might as well go with a real 2 channel setup.
@Prometheus1979 it would be 3 channel and you'd be free to leave them attached and use it as a single bar. But people who want the sides actually at the sides could do so. Stereo imaging was the only complaint Andrew had of this system. Doesn't seem an unreasonable feature at this price point.
I really just want a powered Left/Right/Center channel system with HDMI to come out at some point. In my mind it seems obvious, but maybe I'm one of only like 5 people who would buy one 😅
@@paulc5389Sony have that concept with the portable Sony HT A7x, it doesnt have any home media system feature basics like Dolby, DTS, heck theres not even any cable digital/ analog input option tho so who knows? Maybe that concept can become one for future home use.
Basically the soundbar can be a home for the L/R satellite with a pin connector and each sattelites have battery in it/ plug if you want to permanently put them would be good
That’s what I meant to say a 3channel. I forgot about the center since I switched from theater setup to a 2 channel. I get what you saying but like I said it kind of defeats the purpose of a soundbar.
Great review like always. But the Sonos app still has a lot to desire. And it's the one thing that still has me looking to not upgrade but replace my system. I have slow response for changing audio level or source like from youtube music to controling audio for my tv shows and movies. True it has impoved from the train wreck this year but still for a premuim product I want better.
I hate when I start a video wanting to rip on a product but then listen and change my mind.
I have arc ultra with sub mini and era 300s, should I get the sub 4? I have a 15'x15' room
If what you have is working for you, just stick with what you have.