I was a previous Arc owner. Upgraded to the Arc Ultra + Sub 4 + ERA 300’s. And I’m blown away. It is incredibly immersive and refined. Not to mention it has some kick. Would really recommend.
I just upgraded my Arc with a Gen3 sub and two Era 300’s to an Ultra with a second Gen3 sub. The overall experience is subjectively a 40%+ increase in performance . The Ultra is much better than my beloved Arc OG
@@RayDCO Have the similar set up to you, Arc ultra, 1-Sub 4, and 300's. Don't think there is any real difference between the Sub-3 & Sub-4 from what I have read. Am completely new to Sonos, so I cant tell you if its better then the original, though I doubt everyone is lying. The Arc ultra by itself is amazing, you don't need a subwoofer. Though it's better with a sub or 2 and surround speakers. I do have a Samsung Q990c and the Samsung is a much better value. But the Sonos is a better all around system. They are going to sell a lot of these bars.
@ I have a large living room/kitchen with 20’ ceilings and this system fills the space. The 2nd sub just fills out the sound better but I could live with out it
Have the Q990c. was able to pick up about 7 months ago for $785 new from Samsung. This is my first sound bar and it sounds amazing. It's impossible to beat the value that Samsung is offering. My subwoofer in my dedicated system costed more than the entire Q990c. I have nothing negative to say about the Q990c, except that it's not the most attractive bar if that matters to u.
Thanks for the Vid. TV & Soundbar upgrade for Christmas. Got a cracking deal on 65" Samsung S95D TV (and £200 off from Samsung currently) and Q990D (with £400 off from Samsung now) for £550. Q990D currently plugged in older LG OLED TV and sounding good. S95D arrives tomorrow so hoping that will improve again with Q-Symphony. Appreciate you comments and keep up the good reviews.
yeah that is awesome option. Specially for those who already own a subwoofer. The one thing I would say, yes it's cool they allow you to add any subwoofer, however, their is a reason these lifestyle type systems require you to use their subwoofer and its not just money (well its probably mostly money). Bass is one of the most important parts of an audio system, and it needs to be managed correctly so it sounds best and not just sound boomy bass. So systems like the Sony Quad as an example, need the subwoofer, and sony charges a lot for their sub and their is no other option. Think if you could use any Sub with he Sony Quad, the system wouldn't be able to calibrate the non-Sony sub when you run the sound optimization software. Home theaters are built from the ground up for sound and vision, out living rooms in our homes are not, thats why the optimization software like Dirac is so important.
I just purchased a Sennheiser AMBEO plus with two matching 8” subs. It sounds great after playing with the equalizer settings. I don’t understand why Sennheiser have not released rear speakers! This set up will be very competitive with rear speakers.
This would be the soundbar I would get if I wasn’t already fully invested in the Sonos ecosystem. Very impressive immersion. Rears would make it a top contender with Sonos’s surround sound system.
Don't get that either , i love the brand but it seems lately they are more interested in business orientated stuff then the home theatre line up they started which is a shame. I would have expected a new and sleeker ambeo max or rear speakers but still nothing.
Good morning I also have an Ambeo soundbar plus.. And I'm thinking of connecting two subwoofers from Perlisten.. The R8s (new).. And then wait for the rear speakers to be on top.. 👍👍 What subwoofers do you have ?? And your feelings about the whole thing? Kind regards Paulo
I recently purchased and already returned the Sonos Arc Ultra with Sub 4. I was doing a direct comparison with a 2.1 system (Kef Q150 and SVS sub). For me, the Arc Ultra was pretty good but I just found it is very difficult to beat physics with the separation you get with 2 speakers. Also the Sub 4 is good but it just cannot replace a 12” sub. Dialogue intelligibility was excellent on the Sonos and probably the only thing I preferred. I also feel that the ceiling on the Sonos is limited, you can hear the sub reducing its output as volume increase. Something to keep in mind. I see why there are so many options on the speaker market as there is really something for everyone!
Might have been worth trying a second sub 4 - having 2 subs is pretty devastating in anything but very large spaces. My AV room is around 6 by 8 meters, with a 3.5 meter cathedral ceiling and the two sub gen 3's are enough for me - at 80% volume it's just about unbearable, at least for me.
I don’t think you’re legally allowed to compliment Sonos. People who own Sonos have to be some of the biggest complainers I’ve ever seen. I own the Arc Ultra, 300s and dual gen3 subs. It’s amazing. With some simply tuning to fit your room it really is great!
Yup, the app release back in May was a huge bungle - but they have fixed it now, at least for me - both my crappy old phones (iPhone 11 and Pixel 6) the app is now at least as good as the old app was - but then you look at the store reviews and everyone is still smashing it with one star ratings - which is just silly. I have a ton of Sonos speakers - including 2 TV rooms with Sonos soundbars, surrounds and subs, and a pile of portable speakers - and was as upset as anyone back in May - but it's fine now - they have sorted it out - continuing to rage about it is just irrational.
@@mordimeshita1754 BS. Spend $30,000 vs the Sonos Ultimate system - most people in most home living room spaces won't be able to tell the difference, or might even prefer the Sonos sound - only crazy audiophiles will actually care. Sure the receiver based system is objectively better, by some small percentage - but does the cost, mess and hassle really justify it? Only if you have a specific application like a 100% dedicated theatre room, or you are just a audiophile loon with more money than sense.
Nice Comparison, good details and advice for each bar, consider doing a similar video for mid-range Dolby atmos systems suitable for small to medium spaces/apartments as these flagship soundbar systems might be bit of an overkill for some, thankyou
I agree with all the arguments being presented. The Samsung is great for its price but really looks cheap. Sennheiser was an option but the lack of surrounds is still a problem for me. Lot of rumors but it has never happened. I would go for the Sonos Ultra because of the ability to expand it later.
@jeppemadsen2497 yeah it does with those cheap plastic buttons on top and that grill design that gives you the feeling when you push it too hard it will dent. Same for the woofer, looks like some cheap chinese B brand.
How do two HomePod Gen2’s compared to both the Sonos Arc and Arc Ultra. I want to know if I can get away with just getting the Arc. Is the bass as good as the Sonos Arc?
Have you tried or tested Denon HEOS sound bar (e.g. Home Sound Bar 550)? Because whenever I tested any sound products from Denon HEOS line, for me its always the Denon which beats the rest in terms of sound quality, clarity and overall performance. Please share your feedback?
Had the Samsung HW-Q950T, but it had a lot of cut out on the rears, so after years of use I have now bought the Samsung HW-Q990D and no cut out and the sound is much punchier
Sonos beam gen 2 - ideally with a sub mini and some Era 100's as surrounds. I have a similar setup in my smaller 50" TV space (only Sonos ones instead of era 100's) - and it's amazing.
Me 2 , the Samsung is one ugly looking setup but is a great deal for what you get. Plus it does support all the audio codecs. But it really needs a make over because it looks extremely cheap.
Samsung 990D or even 990c, due to its price, reliability, versatility and performance, nothing on the soundbar market beats it short of a fully dedicated sound system with high def 4K/8K receiver.
I think everyone at the end of the year is always wait for your feedback on youtube so that we can make the right decision in choosing the right sound bar closing the year but this time round we didn't hear even the effects testing not even one soundbars it wasn't enough to convince without hearing the differences in sounds bar please 🙏 will request for another thanks
Happy with the Vocals on The Bar 9? Another fake reviewer is keeping Sony happy. The Bar 9 has a midrange hole bigger than the Grand Canyon. It's really noticeable, and no amount of messing with the settings can fix it. Yes it's spacious, but so what if the vocals through the centre channel sound like a cheap £5 portable speaker. The A7000 is better, has chrome cast and can be controlled through an onscreen gui. I have the sw5 and that is overhyped also, makes the odd midrange of the Bar 9 even more noticeable and does not really do any sub bass.. I would not waste your money on the Bar 9. I have the Bravia 7 tv, and that is awesome, but the new Bar is junk.
@smarthomesounds no & it's not just me who has this issue, how long did you listen to it for? How many movies etc did you watch with it, did you try normal tv etc also? The demo unit in the local currys is the same, it's just how it is. Listen to it again and let us know if you can hear the problem. The timbre of the centre channel is much different to the left / Right and not in a good way. Try messing with the settings, sound field off / on, 360 mapping vs Dolby surround etc, they change the voicing a bit but cannot make up for the boxy sound. The centre is not linked to the passive radiators which is part of the problem and the dsp has not been tuned properly
The words when comparing Samsung 990D to the sonos system ( which is way more money) ......I THINK head to head 17.09 in video...kinda funny when you think about the term...I think
The bose is disapointing for me. It sounds very narrow and the rears are just stupid, like samsung can fire upwards on their q990 series rear speakers. the bose rears have 2 speakers each that just disapointing as they use the 2 speakers as a single channel.
long term in not something in the Sonos thesaurus.... my older play:base + 2x play:1 system is barely usable, sluggish and the app crashes many times, won't be putting more money down that drain
Let’s get to the point of talking trash dolby atmos dont work on any speaker like the arc or era 300s thay say put upside down when on wall, the bounce off ceilings are gimmicks, don’t buy any of these get a av receiver and put your speakers were ever you want in corner of the top of wall,
Your talking about dolby atmos yer ? Dolby atmos dont work trash don’t bounce off a ceiling, the Sonos arc is 120 watts I got a Sony st5000 upfiring speaking don’t work and it’s 800 watts sounds good like any other speaker, if you want dolby atmos go the pictures end off, I would like to know how much he getting paid to put this trash on
I'm not going to be mad about your choices I checked Amazon UK before commenting on this video. Your Ultimate Best Sound Bars are the 48" long. That is very fair. You don't have the Vizio Elevate 5.1.4 soundbar in the UK. To include a 7th pick. I have both the older Vizio M.5.1.2 and the M5.1. Soundbars. They are both 36" long and they include subwoofers but one is not the same size as the other. They come with surround speakers. They aren't super great but watching movies I do get good sound. In the USA we have the brand Nakamichi they have 2 types. Also they will let you choose to customize your order with 1 or 2 subs and surround speakers from 2 to 4. Far beyond the height channels from a sound bar itself are the surround speakers without them but any Dolby Atmos experience is going to suffer and by a lot. Because Vizio are RCA connected by wires is a total of 10 speakers. Since I also have 2 soundbars my Dolby Atmos also with 2 subs is a totally different setup altogether. It is very much like having a 2 channel left and right speaker configuration but on a horizontal plane that also includes having 2 center channels as well. The way I see it I have a 10.2.2 The best thing out of the UK as far speaker set up goes is Aur0 3D sound. Even on a basic 5.1 set up my speakers are all layered from floor to wall. I don't need side channels. My ejoyment comes from just being in a virtual sound dome. Every speaker is meant to captivate that effect I now have surround speakers located on all 4 walls. However I need to order a separate eARC adapter to get it connected to my TV. I spent roughly $110 USD on 3 sets of small size bookeshelf speakers for the best surround set up. The 2 sound bars cost me under $650 USD but I bought them like a year apart.
I was a previous Arc owner. Upgraded to the Arc Ultra + Sub 4 + ERA 300’s. And I’m blown away. It is incredibly immersive and refined. Not to mention it has some kick. Would really recommend.
How much better is the Sub vs new?
Looks like the arc ultra is winning in a lot of the comparisons, might pick one up
I just upgraded my Arc with a Gen3 sub and two Era 300’s to an Ultra with a second Gen3 sub. The overall experience is subjectively a 40%+ increase in performance . The Ultra is much better than my beloved Arc OG
@@RayDCO Have the similar set up to you, Arc ultra, 1-Sub 4, and 300's. Don't think there is any real difference between the Sub-3 & Sub-4 from what I have read. Am completely new to Sonos, so I cant tell you if its better then the original, though I doubt everyone is lying. The Arc ultra by itself is amazing, you don't need a subwoofer. Though it's better with a sub or 2 and surround speakers. I do have a Samsung Q990c and the Samsung is a much better value. But the Sonos is a better all around system. They are going to sell a lot of these bars.
@ I have a large living room/kitchen with 20’ ceilings and this system fills the space. The 2nd sub just fills out the sound better but I could live with out it
Samsung Q990D easily.
Have the Q990c. was able to pick up about 7 months ago for $785 new from Samsung. This is my first sound bar and it sounds amazing. It's impossible to beat the value that Samsung is offering. My subwoofer in my dedicated system costed more than the entire Q990c. I have nothing negative to say about the Q990c, except that it's not the most attractive bar if that matters to u.
Thanks for the Vid. TV & Soundbar upgrade for Christmas. Got a cracking deal on 65" Samsung S95D TV (and £200 off from Samsung currently) and Q990D (with £400 off from Samsung now) for £550. Q990D currently plugged in older LG OLED TV and sounding good. S95D arrives tomorrow so hoping that will improve again with Q-Symphony. Appreciate you comments and keep up the good reviews.
Remember you can add any sub to the Sennehiser Ambeo Plus, that’s a plus
yeah that is awesome option. Specially for those who already own a subwoofer. The one thing I would say, yes it's cool they allow you to add any subwoofer, however, their is a reason these lifestyle type systems require you to use their subwoofer and its not just money (well its probably mostly money). Bass is one of the most important parts of an audio system, and it needs to be managed correctly so it sounds best and not just sound boomy bass. So systems like the Sony Quad as an example, need the subwoofer, and sony charges a lot for their sub and their is no other option. Think if you could use any Sub with he Sony Quad, the system wouldn't be able to calibrate the non-Sony sub when you run the sound optimization software. Home theaters are built from the ground up for sound and vision, out living rooms in our homes are not, thats why the optimization software like Dirac is so important.
I just purchased a Sennheiser AMBEO plus with two matching 8” subs. It sounds great after playing with the equalizer settings. I don’t understand why Sennheiser have not released rear speakers! This set up will be very competitive with rear speakers.
This would be the soundbar I would get if I wasn’t already fully invested in the Sonos ecosystem. Very impressive immersion. Rears would make it a top contender with Sonos’s surround sound system.
Don't get that either , i love the brand but it seems lately they are more interested in business orientated stuff then the home theatre line up they started which is a shame. I would have expected a new and sleeker ambeo max or rear speakers but still nothing.
yea why on earth dont they make surround speakers?
Good morning I also have an Ambeo soundbar plus.. And I'm thinking of connecting two subwoofers from Perlisten.. The R8s (new).. And then wait for the rear speakers to be on top.. 👍👍 What subwoofers do you have ?? And your feelings about the whole thing? Kind regards Paulo
I recently purchased and already returned the Sonos Arc Ultra with Sub 4. I was doing a direct comparison with a 2.1 system (Kef Q150 and SVS sub). For me, the Arc Ultra was pretty good but I just found it is very difficult to beat physics with the separation you get with 2 speakers. Also the Sub 4 is good but it just cannot replace a 12” sub. Dialogue intelligibility was excellent on the Sonos and probably the only thing I preferred. I also feel that the ceiling on the Sonos is limited, you can hear the sub reducing its output as volume increase. Something to keep in mind. I see why there are so many options on the speaker market as there is really something for everyone!
Might have been worth trying a second sub 4 - having 2 subs is pretty devastating in anything but very large spaces. My AV room is around 6 by 8 meters, with a 3.5 meter cathedral ceiling and the two sub gen 3's are enough for me - at 80% volume it's just about unbearable, at least for me.
Have the beosound stage, sounds pretty good
I don’t think you’re legally allowed to compliment Sonos. People who own Sonos have to be some of the biggest complainers I’ve ever seen. I own the Arc Ultra, 300s and dual gen3 subs. It’s amazing. With some simply tuning to fit your room it really is great!
I’ve owned Sonos since early 2000’s and never had an issue 🤷♂️
If you don't hear nakamichi real Dolby surround system 9.2.4 EARC 1000W YOU don't know what is good system
Sold all my sonos gear because good sound is something different, but it's a good starting point
Yup, the app release back in May was a huge bungle - but they have fixed it now, at least for me - both my crappy old phones (iPhone 11 and Pixel 6) the app is now at least as good as the old app was - but then you look at the store reviews and everyone is still smashing it with one star ratings - which is just silly. I have a ton of Sonos speakers - including 2 TV rooms with Sonos soundbars, surrounds and subs, and a pile of portable speakers - and was as upset as anyone back in May - but it's fine now - they have sorted it out - continuing to rage about it is just irrational.
@@mordimeshita1754 BS. Spend $30,000 vs the Sonos Ultimate system - most people in most home living room spaces won't be able to tell the difference, or might even prefer the Sonos sound - only crazy audiophiles will actually care. Sure the receiver based system is objectively better, by some small percentage - but does the cost, mess and hassle really justify it? Only if you have a specific application like a 100% dedicated theatre room, or you are just a audiophile loon with more money than sense.
is there going to be a review of the sony bravia theatre bar 8 and bar 9?
Nice Comparison, good details and advice for each bar, consider doing a similar video for mid-range Dolby atmos systems suitable for small to medium spaces/apartments as these flagship soundbar systems might be bit of an overkill for some, thankyou
I agree with all the arguments being presented. The Samsung is great for its price but really looks cheap. Sennheiser was an option but the lack of surrounds is still a problem for me. Lot of rumors but it has never happened. I would go for the Sonos Ultra because of the ability to expand it later.
I Dont Think it looks cheap at all?
@jeppemadsen2497 yeah it does with those cheap plastic buttons on top and that grill design that gives you the feeling when you push it too hard it will dent. Same for the woofer, looks like some cheap chinese B brand.
@ yeah okay Im opposite haha. I also Think the woofer looks very high end
Very good comparison video
Great content
Thank you 🙌
How do two HomePod Gen2’s compared to both the Sonos Arc and Arc Ultra. I want to know if I can get away with just getting the Arc. Is the bass as good as the Sonos Arc?
Have you tried or tested Denon HEOS sound bar (e.g. Home Sound Bar 550)? Because whenever I tested any sound products from Denon HEOS line, for me its always the Denon which beats the rest in terms of sound quality, clarity and overall performance. Please share your feedback?
Had the Samsung HW-Q950T, but it had a lot of cut out on the rears, so after years of use I have now bought the Samsung HW-Q990D and no cut out and the sound is much punchier
What do you think about the harman kardon multibeam 1100?
Are you going to do a review on compact soundbars? I know you've down one early in the year. I have a small living room with a new 42" LG C4, ta
Sonos beam gen 2 - ideally with a sub mini and some Era 100's as surrounds. I have a similar setup in my smaller 50" TV space (only Sonos ones instead of era 100's) - and it's amazing.
990D easy
Me 2 , the Samsung is one ugly looking setup but is a great deal for what you get. Plus it does support all the audio codecs. But it really needs a make over because it looks extremely cheap.
@remco3819 I think it looks absolutely fine.
Samsung 990D or even 990c, due to its price, reliability, versatility and performance, nothing on the soundbar market beats it short of a fully dedicated sound system with high def 4K/8K receiver.
I think everyone at the end of the year is always wait for your feedback on youtube so that we can make the right decision in choosing the right sound bar closing the year but this time round we didn't hear even the effects testing not even one soundbars it wasn't enough to convince without hearing the differences in sounds bar please 🙏 will request for another thanks
I’m Torn between the 990D and ultra.
Get the 990D and don't waste your time buying separate speakers with shoddy software like Sonos, it's all hype.
Why Sony QUAD not in consideration 🤔?
Technically not a soundbar?
Happy with the Vocals on The Bar 9? Another fake reviewer is keeping Sony happy. The Bar 9 has a midrange hole bigger than the Grand Canyon. It's really noticeable, and no amount of messing with the settings can fix it. Yes it's spacious, but so what if the vocals through the centre channel sound like a cheap £5 portable speaker. The A7000 is better, has chrome cast and can be controlled through an onscreen gui. I have the sw5 and that is overhyped also, makes the odd midrange of the Bar 9 even more noticeable and does not really do any sub bass.. I would not waste your money on the Bar 9. I have the Bravia 7 tv, and that is awesome, but the new Bar is junk.
Have you thought of the possibility your Bar 9 has an issue?
@smarthomesounds no & it's not just me who has this issue, how long did you listen to it for? How many movies etc did you watch with it, did you try normal tv etc also? The demo unit in the local currys is the same, it's just how it is. Listen to it again and let us know if you can hear the problem. The timbre of the centre channel is much different to the left / Right and not in a good way. Try messing with the settings, sound field off / on, 360 mapping vs Dolby surround etc, they change the voicing a bit but cannot make up for the boxy sound. The centre is not linked to the passive radiators which is part of the problem and the dsp has not been tuned properly
LG DS95TR ???🤷♂️
Nakamichi???
I have a nakamichi dragon and Shockwave ultra
The words when comparing Samsung 990D to the sonos system ( which is way more money) ......I THINK head to head 17.09 in video...kinda funny when you think about the term...I think
You need to fix the audio of your videos! They sound lower than others! And I can tell cause when I’m watching the video the Ads sound better
Does anyone in here have any experience with B&O's Beosound Theatre?
The bose is disapointing for me. It sounds very narrow and the rears are just stupid, like samsung can fire upwards on their q990 series rear speakers. the bose rears have 2 speakers each that just disapointing as they use the 2 speakers as a single channel.
long term in not something in the Sonos thesaurus.... my older play:base + 2x play:1 system is barely usable, sluggish and the app crashes many times, won't be putting more money down that drain
Best sound bar in the market is nakamichi 9.2.4 1000W rell sorond system
Let’s get to the point of talking trash dolby atmos dont work on any speaker like the arc or era 300s thay say put upside down when on wall, the bounce off ceilings are gimmicks, don’t buy any of these get a av receiver and put your speakers were ever you want in corner of the top of wall,
Your talking about dolby atmos yer ? Dolby atmos dont work trash don’t bounce off a ceiling, the Sonos arc is 120 watts I got a Sony st5000 upfiring speaking don’t work and it’s 800 watts sounds good like any other speaker, if you want dolby atmos go the pictures end off, I would like to know how much he getting paid to put this trash on
If you’re spending $800 on a soundbar, just get an actual home theatre setup at that point.
I'm not going to be mad about your choices I checked Amazon UK before commenting on this video.
Your Ultimate Best Sound Bars are the 48" long. That is very fair.
You don't have the Vizio Elevate 5.1.4 soundbar in the UK. To include a 7th pick.
I have both the older Vizio M.5.1.2 and the M5.1. Soundbars.
They are both 36" long and they include subwoofers but one is not the same size as the other. They come with surround speakers.
They aren't super great but watching movies I do get good sound.
In the USA we have the brand Nakamichi they have 2 types.
Also they will let you choose to customize your order with 1 or 2 subs and surround speakers from 2 to 4.
Far beyond the height channels from a sound bar itself are the surround speakers without them but any Dolby Atmos experience is going to suffer and by a lot.
Because Vizio are RCA connected by wires is a total of 10 speakers. Since I also have 2 soundbars my Dolby Atmos also with 2 subs is a totally different setup altogether. It is very much like having a 2 channel left and right speaker configuration but on a horizontal plane that also includes having 2 center channels as well. The way I see it I have a 10.2.2
The best thing out of the UK as far speaker set up goes is Aur0 3D sound.
Even on a basic 5.1 set up my speakers are all layered from floor to wall. I don't need side channels. My ejoyment comes from just being in a virtual sound dome. Every speaker is meant to captivate that effect I now have surround speakers located on all 4 walls.
However I need to order a separate eARC adapter to get it connected to my TV.
I spent roughly $110 USD on 3 sets of small size bookeshelf speakers for the best surround set up. The 2 sound bars cost me under $650 USD but I bought them like a year apart.