I just bought the ARC and I was surprised to see that the older Play bar clearly outperforms it in terms of overall sound and punch. Maybe the arc eARC which is an advantage but the older play bar is a much better sounding system. I have all the volume turned up and everything and I'm just so disappointed in the arc. Either I need a different sound bar or maybe an old refurbished playbar if I'm willing to take that chance
I love the play bar you don’t watch movies and videos and it sounds so good the arc I heard in music and doesn’t sound the same as the playbar Give you a big difference nice and clear and music and TV
i have the Sonos ARC soundbar connected with 2 of the Sonos Subs and the ONE SL's for rears......sounds great for my man cave.....very happy...cheers from Canada...be safe
If you want a real review or comparison of the performance of the Sonos Arc best check out an independent reviewer like Rtings that have actual testing equipment rather than someone who 1.sells the brand for a living , 2. is setting it up in their own home where your listening through your tv or computer speakers and practically having to take his word on how it performs. How can you possibly tell for yourself how immersive a sound bar is through your own speakers.
It makes no difference if he sells the products, he's comparing one against the other (clearly explained in the TITLE)...secondly, no person or listening environment will EVER perfectly replicate how a sound system will sound in YOUR house, so we rely on the reviews and opinions of others to help us make an educated decision, especially those of us who cannot buy/try/return...
Bose offers more versatility If you desperately want Atmos then get Arc If you won’t nice balanced sound with deep earth moving bass that doesn’t become a doorstop when the internet goes down then get the Bose.
Zach thank you for continuing to put out content I know it's a very challenging difficult time for you and your business and for your Channel so I know I greatly appreciate all you have been doing it puts a smile on my face just to see your smile and your enthusiasm is a bright spot in this Bleak covid-19 world
Thank you for this.. I have just put my AVR and speakers up for sale. Gonna go down the sonos route as have moved house. Is the significant difference in price between the beam and arc worth it??
I have the arc my has the beam,and the arc really sounds better its more inmersive, it fills the room and only with youtube those hi res music ofcourse its not hi res we all know that but ot really sounds great,but there is always a but 😂 to enjoy it fully?you need the sub and the surrounds,first i bought the arc and sub,im also an avr user for 20 years always bose speakers.it really sounds good but with the surrounds its amazing the difference let say is like eating cold pizza from the fridge vs pizza that is receny came out from the oven..i know it sounds rediculous because it is spend and spend to Have An amazing sound,but i can assure you its worth all the penny..and i just bought my second sub a month ago😂😂😂 but for me the beam is better with surrounds for the same price as the arc alone..
JEREMY TODD I hear you buy I am watching State of Play now with 700 two 700 subs and 2 Omni and it us heavenly. People are calling it bouncing wall Atmos.. The 700 is pure!
Mel H The 700 sounds great for what it is...no doubt. But it has NO HEIGHT effects...so in that aspect the ARC beats it...bouncing Atmos sounds better than no Atmos...I have owned both and the Bose is great for sure...but you can notice the height effects the ARC throws at you...
The Playbar is on life support at this point...already heavily discounted and will be phased out soon (Sonos has confirmed the Playbar and Playbase are discontinued) ....going on 8 years old it lacks the hardware to support the most current audio codecs (Toslink/Optical technology is nearly 40yrs old). Moving forward it's The Beam for small rooms and The ARC for larger rooms and the most immersive sound. The Playbar has been a top performing bar for many years but it's clear that home audio has evolved (HDMI ARC/eARC) and that's where the ARC comes in...absolutely HUGE sound stage....paired with the SUB it becomes a beast. I've owned it for a little more than two weeks and it has so far has impressed me with everything I've thrown at it. If you still have the Playbar it will still serve you well for a few more years (hopefully)...but if your looking to get a new soundbar I can't see any reason to get the Playbar over the ARC.
This whole make your purchase obsolete and discontinuing its functionality is terrible. I want to buy it, really love the ability to add more wireless speakers, but not if it doesn't perform for the next 7-10 years, it isn't worth the price. Speakers typically last a very long time with proper care. Why should people be forced to upgrade when they are still happy enjoying their original purchase. This model of "planned obsolescence" is the big problem with products right now!
the only problem is that they are having really big problems with the arc and lypsync. The are also having issues switcing to TV from music on the Arc. Im sure they will get this worked out with a firmware update but I just don't like how sono on their forum is handling it. I have been a dealer for them for 12 years and it bothers me how less forthwith they are. A few months back they were going to cut support and basically make useless the older units (basically anything they dont produce now) with a simple firmware update or new app. So you see that's the reason why they been so busy with the updates
richiemiami Yeah I’m not really impressed with 30% off on the trade up program. They rendered my 600 Canadian dollar Gen 1 Play 5 basicly obsolete on me. Luckily I was able to sell it already for 200 bucks. In the beginning they wanted us to recycle this equipment back to them which would have been highway robbery IMO. At least better heads prevailed, but the trade up discount should have been 50-60% off.
This whole make your purchase obsolete and discontinuing its functionality is terrible. I want to buy it, really love the ability to add more wireless speakers, but not if it doesn't perform for the next 7-10 years. Speakers typically last a long time with proper care. Why should people be forced to upgrade when they are still happy enjoying their original purchase. This model of "planned obsolescence" is the big problem with products right now!!
Hey Zak, ive just revisited this video and i cant believe the nasty comments. Please keep doing what you do and stay presenting in such a happy go lucky way. I for one appreciate the effort you and the team put in for our entertainment. Im confused and saddened that viewers are so nasty for no reason. Keep up the brilliant work 💪 🤗🤗
just connect it to the hdmi arc port of your TV? what do you need two for? that makes it too complex introducing issues, when both are starting to stream audio -> which one to choose
@@Dreamediaav We'll have to agree to disagree, I was very disappointed with the Arc and was hoping to upgrade my Beam with it. Whilst the soundstage of the Arc is loads wider there wasn't anything else about it I enjoyed. I know many people are delighted with theirs but sadly not the case for me.
Adam That’s the confusing part to me. We struggle to hear which one has the better sound output, which shouldn’t be the case. They are definitely closer than they should be at this point. I believe the playbar has the better mid range tone for streaming music, while the ARC has the more clear and crisp highs, which allows it to bring the more understandable dialogue during movies in a 5.1 configuration. Sonos definitely has some work to do with software updates on that ARC before I buck up to swap out of my playbar - that’s foresure. If Sonos was smart they’d keep building the playbar in a step up generation model that gives users E-ARC and voice control.
I 100% agree. I had both and sent that shrill harsh sounding Arc back. I think they are using inferior drivers in the Arc. Playbar is a much fuller sounding unit.
Sadly this is the most unscientific review ever :/ hear the height channels over UA-cam? stuff like that we compare in person ;/ comparing even spoken audio should be against exactly the same video clip. Lastly, I wonder how can you even remotely feel the presence of sound bouncing off with such ceiling?
Dude what do you expect? He was standing there in person. He explained the strengths and weaknesses. Honestly though that playbar held its own pretty good, which is a testimony to just how good of a product it’s been over the years. I highly doubt that we see that kind of longevity out of the ARC.
Digger Geensen ARC still seems like a half baked product. Not like Sonos didn’t have enough time to work on tuning the sound (bass issues, clicking issues) or not implementing features like LPCM before launch. Kinda sucks to use it as a 2.0 speaker for non atmos content.
Adam Maik yes I’ve heard the base is shitty if it’s used as a stand alone. Hopefully they get it dialed in with further updates. I’ll definitely wait to make any kind of switch to it. I’m actually being hesitant about even jumping over to the S2 controller still to be honest. Sounds like it still has connection loss issues that they need to work out. The only thing I’d question about this video, is why the playbar wasn’t turned on it’s side to be compared in its loudest direction facing towards the sitting area? Sonos needs to get with the times and give us the option to use their playbars as the centre channel, in its 5.1 configuration. Or better yet give us a 7.2 option. I mean why jump into the world of Dolby Atmos if you’re still only offering up a 5.1 setup using 1 soundbar as all 3 fronts? At my house I ended up just grouping a bunch of extra Sonos gear into rooms, and building off my original playbar 5.1 group. While it may not be a true Dolby surround setup, when you add another sub, and a bunch of more speakers to the mix all in the same room, and rock a movie it sounds pretty deadly when it’s all grouped together.
Digger Geensen my concerns were for “realistic height channels” against his complicated ceiling :-) I thought atmos requires low and flat ceiling to actually bounce sound and deliver at proper time (speed).
Was waiting for exactly this comparison. Nailed it, thank you 👍 The only thing is the playbar sounds louder from directly in front of it when it’s turned up in the wall mount position. Sitting under a tv on a stand like you had it, the majority of the sound was projecting upwards. It’s a strange design that worked well, until televisions started coming out with cheap low to the table feet on each side of the set. Eliminating the possibility of being able to position the playbar the correct way on a tv stand, without blocking out some of the screen, unless it’s wall mounted. That ARC would sure look good tucked inside the convenient central flat bottom stand of my Samsung Q90R
@@monroethegreat7539 I'm still looking for a soundbar that sounds clear, gets loud and supports both Atmos and DTS:X. The Arc does not sound good nor will it play DTS.
@@bonedaddy33 Got it, Well am happy with my Playbar, Sub and 2 Play 5s of course am curious about the Sonos arc, But so far i haven't heard many good reviews about it
Not sure if you heard about this thing called coronavirus that's been killing hundreds of thousands of people all around the world. So why do you think they aren't doing installs anymore and Texas where he is based out of has one of the highest infection rates right now. But I guess he should risk his life and his employees lives and the lives of their family members just so you can be entertained by seeing some installs. Honestly your father should have pulled out because you are a waste of space which is ironic since you're talkin about Zach wasting your notifications
dude, whats with you? We cooled it on the installs for safety. For the last several months zak has been with his pat home pregnant wife not doing installs. There re reasons for everything chill with that attitude
@@jeremytodd5340 I guess you're the flock that believes your getting Atmos from a sound bar hahahaha. The very word ATMOS is object based surround, sound being placed at a specific location not being deflected or bounced around. Zak business is to sell anything that he's paid to promote, but it's up to you to use your brain not to be duped.
I just bought the ARC and I was surprised to see that the older Play bar clearly outperforms it in terms of overall sound and punch. Maybe the arc eARC which is an advantage but the older play bar is a much better sounding system. I have all the volume turned up and everything and I'm just so disappointed in the arc. Either I need a different sound bar or maybe an old refurbished playbar if I'm willing to take that chance
I love the play bar you don’t watch movies and videos and it sounds so good the arc I heard in music and doesn’t sound the same as the playbar Give you a big difference nice and clear and music and TV
i have the Sonos ARC soundbar connected with 2 of the Sonos Subs and the ONE SL's for rears......sounds great for my man cave.....very happy...cheers from Canada...be safe
I have the playbar now so do you think I should upgrade to the arc? I have the sub and new play 1s
Hey! Great video but do you have a video on how you have the Arc installed and attached to the bottom of your tv like that? I have a Samsung as well.
The ARC is cleaner and wider. The side firing speakers sound great and you're right, the up firing speakers help with Immersion.
If you want a real review or comparison of the performance of the Sonos Arc best check out an independent reviewer like Rtings that have actual testing equipment rather than someone who 1.sells the brand for a living , 2. is setting it up in their own home where your listening through your tv or computer speakers and practically having to take his word on how it performs. How can you possibly tell for yourself how immersive a sound bar is through your own speakers.
It makes no difference if he sells the products, he's comparing one against the other (clearly explained in the TITLE)...secondly, no person or listening environment will EVER perfectly replicate how a sound system will sound in YOUR house, so we rely on the reviews and opinions of others to help us make an educated decision, especially those of us who cannot buy/try/return...
Are the subs installed or just the sound bars?
Just arc
Wow the arc sounds rad, if that's with the sub off that's impressive bass!
So bose 700 with sub or arc with sub? Whats sounds better for movies
Bose offers more versatility
If you desperately want Atmos then get Arc
If you won’t nice balanced sound with deep earth moving bass that doesn’t become a doorstop when the internet goes down then get the Bose.
What bracket did you use to mount the Arc to the bottom of the TV?
Love how zach goes from full UA-cam bro to informative home cinema wizard in about 2.5seconds. WHADUP UA-cam! SMASH!
Zach thank you for continuing to put out content I know it's a very challenging difficult time for you and your business and for your Channel so I know I greatly appreciate all you have been doing it puts a smile on my face just to see your smile and your enthusiasm is a bright spot in this Bleak covid-19 world
Thank you for this..
I have just put my AVR and speakers up for sale. Gonna go down the sonos route as have moved house.
Is the significant difference in price between the beam and arc worth it??
I have the arc my has the beam,and the arc really sounds better its more inmersive, it fills the room and only with youtube those hi res music ofcourse its not hi res we all know that but ot really sounds great,but there is always a but 😂 to enjoy it fully?you need the sub and the surrounds,first i bought the arc and sub,im also an avr user for 20 years always bose speakers.it really sounds good but with the surrounds its amazing the difference let say is like eating cold pizza from the fridge vs pizza that is receny came out from the oven..i know it sounds rediculous because it is spend and spend to Have
An amazing sound,but i can assure you its worth all the penny..and i just bought my second sub a month ago😂😂😂 but for me the beam is better with surrounds for the same price as the arc alone..
In my opinion the Playbar is better by far. The arc is all highs.
I completely agree. The playbar is better sound and by far way better base. The arc definitely missed the mark.
You need to demo movies comparisons to really do a shoot-out. I would love to see this one compared to the Bose 700...Thanks Great video as usual
The bose 700 doesnt hold a candle to the arc. Been there done that!
I have to agree...I had the Bose 300 which basically the same but without Alexa...and the ARC performs better....
JEREMY TODD I hear you buy I am watching State of Play now with 700 two 700 subs and 2 Omni and it us heavenly. People are calling it bouncing wall Atmos.. The 700 is pure!
Mel H The 700 sounds great for what it is...no doubt. But it has NO HEIGHT effects...so in that aspect the ARC beats it...bouncing Atmos sounds better than no Atmos...I have owned both and the Bose is great for sure...but you can notice the height effects the ARC throws at you...
The Mandalorian I have one more room that needs a system. You guys are convincing me to try it out. 😁
Playbar is very nice !!
The Playbar is on life support at this point...already heavily discounted and will be phased out soon (Sonos has confirmed the Playbar and Playbase are discontinued) ....going on 8 years old it lacks the hardware to support the most current audio codecs (Toslink/Optical technology is nearly 40yrs old). Moving forward it's The Beam for small rooms and The ARC for larger rooms and the most immersive sound. The Playbar has been a top performing bar for many years but it's clear that home audio has evolved (HDMI ARC/eARC) and that's where the ARC comes in...absolutely HUGE sound stage....paired with the SUB it becomes a beast. I've owned it for a little more than two weeks and it has so far has impressed me with everything I've thrown at it. If you still have the Playbar it will still serve you well for a few more years (hopefully)...but if your looking to get a new soundbar I can't see any reason to get the Playbar over the ARC.
I have the arc and playbar…and it’s still going strong and sounds just as good as the arc
So many great reviews of the Arc. I can't wait to get mine.
Got mine day one. You won’t be disappointed!
It's awesome...you'll love it
Got my arc for almost a week and after having the playbar very disappointed in the arc. It has absolutely terrible base.
@@snowflakesfamily6618 the lack of bass was a known going into it. I think everyone has had that complaint. You're 100% right on that point.
pls make a review about bose soundbar 700
and lifestyle systems
no highs.. no lows.. must be bose.
The Bose 700 sounds so much better for music
Higher highs and deep bass that gives arc a run for its money
@@nicko9799 lol we all know that's not true 😂
This whole make your purchase obsolete and discontinuing its functionality is terrible.
I want to buy it, really love the ability to add more wireless speakers, but not if it doesn't perform for the next 7-10 years, it isn't worth the price. Speakers typically last a very long time with proper care.
Why should people be forced to upgrade when they are still happy enjoying their original purchase. This model of "planned obsolescence" is the big problem with products right now!
the only problem is that they are having really big problems with the arc and lypsync. The are also having issues switcing to TV from music on the Arc. Im sure they will get this worked out with a firmware update but I just don't like how sono on their forum is handling it. I have been a dealer for them for 12 years and it bothers me how less forthwith they are. A few months back they were going to cut support and basically make useless the older units (basically anything they dont produce now) with a simple firmware update or new app. So you see that's the reason why they been so busy with the updates
richiemiami Yeah I’m not really impressed with 30% off on the trade up program. They rendered my 600 Canadian dollar Gen 1 Play 5 basicly obsolete on me. Luckily I was able to sell it already for 200 bucks. In the beginning they wanted us to recycle this equipment back to them which would have been highway robbery IMO. At least better heads prevailed, but the trade up discount should have been 50-60% off.
This whole make your purchase obsolete and discontinuing its functionality is terrible.
I want to buy it, really love the ability to add more wireless speakers, but not if it doesn't perform for the next 7-10 years. Speakers typically last a long time with proper care.
Why should people be forced to upgrade when they are still happy enjoying their original purchase. This model of "planned obsolescence" is the big problem with products right now!!
The ARC sounded very immersive, as if there were speakers all around the room. The playbar has nice midrange tone.
Hey Zak, ive just revisited this video and i cant believe the nasty comments. Please keep doing what you do and stay presenting in such a happy go lucky way. I for one appreciate the effort you and the team put in for our entertainment. Im confused and saddened that viewers are so nasty for no reason. Keep up the brilliant work 💪 🤗🤗
Thank you Jeff! Your kind comment just made my day! We really appreciate your support! 💪😁
@@Dreamediaav I really mean the words. It makes me happy if my comments cheered you up 🤗
@@jeffleigh3747 it sure did! Thank you!
Excellent review ✌🏾
What do you think when you play music on them which one sounds better people tell me the Playbar sounds better
Pls put 2 HDMI in the arc!!! And support DTXx
I agree, plus Sonos needs to have a 7 band eq for the Arc. Way too bright sounding vocals.
just connect it to the hdmi arc port of your TV? what do you need two for? that makes it too complex introducing issues, when both are starting to stream audio -> which one to choose
Why was the arc have terrible base? The playbar by far has better base. The arc can’t even compare.
At first the volume was to low ,but now it's ok could be better
you don't have speech enhancement on either
Even this highly subjective review shows what a broken sibilent product the Arc is, the Playbar sounds better in every respect.
i dont agree. in person the arc has all the great things about the beam and more of it.
@@Dreamediaav We'll have to agree to disagree, I was very disappointed with the Arc and was hoping to upgrade my Beam with it. Whilst the soundstage of the Arc is loads wider there wasn't anything else about it I enjoyed. I know many people are delighted with theirs but sadly not the case for me.
@@bernado8607 It would be really ridiculous for Sonos to release the new 2020 Arc that is outperformed by the 7yr old tech in the Playbar...
Adam That’s the confusing part to me. We struggle to hear which one has the better sound output, which shouldn’t be the case. They are definitely closer than they should be at this point. I believe the playbar has the better mid range tone for streaming music, while the ARC has the more clear and crisp highs, which allows it to bring the more understandable dialogue during movies in a 5.1 configuration. Sonos definitely has some work to do with software updates on that ARC before I buck up to swap out of my playbar - that’s foresure. If Sonos was smart they’d keep building the playbar in a step up generation model that gives users E-ARC and voice control.
I 100% agree. I had both and sent that shrill harsh sounding Arc back. I think they are using inferior drivers in the Arc.
Playbar is a much fuller sounding unit.
Sadly this is the most unscientific review ever :/
hear the height channels over UA-cam? stuff like that we compare in person ;/ comparing even spoken audio should be against exactly the same video clip.
Lastly, I wonder how can you even remotely feel the presence of sound bouncing off with such ceiling?
Dude what do you expect? He was standing there in person. He explained the strengths and weaknesses. Honestly though that playbar held its own pretty good, which is a testimony to just how good of a product it’s been over the years. I highly doubt that we see that kind of longevity out of the ARC.
Digger Geensen ARC still seems like a half baked product. Not like Sonos didn’t have enough time to work on tuning the sound (bass issues, clicking issues) or not implementing features like LPCM before launch. Kinda sucks to use it as a 2.0 speaker for non atmos content.
Adam Maik yes I’ve heard the base is shitty if it’s used as a stand alone. Hopefully they get it dialed in with further updates. I’ll definitely wait to make any kind of switch to it. I’m actually being hesitant about even jumping over to the S2 controller still to be honest. Sounds like it still has connection loss issues that they need to work out. The only thing I’d question about this video, is why the playbar wasn’t turned on it’s side to be compared in its loudest direction facing towards the sitting area? Sonos needs to get with the times and give us the option to use their playbars as the centre channel, in its 5.1 configuration. Or better yet give us a 7.2 option. I mean why jump into the world of Dolby Atmos if you’re still only offering up a 5.1 setup using 1 soundbar as all 3 fronts?
At my house I ended up just grouping a bunch of extra Sonos gear into rooms, and building off my original playbar 5.1 group. While it may not be a true Dolby surround setup, when you add another sub, and a bunch of more speakers to the mix all in the same room, and rock a movie it sounds pretty deadly when it’s all grouped together.
Digger Geensen my concerns were for “realistic height channels” against his complicated ceiling :-) I thought atmos requires low and flat ceiling to actually bounce sound and deliver at proper time (speed).
It would be nice if you gave me the play bar I had mine stolen
Was waiting for exactly this comparison. Nailed it, thank you 👍 The only thing is the playbar sounds louder from directly in front of it when it’s turned up in the wall mount position. Sitting under a tv on a stand like you had it, the majority of the sound was projecting upwards. It’s a strange design that worked well, until televisions started coming out with cheap low to the table feet on each side of the set. Eliminating the possibility of being able to position the playbar the correct way on a tv stand, without blocking out some of the screen, unless it’s wall mounted. That ARC would sure look good tucked inside the convenient central flat bottom stand of my Samsung Q90R
Older better
The Bose 700 blows the arc away despite no dts or Atmos
$800. For a soundbar. HAH
If you think that's alot look up the Seinheiser Ambeo....
you aint wrong about the ambeo
Playbar sounds flat in comparison IMO
My Playbar sounds way better than the Arc I had.
@@bonedaddy33 I was at Best buy and 3 people told me the Playbar sounds better then the Arc
@@monroethegreat7539 I'm still looking for a soundbar that sounds clear, gets loud and supports both Atmos and DTS:X. The Arc does not sound good nor will it play DTS.
@@bonedaddy33 Got it, Well am happy with my Playbar, Sub and 2 Play 5s of course am curious about the Sonos arc, But so far i haven't heard many good reviews about it
@@monroethegreat7539 I have the same setup and like it very much. I wish it played DTS though.
Copyfree right music are just a pain for your brain
Could you try talking to us like adults and not a 10 month old baby?
Zach honestly who clicks on a channel called Dream Media Home Theater looking for a soundbar?????
Sound bar n Home theater in one sentence😢
Not sure if you heard about this thing called coronavirus that's been killing hundreds of thousands of people all around the world. So why do you think they aren't doing installs anymore and Texas where he is based out of has one of the highest infection rates right now. But I guess he should risk his life and his employees lives and the lives of their family members just so you can be entertained by seeing some installs. Honestly your father should have pulled out because you are a waste of space which is ironic since you're talkin about Zach wasting your notifications
Believe it or not more people are going wireless now days. Less wires cleaner look and the sound is catching up.
dude, whats with you? We cooled it on the installs for safety. For the last several months zak has been with his pat home pregnant wife not doing installs. There re reasons for everything chill with that attitude
@@jeremytodd5340 I guess you're the flock that believes your getting Atmos from a sound bar hahahaha. The very word ATMOS is object based surround, sound being placed at a specific location not being deflected or bounced around.
Zak business is to sell anything that he's paid to promote, but it's up to you to use your brain not to be duped.
@@keepingupwiththejones2933 Pseudo account for Zak? you sound hurt as if you own the channel (Just thinking out loud)