Review: Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar & Sub 4 Wireless Subwoofer

Shawn Thome | Updated: November 2, 2024

World Wide Stereo is happy to introduce the brand-new Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar and Sub Gen 4 Subwoofer! Featuring all new breakthrough technology, the Arc Ultra Soundbar and Sub Gen 4 bring your home entertainment to life with amazing clarity, depth and dimension.

The new Arc Ultra improves on past design by featuring all new acoustic architecture with three additional drivers, groundbreaking sound motion technology, spatial audio, updated touch controls, Bluetooth connectivity, more advanced speech enhancement, and Trueplay tuning for Android.

Sonos Arc VS Sonos Arc Ultra

The original Arc only had 11 drivers, while the new Arc Ultra has 14, with the capability of delivering theater quality audio when watching movies or concert like audio when listening to music.

The new Arc is packing a 9.1.4 ATMOS signal compared to the original Arc's 5.0.2.

Sound Motion Technology

So if the new Arc Ultra is almost the same size as the old Arc, how do they have so much more space for more drivers? The quick answer is Sonos engineers developed a lightweight speaker motor and suspension system while introducing a new speaker cone design.

This means Sonos is able to get a lot more sound out of the same sized sound bar. This has also allowed them to add a woofer into the Arc Ultra, creating more bass and packing more of a punch in a smaller package.

Spatial Audio

Spatial audio is a technology that creates a three-dimensional sound experience, making audio feel as though it's coming from various directions all around you.

Unlike traditional stereo sound that comes from just the left and right channels, Spatial Audio adds a layer of depth and realism to your favorite songs. It's immersive.

Advanced Speech Enhancement

While the original arc had speech enhancement, the Arc Ultra features advanced speech enhancement, stepping up the tune ability with three different levels of speech enhancement.

Have you ever watched a movie or television show and it's almost impossible to hear the dialogue? You turn the system up, and then an action sequence happens and it’s way too loud. Adjusting volume can be a constant back and forth while you are just trying to enjoy your favorite programs. What speech enhancement does is it allows you to turn up only the dialog so you can easily hear what they're saying.

Controls & Connectivity

A single HDMI arc connection keeps connectivity simple and enables high quality audio playback. Like the original Arc, the Arc Ultra has Wi-Fi and Airplay too. Sonos has also added Bluetooth and Spotify Connect to the new Arc Ultra, which makes it even easier to stream music in your home.

The new Sonos Arc still uses the Sonos calibration software, Trueplay, to calibrate the room. Just access the Sonos app and follow the instructions. Once completed, every seat in the room is going to be a sweet spot for your listening experience.

Previously, you could only do the calibration with an iPhone, whereas with the new Sonos Arc Ultra, it allows you to be able to calibrate the room with an Android.

New touch controls on top of the soundbar allow you to play pause, adjust volume and group speakers. With the Sonos app, you'll get more control and tuneability for the Arc Ultra, including speech enhancement levels, bass, treble, speaker grouping, as well as your favorite music content.

And if you want to go completely hands free, the Arc Ultra also has voice control, which will allow you to control volume, speech enhancement, and request music from all of your favorite streaming services.

Building Your Sonos System

While the new Sonos Arc Ultra works well as a standalone solution, it is always best to maximize the performance by adding rear speakers into the system. This can be accomplished in two different ways. You can add the Sonos Era 100 or Era 300 to pair.

You can add a second sub into the system as well, which is always recommended for people who like a little extra bass.

There's also a new wall mount available. It mounts to all wall materials, is reverse compatible with the original arc, and allows for cables to go directly behind the product and through the wall for a very clean install.

Sonos Sub Gen 4

The new Sonos Sub Gen 4 is replacing the Gen 3. The original Sonos Sub launched in 2012, showcasing deep bass, iconic design and the ease of use that has only been improved upon over the years. Compared to the Sub 3, the Sub 4 has been refreshed internally, getting more processing power and more memory as well as externally, with an all new matte finish that many customers have been asking for.

If you're currently a Sub Gen 3 owner have no fear. You can absolutely purchase the Arc Ultra and pair it up with your old sub.

If you're a bass guy like me, I would absolutely recommend adding a second subwoofer into your system to give you that extra power that you're looking for.

Stop by our Montgomeryville Showroom and take a listen for yourself.