Lewis CaliburnSonos has introduced the Sonos Arc Ultra, a new premium soundbar that also debuts the brand’s transducer technology called Sound Motion.
A significant breakthrough in audio engineering, Sound Motion drastically reduces the size of the transducer while supercharging the bass, opening a new chapter in sound innovation where bigger, better sound can be delivered from smaller products.
Arc Ultra delivers up to double the bass of its predecessor, with a 9.1.4 spatial audio experience in a sleek design.
“For decades, Sonos has revolutionised home theatre and music experiences with products that look as great as they sound. Driven by our hunger for innovation, we created Sound Motion to break the boundaries of what’s possible by a single speaker, bringing this industry-first transducer technology to home theatre where demand for extraordinary sound is equal to designs that fit modern living spaces,” says Patrick Spence, CEO of Sonos. “Arc Ultra is a reimagination of our best-selling soundbar, leveraging this incredible innovation to deliver an unprecedented sound experience from a sleeker design.”
Built with first-of-its-kind technology and deep industry collaborations, Arc Ultra provides boosted bass, a spatial audio experience with Dolby Atmos, and advanced Speech Enhancement for even more levels of control.
The all-new architecture features 14 Sonos-engineered drivers, including a Sound Motion woofer and a cluster of tweeters with waveguides on both ends to deliver a 9.1.4 spatial audio experience. Tune with Trueplay to pinpoint the best sound for a space, now available for both iOS and Android.
With a new centre channel architecture, Arc Ultra maximises vocal clarity so it’s easier to follow dialogue. An all-new advanced Speech Enhancement feature lets users choose their preferred level of dialogue clarity in the Sonos app.
Sonos worked with veteran movie producers and creators like Chris Jenkins and Onnalee Blank to fine-tune Arc Ultra for Dolby Atmos content playback and assemble a studio-worthy experience that rivals professional sound systems.
Users can unlock theatre-quality sound in a matter of minutes with a simple HDMI eARC connection and can control with a TV remote, the Sonos app, Sonos Voice Control, or Amazon Alexa. Touch controls are housed in a dedicated ledge behind the soundbar to prevent visual distraction. With Bluetooth line-in, Arc Ultra also provides more ways to stream – whether bingeing a podcast or setting a playlist before guests arrive.
Arc Ultra was designed responsibly with improved serviceability by using more screws and fewer adhesives, halogen-free PCB materials, less silicon material, and a reduced idle power consumption by as much as 20% as a standalone player compared to Arc. Its packaging is 100% recyclable and also 18% smaller in volume, making it more efficient to ship.
Sonos Sub 4
Sonos is also introducing Sonos Sub 4, the next generation of its subwoofer with a refreshed design.
The Sub 4 next generation subwoofer boasts dual custom woofers that generate deep, dynamic low frequencies with no buzz or rattle either — both Sub 4 woofers face inward to create a force-cancelling effect that neutralises distortion.
Sonos’ most advanced subwoofer to date, Sub 4 includes increased processing power and memory, as well as new WiFi radios for better connectivity.
Sub 4 sports an elegant sculptural shape maintaining much of its predecessor’s aesthetic, with an updated matte finish in Black and White and a profile that’s easy to stand upright, lay on its side, or tuck under the couch. Sub 4 also comes in a more sustainable form through dematerialization efforts and a nearly 50% reduction in idle power consumption.
Sub 4 can be paired with Arc Ultra, Arc or Beam for deeper lows, or, pair two subwoofers together for maximum bass — Sub 4 is compatible with previous generations of Sub.
Arc Ultra and Sub 4 will be available beginning on October 29, 2024 for $999 and $799 USD.
Sonos app
Sonos also continues rapid improvement of its new app. With a software update alongside the launch of Arc Ultra and Sub 4, the new app’s performance is expected to surpass the performance of the previous app across important metrics, including those essential to new purchasers — system identification, the set up of new devices, and the ability to group Sonos devices together.
For current Sonos customers, the update will reintroduce 90% of the new app’s missing features, with further additions on the way as Sonos maintains its ongoing cadence of updates.
“We’ve worked tirelessly to resolve the most critical app issues and most requested legacy features. We have reached a level of quality that gives us the confidence to launch our extraordinary new products,” adds Patrick. “As we laid out in our commitments we will continue to improve the software regularly, and are determined to make the Sonos experience better than it’s ever been.”