Sonos Arc Ultra blasts bigger sound with smaller body

Sonos is here with a new set of high-end home theatre speakers, launching the Arc Ultra and Sub 4 in Australia.

As hinted at by its name, the Sonos Arc Ultra assumes the mantle of the brand’s most premium soundbar. Equipped with 14 audio drivers, the new soundbar includes two upwards-firing speakers as part of its 9.1.4-channel configuration.

Aside from its boosted internals, the Sonos Arc Ultra uses a new technology the brand calls “Sound Motion”. This is a new transducer technology that takes up less space while producing bigger bass.

While it’s impossible to judge the audio quality without listening to the soundbar first, the smaller form factor is indeed true; the Arc Ultra is more compact and weighs less than the original Arc.

The new Sub 4. Image: Sonos.

Accompanying the new high-end soundbar is the Sonos Sub 4, the brand’s latest subwoofer. Designed to pair with existing Sonos devices, the Sub 4 aims to handle lower frequencies while the other speakers tackle mid-range and high frequencies.

Sonos has had a rocky year, largely due to a contentious major app update that caused enough backlash to warrant an official response. Its hardware, on the other hand, speaks for itself. The Sonos Ace headphones are terrific, while the Roam 2 portable speaker received a welcome refresh.

Sonos even addressed the app saga in its Arc Ultra and Sub 4 announcement, getting on the front foot about any potential lingering concerns. According to Sonos, “the new app’s performance is expected to surpass the performance of the previous app across important metrics” following a software update timed to release with the new speakers.

Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 release date and price

In Australia, Sonos’ new kit arrives on 29 October 2024, with pre-orders open now. The Arc Ultra costs $1,799, which is $300 more than the original Arc, while the Sub 4 costs $1,299. Both models come in a choice of black or white finishes.

While the spectre of the troubled app update lingers, this launch might be a chance for Sonos to prove that its audio ecosystem is back on track.

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