"With Dolby Atmos and Voice A.I., the Sonos Arc is the Swiss Army knife for sound bars."
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Excellent surround sound
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Simple and easy setup
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Decent Dolby Atmos from a single speaker
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Choice of Alexa or Google Assistant
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No HDMI inputs
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Not ideal for all music genres
When Sonos launched its first soundbar, the Playbar for $ 699 in 2013, it received the praise it deserved. As an absolutely simple but somewhat expensive way to give your TV a massive audio upgrade, almost everyone succeeded except one front: Sonos' decision to equip the playbar with a single optical input meant that the playbar would work forever Get away from the growing world of surround formats like Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Atmos – something that reviewers at the time described as a disadvantage of an otherwise excellent product.
Seven years later, Sonos returned to the full-size home theater soundbar arena with the $ 799 Arc, a Dolby Atmos-enabled speaker that shows everything the company has learned since the Playbar debut. Did Sonos push the envelope far enough this time or did he just catch up? Let's take a look.
Beautiful design
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
I have already said that the best designs in soundbars do not attract any attention at all. After all, your visual focus should be on your TV, not your soundbar.
Whether your primary aesthetic is the reserved Darth Vader or the reserved Stormtrooper, there's a Sonos Arc to suit your taste
However, if you don't draw your eye negatively, it doesn't mean that your soundbar should also be a boring plastic sheet. In a classic Sonos way, the Arc exudes subtle elegance when not partnering with your TV, and almost disappears when it's time to dim the lights and start the show.
I owe this chameleon-like performance to the matt black finish of our test device. It worked for me – but for the first time, Sonos also has a full-size soundbar that you can also buy in matte white. Whether your primary aesthetic is the reserved Darth Vader or the reserved Stormtrooper, there's a Sonos Arc to suit your taste.
The design of the one-piece wrap-around speaker grille, made up of hundreds of tiny holes, gives the Arc the same subtle monolithic look as the company's other latest products, such as Move, Sonos One, One SL, and the updated Sonos Five.
Sonos placed the Arc's touch controls at the top of the soundbar. This seems to be a more logical position than the more cumbersome controls on the Playbar. However, this placement means that if you push the arc fully under your TV, you will have little or no access to these controls. However, this may not matter, because with all Sonos products, you can fully control the speaker from your phone, tablet, or computer.
Just like the Playbar, you can place the Arc in front of your TV where you need at least 2.5 inches of space if you want it to sit just below the screen. It can also be mounted on the wall, but is prepared for a sticker shock: the optional steel bracket costs a whopping $ 80 – a full 10% of the price of the Arc itself.
Limited connectivity
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Sonos prides itself on its commitment to simplicity and the Arc embodies this through its extremely simple setup: a single HDMI ARC / eARC connector on the back of the speaker is all you need to connect it to your TV. Simply plug one end of the included HDMI cable into this connector, the other end into the HDMI ARC / eARC connector on your TV, plug in the power cord, and off you go.
The rest of the setup process is done in the Sonos app. It only takes a few minutes and includes Sonos' Trueplay tuning feature. With Trueplay, Sonos gains an understanding of the acoustics of your room. It can then optimize the Arc's EQ for better music and probably better Dolby Atmos. The problem is that TruePlay is only available for iOS and the microphone is required on an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Android users are out of luck.
Sonos points out that you can borrow an iOS device for TruePlay on your system at any time. However, this seems to be a cold consolation to those who have chosen not to go into Apple's well-kept, walled garden.
Sonos prides itself on its commitment to simplicity and the Arc couldn't be easier to set up and use.
Ironically, Sonos' desire to keep things simple has also caused some inconvenience. HDMI ARC / eARC is a great concept because it allows you to send digital audio and video to your TV while sending your digital audio back to your soundbar or A / V receiver. However, the Sonos Arc uses this connection for itself and only converts it into an audio output.
This is because, unlike almost every modern sound bar on the market, the Arc has no HDMI input. All of your source devices such as game consoles, cable boxes, streaming media devices or Blu-ray players must be connected directly to one of the other HDMI inputs on your TV. This leads to two potential problems.
First, in addition to the HDMI cable required for the Arc, you need to connect one HDMI cable per device to your TV, unless your source device is a stick-style device like a Fire TV Stick. Depending on your home theater installation, this can be difficult.
Second, only a few televisions are supplied with more than four HDMI inputs. Once you've connected the arc, there are only three. If three inputs are not enough, you will need an HDMI switch to convert one of these three into two or more additional connectors.
If you can get by with just three ports (or if your TV initially has more than four) and you don't mind laying a few more HDMI cables, don't think about it. On the other hand, if you were hoping to replace an A / V receiver with six or seven inputs with the Arc, you will need to do some homework before placing your order.
I should note that if your TV doesn't have HDMI ARC, you can use the included optical HDMI adapter, but you won't be able to receive Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD and therefore not Dolby Atmos. Dolby Digital 5.1 will still sound amazing, but it won't use the full range of the Arc.
Sensational surround sound
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Like any other speaker Sonos makes, the Arc delivers a larger and richer sound than its compact body suggests. Bass – the main ingredient for home theater sound – is remarkably thundering for a sound bar. The uninitiated looks around the room for the subwoofer that is simply not there.
The bow's ability to reproduce dialogues is equally impressive. It is clear and precise even without activating the optional dialog enhancement mode. This is a testament to Sonos' understanding of what television is fun for. You can have the most impressive multi-channel sound system in the world. However, if you don't understand what the actors are saying due to the muddy dialogue, your viewing experience will be significantly affected.
Bass – the main ingredient for home theater sound – is remarkably thundering for a sound bar.
Thanks to its channel drivers with upward height and its phase-controlled loudspeaker arrangement, the Arc also creates an expansive sound stage, which makes it an ideal solution with a loudspeaker for much better TV audio.
Most users use the Arc with Dolby Audio in either 2-channel stereo or 5.1 audio, as these two formats represent the majority of the available streaming and broadcast content. The Arc does an excellent job with both and easily fills larger rooms with expansive, exciting sound.
Dolby Atmos for beginners
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The same outstanding audio experience also applies to the Arc, Dolby Atmos heading function, but you need to soften your expectations a bit. The Arc uses a pair of upward-facing speakers to bring the treble of a Dolby Atmos soundtrack back into your viewing position. This is the same technique used by all Atmos-enabled sound bars and even some dedicated Atmos speakers.
How effective this system is depends on the geometry of your room. In my basement TV room with 7.5-foot ceilings, I was definitely aware of the heightened sense of 3D space, but it was more of a subtle effect than something that grabs your lapel. There is no visual indicator on the arc to let you know that you are listening to Dolby Atmos. If you are not sure, you will get a quick look at the app.
I tested the Arc's Atmos chops with current action-oriented favorites like Ford vs. Ferrari, Avengers: Endgame and John Wick, Chapter 3: Parabellum. No matter whether it is roaring racing cars, thundering spaceships or ricocheting balls, the Arc can help you to focus on the action.
A warning here: At the moment, the Arc only supports Dolby Atmos, not DTS: X. DTS: X offers Atmos a similarly impressive experience, but is not so well supported by Blu-rays or streaming services. If you still need it, you have to look elsewhere.
Add a sub and surround
I think the Sonos Arc is great on its own, but if you're looking for an even bigger and better sound, you can have it. Sonos allows you to expand the Arc's capabilities by adding a Sonos Sub for $ 699. You can use any matching pair of Sonos speakers as surround satellites – even a pair of Ikea Symfonisk bookshelf speakers for $ 99.
I recommend both upgrades. The Sub will bring the Arc's impressive bass from good to gigantic (and it's the only subwoofer compatible with the Arc), while a pair of surrounds will help the Arc fill in some of the sounds it doesn't quite bounce off can reproduce audio towards you. I've tried a number of Sonos One SLs – which was amazing – but I think any pair of Sonos speakers would give the Arc a helpful boost.
Music performance
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
Soundbars are primarily about delivering better TV audio, but the Arc is not just a soundbar. As a full-fledged Sonos speaker, you get all the advantages of the Sonos system: a brilliant mobile app that gives you complete control over your music sources, your speakers and your entire home if you want to switch to multiroom audio.
If you need your soundbar as the primary music source for double-duty, the Arc can do it. The only limitation is that since the Arc is set to give optimal results for TV audio, it doesn't have the same sound signature as other types of speakers or even other Sonos speakers. The same emphasis on higher frequencies and lower frequencies that provide such convincing film magic does not always go well with all music genres.
Vocal forward tracks from Adele, for example, are definitely improved. Billie Eilish's Bond theme, No Time To Die, is another example of a track that takes advantage of the Arc's theater-inspired acoustics. But jazz standards, classic compositions and even some straightforward pop and rock songs can feel a bit trapped due to a lack of definition in the midrange.
Atmos music
However, my reservation has one limitation: Dolby Atmos Music. Fortunately, Tidal added the ability to stream Dolby Atmos Music from its Apple TV 4K app the same week I spent my time with the Sonos Arc.
Dolby Atmos music on the bow is a joy. Tracks that have been mastered (or remastered) in Atmos Music can give you a completely new appreciation of music, depending on the song. A great example are the classic Riders On The Storm by The Doors. The rain and thunder, which have always felt overwhelming to me when listening to stereo, suddenly become an intimate and essential part of the music. Jim Morrison's already haunting lyrics and vocals get a trembling, ghostly echo after lines like "It's a killer on the go".
I don't know if these elements have always been part of the song or not, but with the combination of Atmos Music and Arc you can't ignore them. Not every Atmos Music title is equally fascinating. However, if you can afford the $ 20 monthly Tidal HiFi subscription level and have a compatible streaming device, I highly recommend it.
AirPlay 2 and voice assistants
Simon Cohen / Digital Trends
The Sonos Arc doesn't have Bluetooth – a feature that almost every other soundbar offers – so you can't connect directly from your phone. Instead, you can use Apple's AirPlay 2 technology to connect from your Apple device over WiFi. As much as this frustrates Android users, in practice there is only one situation where there is a problem: playing music that only works on your Android device.
What the Arc offers that no other soundbar (apart from Sonos & # 39; own beam) can offer is the choice of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant as a voice assistant. I've had some issues setting up Google Assistant, but I'm going to attribute this to the beta software I'm using. Alexa worked perfectly.
Having a voice assistant in a soundbar is actually a pretty big deal. Aside from the obvious benefits of a smart speaker (playing music, controlling smart home devices, and getting answers to your questions), you can use various voice commands to turn the TV on and off, since the Arc is connected to your TV via HDMI or off adjust the volume. Your particular TV may support more commands, depending on the model and whether it's compatible with Google Assistant or Alexa.
Our opinion
The Sonos Arc for $ 799 is the home theater upgrade that Sonos fans have been waiting for. It offers great surround sound, a good, if subtle, Dolby Atmos experience, and all the benefits of a smart speaker and Sonos' unique multi-room audio system. Only the lack of HDMI inputs and the slightly degraded music quality prevent it from being a perfect soundbar for the price.
Is there a better alternative?
If you want an Atmos-enabled soundbar with a choice of voice assistants and the ultimate flexibility of Sonos' multiroom audio system, there is simply no second option at all costs.
The Sennheiser Ambeo is a more effective system with a loudspeaker for those who are looking for first-class atmosphere and music. Of course, it's huge and costs $ 2,500. That's even more than the Arc, a Sonos Sub and a pair of Sonos One SLs.
When you're ready to step into multiple speaker units, you can achieve a more compelling Dolby Atmos experience by spending more. Vizio's 5.1.4 system is available for $ 1,000, or you can buy the LG SN11RG for $ 1,700 for even more power. Both also have multiple HDMI inputs.
How long it will take?
Despite the fact that Sonos has recently discontinued support for some older devices, you can expect the Arc to last for years, if not decades. Sonos products are well built and the Arc is no exception.
Should you buy it
Yes. The Sonos Arc is a breeze for Sonos users. It costs $ 100 more than the playbar it replaces, but offers better sound, Dolby Atmos, AirPlay 2, voice assistants, and more. As long as you need to use your TV's HDMI inputs or an HDMI switcher to connect your video sources, the Arc will reward you with excellent home theater audio for less than $ 1,000.
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