After months of leaks and rumors, the Sonos Arc Ultra is official: it will launch on October 29, 2024 for a price of $999 (other prices to follow). It’s a huge upgrade over the existing Sonos Arc and introduces brand new speaker technology that promises incredible immersion. Here’s what you need to know.
Sonos Arc Ultra: key features and specifications
The original Sonos Arc was a 5.1.2 surround system, but the Arc Ultra is 9.1.4. And it has what Sonos calls Sound Motion, the technology it acquired when it bought speaker maker Mayht a few years ago. Formerly known as HeartMotion, the technology makes powerful speakers much smaller than traditional speaker drivers without compromising on sound quality.
Sonos says: “A major breakthrough in audio engineering, Sound Motion dramatically reduces the size of the transducer while boosting bass, opening a new chapter in sound innovation that delivers bigger, better sound from smaller products .”
This means that Sonos has been able to pack more bass power into the still relatively slim soundbar. There are fourteen drivers here, three more than in the Arc: seven tweeters “with waveguides at both ends”, six midrange drivers and also a built-in subwoofer.
The Arc Ultra is also designed to work with the new Sonos Sub 4 subwoofer ($799) for even more low-end power.
As always, there’s built-in support for wireless streaming services and easy integration with other Sonos devices. There’s also a redesigned touch control panel and the addition of Bluetooth to bring it in line with Sonos’ other products.
Sonos Arc Ultra: smart customization
The Sonos Arc Ultra can listen to the sound of your room and adjust the configuration accordingly thanks to the combination of integrated microphones and Sonos’ Trueplay software, which is available for the first time on both Android and iOS, and there is also a more advanced Speech enhancement tool that “allows you to choose the level of dialogue clarity you want in the Sonos app.”
Will update with more information as we get it…
