Sonos have raised the bar once again with the release of Sonos Arc, their first Dolby Atmos-equipped soundbar.
With 11 drivers tuned at the hands of a group of Oscar-winning audio engineers, it delivers everything you could ask for - clarity, punch and all-enveloping sound for movies, and engrossing,detailed and full-frequency sound for music.
Unmatched Clarity
One of the things we're most impressed with is the sheer clarity of Arc's delivery - dialogue is crystal clear and perfectly balanced, even against busy background effects.
Sound effects and soundtracks are presented with incredible realism, both in terms of tonality and in spatial presentation. The upwards- and outwards-firing drivers do a remarkable job of filling the room with Atmos sound, and no doubt Sonos' TruePlay room tuning helps in this regard.
We're just as impressed with its musical delivery too, with a wide and spacious soundstage that allows pinpoint positioning of instruments.
The bass performance is seriously good, meaning a Sonos Sub is not an essential add-on by any means (but nice to have if you do like to shake the room!).
Sonos Connectivity
Of course, being a Sonos, Arc provides unmatched wireless connectivity, whether as a stand-alone unit or as part of a whole-home system.
Stream pretty much anything via the Sonos app, and there's no need to have the TV on to enjoy your music.
Google Assistant and Alexa are included for voice control.
Sonos Arc Reviews
It's only been out a few days but already the 5-star reviews are coming in. Here's what What Hi-Fi had to say:
"Simple to set up, lovely to live with and supremely capable, the Sonos Arc is a soundbar of rare quality."
"Rarely does a device arrive that does so much and does it all so well. Be in no doubt; the Sonos Arc is a superb bit of kit."
The Verge was similarly impressed, especially with the spatial performance:
"...the Arc delivered sound as immersive as the multiple-speaker Atmos system. If you didn’t know the Arc was bouncing sound off the ceiling and rear wall, you would easily believe that there were speakers there."
Dimensions
87H x 1141.7W x 115.7D (mm)
Weight: 6.25kg
Price and availability
Arc is available now at $1,399 in Black and White finishes.
Buy Sonos Arc online or visit us in our Brisbane showroom to see and hear Arc for yourself!