That’s always the case with soundbars: some people like them because they save space and look chic. Others demonize them for not delivering the same sound as a 5.1 system. If you belong to the first group, but still expect first-class sound in the home theater with current blockbusters such as “Wakanda Forever” (since February 1 on Disney +), then the Sonos Arc may be something for you.
The Sonos Arc Premium Soundbar at Otto is currently reduced by 30 percent compared to the suggested retail price to 699.99 euros. The competition from Media Markt* And Saturn* requires 90 euros more. Amazon estimated 869 euros*. The Bose 900, the Arc’s closest rival, is currently included on Amazon 777 euros*.
Sonos Arc Soundbar: Powerful sound including Dolby Atmos
As the first soundbar from Sonos, the Arc Premium has native Dolby Atmos support, throws the sound partially to the ceiling, so that you perceive helicopters or rain from above even more realistically. Overall, the Sonos Arc’s strengths are clearly in the home theater realm. The sound fills the room, the bass is surprisingly voluminous despite the lack of a subwoofer and dialogue is always well reproduced.
The Sonos soundbar also masters complex pieces of music well, albeit not as playfully as more expensive models. Here, the American company has clearly focused on film and series sound. Nevertheless, the Arc is perfectly suited for playing everyday music. But those who like to dedicate themselves to audiophile enjoyment will probably be disappointed with the Sonos bar.
To set up the soundbar, use the Sonos S2 app, which guides you through the setup step by step. The Sonos Arc is connected to your network via WiFi or an Ethernet cable. You can also use the app to select popular streaming services like Amazon Music and Spotify.
The sound is also measured with the smartphone, but with one major limitation. Because the calibration only works with the Apple operating system iOS. So Android users have to do without this feature.
To use the full Dolby Atmos potential of the Sonos Arc, you also need a television with an HDMI eARC connection. If your TV “only” has an HDMI-ARC input, you will “only” get a slimmed-down Atmos version on the soundbar. It should also be mentioned that the Sonos soundbar only has one HDMI input.
But do not worry: Most new TVs have an HDMI eARC port. However, be careful if you opt for the Sonos Arc soundbar. Incidentally, you can expand the soundbar with any other Sonos products and thus build a real Sonos ecosystem. With the multiroom function, you can also listen to the same or even different music in several rooms at the same time.
All in all, with the Sonos Arc Premium Soundbar you get a strong soundbar for your home cinema, which offers great sound with the right technical requirements without taking up too much space in the living room.