Sonos’ latest surround sound solution is housed entirely in a single soundbar called the Arc. The curved sound, or the fact that it’s perhaps metaphorically a ship that brings impressive surround sound to the modern, minimalist home, either way this system is hell-bent on short-circuiting the surround sound game.
The Sonos Arc wireless speaker uses the latest Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus sound codecs to deliver the best lossless audio quality found on the latest Blu-ray discs and some of the leading streaming services. Then, the 3D soundscape is enhanced using Dolby Atmos object tracks to bounce specific sounds off the walls around you, so you feel like they’re coming at you from all angles.
Although it all sounds complicated, setting up the Sonos Arc couldn’t be easier: it’s done in just a few steps via the smartphone app. The minimalist cable connections and all-in-one system design add to this straightforward feel and sleek aesthetic. If you have a media room with four walls and a roof, this Dolby Atmos soundbar is really all you need for great surround sound.
There was a time when nothing but a multi-speaker array was considered for the best surround sound quality, but Dolby Atmos is leading the way in delivering 3D audio effects over a slimmer system, and there’s no better example of that than the Sonos Arc. The standalone device only has two essential inputs: a power cord and an HDMI input.
An Ethernet jack and a digital optical HDMI adapter are included, but should only be used if absolutely necessary. Sonos does not even include a remote control. Instead, it suggests connecting the soundbar to the TV via the Audio Return Channel (ARC) and controlling it with the TV’s remote or via the new Sonos S2 smartphone app.
Even the color selection is simple with the Arc: it’s only available in black or white. Of course, you can pair the Sonos Arc Soundbar with the Sonos Sub or a pair of One SL speakers for deeper bass and true surround sound, but it’s also designed to be a standalone audio solution that takes up less space.