Sonos has announced the launch of two new audio products: the $999 Arc Ultra Soundbar and the $799 Sub 4 subwoofer. The Sonos Arc Ultra is a high-end soundbar designed to deliver exceptional audio quality, while the Sub 4 boasts an improved design and upgraded internals compared to its predecessors. The Arc Ultra incorporates new transducer technology called Sound Motion, which enhances bass performance and reduces the size of the transducer.
With 14 Sonos-engineered drivers, the Sound Motion woofer, and a cluster of tweeters with waveguides, the Arc Ultra offers a 9.1.4 spatial audio experience. The new center channel architecture maximizes vocal clarity for better dialogue, and a Speech Enhancement feature allows for further customization. Trueplay technology can also be used to tailor audio to specific room environments.
Designed with a sleek curved appearance, matte finish, and slimmer profile, the Arc Ultra can avoid obstructing TV bezels. It features touch controls located behind the soundbar and offers an easy setup process via HDMI eARC. Similarly, the Sub 4 features a new matte finish and a flexible profile that allows it to stand upright, lie on its side, or be tucked under furniture.
Introducing Sonos Arc Ultra features
Sonos has increased the processing power and memory of the Sub 4 and added new Wi-Fi radios for enhanced connectivity. The Sub 4’s inward-facing woofers are designed to neutralize distortion, and the model is compatible with the Arc Ultra, Arc, Beam, and older versions of the Sub.
These releases mark the first new products from Sonos since a delayed launch earlier in 2024. Sonos chose to postpone introducing new devices to focus on improving its app with essential bug fixes and new features. CEO Patrick Spence expressed confidence in the software improvements, stating that the company is now ready to launch these innovative new products.
“We’ve worked tirelessly to resolve the most critical app issues and most requested legacy features. We have reached a level of quality that gives us the confidence to launch our extraordinary new products,” said Patrick Spence, CEO of Sonos. “As we laid out in our commitments, we will continue to improve the software regularly and are determined to make the Sonos experience better than it’s ever been.”
Along with the new devices, Sonos plans to roll out an app update that aims to surpass the performance of the previous versions, enhancing system identification, new device setup, and the ability to group multiple Sonos devices together.
According to Sonos, this update will reintroduce 90 percent of the previous app’s missing features. The Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 will be available starting October 29.
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
