It is a sleek, one metre-long cylinder that is surprisingly compact considering there are eight separate woofers, three tweeters and a collection of electronics all hidden behind the matt metal mesh. It looks the part. The Sonos app listens to the sound to optimise the Arc for your particular room. Whether you're looking to upgrade from an Amazon Echo or need a full 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos setup, there's a Sonos multiroom product for you. - "With a software update today, Arc now supports multi-channel LPCM, bringing new immersive sound experiences for gaming, Blu-ray discs, and more," said Sonos. In one scene from Netflix’s Our Planet it sounded like I was right in the middle of a flock of birds. Same as older model Arc is not powerful enough and sounds not even closer to Samsung although its better than Bose 700, may adding two Ones will make difference. It is a single box of tricks that combines a smart speaker, wifi music sound system and home cinema kit in one, but like most soundbars of this type it can be dogged by audio-picture syncing issues when used with TV set top boxes – more on that later. This may seem a rather minor irritation but it became less and less minor as time wore on - and I’m extremely happy to be rid of it. Back to Product List. The Arc packs 11 speakers into a sleek metal bar for immersive TV sound and stunning music playback, but suffers traditional HDMI-ARC audio issues affecting most one-cable soundbars. Music is rich, full-bodied and highly detailed. One tweeter fires straight out from the centre of the Arc, while the other two fire out at a left and right angle. The Now Playing screen in the Sonos app flags up that Dolby Atmos is being received, while the About My System part of the settings menus confirms the format in which it’s being transmitted. The TV must also support eARC. but sound about 120-140% better than Q90R full.

The remnants of Hurricane Zeta have cut power for tens of thousands of people in North Carolina and blocked highways and streets with downed trees. I had a chance to test and compare two models: Samsung HW-Q900T vs Sonos Arc and this review should help people who are looking for a good soundbar. Create a 360-degree sonic landscape with Ones or One SLs for true surround sound. Sonos, Xboxes and Saumsung are properly set to have Dolby Atmos Sonos is known for having an Apple-like attention to detail when it comes to the user experience, and that hasn’t changed here. Sonos Arc vs. Samsung HW-Q90R Calibration and performance Source: Samsung Sonos technically sells a subwoofer and discrete speakers that pair with the Arc, but they're fairly expensive. It is simple to set up and use, can be combined with other Sonos speakers and has extensive music service support. It has a subwoofer included and a handheld remote control, is wall mountable and features Audio Return Channel (ARC). Because the Arc relies on your TV to pass audio to it via an HDMI cable, what you get out at the end depends on the capabilities of your television. For comparison, the Sonos Beam costs £399, Sonos Sub costs £699, a Sonos One costs £199, the One SL costs £179 or the Five costs £499. We've so far tested the Arc with three TVs: the brand new Samsung QE55Q80T, last year’s LG OLED65C9 and the Samsung QE49Q7F from 2017. Samsung HWQ70T. The effect can be truly dramatic. Watch your TV as you normally would and the Arc will switch on and play sound. £436.05. Sonos Arc vs Sonos Playbar — Sound quality Sound quality is slightly harder to quantify, as much depends on the type of input that you have into the Sonos Arc. I used the Sonos Arc with a number of different TVs -- the Sony X950G LCD, the Samsung D8000 plasma, the Samsung 6 series LCD -- in two different rooms. Most soundbars do a good job of reproducing TV and movie audio, but fall down on music. Dolby Atmos adds a height element for an improved surround sound experience so that when a helicopter flies overhead on screen it really sounds like it’s above you, rather than in front or to the sides. 90. The Sonos Play:1, Sonos One and Sonos One SL will all work independently or as part of an existing Sonos system, offering multi-room audio. The Sonos is better-built, and it comes with satellite speakers, unlike the Samsung. so that you can compare the results easily. Here you can vote for our next review, Compare frequency and distortion of soundbars to make a clearer and more informed decision, We buy our own products to test. For Sonos users, the Sonos Arc is an absolute no-brainer. Experience the sensation of rich, low-end sound from Sub, combined with the remarkable clarity of the Arc or Beam soundbars. Using ARC makes it simple to connect but invites the same infuriating lipsync issues that can plague other soundbars, particularly with TV services such as Sky and Virgin in the UK. Compared to other one-box soundbars, the Arc did a very impressive job of creating a wide and enveloping sound stage from just one box. Some details: Only devices I can test with are an Xbox One S, Xbox One X and the built-in Samsung TV Apps. The front and top of the bar are covered in a tightly-wrapped fabric, and the rest of the bar is made of plastic. You can control the volume with your TV’s remote, using a voice assistant or the Sonos app. Customer Service 800.221.5743 or 212.239.7765. Although the Sony setup above compares with the Sonos system on paper (with the same number of channels), this Samsung kit actually includes those extra wireless rear speakers, making it a more apples-to-oranges competitor. But Atmos is also available with a wide range of content, from football to nature documentaries all with a more immersive sound. The Arc is the first Sonos speaker to support the latest Dolby Atmos surround sound format, but it also supports Dolby Digital and plain old stereo too. Open the Sonos app on your Android or iOS device and follow the instructions. The Arc looks deceptively simple. The Arc must be plugged into the ARC-capable HDMI port on your TV, which reduces the number of HDMI ports available for actually plugging in set-top boxes, games consoles and other sources. Immerse yourself in movies, games, TV, sports, and more by adding Sonos sound to your TV. £523.98. 90. The £799 Arc replaces the old Playbar and Playbase, sitting above the £399 Beam as Sonos’s top-of-the-line home cinema soundbar. This tool will clearly show you the differences, Use our data and table to find the best soundbar for your needs, Want to see us review a specific soundbar? Sales & Expert advice 800.606.6969 or 212.444.6615. The newer eARC standard is meant to remove problems like this, but so too was ARC when it was first released as a replacement for optical connections. Watching an action blockbuster mixed in Dolby Atmos, such as 6 Underground with Michael Bay’s signature grandstand moments (where the camera pans around a central character), it sounds like you’re right in the middle of it all as bits and carnage fly over the top of you. Typically it is an issue when using external devices connected to your TV, rather than the apps and services integrated into your TV, and very common with Sky Q, Virgin and other TV set-top boxes in the UK. Regular TV sounds good, with super clear vocals, but feed it a Dolby Atmos soundtrack and be rewarded with truly immersive, fully-rendered sounds with surprisingly good height elements. Not once did I have to turn up the sound to hear what was going on, and that was without the Arc’s dedicated Speech Enhancement mode. Play The Who’s Baba O’Riley and you’ll be able to make out every overlapping note or hear fingers on drum skins and guitar strings in the live version Hotel California by the Eagles. Dead easy to set-up 9/10 Sonos usually updates their products for years. The Samsung HW-Q900T was rated 8.2, while the Sonos Arc has a rating 7. If you want to play music instead you simply pick what you want from the Sonos app, which supports practically every music service under the sun including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music, or use Apple’s AirPlay or Spotify Connect. The cables plug into a cavity on the back of the Arc so they’re hidden from view. Because DTS-HD MA requires eARC, DTS:X does as well. It really isn’t that far off a dedicated 7-speaker surround setup and is a significant step up from the Beam. It’s $100 more than the Playbar it replaces, yet it offers better sound, Dolby Atmos, AirPlay 2, voice assistants, and more. Experience immersive 3D sound for films, sports, games, and more. A small minority of very new TVs may support eARC (my 2018 LG OLED did not), which can provide the highest quality Dolby TrueHD sound track with an added Atmos layer from 4K Blu-ray discs. DTS:X uses a DTS-HD MA carrier signal, so to support DTS:X the soundbar must also support DTS-HD MA. The Sonos Arc is available in black or white costing £799. I’m not sure many will feel the need to add more speakers. A woofer in each end of the soundbar provides a wide soundstage. The touch-sensitive buttons along the top of the Arc adjust volume, pause/play and skip track. The Arc is a fantastic soundbar with a … Sonos Arc: New Sonos app, set up and tuning To set up the Sonos Arc, you’ll need the new Sonos S2 app. Plug in the standard figure-eight power cord and the HDMI cable, which slots into the HDMI port on the back of your TV labelled ARC or eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel). Sonos can create multiroom audio Sonos can pair with other speakers through an app and add "infinite" more speakers to it. Pros: sounds fantastic with music, great Dolby Atmos reproduction, super-clear vocals, Night Sound, wide soundstage, looks good, Alexa or Google Assistant, extensive music service support, simple set-up, surprisingly good bass without a sub, Cons: expensive, ARC/eARC rather than HDMI pass-through, takes up a port on your TV, can have lipsync issues like any soundbar, Sonos Beam review: a great, compact, jack-of-all-trades upgrade for your TV, Sonos One review: the best smart speaker for audiophiles, Sonos Move review: brilliant sound now portable, Ikea Symfonisk speaker review: Sonos on the cheap, Ikea Symfonisk review: table lamp is also a great-sounding Sonos wifi speaker. The smart speaker functionality works as well as an Amazon Echo or Google Home device. At $799, it has more powerful audio than the cheaper Sonos … Despite being about the length of a 55in TV, it is neither thick nor tall which makes it easier to position on the wall or on a TV stand. The Sonos Arc is generally repairable, but for devices that need significant maintenance the firm typically replaces speakers with new or refurbished products to speed up the return. No cherry-picked units sent by brands. It really comes into its own with music, though, completely blowing away competitors. I keep score. An in-depth overview of Sonos' and Samsungs' flagship soundbars the Arc and HW-Q90R. The new Sonos Arc is the company’s first soundbar that supports immersive Dolby Atmos surround sound. The Arc looks like all recent Sonos speakers - just longer. You can see what products we currently have for sale. It simply sounds fantastic. The sound from the Samsung is fed to the Sonos via the the TV's ARC-enabled HDMI output, and it all comes out of the soundbar at the same volume. General stereo TV sound was great. Add at least two items to compare. The soundbar sits on a piece of furniture in front of your TV or can be wall-mounted with a bracket, and requires just two cables that plug into an alcove in the back – one for power and one to connect to the TV – for a minimalist look. Everything from old reruns of Midsomer Murders and NCIS to Match of the Day sounded exactly as it should: clear, crisp and full. But its worth to listen to Samsung before making purchasing decision. Sonos Arc: HDMI eARC with HDMI CEC and auto sync, Alexa and Google Assistant on-board Sonos Playbar: IR receiver In many respects, the Sonos Playbar is a fairly dumb system when compared to the Arc. It has a wider soundstage and more sound customization features, including a room correction feature. The Sonos Arc is a big, sleek, premium soundbar that sounds every bit as good as you’d expect from a £799 speaker. The process takes under five minutes. Sonos Arc's upwards-firing drivers create a multi-dimensional soundstage that moves around you, rendering every detail with dramatic clarity and depth. Gain early access to all tests results for new products, Prices will now be listed directly in reviews and tables, Have 5 votes per product category to choose which product we’ll review next, Gain unlimited access to detailed test results in tools and results (no blurred results), Video: The 4 Best Samsung Soundbars to Buy in 2020, Having trouble deciding between two soundbars? put them under the same test bench, Only in some tracks with super-deep artificial bass lines, such as Lindsey Stirling’s Crystallize, would you even know there wasn’t a big sub hiding somewhere. Enjoy control with your remote, the app, your voice, and Apple AirPlay 2. Will my TV (QN65Q900RBFXZA) allow for Dolby Atmos audio using the OneConnect ARC port? Its Atmos height production was effective and its bass was shockingly good for a soundbar that lacks a separate sub. Honestly, I am not sure what the differences between ARC vs. eARC and if it will be an issue. Behind that are three touch-sensitive buttons common to all Sonos speakers. Live Chat. In my testing, none of the audio adjustments of the LG TV, Sky Q or Arc could solve the problem because the sound came after the picture, not before. Just maybe think twice if you have Sky. No items to compare. The Bose Soundbar 700 costs £799.95 and the Samsung Q800T costs £799. You can perform True Play tuning, waving an iPhone or iPad about your room listening to what sounds like loud alien blasters. Despite having had … Sonos offers a trade-in programme offering 30% off new products for old devices. It might be pricey and long, but the Arc is just about the best-sounding soundbar you can get. With software version 12.2, Sonos Arc gains support for multi-channel PCM through an eARC connection in a TV. The Sonos Arc is a big, sleek, premium soundbar that sounds … The centre tweeter and woofers are hidden behind the Sonos logo. Position it in front of your TV. Dolby Atmos-enabled wifi smart speaker is brilliant one-box audio upgrade for TV and music, but think twice if using Sky, Virgin or similar, Last modified on Thu 20 Aug 2020 03.15 EDT. Print Email. The LED above the Sonos logo shows when the bar is muted (here lit green) or when the smart speaker functions are active. Sonos Arc review: What you need to know. Only biggest advantage of Sonos is modularity otherwise for true hometheatre experience q950t is a winner. The HDMI port in the Arc is hidden in the alcove in the back of the speaker. When a product is discontinued or no longer popular, we sell the purchased products locally in Montreal, Canada. Sort: Clear All. The Bose Soundbar 700 costs £799.95 and the Samsung Q800T costs £799. Samsung HW-Q900T vs Sonos Arc review. Contact Us. Sonos did not comment on whether the Arc contains recycled material. There’s a Night Sound mode too, which reduces the difference between quiet and loud sounds – useful for hearing what’s going on when listening at lower volumes. With the latest version of the Sonos app, the S2 controller, each bar is easy to control and set up for a wide variety of tasks. Our pick: Sonos Arc. Using the Arc is just as simple. The sides of the bar are slightly angled with vent-like openings for … I've been reading Samsung hasn't released an update for eARC capability. Setting up the Arc is simple. Sadly the feature isn’t available for Android devices because of the variances in microphone quality. If you’ve been following any sort of soundbar coverage recently, you’ve no doubt heard of the Sonos Arc – a new 5.0.2 Dolby Atmos-enabled soundbar from Sonos. Also, it has a better-balanced sound when playing Atmos and surround content. Be part of the most informed community and take advantage of our advanced tools to find the best product for your needs. Sonos Arc + SUB + 2 rear speakers are 85-90% ATMOS of Q90R. It can also be linked to a pair of surround speakers (from £179 each) and a sub (£699) making it a very adaptable solution.

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