Sonos has just declare its latest soundbar , the Arc Ultra . Built as a “ complete reinvention ” of the 4.5 - starArc , how does it compare to the four - star Bose Smart Ultra alternative which launched last year ?
To help oneself you decide which soundbar might be better suit to you , we ’ve compared the spec of the two and noted the primary differences between them here .
Price
The of late set in motion Sonos Arc Ultra is more or less more expensive than the Bose Smart Ultra , with an RRP of £ 999/€999/$999 . It is also available in two colour : Black or White .
Launched in 2023 , theBose Smart Ultrahas an RRP of £ 899.95/€999.95/$899 . As it ’s a slightly older modality however , it ’s worth noting that you ’re more potential to see pile for this now .
Sonos vs Bose ecosystem
One of the deciding factor between the Sonos Arc Ultra and Bose Smart Ultra might be determined by which ecosystem you already belong to to , as both soundbars have features that are exclusive to their respective brands .
Bose has the SimpleSync tool which allows you to link up the Smart Ultra with different Bose headphones such as theQuietComfort Ultra Earbuds , QuietComfort Ultra Headphonesand QuietComfort Headphones , plus selectedBose Bluetooth speakerstoo , for a personal listening experience .
On the other hand , Sonos allows you to seamlessly swap goggle box audio from the Arc Ultra to theSonos Ace . It ’s also deserving noting that switch with the Sonos offers individual surround audio andspatial audiowith dynamic head track too .
The Sonos Arc Ultra is bigger
Although both sport a similar long and sparse design , the Arc Ultra is more or less taller and wider than the Smart Ultra and measures 7.5 cm – 117.8 centimeter x 11.06 cm .
The Smart Ultra , on the other hand , valuate 5.8 cm x 104.5 cm x 10.7 curium . Having said that , the Sonos Arc Ultra is only slenderly heavier at 5.9 kg compare to the Smart Ultra ’s 5.8 kg .
The Sonos Arc Ultra has Sound Motion technology
The Arc Ultra sports a fresh designedSound Motionwoofer , which Sonos explains pock a “ rotatory leap forward for home picture palace audio . ” fundamentally the woofer use Sound Motion technology for a “ bigger and more balanced legal experience ” across the full sound recording spectrum .
Although the Smart Ultra does n’t include Sound Motion , it is still fitted with various Bose - exclusive technologies for honest effectual clarity . There ’s PhaseGuide which is a sound manipulation proficiency that create a spacial audio experience and QuietPort which render bass without any hinderance or straining .
It ’s deserving noting that in our review , we found that although there ’s “ not much depth ” from the bass public presentation of the Smart Ultra , there ’s still a “ resolution to low frequencies ” .
The Bose Smart Ultra has an AI Dialogue Mode
To enhance dialogue within movies and show , the Smart Ultra sport AI Dialogue Mode . This engineering science apply machine learning to listen to millions of content clips and mechanically adjusts the Smart Ultra ’s tonal balance , which means spoken words are wanton to hear without losing any impact of immersive sound effect .
We obtain that even without AI Dialogue enabled , Bose managed to “ skate through with excellent procreation of dialog ” .
The Arc Ultra has a standardised tool with Speech Enhancement which hike audio frequency associated with the human vocalism . Although this is n’t a novel tool , it now come with multiple levels of dominance so you could tailor it to best suit how you listen .
The Sonos Arc Ultra works with your TV remote
Sonos offers a more streamlined approach to controlling the Arc Ultra , as it allows you to but use your existing goggle box remote rather than rely on an extra control .
This is specially noteworthy as we were concerned with the Smart Ultra ’s consecrated removed control as it ’s small and could easy get lost . We also found it sense “ out of place with the premium stylings of the soundbar . In terms of do by it and feedback from button , it ’s rather plain . ”
Early verdict
The Sonos Arc Ultra is tamp with features that Sonos hope will make the soundbar a unexampled criterion for home cinema auditory sensation . On the other hand , the Bose Smart Ultra still promise to be an first-class soundbar for household , thanks to its flowing purpose and Bose - exclusive technology .
We ’ll quash giving a unequivocal verdict until we ’ve conclusively reviewed the Sonos Arc soundbar .
