UPDATE: Check out my review on the Sonos Move 2, which was a nice addition to my Arc Ultra setup for listening to music throughout the home.
NOTE: If you are looking for a less expensive option that still sounds AMAZING, check out my review on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and Sub-Mini.
I decided late last year to upgrade my surround sound system. I had several Sonos speakers (Play 3 and several Play 1’s) throughout the downstairs of my home. The overall sound was great, but it lacked bass and I wanted to simplify a bit. I also wanted to not have so many speakers in every room of the house. I decided to go with Sonos, which I have been using for at least 8 years now, maybe even longer.
When paired together, the Sonos Arc Ultra, Era 300 surround speakers and Sub 4 subwoofer form a highly capable, truly immersive 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos-enabled sound system. This configuration represents Sonos’s commitment to pushing boundaries in home audio, bringing a theater-grade audio experience into your home. This setup totally blows away my previous Samsung surround sound system, which to be fair was quite outdated.
The system excels at delivering an enveloping soundstage that adapts to the acoustics of your space. Whether you’re watching movies, streaming music, or gaming, the system’s audio precision ensures that every nuance is faithfully reproduced. By combining spatial audio technology, advanced processing, and high-quality construction, the Arc Ultra setup provides a level of immersion that rivals custom-installed systems costing far more.
The true magic of this setup lies in its seamless integration. With Sonos’s robust ecosystem, the devices communicate effectively. The intuitive app ensures that setting up and managing the system is simple, even for less tech-savvy users. I have heard of people having issues, but for me it has always worked with little issue. However, the app UX could be better. I do find myself using Apple Music to drive my system or the voice controls, which addresses the challenges with the app. The system integrates nicely with Alexa and the built “Hey Sonos” voice control works well too.
Sonos Arc Ultra: The Soundbar
Design and Build
The Sonos Arc Ultra refines the already successful design of the original Arc. Its sleeker profile fits more easily in a variety of setups, whether wall-mounted, placed on a console, or in my case a fireplace mantel. A perforated grille seamlessly conceals its 14 custom drivers, and the build quality feels as premium as its price suggests. It’s heavy and feel solid.
Performance
The Arc Ultra houses a 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos configuration, including upward-firing speakers for height effects, side-firing drivers for spatial effects and a redesigned front array for clearer dialogue. This combination makes the soundbar the centerpiece of the system. Whether it’s the rumble of explosions in an action movie or the delicate notes of a piano concerto, the Arc Ultra delivers exceptional clarity, dynamics and bass response.
For movie enthusiasts, the Atmos performance is remarkable. The soundbar alone creates a wide soundstage, but its true potential is unlocked when paired with the Era 300 speakers and Sub 4.
Connectivity and Features
New features like Bluetooth connectivity and upgraded Wi-Fi capabilities set the Arc Ultra apart from its predecessor. HDMI eARC support ensures compatibility with high-definition audio formats, and Trueplay tuning optimizes sound based on room acoustics. Voice assistant integration (Sonos Voice, Alexa) further enhances usability.
With my old system I had to manually change the sound system when switching between Fios TV and Apple TV. The Arc operates exactly as you would expect and switches seamlessly based on the current input, which my wife loves. One less remote and one less technical hurdle.
Era 300: Surround Speakers
Design and Build
The Era 300 stands out with its unique hourglass design, purpose-built for delivering spatial audio. It’s both modern and functional, with speaker arrays positioned to provide a wide, three-dimensional soundstage. While unconventional, the design grows on you and fits well in contemporary homes.
Performance
The Era 300 is designed to excel at delivering spatial audio content, such as Dolby Atmos Music. When paired with the Arc Ultra, these speakers handle rear-channel effects with remarkable accuracy. For example, in a film with Atmos effects, sounds such as rainfall or aircraft overhead feel uncannily real and positioned accurately in space.
As standalone music speakers, the Era 300 shines as well. Its balanced frequency response, tight bass, and expansive mids make it suitable for various genres of music. Audiophiles will appreciate its ability to deliver a room-filling sound while maintaining fidelity.
Even though my room setup doesn’t allow for placement of speakers behind our sitting area, the system is still able to accomplish this effect quite nicely.
Ease of Use
The Era 300 integrates smoothly into the Sonos ecosystem. Setup is quick, and features like Trueplay tuning make it easy to optimize performance for your room. With the Arc sitting on our mantle, accessing the pause/play/volume controls is challenging. Having the same controls on the Era speakers makes life much easier. Another feature my wife definitely appreciates when needing to quickly turn the volume down.
Sonos Sub 4: Subwoofer
Design and Build
The Sonos Sub 4 retains the iconic Sonos design but improves on functionality. At first glance, the slim, rectangular design is clean and modern, with a cutout in the center that enhances both aesthetics and performance. It’s flexible enough to place upright or horizontally, making it easy to fit into any room.
As seen in the photo, I had it on the floor, but eventually placed it on our bookshelf. There is a photo for reference in the gallery below. Since bass is mostly non-directional it didn’t impact the sound at all. It looks great on the shelf and sounds great too.
Side Bar on Bass Frequencies: Low-frequency sounds (below roughly 80–100 Hz) have wavelengths so long that by the time they reach your ears, the difference in arrival time between the left and right ear is very small. Your brain has trouble localizing where they’re coming from. In enclosed spaces, bass waves bounce and fill the room, so you often hear more of the overall “pressure” than a clear point source.
Performance
Sonos has upped the ante with the Sub 4’s performance. Compared to its predecessor, the bass is deeper, punchier, and more precise. Whether it’s the low-end rumble of a movie soundtrack or the driving bassline of a dance track, the Sub 4 adds a tactile layer to your listening experience.
The Sub 4 doesn’t just amplify bass—it enhances clarity across the entire system. By offloading the lower frequencies from the Arc Ultra and Era 300 speakers, it allows them to focus on mids and highs, resulting in an overall cleaner sound profile.
Connectivity and Setup
Setup is effortless through the Sonos app, and the Sub 4 integrates seamlessly with the Arc Ultra system. It uses advanced Wi-Fi radios and increased processing power for stable connectivity, ensuring a hassle-free experience.
The System as a Whole: Performance Analysis
When used as a complete system, the Arc Ultra, Era 300, and Sub 4 form a cohesive audio experience that is both immersive and powerful. The Arc Ultra anchors the front soundstage, delivering clear dialogue and robust effects. The Era 300 speakers excel in creating a wraparound effect, particularly with Dolby Atmos content, while the Sub 4 provides depth and impact that completes the system. The sound, even though my speaker are more to my side, literally sounds like it is coming from behind you sometimes.
I did run into a snag when trying to get Alexa working initially, but after disabling and re-enabling the skill a few times, it seemed to work itself out. The Sonos voice control is good, but Alexa is much better.
UPDATE: For streaming music throughout the house, it doesn’t sound quite as “full” as when I had more individual speakers throughout the house. This is probably due to the fact that the first floor of our house is very open. Even though I originally said I wanted to reduce the speakers throughout the house, I did recently resolve this with two Sonos Move 2 speakers. I am extremely happy with this decision and it will be the topic of an upcoming review.
Final Thoughts
The Sonos Arc Ultra system is a top-tier choice for audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts. While it comes at a premium price, its superior performance, sleek design, and ease of use make it worth the investment. Whether you’re diving into a Dolby Atmos blockbuster or streaming high-resolution music, this system delivers an unmatched listening experience. For those willing to invest in a high-quality, future-proof home audio solution, the Arc Ultra, Era 300, and Sub 4 combination is hard to beat.
Arc Ultra Soundbar with Dolby Atmos and Voice Control - 9.1.4 Surround Sound for TV and Music - Black
Features
| Special Feature | Hi Res Audio, Multi Room Audio, Built In Microphone, Dolby Enabled |
| Controller Type | App Control |
| Color | Black |
| Included Components | Power Cable, Quick Start Guide |
| Product Dimensions | 4.35"D x 46.18"W x 3.13"H |
| Item Weight | 12.7 Pounds |
| Is Waterproof | FALSE |
| Warranty Type | Limited |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Control Method | App, Voice |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Subwoofer Connectivity Technology | Wired |
| Connectivity Protocol | Wi-Fi |
| Includes MP3 player | No |
| UPC | 840136811336 |
| Manufacturer | Sonos |
| Item Weight | 12.7 pounds |
| ASIN | B0DFK28LBB |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | ARCG2US1BLK |
| Date First Available | October 15, 2024 |
Sonos Era 300 - Black - Wireless, Alexa Enabled Smart Speaker with Dolby Atmos.
Features
| Model Name | Sonos Era 300 - Black |
| Speaker Type | Multi Room |
| Special Feature | Hi Res Audio, Multi Room Audio, Built In Microphone, Stereo Pairing, USB Port |
| Recommended Uses For Product | For Smartphones or Tablets |
| Compatible Devices | IPhone, Android |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Controller Type | App Control |
| Color | Black |
| Included Components | Sonos Era 300 - Black, Power Cable |
| Product Dimensions | 6.65"D x 6.65"W x 7.44"H |
| Age Range Description | Adult |
| Item Weight | 4470 Grams |
| Is Waterproof | FALSE |
| Warranty Type | Limited |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Control Method | App |
| Wireless Communication Technology | Airplay, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Water Resistance Level | Not Water Resistant |
| Connectivity Protocol | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
| Includes MP3 player | No |
| Processor Count | 1 |
| Specific Uses For Product | Home Audio, Multi-room Music Playback, and Immersive Sound Systems |
| UPC | 840136805595 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00840136805595 |
| Manufacturer | Sonos |
| Item Weight | 9.85 pounds |
| ASIN | B0BW2LV57K |
| Item model number | E30G1US1BLK |
| Date First Available | March 13, 2023 |
Sub 4 - Wireless Subwoofer - Black
Features
| Special Feature | Multi Room Audio, Dolby Enabled |
| Color | Black |
| Included Components | Power Cable, Quick Start Guide |
| Product Dimensions | 6.22"D x 15.31"W x 15.83"H |
| Item Weight | 26.46 Pounds |
| Is Waterproof | FALSE |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Wireless Communication Technology | Wi-Fi |
| Audio Driver Type | Dynamic Driver |
| Subwoofer Connectivity Technology | Wireless |
| Connectivity Protocol | Wi-Fi |
| UPC | 840136812807 |
| Manufacturer | Sonos |
| Item Weight | 26.5 pounds |
| ASIN | B0DFK42525 |
| Item model number | SUBG4US1BLK |
| Date First Available | October 15, 2024 |
