Sonos today announced the launch of two new products, the Arc Ultra Soundbar and the Sonos Sub 4. The Sonos Arc Ultra is a new high-end soundbar priced at $999, while the $799 Sub 4 is the latest Sonos subwoofer with an improved design and internals.
The Arc Ultra offers up to double the bass of its predecessor, thanks to new transducer technology called Sound Motion. Sound Motion reduces the size of the transducer while enhancing bass, providing better sound from smaller devices. The soundbar is equipped with 14 Sonos-engineered drivers, a Sound Motion woofer, and a cluster of tweeters with waveguides to deliver a 9.1.4 spatial audio experience.
A new center channel architecture ensures maximum vocal clarity, making it easier to follow dialogue. Additionally, there is a Speech Enhancement feature for customization. Trueplay can be utilized to tailor audio to specific spaces.
In comparison to the previous version of the Sonos Arc, the Arc Ultra features a curved design, matte finish, and a slimmer profile that does not obstruct TV bezels. It includes touch controls located discreetly behind the soundbar and offers a simple setup process via HDMI eARC.
The Sub 4 retains a similar design to the Sub 3 but introduces a new matte finish and a profile that allows it to stand upright, be placed on its side, or fit under furniture. Sonos has enhanced the processing power and memory of the Sub 4, adding new Wi-Fi radios for improved connectivity. The Sub 4 employs inward-facing woofers to minimize distortion and is compatible with the Arc Ultra, Arc, Beam, and older versions of the Sub.
These two products mark Sonos’s first launch since the company faced challenges with its app overhaul in May. The decision to delay product launches earlier in 2024 was made to refine the Sonos app, with improvements focused on bug fixes and feature additions to restore functionality similar to the original app. CEO Patrick Spence stated that the company now feels confident enough to introduce new devices following these updates.
“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.”
Earlier this month, Sonos reaffirmed its commitment to software quality and customer experience, pledging to focus more on customer feedback while testing future app changes before their rollout.
The Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 will be available from the Sonos website on October 29.