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Good morning! I just want to share my gratitude to you for the welcoming I always feel when I am on your channel! Very few channels do this and it really makes a difference to me. Much love!!!
Love my dual gen 3 subs, era 300s, and arc system. I had a 5.1.4 separate system and aside from the subwoofer, it actually is almost identical, if not, more immersive at times and just simple af to use. Best part is, when sonos releases a new product to use for home theater just repurpose or sell the current product you have and upgrade to the new!
The review isn't late; it's worth the patience. Please, do include best speakers for low-volume listening when you make your 'best product of the year.'
I’d like to say thank you to you guys for this review.I know we all have been waiting for this for a while,We also understand what it took to make this happen. I know it’s three years later, but to those that follow diligently ,value your views & opinions🙏 Keep ‘em coming.
The reason I think the Sonos is the better system is the ability to add new and improved Sonos units to your existing set up, not many soundbar systems offer this, I started with the arc,sub and 2 Sl speakers for the rear when the era 300s debuted I replaced the SL’s and added another sub. This is why Sonos smokes the soundbar competition in my book. Great interview as always stay in good health.
Sonos support their products well - the Arc has got a lot of updates since release, including DTS support. So a three year review is still relevant. What I love best about my Arc setup is that it has such great lifestyle integration, and still delivers all the competence, authority and clarity needed across games, movies, TV and music in a decent sized room. I've never felt let down by it.
Hey, guys, Jose from Puerto Rico here!!!! I got the 77” S90C because of FOMO’s and Classy’s reviews and I also got the Q990C because of your review. I don’t think I could be any happier. This TV takes care of my eyes with its beautifuk picture/color pop and the Q990C takes care of my audio senses. Like your better half said on the review, what these companies are achieving with their soundbars systems is VERY impressive. This system literally creates a bubble around me despite of my irregular shaped room. My only compaint/suggestion would be for Samsung to figure out a way to allow owners to expand by adding a 2nd subwoofer. That is all it needs. Thanks guys!!!!
Excellent review. The only thing I would add is this - think of the Sonos Arc home theater system as part of your whole house audio video system. You not only get a wonderful home theater, but when you host a party, you can stream audio through the Arc system AND the other Sonos speakers in the house. It is very impressive. Can’t wait for the Arc2 !
I had to choose between the B&O Stage and the Sonos Arc+Sub. I went for the B&O and haven't looked back. The Sonos combo had more bass and did surround a lot better, but the sound of the Stage is soooo good for music I'm willing to tolerate the lack of surround. The more open platform (Chromecast, Airplay) was a big plus as well. I like the design better too, but that's personal of course.
I truly appreciate your take on products. Anyone with sense enough to understand your reviews should understand how the world of TH-cam works and that if you don’t have sponsorship, you don’t make money and cannot deliver quality content on all things audio and video!! The age of social media has people thinking that they can be disrespectful with no consequences and that’s just wrong!! I listen to your opinions and take what is useful for my research on various products and I learn from the others. We should all understand that this is opinion based on your ears, that’s why you have a partner with a different perspective and opinion about the products that you are reviewing!! I love your take on equipment and keep up the GREAT WORK!!!
I really like these last few videos. You have me rethinking a lot of things about this hobby. I’m quite invested already in a big traditional setup, but I think if I were starting from scratch I’d be doing something different - a system that’s not so visible or imposing. All I really want is great sound and a great image. (I’m tired of thinking about bit depth and sample rates, etc) If I could get that, in my house, while not seeing any gear or clutter I’d do it. Maybe I’d have a separate room for a traditional 2 channel analog setup. I commend your work, not just in this video, but the overall ethos of the channel. It’s not often I arrive at such a place - rethinking my entire approach. Thanks.
This was excellent. Just got rid of my stereo which I loved. NS500m SP1200 knockoff etc. Scaling back to 1 bedroom apt. Saw this thing at Costco of all places and my takeaway was exactly as you described. Nice pair of book shelf speakers but it’s a bar for the TV. I AM the guy who would put together the $4k component system and be watching in a an hour or 2. But man this thing is so elegant and does more than fine. Maybe I’m just over the Hi End audio thing. Was wondering about the satellite speakers so thanks for clearing that up as well. Thanks again to you both.
Great review. I'm a Bose guy, and they have recently provided me with a 900 soundbar and bass module 700 for £750.00 in exchange for my old Cinemate 1SR. I have the option of the 700 surrounds for £385.00 too, so this makes the full system a fantastic value proposition compared to the Arc. And most of the others too
First, loved the review guys you nailed it! I bought the ARC + Sub Gen 3 + One SL's for the living room for my wife who just wanted something that sounded good and required zero fuss to use. Our TV is not within viewing distance when in the kitchen cooking/cleaning and we found the added benefit of getting additional One SL for the kitchen. It's synced as an additional center channel so when we are in the kitchen we can still easily hear the TV. Not sure if the competition offers a similar benefit. Also, we use Sonos speakers in other rooms so it's nice to have whole house sound integration. And should Sonos upgrade a product they make upgrading/swapping out speakers relatively simple, thus reducing my FOMO. Thanks again!
So I have the Arc, 2 subs, 2 ERA 300s (Surrounds) and 2 ERA 300s as fronts….the result is spectacular. I also have another Arc, 2 subs and ikea symfonisk lamps as a secondary setup….fantastic! The Sonos ecosystem has finally grown on me. Great review Andrew!
Thank you for the review. We own the full Sonos arc, large sub, and the small Sonos SL for surrounds in our bedroom. But our living room has a Denon 2700, Klipsch 6K series center/towers, Klipsch 12” sub, and Kef in ceiling surrounds. We love both, but if we want to “feel” the movie we go to the living room. I love your thoughts/advice on how much you want manage these system’s. I couldn’t agree more, I love our main system. However, I wasn’t interested in the same complexity, wiring, or technology cabinet for our bedroom. I’d recommend the Sonos to most people that aren’t technical, because while expensive it is an excellent low technological barrier to entry for the quality. You both rock, thanks for throwing us a bone on this review. You nailed it as always.
I have a very similar setup in my living room. I also have the arc, gen3 sub and one SLs for surrounds in my game room/man room. I would agree with your assessment. The arc etc is great for a smaller room and very simple to setup. The living room setup is in your face like a movie theater but is much more complicated to setup for the average person.
Now ….. comparing Sonos arc to a Sony HT9 system , purely for surround sound movie watching. What would you say would is the best setup, Sonos or Sony surround sound setup ?
Thank you so much for your review of this. I heard the Sonos system at an audio show earlier this year and was very impressed. I fully intended to buy it until I saw your review of the Samsung HW-Q990C. Given the current sale price of the Samsung I could save about $1000 and get a sound bar that suited my needs. Since I already have an excellent 2 channel system I only needed a solution for TV and movies and did not need anything for music. Your review said all of the things I expected regarding these 2 systems and I hope it will help others that are comparing the sea of options.
I have this exact setup with dual subs and am happyish. The second sub really helps balance the low end. I moved into a MUCH smaller place and this was my compromise from a Denon powered Klipsch floor standing 2 channel system with dual 15” subs which would have gotten me kicked out. 😂 What’s lacking is the live soundstage and vibrancy of the Klipsch. And of course, the Sonos cost an about the same as my old system, which is why I’m less than an enthusiastic proponent.😊
I actually owned the Sonos Arc once and sometimes think of going back but I always get the feeling that the better speakers are actually the Era 300's and perhaps they should be the one in front instead as they might provide also a better musical experience then the Arc on it's own. I do wonder when listening to music I remember you also just tried the Era 300's without the Arc as stereo set. Do you prefer the stereo experience from just the 300's or feel the Arc with Era 300's added as rear is similar/worse or better?
It is clear that the arc is lagging behind the technology in the new ERA300s . Once I added the ERaA’s, it became clear that the constraints on the sound field are based on the limitations of the ARC
Am glad you did this review. I mentioned in one of your live streams, that i have added 3 arc systems around my house, even tho i have 2 2 channel rigs that are an order of magnitude more expensive (Linn $25k system, and Linn $100k system). Why? Because my family, kids, and now grandkids, love the ease of use of the Sonos, and even friends/guests can pop in and play music on Sonos, whether using Apple Music, Spotify, or my sonos sources. Do i still use the Linn’s? Of course, but only for 2 channel wonder. For everything else, i love our Sonos. Thanks for this ‘timely’ review…. BTW, i opted for 2 gen 3’s in 2 of the systems. It makes a difference for larger rooms
Great review! I just might consider this one. After over 20 years playing with home theatre (started with AC-3) I have probably spent more than the cost of this on cables. And crawling in back when a cable comes loose is getting to be a bit music. Really glad I found your channel! Also thank you for mentioning music, my interests lay there in live concerts. Also a dedicated 2 channel you mentioned. I totally agree.
Thank you both for this review! I was waiting on Kristi to refer to the sub as the “donut” lol. Andrew, I’m so glad that you broke down that everyone has their own audio setup preferences. Some like the plug and play option and some like the more traditional setup option. Both are fine. I’ve had the arc for a few years now and what I appreciate about Sonos is that they are an update consistent company. They continuously release updates to make their products sound as best as they can, along with any bug fixes. It gives the consumer more confidence as well.
I’ve had my Sonos system with the arc since it was first introduced. I was on a waiting list to receive it. I have been pleased with the sound quality ever since years already. I’ve tried a couple of others, but luckily never gave my Arc up. I have it with the subwoofer and the surround speakers. If you’re looking for a speaker system and want to lay out the expense, you will be very pleased. Excellent for home theater still to this day. I get comments when we watch a movie and it sounds terrific for music.
I just sold my Arc + sub (gen 1) which I had for about two years and got myself a Bang and Olufsen Stage. I don't care that much for a sub anymore and the clarity of the dialogs when watching a regular TV show are much better on the Stage. It's also more musical on its own than the Arc. Just my two cents.
Great review. One aspect that this and all other reviews miss is the multi-room capacities....so if I'm watching sports, go to the bathroom, I still have the audio playing. The multi-room is in my mind the biggest selling point of sonos.
This! My wife loves the ease of use of the app also and groups the arc, era100’s and subs often to play music. I also add the other speakers when I’m watching the game so I don’t miss the commentary.
I am a Sonos arc owner (plus their big sub and One SL first and Era 300 now), and I agree with the review; Sonos is very practical, and in my case, that is key, but with the One SL as surrounds the Sonos system does not sound much better than the z906 from Logitech, which I had. I have always loved hi-fi, but I did not ever have the space or the time, to fully dive into it. I bought a Krell HTS and Krell 5-channel amp years ago, but it stopped there. I listened to fantastic systems and the Sonos one is very far from it, and I am sure, even with my limited knowledge, that there was a way better way to spend my money. But the Era 300 gave me hope; I am definitely waiting for an arc upgrade, and luckily, Sonos products, like Apple ones, do not lose much in value over time. Knowing what I know now, would I buy again a sound bar? No, not at all, but having it now I crave for updates. The step forward made by using the Era 300 as surrounds is big, and I really hope the new "lasso" sound bar would be even a bigger step forward, especially for stereo music. What it is not said in the review is that the sonos app is not as good as they wanted us to believe. At the moment trueplay for arc+sub+era 300 does not work and I had to install the era 300 with a IOS device because the setup process did not work on my google pixel.
As a former Arc owner, I enjoyed this review and I really second 95% of everything Andrew said. I originally went for the Arc since I was looking for a soundbar under $1000 that sounds as good as possible without a sub. (And I would stand by that evaluation....although.... the Sub is still totally worth it!) I thought I didn't want a sub, since I live in a condo and really didn't feel the need to shake my walls. After awhile, I added the Ones Gen2 as rear surrounds, then a Sub Mini as soon as it came out (couldn't resist). I have to say, after adding the Sub mini, I understand what everyone says about subs.. .it's not just about the bass! It really frees up those 3" drivers in the bar to do their thing. My expectations of this bar were exceeded at each step. So -- why a *former* Arc owner? Well... I am a music-first kind of audiophile... so in my little living room I had a full blown Sonos system AND a budget analog system so I could spin vinyl. After staring at my setup awhile, I finally decided to sell my Sonos gear to fund the music habit a little more. So my current secondhand Nirvana is a Yamaha AVR (with pre-outs) into a Peachtree grand pre (with AVR bypass) into a McIntosh power amp, driving a pair of PSB speakers for L+R. For music, I can run my streamer and turntable into the Grand Pre. For movies, I will occasionally hook up a pair of Klipsch's for rear surrounds and Sony's for Atmos height, run the Yamaha room correction, and enjoy. And as good as that setup sounds, does it sound better than the Sonos setup? Probably not, believe it or not. I kind of miss the Sonos, at times, but only for Atmos movies. Also I'm not running a center or a sub, so there's that. All this to say -- I really think you ask the right question at the end of this video, which is : This, or a conventional surround setup? And my answer is, if your priority is ease of use and minimum of cables, go for an Arc-based setup. Seriously. It even sounds surprisingly satisfactory for music. If on the other hand, you're like me, enjoy your vinyl, like to tinker, and don't have separate space for home theater and listening, then ... do what I did and cobble together your own system. I don't regret getting rid of the Sonos sytem, but that's mainly because I like to tinker and I am a music first kind of listener. I put separate WiiMs in my living room and office, so I can synchronize music if I want to *almost* as slick as what Sonos does. But if I wanted to hit the easy button, I would still have the Sonos stuff. PS I scrolled down and saw a couple reviews crapping on the Sonos for being expensive, or not supporting their 5-year-old gear. First, run room correction!! Andrew wasn't kidding, it made a huge difference in my space. I doubt that airbnb host ran the room setup properly. Second, Sonos to me is kind of the Apple of the audio world. You pay a little more for the overall UX and customer support. And they require an internet connection for setup! Which to me is a negative. But they do have a trade in program that's quite good. So while you're making a substantial investment, they do have your back by allowing you to upgrade your gear. So for instance, say you plunk down for an Arc today, and they come out with an updated model, you get a substantial discount on the upgraded one as long as you're the original owner of that Arc.
Wow I read your whole post and you are actually a person with common sense and you owned Sonos. So you totally get it! I plan on upgrading my sound bar from the Sonos play bar to the Sonos Arc. The play bar has given me years and years of great movie watching and music listening experience. I just feel like I got my money's worth I will sell it for a cheap price and enjoy the Arc I'm hoping for as long as I enjoyed the Play bar. I have a play 5 for my record player line input. It gets the job done. I would not call myself an audiophile but I do LOVE music and listening to it on my Sonos. I do not have the new generation sub. I hope that will not handicap me. At least here soon I can listen to some Atmos surround sound. I'm looking forward to it 🫱🏽🫲🏻
I'm in a similar boat as you (in the opposite direction) have always had big setups over the years since Dolby Pro Logic day's 1990 and looking to ditch it all for a 1 bar only solution and optional sub. I stopped watching movies 2/3 yrs ago and used my system in Multi-channel, so looking for a enhanced TV sound speaker with some width to the sound & maybe....maybe a sub mini to balance the sound Not a huge fan of rumbling bass. PS I did hear the Arc on it's own in a large department store 2 days ago and was very spatial sounding to me, more so than the Bose 900 witch sounds like a soundbar (1 speaker in front of the TV)
Enjoyed your comment. A Sonos system will never satisfy an audiophile and it shouldn't. What did it for me was the simplicity of install, the great sound AND the ability to easily add speakers in any room of your house or outside on the deck as the funds allow. I love being able to walk anywhere in my home and hear music playing in sync. Being married to an interior designer for 50yrs visual acceptance was a big plus. As I build out my basement family room I probably will sell off my ELAC/Denon hardware and just go with more Sonos. I agree with your comment, it is the Apple of the audio world.
@@bobbubevski2719 thanks man. I can't wait to get it. Looking forward to hearing it. I use to work at circuit City back in the days. I was exposed to all the things both audio and video. It's amazing the things you can buy for just audio especially. I could see myself spending a crazy amount of money so I went the simple way with Sonos. I did spend a good bit of money on my record player. From Pro ject I did wait until it had a strep sale. I didn't want to spend the $800+ for it.
This review was worth the wait. I enjoy all your reviews and value your opinion. Its crazy that this product still leaves most of the competition in the dust. I think the sub is one of the best in the game. I got lucky to get my arc and sub on sale a year ago. Im waiting to get the era 300s now
Recently I got the Sonos Arc and sub, They are my first sound bar and subwoofer and I wish I bought em sooner, now my tv sounds like an old school tv in comparison
Being able to mix, match, upgrade, and re-use Sonos speakers for years was a huge selling point. I started with a Beam Gen 1 with Symfonisk bookshelf speakers, added a Gen 3 sub a year later, upgraded the Beam to Gen 2 when it came out, and upgraded the Symfonisk speakers to One SLs during a X-mas sale. Able to re-use the other systems in another room. I couldn't upgrade individual components for my Nakamichi 7.2.4 like I could with Sonos. Ended up replacing the Nakamichi with the Arc, dual Gen 3 subs, and Fives and been very happy.
Great review. Seems really compelling. Though I snagged a Q990C for the AAA discount at $840 so that compared to $2k+ for the sonos bundle just really doesn't compare.
Great video. I came close a couple of years ago, but the issue for me (as a physical media guy is the lack of DTS X support. I ended up with the HT-A9 and sub - although I’ve moved on again since then. Now running Yamaha Aventage A6A… The Sonos’ elegance is compelling though.
@@mixching as an audiophile I think I’ve not recovered quite like Andrew has and I was hankering after something that looked and felt and played more like a hi-fi. My current system (having moved house in the meantime) is a hub for music and movies, with vinyl, SACD, Roon, blu-ray, movie & TV streaming in a way I didn’t feel the HT-A9 could be, at least for me - as impressive and enjoyable as it was with just about anything I threw at it. I did also play with the idea of running the Arc with a separate ‘purist’ stereo system for music, but decided against it.
I guess the only real question is: what traditional home theater system would YOU build that you’d argue is better than the Sonos ARC Surround System for the same price or less?
I just got a Sonos Arc during this year's Black Friday sales. Upgraded from Beam (Gen 2). It's fantastic. They're very rarely on sale so I think they'll release an upgrade next year.
It was on sale last year for cheaper actually. I unfortunately returned my arc last year from Costco I bought on sale for $700. went back to buy it on sale again price is now $720. Won't complain to much because it comes with a sound bar mount and an apple gift card
I like the flexibility of Sonos. I started with a Play:1, then 2x Play:1 because i wanted stereo. Then I got a beam, used the Play:1’s as surround and got some Sonos ones’s for my rooms. Then I got a sub. then we moved house and I got the arc, moved the beam to the basement, still use the Play:1s and Sub with my main TV (LG OLED). I have some play5 for stereo listening, looking for a turntable now. Oh I have a Move in the kitchen that I use in the garden when we’re outside and a roam in use around the house and sling in my suitcase when I travel for work… and my wife just uses Apple music and picks a speaker to listen on. It’s just… accessible. And I think my play:1 are some of my oldest ‘smart’ tech that is still… 100% useable and relevant 10 years after I bought it. I think it’s probably equaled out the cost over this time to tech that has aged out.
@robinsonbrand I am still hopeful that you will review the Sony A95l before the end of the year video drops. I think those two videos are the ones I am most excited for.😊
I agree, there is nothing wrong with reviewing a 3 year old product. Great review, as always, really appreciate hearing both of your opinions on all the products you review. You opened my mind to considering a soundbar with your reviews. Keep up the awesome work! Cheers from the Great White North!
Thank you Andrew for covering this setup so thoroughly incl comparisons, much appreciated! Your reviews and dedication are a real contribution to the audio/video community. After seeing tour review i think im going to give this setup a shot. And my regards to Kristi as well, i love her pragmatism :)
I’m not a huge fan of Sonos at all. The fact they require you to use their app (which by the way sucks for me personally), makes me crawl up the wall sometimes. So, this ain’t for me. I know a lot of people live by that brand, but it’s just not my thing. But I’m glad people have finally gotten the review they’ve all been asking for. I’m just here for the vibes today, and they’re fun as hell! Hope everyone is having an awesome Sunday!
Sonos is definitely its own eco-system that's for sure, and I too have my occasional gripes with their app (mainly the constant self-promotion and updates), but on the whole, the platform is solid. All that said, I get it, and appreciate you still hanging out and saying hi!
I got one of these 3 years ago and have been very pleased with it. I always wondered what you thought about it. You skipped over the benefit of getting free streaming music with Sonos too.Thanks for doing this.
Thank you, Andrew for your straight forward reveiws and what I also enjoy is having your wife's point of view the product. It's like having to reviews in on video, great job both of you.
Thanks for finally putting out the review. This was the first time I felt both of you were not as excited to review this product and did it just to end the debate. Glad to know that samsung q990c tested better for dialogue. Asnwered that question of mine. Thanks for the review
First off, congrats to the Longhorns, that was a great season for them, as a KU fan we will miss you in the Big XII. As far as the video. Nicely done! Well worth the wait. I love my Sonos mainly because Apple Music is native in the app and doesn’t interfere with my phone’s audio capabilities. You guys are awesome, have a fantastic week
Had my ARC for about 2 years or more and do agree the dialogue is not the best l, even after Truplay and speech enhancement on. I find it hard to get the right balance, you up the sound to hear the speech and then the loud sounds are too loud so you lower it but then can’t hear speech.. I have tried the loudness setting also and that don’t make much difference either. Sonos just need to make the centre channel better, tweak it, give us control
Its good that soundbars finally do justice to music. Those early clunkers were an improvement over the tiny, tinny speakers in the flat tvs. But they never sounded great at anything. Theyve come a long way.
The reality is the Sonos arc is the best simply because for $899 you can just buy a soundbar. And at anytime you can upgrade and make it essentially a great home theater system by adding a sub or two (which now sets it in a league of its own) with the era 300’s. Kinda unbeatable unless you step up to the Nakamichi Dragon. When it comes to the Samsung hdmi switching feature it’s useless if it’s not 2.1 for gaming and you game with a modern tv due to it not being a 2.1 input. I guess it’s an advantage if you want to plug cable or a 4K Blu-ray player in which do not use 4K/120 then ok I get it.
Fab review as usual. I don''t have use for a soundbar - today. I'm semi-invested in speakers in a classic home theater system that serves my purpose today. I promise though, if and when I move in the future, I'll be revisiting a lot of these videos. It's all about education and the passion behind taste. Excellent excellent excellent.
From my experience, the system wasn’t complete until the era 300s. That was the thing that pushed it into the next level. When I had the play ones as surrounds It was missing something. Adding the era 300s made it a whole new system. I built this system over time. You can’t do that with a system in a box.
Love our Sonos! Got an Arc, Sub Gen2, and two IKEA symfonisks lamps for a full surround all separately on the second-hand market, for about 40% the cost of them new. Amazing product, and I easily prefer the sound and app functionality over my outgoing Samsung 930b set.
Great review! Thank you so much. How does it compare to B&O products? Theatre and Stage?? Because I’m trying to figure out if I’m better off with an ARC or a B&O
Just wanted to say I bought two Era 300s and pair them as stereo speakers for the living rooms because of the previous video suggestion and I love it. I bought an Apple TV as well so I get the best of both worlds with music and movies
Great review. As you said a few years late because they didn’t wanted to send you a unit for review! I have same setup you reviewed plus an additional subwoofer, however it is past due time for Sonos to provide a soundbar that matches the Era 300’s and the now most updated competition (dragon!!) . Great content as always entertaining and super informative!!!!
recently got the arc and its great, the biggest thing that annoys me is that quiet scenes are EXTREMELY quiet causing me to want to turn it up, and then the loud sounds are so loud that im worried it annoys everyone in my house. just wish they had a audio normalization setting for when you dont quite want/need the huge dynamic range of the audio levels.
What also would be pretty interesting is a comparison between a Sonos Arc (standalone and also with sub and surrounds) and a setup with an amp like the bluesound powernode and a pair of compact speakers, all together for a similar price like Sonos 🤔 I'm curious to see what the difference in movies and music is and how it performs against each other
Loved this review. I am on the fence. Just bought a new home and one group recommended the Sonos set up another recommended the Samsun and the Kilpsch 7s. The reasoning on the sevens was they said my ceiling in the living room of new home were so tall that I may not be able to truly get a good Dolby Atmos set up. The soundbar shooting sound to the ceiling would be pointless. Not sure if that’s entirely true or not but the Klipsch 7s did sound amazing in there store. This review now still has me wondering about the Sonos. Thoughts?
I contemplating purchasing the next gen arc and gen4 sub but I will wait to watch the reviews of both before making a decision and I'm positive there will be quite a few. Sonos cannot afford any mistakes after their app debacle so they had better have their act totally together.
Thanks for the Sonos review. I like their sound and their app. I agree they’re the best soundbar I’ve heard for both TV and streaming music IMO. Better than the Bose and Samsung bars I’ve tried. The Beam 2 and mini sub sounds great too for smaller rooms like a den or bedroom.
Just took delivery of Arc, Era 300s, Sub, Port, etc, etc .. this is an upgrade over my older Sonos surround system. Still TV shopping so I won't install it all till I get the TV ... when we'll paint the wall! ;) We have a pair of Devialet Phantom Golds for music, they sound great but Devialet are crap when it comes to software and connectivity (another aspect of painting the wall as we need to run wired ethernet to the Phantoms - their wifi connectivity is crap). You guys talked a lot about the various brand/product options out there but the clincher for me is the Sonos software offering and that smashes the rest. I was on the fence considering a Devialet Dione but my Devialet software experiences to date convinced me to shelve the idea.
I’m watching this because the new Sonos Arc Ultra is out and no thorough review, only stating it’s noticeably better than the original Arc. Your review has got me pumped up for my Sonos Arc Ultra arriving Sunday. Make sure you review that too.
I always liked Sonos, always thought their sound was "cleaner" then most other of the higher end soundbars. The problem I've had is you need a sub, it's just not the same without one, and an extra $700+ for the Sonos sub was the "killer" for me. I stumbled upon the Bluesound Pulse, which lets you connect any 3rd party powered sub. The soundbar has a built-in cross over of 80Hz and you can tweak things in the BluOs app. So for $1000, I connected my Yamaha 10" sub, simple plug and play, and it sounds as good, if not better that the Arc...
I am so glad Kristi brought up the Sony HT-A9 as well as the Ambeo (sorry don't love ugly), and the JBL (love the idea of wireless speakers (wish I could get wireless speakers for side surround. I have speakers up by the ceiling, which I am now using for sides, but I know it would be better with true side surrounds and make the ones on the ceiling the rear surrounds or maybe height?, but I don't like wires!)!! Since I have two Sony TVs, if I were going to update my HT, perhaps the Sony Soundbar would work really well with my TV? Or maybe the Sony AVR? Love the "concession" to the Dragon!! LOL! Between the two of you, I feel everything is so thoroughly and well covered. You really do your research!!! Such excellence!! Oh, and I like your music between the sections! I promise to watch again!
Thanks for the feedback on the graphic and music chapter cuts. I always like hearing what you all think! The Sony home theater products, be it soundbars, HT-A9, or their AVRs, are fabulous with Sony TVs and while ease of use doesn't necessarily contribute to sound quality, it makes getting up and running faster which means I want to watch or listen more, which is a win!
I have two of these one for the master bedroom and one for the family room both with subs and the family paired with some One’s for now and they have been such great performers. Even tally we will upgrade the living room with some 300s but we have a dedicated movie space so we are not in a hurry. Having 6 beams gen 2 and the two arcs with a couple of moves and being able to just rock the whole house in one google command is great!
Thanks to you I discovered the ambeo max. Finally took the plunge this Black Friday and got it for 1600. To me it’s better that the Sonos arc, and miles ahead than the Samsung and Bose. But I cannot afford the b&o yet. Very happy with my sennheiser 😊 , all thanks to you, three years later but I got it!
Three years ago I was deciding between the Samsung Q950T and the Sonos arc, and finally purchased the Samsung Q950T because it has more channels, a few days ago, I found that my soundbar has started to increase the volume randomly, every two minutes, and the volume is too high for me to accept so it doesn't work properly, and I found that the physical mute button, the source switch button, stopped working, I searched online and found that this is common on many Samsung models, and I talked to customer service and tried everything but could not fix it, so I had to send it back for repair. but since it had already exceeded the warranty period, I had to pay the repair fee, and I would like to advise you all to stay away from Samsung soundbars, so as to prevent you from becoming the next disaster!
Great video Andrew and Kristi - one thing that didn't come up with the HT-A9: does the HT-A9's phantom center produce better dialogue than the Sonos Arc?
In my opinion, yes. Kristi can weigh in with her opinion. Both are good, but Sony is going to be more similar to Samsung in that the rise in treble energy does make for a mildly more pronounced dialog presence.
Glad to see the review, was a little afraid of what you may say. I think you nailed it. It’s great overall, but can be beat in each category by other options. The one thing you mentioned but did not highlight is the ability to upgrade or add on over time. I started in the sonos eco system with a playbar for my living room. It has now sprawled into most of the house, and is easy to add more rooms and upgrade as budget allows. My next move is to add the era 300s to replace some of the Ones we have as surrounds.
Having spent a lifetime in consumer electronics and watched all the new technologies emerge one thing i have learned that whilst it is possible to get a lot from small packages, there is a limit to how well they can compare to a seperates system that takes a long time to fine tune its performance. I have the luxury of a dedicated home theatre room and spent many years tweaking it to it's current state. For other rooms i have lesser spec components and a samsung soundbar in my bedroom. As good as that is, does it compare to my home theatre, not realy but i wouldn't expect it to. These high end soundbars are good, but you can only get so much out of them without spending too much.
Great video! I learned so much from your channel. I have the Sonos ARC with era 300, and dual sub gen 3. It’s a amazing system and I truly love it. You’re absolutely right regarding the dialogue. I wish Sonos can do a better job with the dialogue. I am ready to take a extra step and get a traditional Home Theater system . Maybe you can do a video for those who want to go from a sound bar to a traditional system. What advice would you give to someone that wants to do a separated, home system for beginners?
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Hey do you think its overkill to have 2 sonos gen 3 subwoofers?
Hi Andrew, could you please check out the new B&O Beolab 8 for review. Would like to know if its worth that price tag or go for something else
@robinsonbrand hey, what would you say>
Naim Mu-So 2nd Generation vs Sonos Arc ?
or Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation vs Sonos setup, please answer
I don't see anything wrong with reviewing a 3 year old product. Audio is audio. A good design will stand the test of time.
Agree! But in the tech game people tend to want to watch the "latest and greatest".
Only the price
@@andrewrobinsonreviews unfortunately I have been suffering from the Latest and the Greatest itis!
Sonos is allegedly replacing it in 2024 though.
Yeah the svs ultra I'm considering and those are over 5 years old.
Good morning! I just want to share my gratitude to you for the welcoming I always feel when I am on your channel! Very few channels do this and it really makes a difference to me. Much love!!!
Awww. That's such a gift to hear! We're so glad you are here.
We're always happy to see you here and we love your participation in the community!
@@KristiWright ♥It came from my heart!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank you Andrew!💖
Love my dual gen 3 subs, era 300s, and arc system. I had a 5.1.4 separate system and aside from the subwoofer, it actually is almost identical, if not, more immersive at times and just simple af to use.
Best part is, when sonos releases a new product to use for home theater just repurpose or sell the current product you have and upgrade to the new!
The review isn't late; it's worth the patience.
Please, do include best speakers for low-volume listening when you make your 'best product of the year.'
Good to see you doing more “vintage” gear reviews (LOL). Sorry, but I couldn’t resist. Love your TH-cam channel!
I’d like to say thank you to you guys for this review.I know we all have been waiting for this for a while,We also understand what it took to make this happen.
I know it’s three years later, but to those that follow diligently ,value your views & opinions🙏
Keep ‘em coming.
The reason I think the Sonos is the better system is the ability to add new and improved Sonos units to your existing set up, not many soundbar systems offer this, I started with the arc,sub and 2 Sl speakers for the rear when the era 300s debuted I replaced the SL’s and added another sub. This is why Sonos smokes the soundbar competition in my book. Great interview as always stay in good health.
Been contemplating switching out my surround Ones for the eras 300. Happy with it? Worth it?
Sonos support their products well - the Arc has got a lot of updates since release, including DTS support. So a three year review is still relevant.
What I love best about my Arc setup is that it has such great lifestyle integration, and still delivers all the competence, authority and clarity needed across games, movies, TV and music in a decent sized room. I've never felt let down by it.
Hey, guys, Jose from Puerto Rico here!!!! I got the 77” S90C because of FOMO’s and Classy’s reviews and I also got the Q990C because of your review. I don’t think I could be any happier. This TV takes care of my eyes with its beautifuk picture/color pop and the Q990C takes care of my audio senses.
Like your better half said on the review, what these companies are achieving with their soundbars systems is VERY impressive. This system literally creates a bubble around me despite of my irregular shaped room. My only compaint/suggestion would be for Samsung to figure out a way to allow owners to expand by adding a 2nd subwoofer. That is all it needs.
Thanks guys!!!!
Bose I had. Sent it back. Own a sonos and 100% with you. 2 subs. ❤
Excellent review. The only thing I would add is this - think of the Sonos Arc home theater system as part of your whole house audio video system. You not only get a wonderful home theater, but when you host a party, you can stream audio through the Arc system AND the other Sonos speakers in the house. It is very impressive.
Can’t wait for the Arc2 !
Absolutely one of the best reviews I’ve ever watched. Subscribed and just purchased. Leaving now to pick it up with sub.
I had to choose between the B&O Stage and the Sonos Arc+Sub. I went for the B&O and haven't looked back. The Sonos combo had more bass and did surround a lot better, but the sound of the Stage is soooo good for music I'm willing to tolerate the lack of surround. The more open platform (Chromecast, Airplay) was a big plus as well. I like the design better too, but that's personal of course.
I truly appreciate your take on products. Anyone with sense enough to understand your reviews should understand how the world of TH-cam works and that if you don’t have sponsorship, you don’t make money and cannot deliver quality content on all things audio and video!! The age of social media has people thinking that they can be disrespectful with no consequences and that’s just wrong!! I listen to your opinions and take what is useful for my research on various products and I learn from the others. We should all understand that this is opinion based on your ears, that’s why you have a partner with a different perspective and opinion about the products that you are reviewing!! I love your take on equipment and keep up the GREAT WORK!!!
I really like these last few videos. You have me rethinking a lot of things about this hobby. I’m quite invested already in a big traditional setup, but I think if I were starting from scratch I’d be doing something different - a system that’s not so visible or imposing. All I really want is great sound and a great image. (I’m tired of thinking about bit depth and sample rates, etc) If I could get that, in my house, while not seeing any gear or clutter I’d do it. Maybe I’d have a separate room for a traditional 2 channel analog setup.
I commend your work, not just in this video, but the overall ethos of the channel. It’s not often I arrive at such a place - rethinking my entire approach. Thanks.
Fantastic review full of objective points without any audiophile bias or snobbery. Also I find your voice very listenable, Andrew.
This was excellent. Just got rid of my stereo which I loved. NS500m SP1200 knockoff etc. Scaling back to 1 bedroom apt. Saw this thing at Costco of all places and my takeaway was exactly as you described. Nice pair of book shelf speakers but it’s a bar for the TV.
I AM the guy who would put together the $4k component system and be watching in a an hour or 2. But man this thing is so elegant and does more than fine. Maybe I’m just over the Hi End audio thing.
Was wondering about the satellite speakers so thanks for clearing that up as well. Thanks again to you both.
Great review. I'm a Bose guy, and they have recently provided me with a 900 soundbar and bass module 700 for £750.00 in exchange for my old Cinemate 1SR. I have the option of the 700 surrounds for £385.00 too, so this makes the full system a fantastic value proposition compared to the Arc. And most of the others too
First, loved the review guys you nailed it! I bought the ARC + Sub Gen 3 + One SL's for the living room for my wife who just wanted something that sounded good and required zero fuss to use. Our TV is not within viewing distance when in the kitchen cooking/cleaning and we found the added benefit of getting additional One SL for the kitchen. It's synced as an additional center channel so when we are in the kitchen we can still easily hear the TV. Not sure if the competition offers a similar benefit. Also, we use Sonos speakers in other rooms so it's nice to have whole house sound integration. And should Sonos upgrade a product they make upgrading/swapping out speakers relatively simple, thus reducing my FOMO. Thanks again!
So I have the Arc, 2 subs, 2 ERA 300s (Surrounds) and 2 ERA 300s as fronts….the result is spectacular. I also have another Arc, 2 subs and ikea symfonisk lamps as a secondary setup….fantastic! The Sonos ecosystem has finally grown on me. Great review Andrew!
WoW, high electra bill for stand-by only!
@@markwillems4826 hahahaha! But all worth it. They get used very heavily!!!
How does the eras up front work and is there any echo?
Thank you for the review. We own the full Sonos arc, large sub, and the small Sonos SL for surrounds in our bedroom. But our living room has a Denon 2700, Klipsch 6K series center/towers, Klipsch 12” sub, and Kef in ceiling surrounds. We love both, but if we want to “feel” the movie we go to the living room.
I love your thoughts/advice on how much you want manage these system’s. I couldn’t agree more, I love our main system. However, I wasn’t interested in the same complexity, wiring, or technology cabinet for our bedroom.
I’d recommend the Sonos to most people that aren’t technical, because while expensive it is an excellent low technological barrier to entry for the quality.
You both rock, thanks for throwing us a bone on this review. You nailed it as always.
I have a very similar setup in my living room. I also have the arc, gen3 sub and one SLs for surrounds in my game room/man room. I would agree with your assessment.
The arc etc is great for a smaller room and very simple to setup. The living room setup is in your face like a movie theater but is much more complicated to setup for the average person.
Now ….. comparing Sonos arc to a Sony HT9 system , purely for surround sound movie watching. What would you say would is the best setup, Sonos or Sony surround sound setup ?
Thank you so much for your review of this. I heard the Sonos system at an audio show earlier this year and was very impressed. I fully intended to buy it until I saw your review of the Samsung HW-Q990C. Given the current sale price of the Samsung I could save about $1000 and get a sound bar that suited my needs. Since I already have an excellent 2 channel system I only needed a solution for TV and movies and did not need anything for music. Your review said all of the things I expected regarding these 2 systems and I hope it will help others that are comparing the sea of options.
I have this exact setup with dual subs and am happyish. The second sub really helps balance the low end. I moved into a MUCH smaller place and this was my compromise from a Denon powered Klipsch floor standing 2 channel system with dual 15” subs which would have gotten me kicked out. 😂 What’s lacking is the live soundstage and vibrancy of the Klipsch. And of course, the Sonos cost an about the same as my old system, which is why I’m less than an enthusiastic proponent.😊
I actually owned the Sonos Arc once and sometimes think of going back but I always get the feeling that the better speakers are actually the Era 300's and perhaps they should be the one in front instead as they might provide also a better musical experience then the Arc on it's own. I do wonder when listening to music I remember you also just tried the Era 300's without the Arc as stereo set. Do you prefer the stereo experience from just the 300's or feel the Arc with Era 300's added as rear is similar/worse or better?
It is clear that the arc is lagging behind the technology in the new ERA300s . Once I added the ERaA’s, it became clear that the constraints on the sound field are based on the limitations of the ARC
Time to review the Nakamichi!
Bought a Sonos Arc two weeks ago because in my opinion it’s still a great option for this price! Great Sound, great app and it just works 🤷🏼♂️
Am glad you did this review. I mentioned in one of your live streams, that i have added 3 arc systems around my house, even tho i have 2 2 channel rigs that are an order of magnitude more expensive (Linn $25k system, and Linn $100k system). Why? Because my family, kids, and now grandkids, love the ease of use of the Sonos, and even friends/guests can pop in and play music on Sonos, whether using Apple Music, Spotify, or my sonos sources. Do i still use the Linn’s? Of course, but only for 2 channel wonder. For everything else, i love our Sonos. Thanks for this ‘timely’ review…. BTW, i opted for 2 gen 3’s in 2 of the systems. It makes a difference for larger rooms
I tried the arc and then tried a Bose. I went with the Bose. Sounds absolutely amazing
What about the Nakamichi Dragon? Any review on this in the near future?
Great review! I just might consider this one. After over 20 years playing with home theatre (started with AC-3) I have probably spent more than the cost of this on cables. And crawling in back when a cable comes loose is getting to be a bit music. Really glad I found your channel! Also thank you for mentioning music, my interests lay there in live concerts. Also a dedicated 2 channel you mentioned. I totally agree.
I couldn't be happier with my Sonos setup, just the one you have over there, is amazing TNX for the great review
Thank you both for this review! I was waiting on Kristi to refer to the sub as the “donut” lol. Andrew, I’m so glad that you broke down that everyone has their own audio setup preferences. Some like the plug and play option and some like the more traditional setup option. Both are fine. I’ve had the arc for a few years now and what I appreciate about Sonos is that they are an update consistent company. They continuously release updates to make their products sound as best as they can, along with any bug fixes. It gives the consumer more confidence as well.
By far one of my favorite production value of a channel. 😃👍
Can't wait for the arc ultra , pairings like sub mini + beam + era 100's
OMG i still can't believe my eyes! You finally did it, THANK YOU!
Thanks for sticking with us and for waiting. Hope you enjoy the video.
I’ve had my Sonos system with the arc since it was first introduced. I was on a waiting list to receive it. I have been pleased with the sound quality ever since years already. I’ve tried a couple of others, but luckily never gave my Arc up. I have it with the subwoofer and the surround speakers.
If you’re looking for a speaker system and want to lay out the expense, you will be very pleased. Excellent for home theater still to this day. I get comments when we watch a movie and it sounds terrific for music.
@@Sas-wk9lj not sure how I can answer that, but it sounds terrific. I’m sorry I can’t get more technical than that.
@@Sas-wk9lj plenty of bass. I have the original sub. never changed it to the two of the three
I just sold my Arc + sub (gen 1) which I had for about two years and got myself a Bang and Olufsen Stage. I don't care that much for a sub anymore and the clarity of the dialogs when watching a regular TV show are much better on the Stage. It's also more musical on its own than the Arc. Just my two cents.
So tempting! Love my 990B, so I'll wait for the updated Arc next year, and go all-out with Arc v2, 300s and *2* subs. Thanks for the great review!
Appreciate you watching!
Great review.
One aspect that this and all other reviews miss is the multi-room capacities....so if I'm watching sports, go to the bathroom, I still have the audio playing.
The multi-room is in my mind the biggest selling point of sonos.
This! My wife loves the ease of use of the app also and groups the arc, era100’s and subs often to play music. I also add the other speakers when I’m watching the game so I don’t miss the commentary.
I am a Sonos arc owner (plus their big sub and One SL first and Era 300 now), and I agree with the review; Sonos is very practical, and in my case, that is key, but with the One SL as surrounds the Sonos system does not sound much better than the z906 from Logitech, which I had.
I have always loved hi-fi, but I did not ever have the space or the time, to fully dive into it. I bought a Krell HTS and Krell 5-channel amp years ago, but it stopped there. I listened to fantastic systems and the Sonos one is very far from it, and I am sure, even with my limited knowledge, that there was a way better way to spend my money. But the Era 300 gave me hope; I am definitely waiting for an arc upgrade, and luckily, Sonos products, like Apple ones, do not lose much in value over time.
Knowing what I know now, would I buy again a sound bar? No, not at all, but having it now I crave for updates. The step forward made by using the Era 300 as surrounds is big, and I really hope the new "lasso" sound bar would be even a bigger step forward, especially for stereo music.
What it is not said in the review is that the sonos app is not as good as they wanted us to believe. At the moment trueplay for arc+sub+era 300 does not work and I had to install the era 300 with a IOS device because the setup process did not work on my google pixel.
As a former Arc owner, I enjoyed this review and I really second 95% of everything Andrew said. I originally went for the Arc since I was looking for a soundbar under $1000 that sounds as good as possible without a sub. (And I would stand by that evaluation....although.... the Sub is still totally worth it!) I thought I didn't want a sub, since I live in a condo and really didn't feel the need to shake my walls. After awhile, I added the Ones Gen2 as rear surrounds, then a Sub Mini as soon as it came out (couldn't resist). I have to say, after adding the Sub mini, I understand what everyone says about subs.. .it's not just about the bass! It really frees up those 3" drivers in the bar to do their thing. My expectations of this bar were exceeded at each step.
So -- why a *former* Arc owner? Well... I am a music-first kind of audiophile... so in my little living room I had a full blown Sonos system AND a budget analog system so I could spin vinyl. After staring at my setup awhile, I finally decided to sell my Sonos gear to fund the music habit a little more. So my current secondhand Nirvana is a Yamaha AVR (with pre-outs) into a Peachtree grand pre (with AVR bypass) into a McIntosh power amp, driving a pair of PSB speakers for L+R. For music, I can run my streamer and turntable into the Grand Pre. For movies, I will occasionally hook up a pair of Klipsch's for rear surrounds and Sony's for Atmos height, run the Yamaha room correction, and enjoy. And as good as that setup sounds, does it sound better than the Sonos setup? Probably not, believe it or not. I kind of miss the Sonos, at times, but only for Atmos movies. Also I'm not running a center or a sub, so there's that.
All this to say -- I really think you ask the right question at the end of this video, which is : This, or a conventional surround setup? And my answer is, if your priority is ease of use and minimum of cables, go for an Arc-based setup. Seriously. It even sounds surprisingly satisfactory for music. If on the other hand, you're like me, enjoy your vinyl, like to tinker, and don't have separate space for home theater and listening, then ... do what I did and cobble together your own system. I don't regret getting rid of the Sonos sytem, but that's mainly because I like to tinker and I am a music first kind of listener. I put separate WiiMs in my living room and office, so I can synchronize music if I want to *almost* as slick as what Sonos does. But if I wanted to hit the easy button, I would still have the Sonos stuff.
PS I scrolled down and saw a couple reviews crapping on the Sonos for being expensive, or not supporting their 5-year-old gear. First, run room correction!! Andrew wasn't kidding, it made a huge difference in my space. I doubt that airbnb host ran the room setup properly. Second, Sonos to me is kind of the Apple of the audio world. You pay a little more for the overall UX and customer support. And they require an internet connection for setup! Which to me is a negative. But they do have a trade in program that's quite good. So while you're making a substantial investment, they do have your back by allowing you to upgrade your gear. So for instance, say you plunk down for an Arc today, and they come out with an updated model, you get a substantial discount on the upgraded one as long as you're the original owner of that Arc.
Wow I read your whole post and you are actually a person with common sense and you owned Sonos. So you totally get it! I plan on upgrading my sound bar from the Sonos play bar to the Sonos Arc. The play bar has given me years and years of great movie watching and music listening experience. I just feel like I got my money's worth I will sell it for a cheap price and enjoy the Arc I'm hoping for as long as I enjoyed the Play bar. I have a play 5 for my record player line input. It gets the job done. I would not call myself an audiophile but I do LOVE music and listening to it on my Sonos. I do not have the new generation sub. I hope that will not handicap me. At least here soon I can listen to some Atmos surround sound. I'm looking forward to it 🫱🏽🫲🏻
I'm in a similar boat as you (in the opposite direction) have always had big setups over the years since Dolby Pro Logic day's 1990 and looking to ditch it all for a 1 bar only solution and optional sub.
I stopped watching movies 2/3 yrs ago and used my system in Multi-channel, so looking for a enhanced TV sound speaker with some width to the sound & maybe....maybe a sub mini to balance the sound
Not a huge fan of rumbling bass.
PS I did hear the Arc on it's own in a large department store 2 days ago and was very spatial sounding to me, more so than the Bose 900 witch sounds like a soundbar (1 speaker in front of the TV)
Enjoyed your comment. A Sonos system will never satisfy an audiophile and it shouldn't. What did it for me was the simplicity of install, the great sound AND the ability to easily add speakers in any room of your house or outside on the deck as the funds allow. I love being able to walk anywhere in my home and hear music playing in sync. Being married to an interior designer for 50yrs visual acceptance was a big plus. As I build out my basement family room I probably will sell off my ELAC/Denon hardware and just go with more Sonos. I agree with your comment, it is the Apple of the audio world.
@@bobbubevski2719 thanks man. I can't wait to get it. Looking forward to hearing it. I use to work at circuit City back in the days. I was exposed to all the things both audio and video. It's amazing the things you can buy for just audio especially. I could see myself spending a crazy amount of money so I went the simple way with Sonos. I did spend a good bit of money on my record player. From Pro ject I did wait until it had a strep sale. I didn't want to spend the $800+ for it.
This review was worth the wait. I enjoy all your reviews and value your opinion. Its crazy that this product still leaves most of the competition in the dust. I think the sub is one of the best in the game. I got lucky to get my arc and sub on sale a year ago. Im waiting to get the era 300s now
Recently I got the Sonos Arc and sub, They are my first sound bar and subwoofer and I wish I bought em sooner, now my tv sounds like an old school tv in comparison
I had the bar for almost 2 years now. Just added the era and sub now. It’s crazy listening to music on it
Being able to mix, match, upgrade, and re-use Sonos speakers for years was a huge selling point. I started with a Beam Gen 1 with Symfonisk bookshelf speakers, added a Gen 3 sub a year later, upgraded the Beam to Gen 2 when it came out, and upgraded the Symfonisk speakers to One SLs during a X-mas sale. Able to re-use the other systems in another room. I couldn't upgrade individual components for my Nakamichi 7.2.4 like I could with Sonos. Ended up replacing the Nakamichi with the Arc, dual Gen 3 subs, and Fives and been very happy.
Great review. Seems really compelling. Though I snagged a Q990C for the AAA discount at $840 so that compared to $2k+ for the sonos bundle just really doesn't compare.
Great video. I came close a couple of years ago, but the issue for me (as a physical media guy is the lack of DTS X support. I ended up with the HT-A9 and sub - although I’ve moved on again since then. Now running Yamaha Aventage A6A… The Sonos’ elegance is compelling though.
Why did you moved on?
@@mixching as an audiophile I think I’ve not recovered quite like Andrew has and I was hankering after something that looked and felt and played more like a hi-fi. My current system (having moved house in the meantime) is a hub for music and movies, with vinyl, SACD, Roon, blu-ray, movie & TV streaming in a way I didn’t feel the HT-A9 could be, at least for me - as impressive and enjoyable as it was with just about anything I threw at it. I did also play with the idea of running the Arc with a separate ‘purist’ stereo system for music, but decided against it.
I guess the only real question is: what traditional home theater system would YOU build that you’d argue is better than the Sonos ARC Surround System for the same price or less?
I just got a Sonos Arc during this year's Black Friday sales. Upgraded from Beam (Gen 2). It's fantastic. They're very rarely on sale so I think they'll release an upgrade next year.
It was on sale last year for cheaper actually. I unfortunately returned my arc last year from Costco I bought on sale for $700. went back to buy it on sale again price is now $720. Won't complain to much because it comes with a sound bar mount and an apple gift card
I like the flexibility of Sonos. I started with a Play:1, then 2x Play:1 because i wanted stereo. Then I got a beam, used the Play:1’s as surround and got some Sonos ones’s for my rooms. Then I got a sub. then we moved house and I got the arc, moved the beam to the basement, still use the Play:1s and Sub with my main TV (LG OLED). I have some play5 for stereo listening, looking for a turntable now. Oh I have a Move in the kitchen that I use in the garden when we’re outside and a roam in use around the house and sling in my suitcase when I travel for work… and my wife just uses Apple music and picks a speaker to listen on. It’s just… accessible. And I think my play:1 are some of my oldest ‘smart’ tech that is still… 100% useable and relevant 10 years after I bought it. I think it’s probably equaled out the cost over this time to tech that has aged out.
Good morning Andrew? Always here to support
And we appreciate it! Hope you enjoy the video.
@robinsonbrand I am still hopeful that you will review the Sony A95l before the end of the year video drops. I think those two videos are the ones I am most excited for.😊
Finally 😂 waiting at least 2 years for Sonos Arc review from Andrew's channel. 👍
Hope it was worth the wait!
Awesome review! I was shocked to see it pop up on my suggested videos. My eyes almost popped out of my head. 😂
Hey, TH-cam served our video to you! YAY!
I agree, there is nothing wrong with reviewing a 3 year old product. Great review, as always, really appreciate hearing both of your opinions on all the products you review. You opened my mind to considering a soundbar with your reviews. Keep up the awesome work! Cheers from the Great White North!
Thank you Andrew for covering this setup so thoroughly incl comparisons, much appreciated! Your reviews and dedication are a real contribution to the audio/video community. After seeing tour review i think im going to give this setup a shot. And my regards to Kristi as well, i love her pragmatism :)
I’m not a huge fan of Sonos at all. The fact they require you to use their app (which by the way sucks for me personally), makes me crawl up the wall sometimes. So, this ain’t for me. I know a lot of people live by that brand, but it’s just not my thing. But I’m glad people have finally gotten the review they’ve all been asking for. I’m just here for the vibes today, and they’re fun as hell!
Hope everyone is having an awesome Sunday!
Sonos is definitely its own eco-system that's for sure, and I too have my occasional gripes with their app (mainly the constant self-promotion and updates), but on the whole, the platform is solid. All that said, I get it, and appreciate you still hanging out and saying hi!
I get it!
I got one of these 3 years ago and have been very pleased with it. I always wondered what you thought about it. You skipped over the benefit of getting free streaming music with Sonos too.Thanks for doing this.
Been waiting years for this review. Plenty of review of it over the years but your opinion matters a lot
Thank you, Andrew for your straight forward reveiws and what I also enjoy is having your wife's point of view the product. It's like having to reviews in on video, great job both of you.
Thanks for finally putting out the review. This was the first time I felt both of you were not as excited to review this product and did it just to end the debate.
Glad to know that samsung q990c tested better for dialogue. Asnwered that question of mine.
Thanks for the review
First off, congrats to the Longhorns, that was a great season for them, as a KU fan we will miss you in the Big XII.
As far as the video. Nicely done! Well worth the wait. I love my Sonos mainly because Apple Music is native in the app and doesn’t interfere with my phone’s audio capabilities. You guys are awesome, have a fantastic week
Hook 'em!! I hope to see Kansas continue to get better and better!
Hopefully, UT's season isn't over. Thanks for watching!
Had my ARC for about 2 years or more and do agree the dialogue is not the best l, even after Truplay and speech enhancement on. I find it hard to get the right balance, you up the sound to hear the speech and then the loud sounds are too loud so you lower it but then can’t hear speech.. I have tried the loudness setting also and that don’t make much difference either.
Sonos just need to make the centre channel better, tweak it, give us control
Its good that soundbars finally do justice to music. Those early clunkers were an improvement over the tiny, tinny speakers in the flat tvs. But they never sounded great at anything. Theyve come a long way.
Soundbars have come further than any other home theater or hifi genre has in probably 10 years!
The reality is the Sonos arc is the best simply because for $899 you can just buy a soundbar. And at anytime you can upgrade and make it essentially a great home theater system by adding a sub or two (which now sets it in a league of its own) with the era 300’s. Kinda unbeatable unless you step up to the Nakamichi Dragon. When it comes to the Samsung hdmi switching feature it’s useless if it’s not 2.1 for gaming and you game with a modern tv due to it not being a 2.1 input. I guess it’s an advantage if you want to plug cable or a 4K Blu-ray player in which do not use 4K/120 then ok I get it.
Please do the nakamichi dragon when you get a chance! Great video as always
Haven't even started watching this yet, but just want to say man its ABOUT TIME!
Fab review as usual. I don''t have use for a soundbar - today. I'm semi-invested in speakers in a classic home theater system that serves my purpose today. I promise though, if and when I move in the future, I'll be revisiting a lot of these videos. It's all about education and the passion behind taste. Excellent excellent excellent.
Appreciate you watching all the same!
I have the Sony HT-A9 w/SW5 and zero dropouts so far. Love it! Thanks for Sonos review guys!
I just bought myself a Bose smart soundbar 600 2 days ago and I love it so much, definitely worth the money just for that sound bar 🥳🤩
From my experience, the system wasn’t complete until the era 300s. That was the thing that pushed it into the next level. When I had the play ones as surrounds It was missing something. Adding the era 300s made it a whole new system. I built this system over time. You can’t do that with a system in a box.
You're 100% right, you can build as space and funds allow and you can get the pieces that work best for you!
Love our Sonos! Got an Arc, Sub Gen2, and two IKEA symfonisks lamps for a full surround all separately on the second-hand market, for about 40% the cost of them new. Amazing product, and I easily prefer the sound and app functionality over my outgoing Samsung 930b set.
Great review! Thank you so much.
How does it compare to B&O products? Theatre and Stage??
Because I’m trying to figure out if I’m better off with an ARC or a B&O
The Arc will be perfect in a condo/apartment setup. Smaller spaces with neighbors.
Just wanted to say I bought two Era 300s and pair them as stereo speakers for the living rooms because of the previous video suggestion and I love it. I bought an Apple TV as well so I get the best of both worlds with music and movies
Great review. As you said a few years late because they didn’t wanted to send you a unit for review! I have same setup you reviewed plus an additional subwoofer, however it is past due time for Sonos to provide a soundbar that matches the Era 300’s and the now most updated competition (dragon!!) . Great content as always entertaining and super informative!!!!
I love the comparisons given by Kristi, especially with the Sony HT-A9. I'm seriously considering that system at the current price.
recently got the arc and its great, the biggest thing that annoys me is that quiet scenes are EXTREMELY quiet causing me to want to turn it up, and then the loud sounds are so loud that im worried it annoys everyone in my house. just wish they had a audio normalization setting for when you dont quite want/need the huge dynamic range of the audio levels.
They do have a setting for this, it’s called night setting and it’s available from the app
@@1986MacDaddy i will try this, thank you
What also would be pretty interesting is a comparison between a Sonos Arc (standalone and also with sub and surrounds) and a setup with an amp like the bluesound powernode and a pair of compact speakers, all together for a similar price like Sonos 🤔 I'm curious to see what the difference in movies and music is and how it performs against each other
Loved this review. I am on the fence. Just bought a new home and one group recommended the Sonos set up another recommended the Samsun and the Kilpsch 7s. The reasoning on the sevens was they said my ceiling in the living room of new home were so tall that I may not be able to truly get a good Dolby Atmos set up. The soundbar shooting sound to the ceiling would be pointless. Not sure if that’s entirely true or not but the Klipsch 7s did sound amazing in there store. This review now still has me wondering about the Sonos. Thoughts?
I contemplating purchasing the next gen arc and gen4 sub but I will wait to watch the reviews of both before making a decision and I'm positive there will be quite a few. Sonos cannot afford any mistakes after their app debacle so they had better have their act totally together.
Looking forward to you reviewing the NEW SONOS ARC ULTRA and the GEN 4 Sub love your reviews and your views cheers from Canada
Finally! Have Bose older 300 and contemplated the new Bose 900 but went Sonos in the end. Glad I did. Nice review as always Andrew!
Thanks for the Sonos review. I like their sound and their app. I agree they’re the best soundbar I’ve heard for both TV and streaming music IMO. Better than the Bose and Samsung bars I’ve tried. The Beam 2 and mini sub sounds great too for smaller rooms like a den or bedroom.
Just took delivery of Arc, Era 300s, Sub, Port, etc, etc .. this is an upgrade over my older Sonos surround system. Still TV shopping so I won't install it all till I get the TV ... when we'll paint the wall! ;) We have a pair of Devialet Phantom Golds for music, they sound great but Devialet are crap when it comes to software and connectivity (another aspect of painting the wall as we need to run wired ethernet to the Phantoms - their wifi connectivity is crap). You guys talked a lot about the various brand/product options out there but the clincher for me is the Sonos software offering and that smashes the rest. I was on the fence considering a Devialet Dione but my Devialet software experiences to date convinced me to shelve the idea.
I’m watching this because the new Sonos Arc Ultra is out and no thorough review, only stating it’s noticeably better than the original Arc. Your review has got me pumped up for my Sonos Arc Ultra arriving Sunday. Make sure you review that too.
@@PhantomMaxx_ the “reviews” that are out now are just sponsored videos.. unfortunate
Agree
Wow finally! Great to hear you take(s) on the arc!
Hopefully with allthose arc2 rumors we get a review for that sonner than later (like this)😂
I always liked Sonos, always thought their sound was "cleaner" then most other of the higher end soundbars. The problem I've had is you need a sub, it's just not the same without one, and an extra $700+ for the Sonos sub was the "killer" for me. I stumbled upon the Bluesound Pulse, which lets you connect any 3rd party powered sub. The soundbar has a built-in cross over of 80Hz and you can tweak things in the BluOs app. So for $1000, I connected my Yamaha 10" sub, simple plug and play, and it sounds as good, if not better that the Arc...
I am so glad Kristi brought up the Sony HT-A9 as well as the Ambeo (sorry don't love ugly), and the JBL (love the idea of wireless speakers (wish I could get wireless speakers for side surround. I have speakers up by the ceiling, which I am now using for sides, but I know it would be better with true side surrounds and make the ones on the ceiling the rear surrounds or maybe height?, but I don't like wires!)!! Since I have two Sony TVs, if I were going to update my HT, perhaps the Sony Soundbar would work really well with my TV? Or maybe the Sony AVR? Love the "concession" to the Dragon!! LOL! Between the two of you, I feel everything is so thoroughly and well covered. You really do your research!!! Such excellence!! Oh, and I like your music between the sections! I promise to watch again!
Thanks for the feedback on the graphic and music chapter cuts. I always like hearing what you all think! The Sony home theater products, be it soundbars, HT-A9, or their AVRs, are fabulous with Sony TVs and while ease of use doesn't necessarily contribute to sound quality, it makes getting up and running faster which means I want to watch or listen more, which is a win!
Great review. I sure wish Bluesound would play nice with you and let you review their soundbar.
I have two of these one for the master bedroom and one for the family room both with subs and the family paired with some One’s for now and they have been such great performers. Even tally we will upgrade the living room with some 300s but we have a dedicated movie space so we are not in a hurry. Having 6 beams gen 2 and the two arcs with a couple of moves and being able to just rock the whole house in one google command is great!
Thanks to you I discovered the ambeo max. Finally took the plunge this Black Friday and got it for 1600. To me it’s better that the Sonos arc, and miles ahead than the Samsung and Bose. But I cannot afford the b&o yet. Very happy with my sennheiser 😊 , all thanks to you, three years later but I got it!
Thanks for reaffirming my purchase
Three years ago I was deciding between the Samsung Q950T and the Sonos arc, and finally purchased the Samsung Q950T because it has more channels, a few days ago, I found that my soundbar has started to increase the volume randomly, every two minutes, and the volume is too high for me to accept so it doesn't work properly, and I found that the physical mute button, the source switch button, stopped working, I searched online and found that this is common on many Samsung models, and I talked to customer service and tried everything but could not fix it, so I had to send it back for repair. but since it had already exceeded the warranty period, I had to pay the repair fee, and I would like to advise you all to stay away from Samsung soundbars, so as to prevent you from becoming the next disaster!
It might not mean much, but the ARC is the only speaker I’ve heard at BB that made me go, “wow!”
excellent work, thanks for the comments and comparisons, after waiting for the sonos now we just need "Nakamichi DRAGON 11.4.6''. blessings
Great video Andrew and Kristi - one thing that didn't come up with the HT-A9: does the HT-A9's phantom center produce better dialogue than the Sonos Arc?
In my opinion, yes. Kristi can weigh in with her opinion. Both are good, but Sony is going to be more similar to Samsung in that the rise in treble energy does make for a mildly more pronounced dialog presence.
Glad to see the review, was a little afraid of what you may say. I think you nailed it. It’s great overall, but can be beat in each category by other options. The one thing you mentioned but did not highlight is the ability to upgrade or add on over time. I started in the sonos eco system with a playbar for my living room. It has now sprawled into most of the house, and is easy to add more rooms and upgrade as budget allows. My next move is to add the era 300s to replace some of the Ones we have as surrounds.
They go into this when he talks to Kristi. She brings up the modularity over time.
Having spent a lifetime in consumer electronics and watched all the new technologies emerge
one thing i have learned that whilst it is possible to get a lot from small packages, there is a limit
to how well they can compare to a seperates system that takes a long time to fine tune its performance.
I have the luxury of a dedicated home theatre room and spent many years tweaking it to it's current state.
For other rooms i have lesser spec components and a samsung soundbar in my bedroom.
As good as that is, does it compare to my home theatre, not realy but i wouldn't expect it to.
These high end soundbars are good, but you can only get so much out of them without spending too much.
As always when i watch your videos i end up with a smile on my face. A really nice ending to a great weekend. Thanks for another great video.
Great video! I learned so much from your channel.
I have the Sonos ARC with era 300, and dual sub gen 3. It’s a amazing system and I truly love it. You’re absolutely right regarding the dialogue. I wish Sonos can do a better job with the dialogue.
I am ready to take a extra step and get a traditional Home Theater system . Maybe you can do a video for those who want to go from a sound bar to a traditional system. What advice would you give to someone that wants to do a separated, home system for beginners?