Review on 🔊 Black Sonos Arc Smart Soundbar: Premium TV, Movies, Music, Gaming & More by Sharon Hill

This is not a "technical" rating, it is a consumer and audio enthusiast rating. If you're looking for technical info, numbers and the like, you'll find plenty of it elsewhere. Background: My TV is a 65 inch LG C9 OLED. I've had a Nakamichi Shockwave 7.1 for a few years. While it was just "okay," there was a bit of an issue with the rear and subwoofer randomly shutting down and rebooting the system, and overall it's not great. I've been looking for a replacement for about 9 months. I've read almost every review on every soundbar. Maybe it's just one panel or 2.1, 5.1, 7.1 or some other combination. However, I didn't just want a soundbar, I wanted a system consisting of a bar, subwoofer and surround back. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The Sonos ARC came out on top in almost every test. JBL, Bose and Samsung Sandbars have been mentioned a lot, but ARC has always been successful. I am above everyone. So two weeks ago I ordered a Sonos ARC, a Sonos Sub (3rd generation) and two Sonos One(s). Unboxing the system was a delight. The packaging reminded me a lot of how Apple packs their products, iPhones, iPads, etc. When you unpack each item, you immediately notice its "weight". Heavy, great workmanship and very attractive. This system is not cheap. The total cost is 1900 rubles. But is it worth the money? Spring. Continue reading. The first installation was ARC himself. I wanted to see him stand alone. It was easy to set up. You download the S2 app and it handles every step. When you're done, you should launch TruePlay. This allows your soundbar to explore your space so it can intelligently distribute sound. The whole setup and TruePlay takes about 3 minutes, after that you're done. A note on connecting ARC to a TV. I've read a lot of criticism that the ARC only has one HDMI port. While it's true that there's only one HDMI port that supports ARC and eARC (not to be confused with Sonos ARC), the criticism isn't really accurate in my opinion. The caveat with this soundbar is that you'll need a "newer" TV that supports the ARC and eARC protocols, as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X to take full advantage of it, as all your components need to be hooked up to another HDMI TV . Ports, and then the TV sends all signals to the Sonos panel via ARC or eARC. So if your TV isn't new enough (I believe it should be 2018 or newer), the Sonos ARC might not be for you. First test: As I said, I now have the soundbar alone. No subwoofer or rear speakers. ). I watched Hamilton on Disney+ via Apple TV 4K and via the Disney+ app on an LG TV. I had never seen the musical before, so I had no expectations of what it would look like or sound like. Well, let me tell you. The Dolby Vision picture was amazing. Connecting the Apple TV directly to the TV showed that Nakamichi was stealing a nice picture from me as it didn't appear to be passing through a true Dolby Vision signal. Now the picture was so good. Hamilton in Dolby Atmos on Disney+. The Sonos ARC itself sounded amazing. The dialogue was clear, the music was clear, and the sound distribution was great. Bass was fully present; unfortunately no thunder, but it was there. ARC scored 4.5 stars on this test (I'll explain the missing half at the end of the review). Second test: subwoofer connected to ARC. In the S2 app you just say you want to "add a subwoofer" and need instructions. I was watching John Wick Chapter 3 Parabellum on a Sony X800-M2 UHD 4K Blu-ray player. ARC has once again done a wonderful job of distributing audio. The bullets are buzzing from left to right, people are coming at you from the front, from behind and from everywhere. Then there's scene 3 in the movie. It's a motorcycle chase with Wick on horseback. The subwoofer filled the room with amazingly thunderous bass. I hid the subwoofer next to the couch in the media room and you could feel the beat all over the couch, floor, walls and pretty much everywhere. Adding a subwoofer to the ARC created a whole new experience. In this test there are full 5 stars. Third test: added 2 Sonos One speakers as surround sound. Return to the S2 app, select "Add Sonos One(s)" and follow the instructions; It even asks if you want to set up the speakers as a surround back speaker pair. When you're done, PLEASE don't forget to launch TruePlay. This will recalibrate the entire system, which you currently have to adapt to room and environmental configurations, to achieve the best possible sound distribution. Believe me, it works like magic. Dead easy. Next up is Avengers Mad Max: Fury Road. Now. Sit down and get ready for an experience that you can only have in a cinema, not at home. When the movie starts, Mad Max's voice can be heard from across the room. He then gets in his car and drives away, and the War Boys arrive. ABOVE and behind you. I literally had to duck because I thought something was higher and closer to my head. When this movie was released in 2015, it was created for this Sonos system. This is purely a demonstration of a system that allows you to flex your muscles. The sound comes to you from anywhere. Just dive into all meanings of the word. Clarity and a very powerful bass just mercilessly tear through the entire movement. Next up is Avengers: Endgame. Bass is funny now. It will shock your home if you turn it on more than 50%. Harsh sound comes at you from every direction and superheroes fly through your living room, media room or whatever room you're looking from. This test scores an amazing 5 stars out of 5. Now let me explain why I gave the standalone ARC 4.5 stars. I did this because I was listening to a system with rear speakers and a subwoofer which left the sound a bit lacking from the bar itself. Otherwise, ARC also gets a solid 5 stars. The Sonos system isn't for everyone. Is it expensive. It requires a new TV and it doesn't have a remote control (who needs one). But if you want the best, you have to do it for your own sake to even see it. Conclusion: The Sonos ARC, paired with the Sonos Sub and two Sonos One(s), is the absolute star among the sound systems. Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DD+ or any surround sound sounds the same as on any other soundbar. Setup is easy with the Sonos app (S2). The workmanship of the speakers is impeccable and shows attention to detail and the whole system is very pleasing to the eye and suits your home whether you are modest or traditional. I know this was a long review but if it helps even one person then I consider it a success.