Meet Sonos Arc: The Best Dolby Atmos Soundbar
I’m not exaggerating when I say that Sonos Arc is the best sound bar in the market today. Besides being the top-rated sound bar by audiophiles and tech media reviewers, it dominates new build-to-order (BTO) homes as well. The crowd-favourite sound bar doesn’t fade in relevance with time, but it in fact gets better with time as it updates over the cloud. Here's why the Sonos Arc is my sound bar of choice (even after 3 years from it's launch!).
Are Wi-Fi speakers or Bluetooth speakers better?
I promise I won't get too tecnical here. But one question that loomed over my head was if there were any differences between having a WiFi or a Bluetooth speaker.
Here were my 3 considerations before I decided on my Sonos system:
1. WiFi speakers allow for multi-room audio
As long as they're on the same network, I have the option to connect as many speakers as I'd like over time.
2. Higher resolution audio
I can watch videos with minimal lag between the video and the sound (the tech experts would call this 'latency'). Not only that, but the resolution
3. Bluetooth speakers mirror the sounds on my devices
When I connect my phone to a portable bluetooth speaker, it wasn't just the music that would play, but my message notifications, app sounds and phone calls would be mirrored too.
Consider the Audio Source for Your Speakers
Bluetooth speakers usually receive their power from a small rechargeable battery, making them easily portable. You can find them in a variety of sizes that are ideal for most situations.
Since these speakers are often designed for use away from home, their audio source often comes from a phone or other mobile device.
The audio source for both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speakers is going to be the same though. It’s likely going to be a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Streaming audio on WiFi does present some other benefits such as Airplay 2 compatibility. Using a local network, Airplay 2 creates the option to play audio through multiple devices all at once.
PRO-TIP
With the Arc, you can easily build your sound system over time. (No need to shell out!) Whenever you are ready to, you can connect new Sonos speakers and build your system room by room. This way, you can create a network of speakers to entertain multiple rooms or an entire home.
What is Dolby Atmos?
The Arc was designed to evolve along with the rapid advances in home theater technology. And that means playing Dolby Atmos, the new gold standard of home theater audio. I had to see what Arc could do with a full Atmos setup.
But first, what is Atmos? While there are lots of videos and explanations on the internet describing this technology, I’ll describe it in my own words here. Prior to Atmos, elements of sound from a film or show had to be assigned to a particular channel (left, center, right, rear left, rear right, etc.)
With Atmos though, sounds are treated as objects—and all of the channels work together to project those sounds into different parts of the room. Here’s where it gets cool—Atmos also adds height to the equation. (Arc achieves this by utilizing upward-firing drivers that bounce sound off the ceiling.)
This allows those projected sounds to be heard—not just along a horizontal plane—but anywhere in the entire three-dimensional space of your room.
PRO-TIP
That is why the Arc features eleven precisely engineered internal speakers, including two dedicated height channels. Arc fires sound in all directions, rendering every whisper, explosion and beat with dramatic clarity, detail and depth.
One of the biggest reasons why Sonos fans love their speakers is the system itself is built for years to come. (Fun fact, its predecessor the Sonos Playbar was ruled the roost for 7 years, being Sonos' only sound bar option then.)
