The original
Sonos Arc Ultra
$1,099
Search on Amazon ↗Both are Sonos soundbars that play Dolby Atmos, connect to a TV over HDMI eARC and are set up in the Sonos app. The Sonos Arc Ultra ($1,099) is a 46-inch bar with 14 drivers, including two up-firing tweeters and a built-in Sound Motion woofer. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) ($499) costs $600 less and is a 26-inch bar that creates its height effect with processing instead of up-firing speakers.
The original
$1,099
Search on Amazon ↗Same brand
Sonos
$499Save $600 (55%)
Search on Amazon ↗| Spec | Sonos Arc Ultra | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $1,099 | $499 |
| Dolby Atmos | 9.1.4, with two up-firing tweeters | Yes, with phantom height channels created by processing |
| Channels (RTINGS) | 5.1.2 | 5.0 |
| Drivers | 14, including a Sound Motion woofer | One tweeter and four midwoofers, plus three passive radiators |
| Amplifiers | 15 Class-D | 5 Class-D |
| Size (W x H x D) | 46.38 x 2.95 x 4.35 in | 25.63 x 2.68 x 3.94 in |
| Weight | 13.01 lb | 6.35 lb |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Not listed |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6 compatible, 2.4 and 5 GHz | 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n |
| TV connection | HDMI eARC; optical adapter sold separately | HDMI eARC; optical adapter included |
| Trueplay room tuning | iOS and Android | Supported iOS device required |
| Voice assistants | Sonos Voice Control, Amazon Alexa | Sonos Voice Control, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Sonos says it's for | Large rooms and TVs | TVs up to 65 inches |
Less bass and no up-firing speakers.
Sonos Arc Ultra: You have a large room or TV, want overhead effects from real up-firing speakers, and want deeper bass from the bar before adding a separate subwoofer.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2): Your TV is 65 inches or smaller, the bar has to fit a narrow stand, or your TV only has an optical output, and you'd rather keep the $600.
Yes, but in a different way. Sonos says the Beam (Gen 2) uses advanced processing to create phantom height channels, and its driver list has no up-firing speakers. The Arc Ultra has two up-firing tweeters. Sonos also notes that some formats, including Dolby Atmos via Dolby TrueHD, need an HDMI eARC connection.
The Arc Ultra does: Sonos lists Bluetooth 5.3 for streaming from any Bluetooth device. Sonos doesn't list Bluetooth in the Beam (Gen 2)'s specs. Both work with Apple AirPlay 2.
Yes, to either. RTINGS notes both bars can connect with compatible Sonos speakers to grow into a surround setup, and Sonos suggests pairing the Arc Ultra with a Sonos Sub and Era 300 rear speakers.
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