The Sonos Arc was a game-changer when it launched in 2020. It looked and sounded like nothing else, delivering a stunning Dolby Atmos surround sound performance from a sleek and stylish package. Four years on, and it's still winning What Hi-Fi? Awards, and has even earned a place in our coveted Hall of Fame.
So rumours of a sequel are big news indeed. We could be just days away from seeing the Sonos Arc (Gen 2) aka Sonos Arc Ultra. So what can we expect? And what features would we most like to see?
Sonos Arc (Gen 2): release date speculation
The next Sonos Arc could land very soon indeed. Rumours abound that the launch date will be 29th October – just in time for Christmas – but it could be even sooner than that. A post by US retailer B&H Photo Video detailed many of the next Arc's features, which suggests it went up a little earlier than planned. Could the new model launch as soon as this week?
Sonos is a bit of an outlier when it comes to its product lifecycle. The original Arc was released on 10th June 2020, making it something of a geriatric compared to the lightly updated products that many other brands churn out annually. But in comparison with other Sonos products, the Arc is merely in its middle-aged stride.
The original Sonos Beam launched in 2018 and only aged out of the company's lineup late in 2021. Before that, the Sonos Playbar and Playbase both had commendable runs of seven and three years, respectively. So four years for the Arc is well within these parameters.
Sonos Arc (Gen 2): price leak
In keeping with the trend of increasing costs for consumer goods, many of Sonos's products underwent a price increase in 2021, including its flagship Arc, which rose by around 12.5 per cent to £899 / $899 / AU$1499. But the company's most recent home cinema releases, the Sonos Ray and Sub Mini, indicate that the company is mindful of appealing to consumers who may be feeling the pinch.
However, a recent leak suggests the Arc (Gen 2) will be aimed at the higher end of the market. It touts a launch price of $1200, up from the $899 (£899 / AU$1499) Sonos charges for the first-gen Arc. It's rumoured to be called the Sonos Arc Ultra for a reason.
If you're on a budget, hope is not lost. Sonos could make an updated version of its cheaper Sonos Arc SL, which launched exclusively to Costco in the US and Canada in 2020. Sonos's 'SL' products are essentially microphone-less versions that don't offer voice control. For the Arc, that shaved $50 off the price and could prove popular if it was widely available.
Sonos Arc (Gen 2): new design?
With Sonos recently turning its hand to engineering powerful sound from increasingly compact speakers, it wouldn't be unreasonable to speculate that an updated Arc might be more practically sized than the current model, which is a not inconsiderable 114cm wide.
Discussing the advancements made in the development of the Sonos Ray, Sonos's product creation leader Brandon Holley said that the curved bass reflex technology developed for the tiny soundbar would be an innovation they plan to use in other products. The limited bass extension of the Arc is one of its few flaws, so it's possible we might see Ray-style reflex ports added to a revamped model.
Indeed, the Arc (Gen 2) is rumoured to have better bass, according to the leak mentioned earlier in this story. That states that the device – codenamed 'Lasso' – will boast better bass and enhanced sound quality compared to the original. It could also incorporate technology from Mayht, a speaker company that Sonos bought in 2022. This could enable a bigger sound from a smaller device, allowing Sonos to upgrade the Arc's audio without enlarging its footprint.
If you ask us, it seems likely that the Arc will remain a single-bar proposition with such integrated technology, as opposed to a bar-and-sub package like many at its price point, especially considering that Sonos sells its own range of subwoofers.
The recent B&H leak backs up these points, and suggests some other features for the 'bar. It says the new model will have a 9.1.4-channel arrangement, comprised of seven tweeters, six midwoofers and a built-in subwoofer. The Mayht tech is thought to be re-christened 'Sound Motion', and will "deliver improved and more dynamic sound in a sleeker design", the post says.
It also mentions a new version of Sonos' Trueplay room calibration tech, an adjustable dialogue enhancement feature and a new Sonos Sub 4 wireless subwoofer to launch alongside it. Plenty to go on.
Sonos Arc (Gen 2): 5 features we'd like to see
With HDMI eARC and full-fat Dolby Atmos onboard, the Arc already supports a wide combination of features. So what might we expect the company to add to this already class-leading soundbar?
1. Full DTS support
One of the most commonly requested upgrades from users is support for Dolby Atmos rival DTS:X, which, while not as commonly used, is still widely available on soundbars from other manufacturers. A firmware update gave Sonos soundbars DTS capacity but only in its basic compressed form, not the full lossless DTS:X or DTS HD MA.
2. HDMI passthrough ports
Another much-longed-for addition for the Arc (Gen 2) would be HDMI passthrough ports, allowing users to connect source devices direct to the Arc. Sonos has always steered clear of extra inputs, citing a desire to keep its users' home cinema set-up as streamlined as possible. Still, with growing numbers of input devices hogging TV HDMIs, it's a feature often found on equivalently priced products.
3. Audio inputs
More of a stretch, perhaps, but nonetheless an interesting inclusion would be RCA, optical or coaxial inputs to plug in an audio source, particularly given the increasing presence of Dolby Atmos in music.
4. Weightier, bassier sound
Dynamics, detail and clarity are all outstanding in the current Arc, though there is a lot to be said for how much weight and bass a home cinema product can produce too. A weightier presentation that's capable of a greater volume of bass – perhaps due to those reflex bass port improvements – would be most welcome in a sequel.
5. Improved stereo performance
Another minor criticism we had regarded music playback. As the Arc uses all of its drivers during stereo playback, it can sound as though the upward- and side-firing speakers are doing too much during music replay and therefore the Arc doesn't project music as directly forward as it could in order to be more engaging.
What would you like to see from a second-generation Arc soundbar? Is there any area where you think positive changes could be made? Let us know in the comments below.
MORE:
New Sonos headphones! Read our Sonos Ace review
Sonos Beam Gen 3 preview: 4 things we want from the next budget Dolby Atmos soundbar
Sonos Beam Gen 2 vs Sonos Ray: the battle of the budget bar
The best movie scenes to test your Dolby Atmos speaker
Read our original Sonos Arc review
