The follow-up to the Sonos Arc soundbar could be imminent, and a new leak has spilled all the details. It says the new soundbar will feature 14 channels of sound (three more than the Arc) and new Sound Motion tech for more dynamic audio.
The new model was rumoured to be called the Sonos Arc (Gen 2), though the post by retailer B&H Photo Video (via Reddit) calls it the Sonos Arc Ultra. If that is accurate, the new model will have a 9.1.4-channel arrangement, comprising seven tweeters, six midwoofers and a built-in subwoofer.
According to B&H: "Each driver, engineered by Sonos, is precisely placed and angled within the soundbar to deliver 9.1.4 channels of sound all on its own. Fifteen class-D digital amplifiers, perfectly tuned to the soundbar’s unique acoustic architecture, power each driver individually to optimize [sic] the sound for every channel."
Four up-firing channels is pretty much unheard of on a Dolby Atmos soundbar, so this could be a real step forward by Sonos.
Sonos's new Sound Motion speaker technology is also part of the package. This is thought to use the technology that Sonos acquired when it bought the company Mayht a couple of years ago. The post says this will "deliver improved and more dynamic sound in a sleeker design." Mayht's HeartMotion tech created smaller speakers that sounded much louder –this could well be Sonos's first implementation of it.
The post also says Sonos's Trueplay will be available on Android devices, suggesting a new version will launch for both it and iOS. Trueplay uses your mobile device's sensors to measure your surroundings and optimise the Sonos speakers' output accordingly.
A new adjustable dialogue enhancement feature is also mentioned, as well as a new Sonos Sub 4 wireless subwoofer which could launch at the same time as the new Arc. The launch date is rumoured to be 29th October, but with a leak this extensive, it could be even sooner. Watch this space...
MORE:
Everything worth knowing about the Sonos Arc (Gen 2)
The best Dolby Atmos soundbars
And the best budget soundbars
