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Sonos Arc, Sonos Five and Sonos: Sub 3 Generation – Launch of the Sonos Software Platform S2

It is more than just a soundbar, he said, because it enables the streaming of a wide variety of content, providing unique sound for TV, movies, series, games and music, the new Sonos Arc. Sonos Inc. even calls it a smart premium soundbar and an essential component of the latest generation of Sonos S2 devices, including the Sonos Five and Sonos: Sub 3.


It’s been a long time since Sonos Inc. was recognized as the leader in multi-room audio streaming solutions. Heos built-in systems from Denon and Marantz, Yamaha MusicCast, BluOS from the Lenbrook Group, all of these solutions have long since left the former industry leader behind, providing modern, flexible, very convenient solutions. But before Sonos Inc. is drowning in insignificance, the company wants to turn the tide and announced in March 2020 that it would be launching entirely new products that would form the basis for a completely new version of the operating system, which Sonos Inc. calls Sonos 2, and which would be accompanied by a new app. The company announced that it would launch the first products of this new generation in May 2020, a promise that is now being fulfilled with the announcement of the new Sonos Arc, the Sonos Five, and the Sonos: Sub 3 Generation.

In the past, a soundbar or sound desk has been an essential part of the Sonos Inc. product line, and it’s not just this platform that has been the entry point for many customers. You want good TV sound, you need a soundbar or a sound desk, and if they also function as a flexible streaming solution, all the better…

Sonos Inc. will be showcasing the Sonos 2 platform with the new Sonos Arc, which replaces the previous Sonos soundbar and sound desk systems.

The promises that Sonos Inc. is making around the new Sonos Arc are full-bodied. For example, they say that it’s more than just a soundbar, because the Sonos Arc not only provides perfect sound for TV, movies, series and games, but as a streaming system it also plays back a wide variety of content in unique quality. The Sonos Arc is designed to deliver the most immersive cinema sound at home through software-assisted audio with detailed sound, crystal-clear dialogue, impressive bass and Dolby Atmos compatibility.

Sonos Inc. claims that the new Sonos Arc is based on eleven powerful drivers, two of which are upward-facing and designed to deliver 3D sound so that Dolby Atmos can be reproduced in stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and Dolby Atmos. DSP-based signal processing also provides a variety of algorithms to optimize playback, such as speech enhancement for clearer voice reproduction, a special night mode with reduced volume, and, in particular, Sonos Trueplay Tuning, which is already known from various previous solutions from Sonos Inc.

Although the manufacturer does not disclose any further technical details in the well-known manner, it does state that the Sonos Arc delivers an ultra-wide soundstage with impressive bass, offers unique clarity and detail, and was developed in collaboration with Oscar-winning sound engineers.

The new Sonos S2 software platform is designed to make the new Sonos Arc easier to control, first and foremost with the new Sonos App, of course, but also with voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and since it is Apple AirPlay 2 compatible, also with Apple Siri. You can also use the remote control of a TV set to operate it.

The new Sonos Arc is available in black or white, both with a matt finish, and the manufacturer literally speaks of an elegant design with a rounded 270° plastic front. This is intended to create an interference-free, multidimensional sound. Not only can the soundbar be placed directly in front of the TV, but it can also be wall-mounted. The connection to the TV set is of course via HDMI, which is a connection that has an eARC, i.e. an enhanced audio return channel, so that content including Dolby Atmos can be transmitted.

Like previous Sonos Inc. soundbar and sound desk systems, the new Sonos Arc can be expanded to include solutions such as a subwoofer or surround speaker, with Sonos Inc. leading the way with the Sonos Sub and Sonos One SL speakers.

A new option would be the Sonos: Sub 3rd Generation, which Sonos Inc. is announcing at the same time as the Sonos Arc. This new subwoofer has the same design as the existing subwoofers and is designed to deliver an equally rich bass, but is already well equipped for the Sonos S2 platform. The new Sonos: Sub 3rd Generation is available in white and black.

The Sonos Five, the successor to the Sonos PLAY:5, is another innovation that adopts the acoustic architecture and design of the Sonos PLAY:5. The Sonos Five can be placed vertically or horizontally, making it easy to integrate into any living environment. Of course, you can combine two Sonos Five into a stereo pair. This new speaker is available in black with a black front, but also white with a completely white front.

“Home is playing a more important role in our lives now than ever before. It’s always been our goal to help our customers create unique moments and feel as much at home as possible with the great sound of Sonos products. The Arc brings the sound of our favorite shows and artists right into our homes in ways never before possible. We want our users to effortlessly experience the best video and music streaming available today. The Arc clearly shows that Sonos has perfected the combination of great sound and quality design. It’s a sound bar unlike any other.”

Patrick Spence, CEO Sonos Inc.

The new Sonos Arc is designed to replace the Sonos PLAYBAR and Sonos PLAYBASE and will be available from June 10, 2020 at a price of €899. The new Sonos: Sub 3rd Generation will also be available from that date at a suggested retail price of €799. The Sonos Five will also be available from retailers on that date at a suggested retail price of €579, but Sonos Inc. is already offering it exclusively through its own online store. Once again, Sonos Inc. proves that it doesn’t really care about the already limited number of retail partners…

According to Sonos Inc., the new app will be available from June 8, 2020. It will bring all the benefits of the new Sonos 2 platform, along with increased security and an improved, user-friendly design.

Getting to the point

The promises that Sonos Inc. is making around the new Sonos Arc are very full-bodied. They say that it is more than just a soundbar, because the Sonos Arc not only provides perfect sound for TV, movies, series and games, but also offers a streaming system for the playback of various content in unique quality. The Sonos Arc is designed to deliver the most immersive cinema sound at home through software-assisted audio with detailed sound, crystal-clear dialogue, impressive bass and Dolby Atmos compatibility. Also new is the Sonos Sub: 3rd generation and the Sonos Five, the successor to the Sonos PLAY:5. But if this is to be the “big hit” with which Sonos Inc. wants to assert itself again against the numerous competitors and their platforms…

Manufacturer:Sonos Inc.
Distribution:Sonos Inc.
Price:Sonos Arc € 899,-
Sonos: Sub 3. Generation € 799,-
Sonos Five € 579,-
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Michael Holzinger

Michael Holzinger, founder and editor-in-chief of HiFi BLOG and sempre-audio.at, has been working for years as a journalist in the fields of IT, photography, telecommunications and consumer electronics.

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