Last month we reported on Sonos’ next soundbar, which was rumored to be called the Sonos Arc Ultra . Now, a newly leaked image that looks very similar to an official Sonos product page seems to confirm it, along with a price tag.
The image was shared to the r/sonos subreddit and includes the image above. The copy calls the Arc Ultra the “Premium Smart Soundbar” (which is the exact same description as the original Sonos Arc) and says it’s “The definitive Home Theater soundbar. Enhanced with immersive Sound Motion technology. And did someone say ‘Bluetooth’?” The listed price: $1,199.
As ever with internet images, this could be a total hoax. But it does fit with recent credible rumors, including a Google AI leak that appeared to share its specs. We’ve reached out to Sonos for comment and will keep you updated on any responses.
What we think we know about the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar
The Sound Motion technology is almost certainly Sonos’ name for HeartMotion, a technology developed by Mayht, a company Sonos acquired in 2022. HeartMotion promises to dramatically upgrade speaker technology by delivering drivers that are much smaller than typical speakers and significantly lighter, requiring less power to drive them. As Sonos explained when it acquired the company, Mayht “invented a revolutionary new approach to audio transducers. Transducers are the fundamental element in speakers that create sound, and Mayht has reimagined them to enable smaller and lighter form factors without sacrificing quality.”
That makes the Arc Ultra really interesting, as it could mean better audio quality and a more immersive soundstage. The presence of HeartMotion ties in with previous rumors that the codenamed Lasso soundbar would look like the Arc but deliver vastly improved sound, especially in the low end, where HeartMotion is particularly suited.
According to Google’s AI, as shared with r/sonos last week, the Arc Ultra will have eight woofers and three tweeters, powered by 11 Class D digital amplifiers. There’s support for Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, and Apple AirPlay 2, and it’ll be the first Sonos soundbar to come with Bluetooth. However, Google’s AI has also claimed that deadly mushrooms are safe to eat and that you should put glue in pizza, so maybe take those with a grain of salt for now.
If the leaked image was accidentally uploaded by Sonos’ marketing people, then a launch may not be far away. We’re also expecting a new version of the Sonos Sub, which is likely to launch around the same time.
This is priced higher than most good soundbars and is a seriously high-end product, but if it can extract the potential for full bass and incredible 3D sound from a single soundbar then it could be something very special.
