After two weeks of testing the Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 at home, one thing is clear: this is not just an audio setup, it’s an experience. Whether it’s a late-night movie session or an intense sports match, this system delivers a premium home theatre feel that genuinely elevates the viewing experience.
While Sonos has always aimed to balance performance and ease of use, this new combo of the Arc Ultra paired with the powerful Sub 4 takes things several notches higher. And based on my personal time with the setup, I can confidently say that the performance is just as compelling as the price tag suggests.
Design and Setup: Sleek, Minimal, and Effortless
The Arc Ultra remains true to Sonos’ clean, understated design language. The elongated soundbar looks premium in both black and white, though I tested the black variant, which blended in seamlessly with my living room setup. It’s solid and heavy, a testament to its internals, but something to keep in mind if you’re wall-mounting.
The Sub 4, while minimal in appearance, makes its presence felt. Its elegant matte finish hides serious low-frequency power beneath the hood.
Setting everything up took barely 15 minutes. The Sonos app walks you through the process effortlessly. Trueplay tuning, which adjusts the sound based on your room’s acoustics, made a noticeable difference, especially in a space like mine that has a mix of open corners and hard surfaces.
Sound Performance: A Theatre at Home
The real magic happens when you hit play. Watching Interstellar on a 4K TV felt like I was transported back to the time when the movie was re-released and I caught it in an IMAX theatre in Mumbai. The Arc Ultra supports Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, and you genuinely feel it. The overhead effects pan naturally, while subtle ambient details fill the room. It creates an immersive bubble of sound around you.
Where previous soundbars often struggled with dialogue clarity, the Arc Ultra excels. Thanks to its dedicated centre channel and Sonos’ speech enhancement tech, voices come through crisp, even during chaotic action scenes. Whether it was dialogue-heavy drama like The Bear or commentary during the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup, everything was crystal clear without the need to bump up the volume.
And then comes the bass.
The Sub 4 is, in a word, thunderous. But it’s also incredibly precise. Whether it’s the roar of a motorcycle engine or the deep drop in a Hans Zimmer score, the bass is rich, resonant, and clean. You don’t just hear it; you feel it. That rumble in your chest during action scenes? That’s Sub 4 doing its job.
Music Streaming: High-Quality All-Rounder
While the Arc Ultra shines in cinematic use, I spent just as much time streaming music via Spotify and Apple Music. From live jazz sets to bass-heavy hip hop, the setup didn’t disappoint. The soundstage is wide, with instrument separation that you’d typically expect from multi-speaker systems.
Vocals remain crisp even at higher volumes, and the bass remains tight without overpowering the mids or highs. If you’re someone who hosts often, this setup can double up as a brilliant party system too.
The App Experience: Mostly Seamless
Sonos’ app remains central to the experience. It’s slick, easy to use, and lets you switch between TV audio and streaming services quickly. There have been some community concerns recently about app bugs, but I didn’t run into any major issues during my two weeks.
That said, the system still lacks a physical remote, which is something purists may still miss.
The Cost of Premium
This level of performance doesn’t come cheap. The Arc Ultra is priced at ₹99,999 and the Sub 4 at ₹84,999 in India, bringing the total up to ₹1,84,998. It’s a steep investment, no doubt. But when you consider the performance, ease of use, and future expandability in the Sonos ecosystem, it starts to feel more justified.
Final Verdict: A Truly Premium Experience
If you’re someone who values cinematic sound and is willing to invest in a system that delivers on nearly every front, the Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 combo is one of the best you can get today.
It’s not for everyone. The price will understandably be a deal-breaker for many. But for those who want to bring a premium cinema-like experience home without compromising on design or ease of use, this is the system to beat.
