Posted on

Sonos Arc Ultra pre-order leaks give us a release date that’s real soon – and our best pictures of it yet

The

Sonos
Arc
Ultra
is
truly
the
worst-kept
secret
in
tech
right
now,
with
the
new
soundbar
leaking
everything
like
water
from
a
paper
bucket.
Only
a
few
days
ago,

Best
Buy
seemed
to
reveal
that
it
would
have
a
price
of
$999,
and
now
more
retailers
may
have
given
us
the
release
date.

Spotted
by
Redditors,
Belgian
retailers
Fnac,
Vandenborre,
and
MediaMarkt
apparently
had
pre-order
pages
visible
for
the

Sonos
Arc
Ultra
and
the
Sonos
Sub
4,
promising
a
release
date
of
29
October
2024
for
both.

The
pre-orders
offer
a
price
of
€999
for
the
soundbar,
and
€899
for
the
Sonos
Sub
4

all
of
which
are
in
line
with
expectations.

(Image
credit:
Reddit
/
Fabulous-Rise1057)

October
29
is
coming
up
fast,
so
we
may
get
official
information
about
the
new
soundbar
imminently

early
next
week
will
be
two
weeks
from
that
launch
date,
so
I
wouldn’t
be
surprised
to
see
something
arrive
then.

On
top
of
this
release
date
revelation,
a
load
more
images
that
are
claimed
to
be
of
the
Arc
Ultra
have
leaked
on
Reddit,
too.
There’s
a
combination
of
product
shots
and
lifestyle
images,
and
they
appear
to
confirm
that
the
soundbar
will
work
with
the

Sonos
Ace
headphones
(not
that
anyone
had
any
doubt
about
that,
especially

since
they
were
updated
to
work
with
the
Beam
and
Ray
soundbars).

Sonos
Arc
Ultra
leak
(again)
from

r/sonos

The
Sonos
Arc
Ultra
is
exciting
because
it’s
claimed
to
be
the
first
product
with
a
new
kind
of
speaker
tech,
which

Sonos
appears
to
be
calling
‘Sound
Motion’
based
on
previous
leaks,
but
was
previously
known
as
Mayht
Heart
Motion
before
Sonos
bought
the
company.

These
drivers
are
much
smaller
than
traditional
speaker
designs,
but
can
apparently
deliver
the
same
power
and
depth.
They’re
said
to
be
used
here,
though
we
don’t
know
in
exactly
what
form
yet

the
likelihood
is
that
they’ll
provide
much
more
bass
and
mid-range
power
from
the
bar.

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

The
original

Sonos
Arc
still
rates
among
the

best
soundbars
you
can
buy
today,
and
I’ve
written
before

why
I
think
the
Arc’s
successor
could
be
one
of
the
best
tech
releases
of
the
year.
And
if
Sonos
can

keep
its
improved
app
on
its
positive
track
by
adding
features
and
fixing
the
reliability,
we
could
be
onto
a
real
winner
here.
Looks
like
we’ll
find
out
one
way
or
the
other
soon.

You
might
also
like…

Posted on

Best Buy just gave us our best look at Sonos’ rumored Arc Ultra soundbar

It’s
been
a
tumultuous
few
months
for

Sonos,
all
dating
back
to

the
redesigned
Sonos
app,
which
wasn’t
ready
for
primetime.
Ultimately,
it
overshadowed
the
launch
of
the
anticipated

Ace
headphones,
and
the
company
has
spent
plenty
of
time
apologizing,
reorganizing
priorities,
and
regaining
customers’
trust.

While
the
result
was
that
hardware
was
going
to
be
delayed
and
some
launches
pushed
back,
it
seems
that
Sonos
might
still
be
readying
at
least
one
new
product.

Sonos’
Arc
has
been
around
for
four
years
and
is
the
brand’s
flagship
soundbar,
complete
with
11
speakers
inside.

Four
years
is
a
long
time
for
any
piece
of
kit,
and

we’ve
heard
rumors
of
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra,
which
would
succeed
the
Arc.
And
now,
thanks
to
a
few
quick
screengrabs
from
Matthew
Bolton,
TechRadar’s
Managing
Editor,
Entertainment,
it
seems
that
Best
Buy
might
have
created
an
Arc
Ultra
landing
page
a
bit
too
early.

(Image
credit:
Future/Matthew
Bolton)

As
shown
above,
we
found
the
listing
and
corresponding
descriptions
from
a
seemingly
crawled
webpage
for
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra
in
Black
and
White
via
Best
Buy.
It
reads,
“Premium
design
worthy
of
your
home.
With
its
distinctive
curved
shape,
low-profile
design,
and
matte
finish,
Arc
Ultra
is
thoughtfully
crafted
to
look
great
in
…”.
The
linked
web
pages
have
since
been
pulled,
though.

Maybe
more
importantly,
though,
Best
Buy
also
might
have
revealed
the
price
at
$999.00
USD,
putting
it
$100
above
the
cost
of
the
current
Arc.
Of
course,
we’ll
need
final
confirmation
from
Sonos
on
the
cost,
but
this
squarely
matches
previous
rumors,
also
pointing
to
just
shy
of
a
$1,000
USD
price
tag.

(Image
credit:
Future/Matthew
Bolton)

Further,
via
results
on
the
desktop,
we
can
also
see
some
of
the
promised
features,
including
Bluetooth
connectivity
alongside
Wi-Fi
and,
like
the
original,
a
voice
assistant
built-in.
The
addition
of
Bluetooth
has
been
rumored
and
lines
up
as
the
connectivity
is
found
on
the
Sonos
Ace,

Move
2,
and

Roam
2.
We
even
saw
a
preview
image
depicting
two
colors
and
a
similar
build.
The
Arc
Ultra
is
expected
to
keep
controls
up-top
and
physical
ports
on
the
back
as
well.

(Image
credit:
Future/Matthew
Bolton)

The
Dolby
Atmos-capable
soundbar
is
also
expected
to
use
a
new
speaker
technology.
Sonos
acquired
Mayht
in
2022,
and

the
technology
brand
created
a
speaker
that
can
be
smaller
than
most
competitors
but
still
deliver
strong
sound
as
it
pushes
sound
out
from
both
sides.
Pulling
and
pushing
at
the
same
time
could
reduce
vibrations,
similar
to

Apple’s
force-canceling
speaker
design
in
laptops,
but
also
greatly
increase
the
sound
quality
and
overall
loudness
thanks
to
a
reduction
in
size.
The
Arc
was
no
slouch
with
11
speakers
inside,
but
the
Arc
Ultra
could
add
plenty
more.

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

Considering
Best
Buy
already
had
these
listings
up
and
has
since
pulled
them,
it
could
be
a
sign
that
Sonos
is
getting
ready
to
drop
the
successor
to
the
Arc
soundbar
soon.
Of
course,
this
could
also
be
a
mistake
on
BestBuy’s
part,
but
considering
the
previous
looks,
there’s
a
pretty
good
chance
it
shows
that
retail
availability
is
incoming.

We’ve
reached
out
to
Sonos
to
ask
about
the
apparent
listings
and
we’ll
update
this
post
if
and
when
the
audio
brand
responds.
In
the
meantime,
check
out

everything
we
know
about
the
rumored
Sonos
Arc
Ultra
here.

You
Might
Also
Like…

Posted on

Early Prime Day deal: Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar is down to its cheapest price ever

Amazon
devices
are
currently
58%
off
as
part
of
its
early

Prime
Day
deals
for
its
Prime
subscribers.
Out
of
those
deals,
movie
buffs
on
a
budget
might
want
to
consider
the

Amazon
Fire
TV
Soundbar
for
a
record-low
price
of
$94.99
(was
$119.99).
In
the
UK?
You
can
get
the

Amazon
Fire
TV
Soundbar
for
£99.99
(was
£119.99).

Many
of
our

best
soundbars
cost
over
$300.
The
Amazon
Fire
TV
Soundbar
costs
nearly
a
third
of
that
price,
which
is
around
the
same
as
other
budget
soundbars
within
the
same
category.
However,
its
value
goes
up
with
the
latest
sale.
It
might
not
be
a
feature-laden
audio
powerhouse,
but
it

is
an
affordable
upgrade
over
built-in
TV
speakers.

Early
Prime
Day
deal:
Amazon
Fire
TV
Soundbar

In
our

Amazon
Fire
TV
Soundbar
review,
we
highlighted
its
value
as
a
cheap
basic
soundbar
with
good
overall
sound.
It
features
DTS
Virtual:X
and
Dolby
Audio
for
immersive
surround
sound
and
richer
bass
than
regular
TV
speakers.
According
to
our
reviewer,
its
sound
quality
extends
beyond
movies
and
television
to
music.

The

Amazon
Fire
TV
Soundbar
also
has
a
simple
setup.
It’s
24
inches
long
and
2.5
inches
tall–compact
enough
to
fit
into
most
entertainment
systems.
It
also
comes
with
a
mounting
kit
for
anyone
who
wants
to
pin
it
to
the
wall
underneath
their
TV.
For
the
most
part,
you’ll
need
to
plug
it
into
a
power
source
and
connect
it
to
a
TV
using
HDMI
to
work.
In
addition
to
the
soundbar
and
mounting
kit,
it
comes
with
an
HDMI
cable,
power
cable,
and
2
AAA
batteries.

Note
that
although
it’s
advertised
as
a
soundbar
meant
to
be
paired
with
Amazon
Fire
TVs,
it
has
no
built-in
features
that
make
it
especially
good
for
that
purpose.

Remember
to
look
at
our

best
soundbars
guide
to
get
a
better
feel
for
all
of
your
options.
You
might
also
want
to
consult
our
guide
on

how
to
choose
and
buy
a
soundbar
to
get
the
right
one
to
suit
your
TV
and
room.

More
Amazon
Prime
Day
deals
in
the
US

More
Amazon
Prime
Day
deals
in
the
UK

Posted on

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 review: a competent performer struggling to be heard in a crowded market

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8:
One-minute
review

When

Sony
announced
its
2024
AV
lineup,
it
wasn’t
just
its
TVs
that
received
a
more
straightforward
naming
system,
but
its
soundbars
too.
This
year,
the
potentially
tricky-to-remember
model
numbers
have
been
replaced
with
a
much
simpler
Bravia
branding.
The
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
replaces
the
HT-A5000
as
the
company’s
mid-range
model

sitting
below
the
Theater
Bar
9
and
the
Bravia
Theater
Quad
four-speaker
audio
system

and
arrives
with
the
aim
to
be
one
of

best
soundbars.

As
with
the
HT-A5000,
this
latest
model
is
a
standalone
Dolby
Atmos
soundbar.
There
are
no
wireless
rear
speakers
included,
nor
is
there
a
wireless
subwoofer,
but
these
can
be
added
as
optional
extras
if
you
wish
to
create
an
even
more
immersive
surround
sound
experience.
Despite
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
cramming
11
speakers
into
its
slimline
body
to
create
a
“bubble
of
sound”
in
Sony’s
words,
we
would
recommend
true
movie
buffs
consider
adding
at
least
a
subwoofer
to
handle
the
low-end.

The
Bar
8
is
smaller
than
its
predecessor

by
some
30%

and
is
low
in
height,
meaning
it
slots
effortlessly
in
front
of
a
TV.
Connectivity
is
good
rather
than
great
with
just
two
HDMI
ports,
one
of
which
is
eARC
to
connect
to
your
TV.
Thankfully,
however,
the
other
HDMI
input
is
the
2.1
standard
and
it
supports

8K/60Hz
and

4K/120Hz
passthrough,
meaning
you
can
confidently
connect
external
devices
including
games
consoles
and
4K
Blu-ray
players.
Elsewhere
there
is
Spotify
Connect,
AirPlay
2
and
Bluetooth
for
streaming
music.

While
some
may
expect
more
from
a
soundbar
that
costs
$999
/
£999
/
AU$1,499,
where
connections
or
additional
rear
speakers
are
concerned
there’s
no
denying
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
does
an
excellent
job
of
boosting
the
sound
of
your
TV.
Although
as
for
true
Dolby
Atmos
it
does
fall
a
little
short
of
the
competition.
The
company’s
360
Spatial
Sound
Mapping
tech
does
work
in
creating
phantom
speakers,
but
we
found
during
our
testing
that
the
soundfield
was
more
of
a
half-dome
as
opposed
to
a
full-dome
covering
an
entire
room.

We
also
found
that
the
Bravia
Bar
8
performed
at
its
best
in
small
to
medium-sized
rooms,
as
it
seemed
to
lack
the
power
to
fill
a
larger
open
space.
Adding
the
optional
rear
speakers
and/or
a
subwoofer
will
undoubtedly
help
(we
didn’t
have
them
for
this
review),
but
the
total
cost
of
such
a
package
adds
up
to
far
more
than
tried
and
tested
complete
Dolby
Atmos
soundbar
packages,
despite
the
Bravia
Bar
8
receiving
what
seem
to
be
permanent
price
cuts
globally
(as
of
September
2024,
it’s
typical
street
price
is
generally
around
$849.99
/
£799
/
AU$1,249).

So
while
it
might
not
be
the
outright
best
option
for
your
main
TV
viewing
room,
the
Sony
Bravia
Bar
8
can
certainly
find
a
spot
in
a
bedroom
or
smaller
TV
room.
The
only
question
you’ll
need
to
ask
yourself
is
if
you’d
rather
opt
for
the

Sonos
Arc.
It
doesn’t
cost
that
much
more
than
the
Sony,
handles
music
better
and
has
the
added
potential
benefit
multiroom
functionality.

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
review:
Price
and
release
date

Launched
in
July
2024

List
price
of
$999
/
£999
/
AU$1,499

Has
received
price
cuts
since
launch

The
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
was
announced
in
April
2024
and
went
on
sale
in
July
2024
in
the
US,
UK
and
Australia
for
$999
/
£999
/
AU$1,499.
That
puts
it
right
in
the
firing
line
of
the
Sonos
Arc,
which
also
goes
without
a
wireless
subwoofer
or
rear
speakers
included.

It’s
less
than
the
MSRP
of
the

Samsung
HW-Q990D

our
current
favorite
Dolby
Atmos
soundbar
on
our
list
of
the

best
soundbars

although
recent
price
drops
against
Samsung’s
soundbar
make
it
approximately
the
same
price
as
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
in
most
regions.

Samsung’s
flagship
bar
comes
with
a
wireless
subwoofer
and
rear
speakers
included,
although
the
rears
do
require
constant
power.
Sony’s
selection
of
optional
rear
speakers
run
off
rechargeable
batteries
and
so
could
prove
to
be
a
more
appealing
option
for
anyone
short
on
power
outlets
in
their
room.

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
review:
Specs

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Dimensions
(W
x
H
x
D)

1200
x
140
x
245
mm

Speaker
channels

5.0.2

Connections

1x
HDMI
out
(with
eARC),
1x
HDMI
in,
Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth

Dolby
Atmos/DTS:X

Yes/Yes

Sub
included

No

Rear
speakers
included

No

Features

360
Spatial
Sound
Mapping,
Acoustic
Center
Sync,
DSEE
Ultimate
upscaling,
AirPlay
2,
Chromecast,
HDMI
2.1
120Hz
pass-through

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
review:
Features

5.0.2
speaker
channels

Phantom
speakers
for
extra
‘virtual’
channels

HDMI
2.1
with
4K
120Hz
support

(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

As
you’ll
find
with
soundbars
from
the
likes
of

LG
and
Samsung,
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
can
connect
to
a
Sony
TV
from
2021
or
newer
and
use
it
as
a
center
channel
via
Bravia
Acoustic
Center
Sync.
It
would
have
been
nice
for
this
to
have
worked
via
HDMI

whereby
the
soundbar
should
be
able
to
detect
it’s
connected
to
a
Sony
TV

but
you
have
to
connect
them
together
using
the
included
cable.
If
you
don’t
own
a
Sony
TV,
but
your
TV
has
an
S-Center
speaker
input,
you
can
take
advantage
of
this
feature
via
the
same
3.5mm
cable
wired
connection
(the
3.5mm
port
on
the
rear
of
the
Bravia
Bar
8
can
only
be
used
for
this
feature
and
can’t
be
used
as
an
input
from
external
devices).

There
are
only
two
HDMI
ports
on
the
Bravia
Bar
8,
and
with
one
needed
to
connect
to
a
TV
via
eARC,
there
is
just
one
spare
for
external
devices.
Fortunately,
this
input
does
support
8K/60Hz
and
4K/120Hz
passthrough
and
gamers
will
appreciate
that
it
supports
auto
low
latency
mode
(ALLM)
and
variable
refresh
rate
(VRR).
Having
just
one
spare
HDMI
input
shouldn’t
alienate
too
many
users,
but
the
previous
HT-A5000
had
two
spare,
so
it’s
peculiar
as
to
why
Sony
has
dropped
one
this
time
around.

Setting
up
the
Bravia
Bar
8
is
incredibly
easy.
Simply
connect
it
to
your
TV
via
the
aforementioned
HDMI
port,
open
up
the
Bravia
Connect
app
on
your
iOS
or
Android
device
and
connect
it
to
your
network.
Once
done,
you’ll
want
to
run
a
calibration
to
ensure
the
soundbar
is
optimized
for
your
specific
room.
It’s
a
process
that
only
takes
around
20
seconds
and
sees
the
soundbar
emitting
various
tones
to
determine
the
acoustics
of
your
room
to
optimize
the
sound
output
based
on
your
usual
seating
position.

Image
1
of
3

(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

There’s
no
option
to
manually
adjust
speaker
channel
settings
as
you
can
with
other
soundbars
such
as
the
Samsung
HW-Q990D,
but
you
can
choose
from
three
height
modes

lower,
default
and
higher

and
three
different
sound
field
settings.
The
default
option
here
is
Sony’s
360
Spatial
Sound
Mapping,
but
you
also
have
the
option
of
DTS
Neural:X
or
Dolby
Speaker
Visualizer.
You
can
also
turn
the
sound
field
mode
off
entirely
if
you
wish
(I’ll
discuss
the
effects
of
this
further
down
in
the
performance
section).
And,
when
rear
speakers
are
connected,
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
can
deliver
an
IMAX
Enhanced
certified
audio
presentation.

There
aren’t
any
sound
modes
along
the
lines
of
‘Movie’
or
‘Music’,
which
is
an
interesting
omission,
and
there’s
also
very
little
mention
of
AI
being
used.
The
only
AI-related
feature
of
the
Theater
Bar
8
is
to
detect
human
voices
and
make
them
clearer
via
“AI
sound
separation”.

If
you
want
to
play
music
through
the
Bar
8,
you
can
do
so
via
HDMI,
Bluetooth,
Spotify
Connect
or
AirPlay
2.
Hi-Res
audio
is
supported
from
compatible
sources
along
with
Sony’s
LDAC
wireless
codec.
You
can
also
stream
songs
mixed
in
Sony’s
own
360
Reality
Audio
via

Amazon
Music
Unlimited.

Features
score:
3.5/5

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
review:
Performance

Powerful
with
genuine
height

Bass
handling
would
benefit
from
a
dedicated
subwoofer

With
11
speakers
inside
the
bar,
including
two
up-firing
and
two
new
side-firing
drivers,
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
is
certainly
capable
of
delivering
powerful,
expansive
sound
into
your
room.
But
expansive
doesn’t
necessarily
mean
enveloping,
as
I
found
it
to
produce
more
of
a
half-dome
of
sound
rather
than
a
complete
bubble
to
include
sounds
coming
from
behind
my
viewing
position.

I
began
my
testing
in
a
smaller
room
of
the
house,
with
the
soundbar
connected
to
the

Sony
Bravia
8
OLED
TV
and
a
scene
from

The
Incredibles
streaming
on
Disney
Plus

the
part
where
the
children
are
in
the
jungle
escaping
from
Syndrome’s
henchmen.
There
was
obvious
height
and
width
to
the
sound,
with
the
flying
saucer-like
vehicles
shooting
across
the
screen
and
up
above
the
listening
position
when
they
went
off
screen.

Image
1
of
2

The
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
nestles
perfectly
in
front
Sony’s
own
65-inch
Bravia
8
OLED
TV.(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

Optional
feet
can
be
attached
to
the
Bravia
Bar
8,
so
that
it
slides
over
the
feet
of
2024
Sony
Bravia
TVs.(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

For
the
majority
of
my
testing,
I
had
the
height
sound
setting
set
to
‘higher’
as
it
provided
the
most
immersive
experience.
I
toggled
between
‘default’
and
‘lower’
settings
but
found
both
to
have
a
negative
impact
on
the
movie
I
was
watching.
I
wasn’t
personally
able
to
find
a
scenario
where
either
of
these
settings
would
be
useful
when
watching
a
film.

Sony
says
the
Bravia
Bar
8
is
capable
of
bouncing
sound
off
the
ceiling
to
create
phantom
speakers
behind
the
listening
position,
but
I
wasn’t
able
to
distinguish
these
during
my
testing.
Dedicated
rear
speakers
would
no
doubt
alleviate
this,
as
they’ll
be
on
hand
to
actually
deliver
sound
from
behind
the
viewing
position.

Dialogue
was
notably
impressive,
however,
coming
through
crystal
clear
even
when
the
volume
was
turned
up.
I
also
found
the
Voice
Mode

activated
within
the
Bravia
Connect
app
or
on
the
supplied
remote
control

did
indeed
give
dialogue
a
boost
without
sacrificing
too
much
of
the
rest
of
the
soundtrack.
And
as
for
the
Bravia
Bar
8’s
bass
handling
during
the
same
scene
in

The
Incredibles,
I
was
pleasantly
surprised
by
the
depths
it
could
go
to,
especially
given
the
absence
of
a
wireless
subwoofer.

But,
those
same
opinions
didn’t
translate
over
to
the
chase
scene
in

The
Batman

I
loaded
up
a
4K
Ultra
HD
Blu-ray
on
a
PlayStation
5
and
was
left
a
little
disappointed.
The
engine
growl
from
the
Batmobile
was
lacking
impact
and
the
chase
as
a
whole
lacked
excitement.
The
bass
output
from
the
Theater
Bar
8
is
good,
but
it
was
apparent
it
had
a
limit
to
its
capabilities.
A
subwoofer
would
help
here
as
it
would
take
away
much
of
the
low-end
duties
from
the
soundbar,
leaving
it
to
focus
on
other
tasks.

A
positive
to
come
from
this
sequence,
however,
was
that
bullets
fired
at
the
Batmobile’s
windows
did
pierce
through
the
presentation,
which
is
something
I’ve
found
other
soundbars
such
as
the
Sonos
Arc
can
falter
on.

There
are
just
two
HDMI
2.1
connections
on
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
soundbar,
one
of
which
is
reserved
for
an
eARC
connection.

(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

I
also
streamed
music
to
the
Bravia
Bar
8
via
AirPlay
from
my
iPhone
using
Amazon
Music
Unlimited.
I
loaded
up
a
few
tracks
that
had
been
mixed
in
Sony’s
360
Reality
Audio
format,
but
that
were
also
available
in
Ultra
HD

Amazon’s
version
of
Hi-Res

so
I
could
switch
between
the
two.

Put
simply,
songs
streamed
in
the
latter
format
sounded
much
better.
Miley
Cyrus’

Flowers,
for
example,
was
delivered
with
extremely
good
vocal
clarity
and
decent
low-end
bass
when
streaming
in
the
Ultra
HD
format.
Having
the
soundbar’s
360
Spatial
Sound
Mapping
soundfield
selected
also
added
some
extra
expanse
to
the
performance,
resulting
in
something
that
was
perfectly
enjoyable
and
listenable.
However,
switching
it
to
the
default
setting
did
yield
a
more
natural-sounding
performance.

It
wasn’t
such
good
news
when
moving
over
to
the
360
Reality
Audio
version
of
the
same
song.
Bass
was
essentially
eradicated
and
the
overall
performance
sounded
tinny
and
not
too
dissimilar
to
a
very
cheap
Bluetooth
speaker.
I
tried
to
fix
it
by
turning
off
the
soundfield
setting,
but
it
didn’t
make
a
huge
amount
of
difference,
other
than
removing
any
notion
of
height
from
the
song.

Performance
score:
3.5/5

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
review:
Design

Premium
build
with
cloth
wrapping

Suits
55-inch
to
75-inch
TVs

A
front
display
would
be
nice

Sony’s
website
claims
the
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
outputs
sound
in
a
5.0.2-channel
configuration

the
same
as
the
Sonos
Arc

but
we’ve
also
been
told
directly
from
Sony’s
product
managers
that
this
isn’t
so
definitive.
This
is
because
the
sound
output
will
be
different
for
every
room,
as
Sony’s
360
Spatial
Sound
Mapping
technology
calibrates
the
output
on
a
room-by-room
basis.
Plus,
it
makes
use
of
phantom
speakers
with
the
intention
of
creating
a
bubble
of
sound.

The
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
is
pretty
attractive
by
soundbar
standards.
It
measures
1100
x
64
x
113
mm,
making
it
slightly
shorter
than
a
55-inch
TV
(which
roughly
measures
1200mm).
I
had
it
setup
in
front
of
a
65-inch
Sony
Bravia
8

OLED
and
a
77-inch
LG
G4
OLED
TV
(top
image)
during
my
testing
and
in
both
instances
it
looked
perfectly
fine,
meaning
it
would
be
well-suited
to
be
placed
in
front
of
a
75-inch
TV,
too.
Coincidentally,
55-,
65-
and
75-inch
are
the
three
sizes
the
Sony
Bravia
8
OLED
TV
is
available
in
and,
to
further
highlight
how
both
8-series
TV
and
soundbar
are
ideal
partners,
Sony
includes
a
set
of
feet
in
the
box
with
the
soundbar
to
raise
it
slightly
so
that
it
can
slide
over
your
TV’s
feet
if
your
TV
bench
isn’t
deep
enough
to
accommodate
both.

Image
1
of
3

Sony
supplies
optional
feet
and
screws
to
attach
to
the
bottom
of
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
soundbar.(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

If
you
want
to
add
rear
speakers
to
the
Bravia
8,
you
have
a
choice
of
the
SA-RS3S
or
SA-RS5,
although
only
the
latter
pair
features
dedicated
up-firing
speakers.
As
for
subwoofers,
you
can
pair
the
Bravia
Bar
8
with
either
the
200W
SA-SW3
or
300W
SA-SW5.

The
entire
soundbar
is
covered
in
a
cloth
fabric
which
means
when
you’re
watching
TV
the
soundbar’s
top
panel
won’t
reflect
the
screen
above
it.

A
small
LED
is
the
only
indicator
for
power
and
input.

(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

One
feature
I
would
have
liked
to
see
is
a
proper
front
panel
display
for
information
such
as
current
input
or
even
volume
level.
There
are
two
small
LEDs
on
the
front
right
of
the
Bar
8,
one
to
indicate
when
you’re
adjusting
the
volume
and
one
to
indicate
the
current
source.
An
HDMI
device
shines
white,
for
example,
while
Bluetooth
is
expectedly
blue.
For
more
information
relating
to
volume
level
and
source
input,
you
need
to
open
up
the
Bravia
Connect
app.

Design
score:
4/5

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
review:
Setup
&
usability

Quick
sound
calibration

Bravia
Connect
app
and
remote
for
easy
control

HDMI
eARC
connection
to
TV

(Image
credit:
Future
/
Max
Langridge)

Setting
up
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
is
a
relatively
straightforward
affair.
All
you
need
to
do
is
connect
an
HDMI
cable
from
the
soundbar
to
your
TV
(Sony
supplies
one
in
the
box),
wait
for
it
to
register
and
you’re
away.
You’ll
need
to
turn
to
the
Sony
Bravia
Connect
app
for
iOS
and
Android
to
get
it
connected
to
your
home
Wi-Fi
network
and
to
carry
out
the
speedy
sound
optimization
calibration.

A
remote
control
is
supplied
too,
for
those
moments
when
you
don’t
want
or
need
to
use
the
app.
There
is
a
central
button
for
volume
control
(you
can’t
press
and
hold
to
turn
the
volume
up
and
down),
along
with
a
dedicated
button
to
adjust
the
bass
level,
turn
the
soundfield
mode
on
or
off
(but
not
toggle
through
them),
and
toggle
voice
mode
and
night
mode.
The
Bar
8
does
work
via
HDMI-CEC,
allowing
you
to
adjust
the
volume
using
your
TV’s
remote
control.

Setup
&
usability
score:
4.5/5

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
review:
Value

Premium
price

Similarly-priced
competitors
include
rear
speakers
and
subwoofer

Not
a
class
leader

While
it
launched
at
$999
/
£999
/
AU$1,499,
the
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
appears
to
have
received
a
regular
discount
in
all
territories,
seeing
its
price
drop
to
$849.99
/
£799
/
AU$1,249.
In
the
US
at
the
time
of
writing,
it
can
be
picked
up
with
a
further
discount
of
$150.
At
its
MSRP,
the
Bravia
Bar
8
was
immediately
pitted
against
the
Sonos
Arc,
which
we
consider
to
be
one
of
the
best
standalone
Dolby
Atmos
soundbars
and
which
does
outperform
the
Sony.

Now
it
appears
to
have
received
a
price
cut,
it’s
a
more
appealing
option
and
somewhat
helps
stomach
the
extra
cost
for
a
wireless
subwoofer
and/or
wireless
rear
speakers,
should
you
want
to
add
them.
Considering
its
performance
isn’t
quite
at
the
level
we
were
expecting,
it’s
not
the
obvious
choice
for
anyone
looking
to
create
a
Dolby
Atmos
experience
at
home.

Our
current
pick
for
the
outright
best
Dolby
Atmos
soundbar
is
the
Samsung
HW-Q990D,
which
can
regularly
be
found
for
much
less
than
its
launch
price
in
all
territories.
If
you
have
one
of
Sony’s
2024
Bravia
TVs,
then
the
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
is
a
natural
pairing,
but
for
anyone
else,
the
Samsung
soundbar
still
gets
our
vote.

Value
score:
3.5/5

Should
I
buy
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8?

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Section

Notes

Score

Features

A
good
set
of
connection
and
sound
adjustment
options,
but
comparable
soundbars
offer
more.

3.5
/
5

Performance

Powerful
in
its
delivery
with
great
object
placement
and
capable
of
reaching
great
heights,
but
a
sub
is
almost
an
essential
and
music
playback
can
suffer.

3.5
/
5

Design

An
attractive,
slimline
soundbar
but
a
more
informative
front
display
would
have
been
nice.

4
/
5

Setup
&
usability

Quick
and
easy
connection
and
sound
calibration
and
plenty
of
control
via
remote
or
Bravia
Connect.

4.5
/
5

Value

Borderline
expensive
for
a
standalone
unit,
the
additional
cost
to
create
true
surround
sound
needs
careful
consideration.

3.5
/
5

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
it
if…

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
review:
Also
consider

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Header
Cell

Column
0

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8

Sonos
Arc

Samsung
HW-Q990D

Dimensions

1200
x
140
x
245
mm

1141.7
x
87
x
115.7mm

Soundbar:
1309.0
x
595.0
x
277.0
mm,
Subwoofer:
220.0
x
413.0
x
410.0
mm
,
Rear
speaker:
129.5
x
201.3
x140.4
mm

Speaker
channels

5.0.2

5.0.2

11.1.4

Connections

1x
HDMI
out
(with
eARC),
1x
HDMI
in,
Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth

HDMI
input
(ARC),
optical
digital
audio
to
HDMI
converter,
Bluetooth,
Ethernet
port,
802.11b,g
Wi-Fi,
Apple
AirPlay
2,
IR
receiver

Two
HDMI
2.1
input,
One
HDMI
output,
optical
output,
Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth

Dolby
Atmos/DTS:X

Yes/Yes

Yes/No

Yes/Yes

How
I
tested
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8

Connected
to
the
Sony
Bravia
8
and
LG
G4

Tested
with
a
variety
of
sources

All
soundfield
modes
tested

I
tested
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8
over
a
period
of
two
weeks.
I
connected
it
to
a
Sony
Bravia
8
TV
in
a
small
room
to
test
its
sound
output
and
any
same
brand
exclusive
features.
I
also
moved
it
to
a
much
larger
room
and
connected
it
to
an
LG
G4.

The
majority
of
testing
was
conducted
with
the
highest
soundfield
setting
enabled,
although
I
did
toggle
between
the
other
options
to
analyze
the
sound
output.

I
played
content
from
streaming
services
and
4K
Blu-ray
discs
to
test
the
Bravia
Theater
Bar
8’s
ability
to
handle
Dolby
Atmos
soundtracks,
and
analyzed
not
only
its
spatial
sound
performance,
but
also
bass,
trebles
and
vocal
clarity.

I
also
streamed
music
via
Bluetooth
and
Wi-Fi
to
test
music
playback.
I
played
hi-res
audio,
Atmos
and
Sony
360
Reality
Audio
tracks
via
Amazon
Music
Unlimited
and

Apple
Music.

Read
more
about
how
we
test

First
reviewed:
September
2024

Posted on

Majority Elias review: an affordable Dolby Atmos soundbar with disappointing audio

On
the
face
of
it,
the
Majority
Elias
is
an
audio-visual
phenomenon.
Why?
Because
it
offers
upfiring
speakers

a
key
component
of
‘true’
Dolby
Atmos

at
less
than
£100.
When
coming
to
this
realization,
I
expected
the
soundbar
to
be
the
ultimate
budget
option
for
those
seeking
spatial
audio,
but
alas,
my
expectations
were
shattered.

Ok,
I
know
that
sounds
a
little
dramatic,
but
really,
this
thing
is
disappointing.
Don’t
get
me
wrong,
the
Majority
Elias
certainly
offers
an
upgrade
in
several
areas
over
typical
TV
audio,
but
there
are
serious
shortcomings
in
sound
quality
that
make
me
feel
Majority
may
have
bitten
off
more
than
it
can
chew.

Before
I
get
into
the
criticisms,
I’ll
prove
that
I
can
be
nice
from
time
to
time.
In
terms
of
setup,
it
doesn’t
get
any
easier
than
this.
You
can
hook
the
Majority
Elias
up
to
your
TV
via
HDMI
and
a
power
cable,
so
there’s
no
need
to
go
through
a
tricky
setup
process.
The
inclusion
of
HDMI
also
enables
you
to
use
your
normal
TV
remote
to
adjust
volume,
making
the
Elias
a
practical,
easy-to-use
soundbar.

Another
thing
I
really
liked
straight
off
the
bat
was
the
soundbar’s
design.
When
I
unboxed
it,
I
was
struck
by
its
classy
wraparound
speaker.
The
Elias
has
both
the
Majority
and
Dolby
Atmos
logos
included
on
the
body
in
silver,
which
makes
a
tidy
splash
of
detail.
All
in
all,
it
appears
well
made,
avoiding
the
overly
plasticky
look
that
a
lot
of
budget
soundbars
go
for.
This
helps
the
Elias
appear
as
if
it
costs
a
fair
bit
more
than
£100,
so
when
it
comes
to
style,
it
stacks
up
well
against
budget
competitors,
even
those
in
our
guide
to
the

best
soundbars.

(Image
credit:
Future)

It’s
at
this
point,
though,
that
I
feel
the
need
to
reveal
some
harsh
truths
about
the
Majority
Elias.
Sure,
it
can
score
well
in
usability
and
even
look
great
while
doing
it,
but
as
a
soundbar
these
things
are
subordinate
to,
well…sound.

Let’s
kick
things
off
in
the
audio
department
by
talking
about
Dolby
Atmos

the
key
selling
point
of
the
Majority
Elias.
The
inclusion
of
upfiring
speakers
gave
me
high
hopes,
despite
the
pretty
low
price
point.
In
the
end,
I
wasn’t
blown
away
by
what
I
heard,
but
the
added
expansiveness
and
verticality
were
certainly
noticeable.
To
test
Atmos,
I
first
streamed
some
video
content
on
Netflix
with

Top
Gun
Maverick.
During
one
scene,
Tom
Cruise’s
character
flies
his
aircraft
up
at
a
rapid
pace
and
the
directional
sense
was
more
true-to-life
than
my
TV’s
audio.

I
also
tested
Season
One
of

The
Boys
on

Amazon
Prime
Video.
In
one
episode,
two
of
the
main
characters
find
themselves
on
a
plane
during,
let’s
say,
a
turbulent
time.
In
this
scene,
I
was
listening
out
for
how
the
Elias
would
handle
sharp
movements,
loud
exclamations
and
the
chaos
of
a
distress-filled
action
sequence.
Again,
the
sense
of
positioning
was
solid,
although
I
wasn’t
getting
the
most
incredible,
room-filling
spatial
audio.
It’s
worth
keeping
in
mind,
though,
that
the
Elias
isn’t
a
particularly
large
soundbar
and
doesn’t
have
a
subwoofer
or
rear
speakers
to
help
deliver
full-on
surround
sound
so,
for
what
it
offers,
I
was
decently
pleased.
If
you
want
to
really
feel
the
action,
however,
it
may
be
worth
seeking
out
a
budget
5.1
channel
soundbar
system
alternative

more
on
this
in
the

Also
Consider
section.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Even
though
I
did
get
a
sense
of
relatively
competent
spatial
audio,
there’s
one
overriding
issue
holding
the
Elias
back

sound
quality.
The
overall
audio
experience
is
a
pretty
negative
one
out
of
the
box.
You
can
select
from
four
different
sound
modes:
3D;
Movie;
Music;
and
News.
Now,
each
of
these
settings
has
unique
sound
profiles

something
that
a
few
competitors
fall
flat
on

but
none
can
save
the
Elias
from
emitting
disappointing
audio.

I
started
by
testing
out
3D
Mode,
with
the
hope
that
it
would
enhance
the
Dolby
Atmos
effect.
It
did
add
more
than
the
other
EQ
modes
and
while
watching

The
Boys,
dialogue
sounded
palatable

at
least
more
than
it
did
in
Movie
Mode,
which
was
pretty
muddy.
Sound,
however,
still
felt
constrained
and
unnatural,
meaning
that
even
when
compared
to
standalone
TV
audio,
it
wasn’t
very
impressive.

During
Movie
Mode
testing,
I
watched
Episode
1
of

Cowboy
Bebop
on
Netflix.
One
high-octane
fight
scene
felt
more
impactful
with
the
Elias
than
it
did
with
TV
audio.
The
action
segment
contained
melee
combat,
gunshots,
screeching
cars,
flying
aircraft,
frantic
dialogue

you
name
it.
Thanks
to
the
Elias’
meatier
(albeit
still
lacking)
bass
for
low-frequency
sounds
like
explosions
and
more
expansive
soundstage,
it
was
able
to
capture
the
craziness
decently
well.
However,
once
again,
audio
still
sounded
muddied
and
lacked
definition

a
big
miss
for
scenes
with
a
vast
amount
of
sounds,
especially
when
some
are
in
the
same
frequency
range.

(Image
credit:
Future)

To
test
Music
Mode,
I
connected
the
Elias
to
my

Samsung
Galaxy
Z
Flip
4
using
Bluetooth
and
threw
on
some
tunes
via
Spotify.
The
first
track,

Black
Eye
by
Allie
X,
instantly
let
me
know
what
I
was
in
for,
with
the
intro’s
explosive,
pumping
bass
sounding
seriously
hampered
and
lacking
the
impact
I’d
expect.
I
also
listened
to

St
Thomas
by
Sonny
Rollins

a
less
bass-heavy
track

and
although
it
didn’t
sound
quite
as
bad,
the
sharpness
of
percussion
was
limited
and
slightly
tinny.
Songs
with
a
more
complex
mix

like

I
Want
You
by
Moloko

really
exposed
the
Elias’
shortcomings,
with
higher-pitched
vocals
lacking
clarity,
bass
missing
its
boom
and
densely
layered
instruments
devoid
of
definition
and
separation.

It’s
worth
noting,
though,
that
in
my
view,
music
isn’t
a

crucial
part
of
a
budget
soundbar.
Very
few
can
replicate
music
to
a
good
standard,
and
if
you’re
expecting
the
sort
of
quality
you’d
get
from
one
of
the

best
Bluetooth
speakers,
you’ll
likely
feel
let
down.
At
this
price
point,
I’m
more
concerned
with
performance
for
movies
and
TV
shows

especially
for
the
Elias
with
its
inclusion
of
upfiring
speakers
and
Dolby
Atmos

but
I’m
not
convinced
you
get
enough
in
this
area
either.

I
also
tested
gaming
performance
by
playing
a
rhythm
game,

Taiko
no
Tatsujin:
Drum
‘n’
Fun!
Usually,
I’d
stick
with
Movie
Mode
for
gaming,
but
for
this
title

which
is
focused
around
playing
to
the
beat
of
various
tracks

I
tried
Music
Mode
too.
Performance
here
was
mediocre
at
best.
The
main
issue
was,
of
course,
that
for
a
game
centered
around
its
excellent
soundtrack,
the
poor
audio
quality
worsened
the
experience
substantially.

Also,
the
Elias
wasn’t
perfectly
responsive,
meaning
there
was
a
little
bit
of
latency
with
sound
versus
the
appearance
of
notes
on
the
screen,
which
was
an
issue
for
this
game
specifically,
as
it
made
me
get
the
timing
wrong
on
more
notes
than
with
standalone
TV
audio.
If
you’re
a
gamer
who
needs
highly
responsive,
precise
audio,
the
Majority
Elias
is
probably
not
for
you.

The
final
sound
setting,
News
Mode
served
its
purpose
decently
well.
I
tuned
into
BBC
News
to
test
this
and
felt
that
while
voices
sometimes
had
a
slight
hiss
or
lacked
crispness,
they
were
still
relatively
forward
and
clear.
So,
overall
audio
quality
is
mediocre
with
the
Majority
Elias,
but
even
though
none
of
the
EQ
modes
can
save
it
from
its
sonic
shortcomings,
they
all
have
a
unique
sound
signature.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Apart
from
Dolby
Atmos
and
the
four
sound
modes,
there
aren’t
many
features
to
speak
of
with
the
Majority
Elias.
The
included
remote
allows
you
to
adjust
bass
and
treble
levels,
switch
between
EQ
modes,
toggle
3D
audio
on
and
off,
and
adjust
the
volume.
When
switching
between
modes,
the
soundbar
conveniently
shows
which
mode
you’re
in
using
LED
lighting

it
also
uses
this
to
indicate
when
Dolby
Atmos
is
active.
That’s
all
really,
but,
for
a
budget
soundbar,
you
wouldn’t
expect
much
more
feature-wise.

Before
I
sum
up,
I
have
one
more
minor
complaint
about
the
Majority
Elias

its
lack
of
clarity
around
HDMI
eARC.
HDMI
eARC
is
key
for
many
soundbars,
given
that
it
can
enable
lossless
audio.
However,
even
when
using
an
HDMI
cable
capable
of
eARC
connectivity,
the
soundbar
simply
displayed
ARC.
The
user
manual
also
specifies
that
the
included
HDMI
cable
is
for
ARC
connectivity.
All
in
all,
I’m
not
convinced
the
benefits
of
HDMI
eARC
are
truly
realized
regardless,
but
this
did
leave
me
confused
for
a
while.

The
Majority
Elias
is
a
device
that
dares
to
pack
incredibly
high-quality
performance
at
an
incredibly
low
price
point.
Ultimately,
it
cuts
corners
on
sound
quality,
leaving
a
bit
of
a
sour
taste.
Despite
this,
it
isn’t
a
terrible
soundbar.
You
still
get
more
powerful
audio
than
from
a
typical
TV
and
more
immersive,
expansive
sound
thanks
to
Dolby
Atmos.
On
top
of
that,
it
has
an
attractive
design
and
a
solid
set
of
connectivity
options.
If
you’re
looking
to
add
bolder
sound
to
your
TV
setup,
the
Majority
Elias
isn’t
the
worst
choice
but
it’s
outclassed
by
a
number
of
competitors.
As
a
result,
I’d
suggest
checking
out
our
guide
to
the

best
Dolby
Atmos
soundbars
and
speakers
to
find
a
stronger
alternative.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Majority
Elias
review:
Price
and
release
date

£99.95
(about
$130
/
AU$190)

Launched
on
March
2024

The
Majority
Elias
is
still
pretty
fresh,
having
only
been
released
a
few
months
back.
Thankfully,
this
means
you
get
modern
features
like
Bluetooth
5.3
connectivity
and
HDMI
eARC.
At
£99.95
(about
$130
/
AU$190),
you’re
looking
at
a
super-cheap
soundbar.

Sure,
there
are
lower-priced
alternatives
out
there,
like
the

Saiyin
DS6305
for
instance,
but
for
a
soundbar
with
Dolby
Atmos
and
upfiring
speakers,
this
is
still
a
low
price
point.
However,
the
low
price
comes
with
a
significant
degree
of
sacrifice

mostly
in
the
audio
quality
department.
There
are
some
clear
upsides,
such
as
its
tidy
design,
but
I’d
recommend
checking
out
some
higher-quality
budget
options

see
the

Also
Consider
section
for
this.

Majority
Elias
review:
Specs

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Dimensions

24
x
3.9
x
2.7
inches
/
610
x
99
x
69mm

Speaker
channels

2.1.2

Connections

HDMI
(e)ARC,
digital
optical,
AUX,
USB,
Bluetooth
5.3

Dolby
Atmos
/
DTS:X

Yes
/
No

Sub
included

No

Rear
speakers
included

No

Other
features

4x
sound
modes

(Image
credit:
Future)

Should
you
buy
the
Majority
Elias?

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Not
lots
to
play
with,
but
sound
modes
are
solid,
as
are
bass/surround
controls.

3.5/5

Audio
performance

Sound
isn’t
high
quality
nor
super
clear,
but
it’s
rarely
grating
and
pretty
powerful.

3/5

Design

A
little
cheap-looking,
but
quite
well
sized.

4/5

Setup
and
usability

Wiring
to
rear
speakers
may
frustrate
some,
but
setup
is
simple.

4/5

Value

Issues
with
quality
are
easily
made
up
for
by
an
incredibly
low
price.

3/5

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
it
if…

Majority
Elias:
Also
consider

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Header
Cell

Column
0

Majority
Elias

Amazon
Fire
TV
Soundbar

Ultimea
Poseidon
D50

Price

£99.95
(about
$130
/
AU$190)

$119.99
/
£119.99
(about
AU$180)

$119.99
/
£149.99
(about
AU$180)

Dimensions

24
x
3.9
x
2.7
inches
/
610
x
99
x
69mm

24
x
3.5
x
2.6
inches
/
610
x
90
x
65mm

Soundbar:
15.7
x
2.8
x
3.5
inches
/
400
x
70
x
90mm;
Subwoofer:
6.1
x
9.6
x
8.5
inches
/
155
x
244
x
215mm;
Rear
speakers:
5.3
x
2.8
x
3.5
inches
/
135
x
70
x
90mm

Speaker
channels

2.1.2

2.0

5.1

Connections

HDMI
(e)ARC,
digital
optical,
AUX,
USB,
Bluetooth
5.3

HDMI
ARC,
digital
optical,
Bluetooth

HDMI
ARC,
digital
optical,
AUX,
USB,
Bluetooth
5.3

Dolby
Atmos
/
DTS:X

Yes
/
No

No
/
No

No
/
No

Sub
included

No

No

Yes

Rear
speakers
included

No

No

Yes

Other
features

4x
sound
modes

3x
sound
modes,
DTS:Virtual
X
processing

Ultimea
BassMax,
3x
sound
modes,
surround
sound
controls

Majority
Elias
review:
How
I
tested

Tested
for
two
weeks

Connected
to
my
Hisense
U7K
TV
at
home

Predominantly
used
the
HDMI
ARC
connectivity
option

I
tested
the
Majority
Elias
at
home
over
the
course
of
two
weeks.
I
mainly
used
HDMI
ARC
when
connecting
the
soundbar
to
my

Hisense
U7K
TV.

I
put
the
Majority
Elias
to
the
test
watching
a
variety
of
TV
shows,
videos
and
movies
across
streaming
services,
including
Netflix
and

YouTube.
I
also
played
multiple
video
games
on
the
PlayStation
5
and
Nintendo
Switch
consoles
and
listened
to
music
from
the
TechRadar
testing
playlist
on
Spotify
by
pairing
my

Samsung
Galaxy
Z
Flip
4
with
the
Majority
Elias
via
Bluetooth.

First
reviewed:
August
2024

Read
more
about

how
we
test

Posted on

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds can work as rear speakers for its new Smart Soundbar

Last
week,

Bose
unveiled
a
new
version
of
its
Smart
Soundbar
– and
it
has
a
really
interesting
idea
about
surround
sound.
If
you
have
a
pair
of

Bose
Ultra
Open
Earbuds,
you
can
use
them
as
your
surround
speakers. 

If
you’re
thinking
“ach,

Apple
does
that
with
AirPods
already”
or
“don’t
those

Sonos
Ace
headphones
do
that
with
the
Arc?”
this
is
something
very
different.
With
Sonos
and
Apple’s
approach,
the
listening
apparatus
strapped
to
your
head
make
up

all
of
the
speakers:
they’re
the
entire
audio
system
and
there’s
no
sound
coming
from
the
connected
‘bar.
But
with
Bose,
your
earbuds
are
only
being
used
as
surround
sound
speakers;
the
rear
channel
speakers
in
a
traditional
setup.
The
soundbar
still
does
all
the
heavy
lifting
for
dialog,
low-end
thump
and
all
the
dynamic
stuff.
And
your
earbuds
take
care
of
the
placement
and
ambience.

That’s
why
this
feature
is
only
currently
available
for
the
Ultra
Open
buds.
Their
design
means
that
unlike
normal
over-
or
in-ears,
they
let
outside
audio
in
rather
than
blocking
or
muffling
it.
So
in
theory
at
least,
they
shouldn’t
interfere
with
the
audio
from
your
soundbar.
Instead,
they’ll
add
an
extra
dimension
to
it

think
bullets
flying
over
your
shoulder,
grazing
your
ears.

Bose’s
Smart
Soundbar
surround
really
is
a
smart
idea

(Image
credit:
Future)

The
proof
is
in
the
listening,
of
course.
But
we’ve
tested
the
Bose
Ultra
Open
Earbuds
so
we
know
they
sound
fantastic;
in
fact,
we
rate
them
as
the
best-sounding
open-ear
buds
yet.
We
haven’t
yet
tried
them
with
the
Smart
Soundbar
yet,
but
we
have
listened
to
their
Immersive
Audio,
which
is
what
Bose
calls
Spatial
Audio,
and
we
found
it
very
impressive.
Crucially,
we
found
that
they
blended
their
own
audio
with
the
outside
world
really
well:
we
didn’t
feel
any
disconnect
between
the
audio
in
our
ears
and
the
audio
around
us.

I
think
there
are
some
significant
benefits
to
this
system,
and
one
big
downside.
The
big
benefit
is
convenience:
I
recently
moved
house
and
setting
up
my
AV
system
was
a
real
pain,
especially
for
the
rear
surround
and
the
Atmos
speakers.
I
spent
many
hours,
ran
many
metres
of
cabling
and
uttered
many
swears
to
get
my
surround
speakers
in
the
right
place;
with
the
Bose
system
I
could
have
skipped
all
that
and
simply
stuck
the
buds
in
my
ears. 

You
can
adjust
the
balance
of
the
center
channel
and
your
personal
rear-channel
speakers
in
the
Bose
companion
app

(Image
credit:
Bose)

The
downside?
As
far
as
I
can
see,
this
is
a
strictly
one-pair
deal
– so
if
you
want
to
watch
with
a
partner,
friend
or
family
member
then
this
system
isn’t
going
to
support
that.
But
for
solo
viewing
it
could
be
a
really
impressive
alternative
to
traditional
surround
speakers. 

The
new
Bose
Smart
Soundbar
is
a
refresh
of
the
existing

Bose
Smart
Soundbar
600,
featuring
the
same
small,
sleek
design
and
boasting
the
“size-defying
immersive
audio
of
its
predecessor
while
introducing
something
new: A.I.
Dialogue
Mode”.
This
is
a
feature
that
arrived
in
the

Bose
Smart
Ultra
Soundbar
last
fall.
It
uses
a
machine
learning
algorithm
to
adjust
tonal
balance
for
clarity
in
real-time
when
it
detects
speech. 

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up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

Want
to
try
it
all
out?
Us
too
– watch
this
space,
although
if
you’re
already
sold,
the
Bose
Smart
Soundbar
will
be
available
for
purchase
in
black  for
£499.95
from
October
10th
in
the
UK,
with
customers
able
to
pre-order
now.
We
don’t
currently
see
pre-orders
available
in
other
regions,
but
that
pricing
puts
it
at
roughly
$665
or
AU$975.
Tempting… 

You
may
also
like

Posted on

More Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar info possibly just leaked, this time on Amazon

The

Sonos
Arc
Ultra,
which
we
believe
is
the
next
flagship
Dolby
Atmos
soundbar
from
the
brand,
has
been
the
subject
of
multiple
rumors
and
purported
leaks
over
the
last
few
weeks.
And
now
there’s
another
possible
sighting
in
the
wild
to
add
to
the
collection,
this
time
from

Amazon
Germany.

The
leak,
posted
to
the
r/sonos
subreddit
(see
below),
appears
to
show
a
product
listing
page
for
the
new
Arc
Ultra.
However,
the
product
photo
is
of
the
existing
Arc
and
the
product
page
is
from
a
third
party
seller
who
appears
to
have
edited
their
page
for
the
existing
version.
We’re
not
saying
that
it’s
a
dodgy
listing,
but
we’re
not

not
saying
that
either… 

Has
anyone
else
noticed
this
on
Amazon?
from

r/sonos

That
said,
the
marketing
copy
is
either
from
Sonos
or
a
very
good
impression
of
it,
and
it
matches
some
of
the
details
we’ve
seen
in
previous
leaks
and
rumors.
So
it’s
possible
that
the
information
is
legit
and
that
the
third
party
seller
has
simply
jumped
the
gun.

Sonos
Arc
Ultra:
what
this
latest
supposed
leak
says

The
good
people
of
r/sonos
have
put
the
product
information
through

Google
Translate,
and
it
says:

“With
an
all-new
acoustic
architecture
based
on
14
Sonos-developed
drivers
and
advanced
technologies
like
Sound
Motion,
Arc
Ultra
fills
every
inch
of
the
room
and
precisely
places
sounds
around
you…
 Sound
Motion
is
one
of
the
most
significant
breakthroughs
in
audio
technology
in
nearly
100
years,
enabling
Arc
Ultra
to
pack
unprecedentedly
clear,
deep
and
balanced
sound
into
an
incredibly
sleek
design…
Dolby
Atmos
like
never
before.
Dolby
Atmos
takes
your
entertainment
to
another
dimension
and
wraps
you
in
a
spatial
9.1.4
audio
experience.”

That
does
fit
with
the
current
crop
of
rumors,
all
of
which
say
that
Sound
Motion
is
the
key
selling
point
of
the
new
soundbar
and
that
improved
Spatial
Audio
is
another
key
selling
point.
And
the
listing
also
details
Bluetooth,
another
key
rumored
feature. 

Whether
this
listing
is
real
or
just
optimistic,
it’s
clear
that
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra’s
launch
is
imminent:
we’ve
seen
multiple
promotional
photos
and
what
appears
to
be
near-final
marketing
copy
from
multiple
sources
now,
so
retailers
are
clearly
preparing
for
the
official
unveiling. 

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

As
to
when
that’s
going
to
happen,
we
don’t
yet
know
for
sure.
But
it
can’t
be
far
away
now.

You
may
also
like

Posted on

Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar: all the rumored price, features and leaked images info, with our analysis

The

Sonos
Arc
Ultra
is
the
supposed
name
for
the
next
elite
Dolby
Atmos
soundbar
coming
from
Sonos,
and
like
many
of
the
company’s
new
releases
these
days,
it’s
not
exactly
the
world’s
most
mysterious
device.

The
Sonos
Arc
Ultra
has
had
a
load
of
leaks
about
possible
pricing,
images,
claims
of
delays
and
then
being
brought
forward,
information
about
its
cutting-edge
new
speaker
tech,
and

of
course

its
name.

The
Sonos
Arc
Ultra
will
be
the
successor
to
one
of
the

best
soundbars
(and
one
of
the
most
popular)
in
the
form
of
the
original

Sonos
Arc,
although
given
the
high
prices
we’re
seeing
rumored
for
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra,
it’s
entirely
possible
that
this
model
will
come
in
above
the
regular
Arc
in
Sonos’
range,
and
the
first
model
will
stick
around.

In
a
nutshell,
what
we’re
expecting
from
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra
is
an
elite
all-in-one
soundbar
that
costs
somewhere
between
$999
and
$1,199,
and
features
a
new
kind
of
speaker
tech
previously
known
as
Mayht
HeartMotion
to
provide
much
better
bass
without
the
need
for
a
subwoofer,
as
well
as
much
improved
Dolby
Atmos
3D
spatial
audio
positioning
effects.

Written
by

Written
by

Matt
Bolton

Managing
Editor,
Entertainment

I
use
a
Sonos
surround-sound
system
at
home
based
around
the
Sonos
Arc,
so
I’m
extremely
excited
by
the
idea
of
the
new
and
improved
model

and
I’ve
tested
every
Sonos
soundbar
and
home
speaker
released
in
the
last
five
years.
Here’s
all
the
info
we’ve
collected
so
far,
and
my
analysis
and
explanation
of
what
it
all
means.

Sonos
Arc
Ultra:
rumored
price
and
release
timing

During
September
2024
alone,
there
were
two
different
prices
floated
for
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra.

First
came
a
claimed
screenshot
of
an
accidental
upload
to
Sonos’
online
store
of
the
product
page,
which
appeared
to
confirm
the
name
‘Arc
Ultra’
that
had
been

previously
revealed
by
regular
leaker
Arsène
Lupin
and
promised
a
price
of
$1,199
(about
£900
/
AU$1,750).

(Image
credit:
Reddit)

However,
almost
immediately,

Lupin
returned
to
give
his
own
take
that
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra
would
cost
$999
(about
£750
/
AU$1,450)
and
to
throw
in
some
images.

As
for
when
it
should
arrive,
at
this
point
it
feels
like
it
could
land
at

any
time,
but
it’s
looking
likely
to
arrive
before
the
end
of
2024.

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up
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breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

There
were

reports
that
it
had
been
delayed
due
to
Sonos’
on-going
issues
with
its
new
app’s
reliability,
but
more

recent
claims
say
that
it’s
back
on
track.

Generally,
companies
want
to
get
products
like
this
launched
not
too
far
into
October
or
maybe
November,
so
they
can
catch
people
before
they
spend
all
their
budget
on
Black
Friday.

So
while
we
have
nothing
specific
about
a
release
date
so
far,
we’re
getting
close
to
when
I’d
expect
it
to
launch.

Sonos
Arc
Ultra:
possible
leaked
design

Given
that
several
of
the

best
Sonos
speakers
have
gone
through
a
redesign
recently
with
a
new,
subtly
changed,
design
language
(see:
the

Sonos
Era
100,
the

Sonos
Era
300
and
the

Sonos
Move
2),
I
was
hoping
for
the
same
from
the
Sonos
Arc.
Especially
since
it’s
such
a
tall
beast,
and
that
can
be
a
problem
with
low-slung
TV
stands.

However,
it
looks
like
that
won’t
be
the
case.
From
the
pictures
we
have
so
far
(which
are,
to
be
fair,
quite
zoomed
out
because
it’s
a
real
long
boy),
it
seems
like
the
design
will
be
extremely
similar
to
the
original
Sonos
Arc.

So
you’ll
have
a
round
side
profile,
a
hard
plastic
grille,
the
option
of
white
or
black
finishes,
and
connections
in
a
central
recessed
hub
in
the
back.

Sonos
Arc
Ultra:
rumored
features

Sadly,
I’m
not
expecting
a
drastic
change
in
techy
features
compared
to
the
original
Sonos
Arc.
It
seems
clear
that
Bluetooth
will
be
on
board
based
on
the
current
leaks,
and
the
fact
that
Sonos
is
adding
it
to
all
its
new
products.

It’ll
still
be
a
Dolby
Atmos
soundbar,
so
will
have
the
same
HDMI
eARC
connection
as
the
Sonos
Arc,
we
can
assume.
But
based
on
the
spec
and
image
leaks
so
far,
it
seems
like
it
won’t
support
HDMI
passthrough
still

it
looks
like
there’s
space
for
only
one
HDMI
port
from
images

leaked
at
The
Verge.

An
image
of
the
supposed
new
soundbar’s
connections
published
on
The
Verge.

(Image
credit:
The
Verge)

This
is
infuriating
to
me.
When
the
original
Sonos
Arc
came
out,
the
fact
that
it
that
it
had
no
HDMI
passthrough
was
a
mark
against
it.
That
was
in
2020.
Here
in
2024,
it’ll
be
borderline
unacceptable.
Other
premium
soundbars
in
this
range
(the

Sony
HT-A7000
and
the

Samsung
HW-Q990D)
feature

multiple
HDMI
passthroughs
that
support
HDMI
2.1
gaming
features,
such
as

4K

HDR
at
120Hz.

It’s
also
a
problem
because
many
of
the

best
TVs
still
only
have
two
HDMI
2.1
ports,
and
one
of
these
ports
is
usually
the
HDMI
eARC
port.
This
means
that
if
you
have
both
next-gen
gaming
consoles
and
the
Sonos
Arc
(or
Ultra),
only
one
of
your
two
gaming
consoles
can
be
connected
with
full
4K
120Hz
support.

I’ve
spoken
to
Sonos
about
this
topic
in
the
past,
and
the
company
said
that
it
believes
it
is
more
user-friendly
to
have
the
simplicity
of
one
HDMI
connection.
I
really
hope
we’re
all
surprised
and
Sonos
changed
its
mind
for
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra,
but
I
won’t
be
holding
my
breath.

Beyond
this,
we
can
assume
that
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra
will
work
with
the
TV
Audio
Swap
feature
of
the
Sonos
Ace
headphones.
I
really
liked
this
feature
when
I
tested
them
for
my

Sonos
Ace
review,
and
it
seems
like
a
slam
dunk
that
it’ll
be
supported
from
launch.

I
would
also
expect
that
Sonos’
new
TruePlay
Quick
Tuning
will
be
supported
on
Android,
as
well
as
its
full
Advanced
TruePlay
that’s
available
on
iOS.
This
was
released
recently
to
use
with
the
Sonos
Era
100
and
Era
300,
and
should
help
to
tune
the
sound
for
your
particular
room,
helping
with
detail
and
precision
in
the
Dolby
Atmos
effects.

And
that
will
be
important
given
the
new
speaker
tech
inside,
so
let’s
talk
about
that.

Sonos
Arc
Ultra:
next-gen
speaker
tech
explained

The
most
exciting
part
of
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra
will
be
the
new
speaker
tech
that
it’s
all-but-certain
to
use
inside.
This
was
developed
by
a
company
called
Mayht,
which
Sonos
then
acquired

and
the
Arc
Ultra
looks
set
to
be
the
first
product
to
debut
it.

Originally
called
HeartMotion

though
Sonos’
version
may
be
called
Sound
Motion
if
the
store
page
leak
mentioned
further
up
is
real

this
tech
can
basically
halve
the
size
of
speakers
by
using
an
innovative
design
that
pushes
sound
from
both
sides
at
once.

When
Mayht
first
introduced
the
tech,
it
used
Sonos
products
as
its
comparison,
claiming
that
something
with
the
size
and
quality
of
the

Sonos
Five
could
be
fit
into
the
body
of
the

Sonos
One.
Sadly,
Mayht
was
acquired
just
before
I
ever
got
to
have
the
technology
demonstrated
to
me,
but
I
discussed
it
with
the
company,
and
it
was
incredibly
clever.

A
major
part
of
it
is
the
way
it
drives
sound
from
two
sides
at
once,
which
has
the
advantage
of
reducing
vibrations
in
the
body,
because
the
forces
from
driving
in
two
opposing
directions
cancels
each
other
out.
This
is
a
principle
Sonos
knows
well,
because
it
uses
a
‘push-push’
configuration
in
all
of
its
subwoofers

but
that’s
done
by
using
two
different
speakers,
so
actually

increases
size
and
complexity.
‘Sound
Motion’
should
make
it
very
small,
and
very
simple.

This
could
have
two
potential
advantages
in
the
Sonos
Arc
Ultra.
The
first
is
a
massive
improvement
in
the
bass
power
even
without
a
subwoofer,
because
the
company
can
simply
fit
much
more
woofer
power
into
the
same
space
with
this
tech.
The
best
soundbar
I
ever
heard
for
bass
that
didn’t
have
its
own
sub
was
the

Devialet
Dione,
and
that
was
achieved
by
having
eight
individual
woofers
arranged
in
a
push-push
configuration
(so
it
wouldn’t
vibrate
right
off
your
TV
stand).
This
made
it
massive
both
in
terms
of
its
size
and
price,
but
it
worked.

If
Sonos
can
get
close
to
that
by
using
a
smaller
number
of
Sound
Motion
drivers,
then
the
Arc
Ultra
could
be
something
quite
special.

The
second
advantage
is
that
if
the
bass
power
can
be
achieved
in
a
smaller
woofer
configuration
than
the
original
Arc
requires,
that
leaves
more
space
to
use
and
add
angled
tweeters
to
help
create
convincing
3D
sound
to
challenge
the

best
Dolby
Atmos
soundbars.

I
wonder
if
Sonos
might
even
be
able
to
use
the
same
kind
of
pro-style
compression
drivers
from
the
Era
300,
which
are
fantastic
at
creating
precise
spatial
effects.

Whatever
happens,
the
promise
is
of
a
drastic
improvement
in
dynamic
range
and
surround
effect,
and
given
how
far
companies
such
as

Samsung
and

LG
have
passed
Sonos
in
this
area
since
the
Arc
came
out,
that
will
be
very
welcome.