Hands-On With the Sonos Arc Ultra

[cyb3rdud3]

Going back to the Sonos I had at one workplace ... when I first started working there, they had some unusual PA-type amplifier (AudioSource AMP1200) that appeared to be, perhaps, around 20 years old. It had issues but it worked. Later, I was told it was being replaced, and I was glad to hear it. But after they installed the Sonos and after using it for a couple weeks, I came to miss that junker decades-old system coz as bad as it was ... it was better.

I bet that PA amp couldn’t do multi room, nor stream from various sources, nor support Bluetooth or Apple AirPlay.

Totally different audience and purpose. You also don’t mention what they replaced it with. For example Two 5s and two subs are totally different than a single One for example.

 

[capamac]

I bet that PA amp couldn’t do multi room, nor stream from various sources, nor support Bluetooth or Apple AirPlay.

Totally different audience and purpose. You also don’t mention what they replaced it with. For example Two 5s and two subs are totally different than a single One for example.

I bought a BT adapter for the AMP 1200 even tho I was an employee: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Bluetooth-Audio-Adapter-Streaming/dp/B00IQBSW28

The only audio source we used with it was smartphones, connected via BT or direct line-in via cable.

You could attach other sources to it as well ... it had input jacks. We just used smartphones. No CD players, no AM/FM radio, no record players, just phones.

The AMP1200 system drove about eight speakers inside a restaurant, which is where I worked at the time. It was essentially one large room, roughly the size of a tennis court, as it had an open kitchen.

I don't recall which Sonos system it was replaced with, but it also had about a eight speakers. It would randomly cease playing music from time to time.

The Sonos was entirely app-driven and the app was unpleasant and non-intuitive compared to using Apple Music directly (which is what I did on the AMP1200 system.) The AMP1200 had a physical volume knob attached which was nice, and the Sonos lacked. The audio quality of Sonos and the AMP 1200 was about the same.

It was the first time I ever used Sonos and after my experience with it, I would noy buy one for personal use. Apparently other people have had good experiences w/ Sonos ... I have not.

I've come across those recent-ish news articles of users complaining of the Sonos app and I'm definitely not surprised to read such news.

The AMP1200 used cables to connect speakers ... it could have been used in a mult-room set-up so long as you ran the wires to achieve that.

I found Sonos to be flakey and unrefined.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I bought a BT adapter for the AMP 1200 even tho I was an employee: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Bluetooth-Audio-Adapter-Streaming/dp/B00IQBSW28

The only audio source we used with it was smartphones, connected via BT or direct line-in via cable.

You could attach other sources to it as well ... it had input jacks. We just used smartphones. No CD players, no AM/FM radio, no record players, just phones.

The AMP1200 system drove about eight speakers inside a restaurant, which is where I worked at the time. It was essentially one large room, roughly the size of a tennis court, as it had an open kitchen.

I don't recall which Sonos system it was replaced with, but it also had about a eight speakers. It would randomly cease playing music from time to time.

The Sonos was entirely app-driven and the app was unpleasant and non-intuitive compared to using Apple Music directly (which is what I did on the AMP1200 system.) The AMP1200 had a physical volume knob attached which was nice, and the Sonos lacked. The audio quality of Sonos and the AMP 1200 was about the same.

It was the first time I ever used Sonos and after my experience with it, I would noy buy one for personal use. Apparently other people have had good experiences w/ Sonos ... I have not.

I've come across those recent-ish news articles of users complaining of the Sonos app and I'm definitely not surprised to read such news.

The AMP1200 used cables to connect speakers ... it could have been used in a mult-room set-up so long as you ran the wires to achieve that.

I found Sonos to be flakey and unrefined.

So you don't know what it was you listenen to, could have been anything then. And why use the app? It really isn't necessary beyond the setup. There is a bit of trend here, within every sonos thread, with people exclaiming how rubbish it is whilst not knowing what it is they used, and using the sonos app for everything.

 

[Edd70]

After months of this app crap, I’ve taken a cue from posters here and just use AirPlay, whether it’s iPhone/iPad/Apple TV.

About using from the Apple TV, a funny behavior while selecting additional speakers from Control Center is the following: My Sonos Playbase is hardwired to the TV via optical. After selecting additional speakers from Control Center, the sound won’t be quite in sync with the Playbase. I have to then select the Playbase as an Airplay speaker and then it all syncs up. I’m guessing that overrides the optical connection and sends sound to the Playbase wirelessly, not certain, but it mostly works pretty slick. If I were to add the same additional speakers from the app, I don’t have to do that extra action for some reason.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

After months of this app crap, I’ve taken a cue from posters here and just use AirPlay, whether it’s iPhone/iPad/Apple TV.

No need for AirPlay specifically, either. And for Apple TV I would suggest to use HDMI ARC.

About using from the Apple TV, a funny behavior while selecting additional speakers from Control Center is the following: My Sonos Playbase is hardwired to the TV via optical. After selecting additional speakers from Control Center, the sound won’t be quite in sync with the Playbase. I have to then select the Playbase as an Airplay speaker and then it all syncs up. I’m guessing that overrides the optical connection and sends sound to the Playbase wirelessly, not certain, but it mostly works pretty slick. If I were to add the same additional speakers from the app, I don’t have to do that extra action for some reason.

Yes, I wouldn't do that. That doesn't work well and doesn't provide you with good setup from a TV/Movie/Entertainment perspective. Just use the HDMI connection from the Apple TV and let the TV use HDMI ARC to go to your sonos setup. You'll have as good as perfect sync and automatic configuration of buttons as well. And get the right processing.

Otherwise it will be like TV audio out to some stereo speakers which sounds weird, and doesn't have sufficient timing control.

And in none of those situations do you need to use the Sonos app besides initial Sonos group configuration.

 

[Edd70]

No need for AirPlay specifically, either. And for Apple TV I would suggest to use HDMI ARC.

Yes, I wouldn't do that. That doesn't work well and doesn't provide you with good setup from a TV/Movie/Entertainment perspective. Just use the HDMI connection from the Apple TV and let the TV use HDMI ARC to go to your sonos setup. You'll have as good as perfect sync and automatic configuration of buttons as well. And get the right processing.

Otherwise it will be like TV audio out to some stereo speakers which sounds weird, and doesn't have sufficient timing control.

And in none of those situations do you need to use the Sonos app besides initial Sonos group configuration.

Playbase only uses optical for hardwired connections. Does that alter your recommendation?

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Playbase only uses optical for hardwired connections. Does that alter your recommendation?

Nope. Just an addition, get rid of it. Should never have bought something like that that gets connected like that. And as its so old, just do it and move on.

 

[Edd70]

Nope. Just an addition, get rid of it. Should never have bought something like that that gets connected like that. And as its so old, just do it and move on.

An addition of what? There’s no HDMI connection on the Playbase; it’s optical or nothing. Are you suggesting using AirPlay for that speaker?

 

[ufgatorvet]

For those of you who have purchased this, do the cables colors match the speaker? White cables with white, black cables with black? Thank you!

 

[Edd70]

Deleted

 

[scrane]

Just as there are people who hate everything Apple there will be people who hate everything Sonos.
I've had the Arc Ultra for a couple of weeks now (upgraded from a Beam 2). It sounds great, works good, is unobtrusive and convenient. I also have Sonos Ones and Era 100s used as stereo pairs, and they all sound great... I dodged the bullet in the App fiasco, but urge those who have had problems to be patient, things have improved greatly.

PS: cable and speaker colors do match.