The Sonos Arc Ultra is the best-sounding single-bar soundbar available, period. Its Sound Motion technology delivers subwoofer-class bass from a single enclosure, and Dolby Atmos height effects are genuinely convincing. The frustrations are Sonos staples: no HDMI passthrough, no DTS support, and a required app. At $1,189 CAD before any expansion, it's a premium one-box solution — if you can live within Sonos' ecosystem.
“"I was ready to buy the sub too. Hooked up the Arc Ultra first and honestly don't feel like I need it for TV and streaming. The bass is real."”
Source: r/sonos
“"The no-DTS thing finally got me. Most of my Blu-rays are DTS-MA and they just play in 2-channel. Returned it for the Samsung Q990F."”
Source: r/hometheater
“"It's a premium product that Sonos refuses to make fully premium. No HDMI passthrough in 2024 is embarrassing. The sound though? Best bar I've heard."”
Source: r/sonos
No HDMI passthrough at $1,200 CAD — every competitor has it
No HDMI passthrough at $1,200 CAD is the top complaint in r/sonos — every competing soundbar at this price (Samsung Q990F, LG S95QR) includes HDMI passthrough. Sonos has never addressed this despite it being a longstanding request.
Source: r/sonos, TechRadar Sonos Arc Ultra reviewNo DTS-HD/DTS:X support — Blu-ray owners get stereo on DTS tracks
No DTS-HD/DTS:X support means physical Blu-ray owners get stereo audio on DTS tracks — a meaningful limitation for home theater enthusiasts who buy discs for audio quality.
Source: Sonos Community forum, r/hometheater2024 Sonos app redesign removed features and broke reliability
The 2024 Sonos app redesign removed features (alarm management, queue editing, accessibility options) and was widely panned by existing Sonos owners as a step backward — the Arc Ultra launched into this backlash and inherits the dependency.
Source: r/sonos, TechRadar reporting on Sonos app falloutThe Sonos Arc Ultra is the best single-bar Dolby Atmos soundbar you can buy — the bass is genuinely impressive without a subwoofer, and the Atmos height performance outclasses everything at this price. The trade-offs are real and Sonos-specific: no HDMI passthrough, no DTS support, and a required app that has a rough history. If you stream exclusively and want a beautiful one-box solution that pairs well with a premium TV, the Arc Ultra is the pick. If you have a Blu-ray player or want pass-through flexibility, the Samsung HW-Q990F is a more versatile choice.
