I Compared My Sonos Arc Ultra With An Unlikely Soundbar Rival, And It Went Down To The Wire

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If you person $1,000 to walk connected a soundbar, location are compelling options to take from. Since its precocious 2024 release, nan Sonos Arc Ultra has been astatine nan apical of nan heap successful this value range, but location are caller competitors that springiness Sonos a tally for its money. The Marshall Heston 120, for example, offers a unsocial design, cool features, and comes astatine nan nonstop aforesaid value arsenic nan Sonos Arc Ultra.

Also: 5 ways to instantly boost your soundbar audio value (without spending a dime)

While Sonos sticks to nan creation position quo pinch sleek, modern elements, Marshall challenges nan norm pinch bold, chopped creation language. Sonos offers options for nan tech-savvy, integer ecosystem fan, while Marshall keeps its attraction connected providing a agelong database of wired, analog choices for euphony fans. 

However, contempt their striking differences, some soundbars present an exceptional audio experience. So, is 1 amended than nan other? I've extensively utilized some nan Marshall Heston 120 and nan Sonos Arc Ultra and outlined their pros and cons to thief you decide.

Specifications

You should bargain nan Marshall Heston 120 if...

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1. You want a creation that complements your furniture

The Sonos Arc Ultra is simply a sleek and stylish soundbar, but if you want a creation that's cool, past nan Marshall Heston 120 is nan measurement to go. A awesome creation is really benignant of important successful a soundbar – it's thing that's going to unrecorded retired successful nan open, successful your surviving room, for each to see. Sure, I attraction much astir audio value than design, but I want thing that's going to make a connection without being complete nan top.

Also: Marshall's first soundbar rocks arsenic a mainstream replacement - Here's my take

The Heston 120 walks that statement perfectly. It leans connected Marshall's signature aesthetic, pinch a great-looking faux leather connected its sides, and a textile mesh covering connected nan beforehand and top. It's adorned pinch nan Marshall logo and knobs connected nan apical for its controls. It looks awesome and unsocial without looking silly. 

2. You for illustration beingness controls

Physical controls astir apt aren't nan most important controls for a soundbar, arsenic you'll usage your distant more. But if you for illustration utilizing beingness controls erstwhile you're listening to euphony connected your soundbar, past nan Heston 120 is nan measurement to go. It has knobs connected nan top, for illustration its amplifiers, and they look and consciousness great. To beryllium clear, nan Sonos Arc Ultra has beingness controls too, and they activity perfectly fine. But they're not arsenic satisfying to usage arsenic those connected nan Heston 120.

3. You want tons of wireless features

Sonos is known for integrating pinch smart homes, and it does truthful good -- but it doesn't link to arsenic galore audio ecosystems arsenic nan Marshall Heston 120. Both person Apple AirPlay 2 support and Spotify Connect support, truthful if you're successful those ecosystems, you'll get what you request pinch both. However, nan Heston 120 builds connected that pinch further services.

With nan Heston 120, you'll get support for Google Cast, which helps if you're successful nan Google ecosystem. You'll besides get Tidal Connect, truthful if you're a Tidal user, you'll beryllium capable to perceive to euphony easily. 

You should bargain nan Sonos Arc Ultra if...

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1. You want amended spatial audio

Both soundbars connection fantabulous audio and tin present heavy and powerful bass pinch coagulated consequence successful nan precocious end. But nan Sonos Arc Ultra decidedly has nan edge. Its audio consequence is simply a small much detailed, and its bass gets somewhat deeper than Marshall's. 

In summation to nan somewhat amended wave response, nan Sonos Arc Ultra offers a much immersive audio experience. Both soundbars tin present coagulated immersion pinch drivers that usage reflections to simulate situation sound. But Sonos has much acquisition pinch that benignant of smart audio technology, and it shows successful nan Arc Ultra, which, connected its own, tin get comparatively immersive erstwhile playing contented that supports Dolby Atmos and situation sound.

2. You want to grow your system

Maybe you don't want to usage your soundbar unsocial -- successful which case, nan Sonos Arc Ultra is easy nan amended choice. The Marshall Heston 120 supports wired subwoofers, and Marshall offers one in-house-made sub, but that's it.

The Sonos Arc Ultra tin link to different Sonos speakers wirelessly, and you person much options. There are 2 Sonos subwoofers you tin take from, on pinch a number of different speakers you could usage arsenic situation speakers -- for illustration nan Sonos Era 100 aliases Sonos Era 300. Sonos moreover sells bundles pinch these speakers, allowing you to get a afloat situation sound strategy correct retired of nan box. 

Also: Here's why Sonos' TV Audio Swap is my all-time favourite headphone feature

The Sonos Ace headphones person a backstage listening characteristic built for Sonos soundbars, further expanding nan Sonos instrumentality ecosystem. I person utilized a Sonos Arc Ultra pinch 2 Sonos Era 300 speakers and a Sonos Sub 4 for immoderate time, and I person to say, it's a beautiful awesome setup.

3. You person different Sonos speakers

Even if you don't scheme connected straight connecting different Sonos speakers to your Sonos Arc Ultra, nan ecosystem effect tin still play a domiciled if you person different Sonos speakers. Being capable to negociate each of your wireless speakers successful 1 ecosystem makes it easier to watercourse audio crossed them, particularly if you usage nan Sonos app to do so. It besides intends that you tin link them together down nan statement if you truthful choose. 

For example, you could usage 2 Sonos Era 100 speakers successful different rooms but past nexus them together to shape a stereo brace for much immersive audio. Or, successful nan lawsuit of nan Arc Ultra, you could move to a larger location and determine that you want to usage those speakers arsenic situation speakers successful your surviving room. 

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