Large TV soundbar, revised stereo speakers, improved subwoofer, new software:
The Sonos new products innovation 2020
1. Sonos Arc
Sonos Arc: Large TV soundbar with Dolby Atmos (Image: Sonos)
The Sonos Arc is a large stand-alone TV soundbar with Airplay 2 (width: 114 centimetres) that fills small and medium-sized rooms with rich sound.
When connected to a modern TV via HDMI ARC (or eARC) and suitable source material and feeders (e.g. Apple TV 4K ), the object-based surround sound format Dolby Atmos is also supported.
The Sonos Arc is significantly more expensive than the small Sonos Beam – but this is also a completely different performance class.
We could already listen to the Sonos Arc extensively, a detailed test report will follow shortly here.
Let me tell you in advance, even without a subwoofer, the sound of the Sonos Arc is more than sufficient for most living rooms and could inspire us.
But: The connection poverty (only 1x HDMI) and the rather extensive technical requirements for Dolby Atmos should definitely be considered before buying. The price of Sonos Arc stand-alone is $1,498.00, Check the Product On Amazon Store.
2. Sonos Five
Two Sonos Five on the sideboard and one Sonos Sub on the floor (Image: manufacturer)
The Sonos Five (2020) is the direct successor to the Sonos Play: 5 (2nd generation, 2015). To a certain extent, the Sonos Five is the third generation of the “large” WLAN loudspeaker at Sonos, which is now equipped with more storage space (as a buffer for high-resolution music streams) and faster processors.
The white version now (finally) also has a white front. The Sonos Five can be placed either horizontally or vertically and supports Apple’s AirPlay 2, Sonos five price is $499.99 Check it on Amazon store
3rd Sonos Sub (3rd generation)
Under the table: 3rd generation Sonos Sub. On the table: Sonos One (Image: Manufacturer)
The subwoofer is responsible for the bass tones in stereo and home theatre setups with Sonos speakers. The third generation of the Sonos Sub costs $699.99 and, according to the manufacturer, offers more storage space and better performance.
4. Sonos S2 (new app)
When you buy a Sonos speaker, you have to be aware that an essential part of the product is the associated software.
The “Sonos apk app” (Android and iOS) is used to configure and control your Sonos products – this works very well, which was and is one of the reasons for the brand’s success.
On June 8, 2020, an almost radical step took place: Sonos released the new app “S2” and renamed the previous version to “Sonos S1 Controller”.
According to the manufacturer, Sonos S2 is a “new operating system to support the next generation of products and experiences.” New features include support for high-resolution sound (24-bit, 44.1 kHz / 48 kHz, FLAC / ALAC) and Dolby Atmos.
Not very pleasant: The above-mentioned Sonos Arc, Sonos Five and Sonos Sub (3rd gen.) Are absolutely dependent on the new S2 app.
However, the following also applies: An update is not absolutely necessary for older products (e.g. Play: 5, 2nd generation), and not possible for very old products (e.g. Play: 5, 1st generation).
This means: If you want to group the new 2020 speakers (“S2 product”) with much older models (“S1 product”) in a common setup, you will be disappointed: Only two separate systems are then possible. More information is available on the Sonos compatibility page.