Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 review: Precision, power, and a feel-first experience

There’s something nerve-wracking about trying a premium audio setup for the first time, especially when it costs nearly ₹2 lakh. You wonder if it’ll live up to the reputation. Whether it’s all brand and no bite. Or worse, if you’ll walk away wondering what all the fuss was about. But once the Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 settled into my space, it didn’t take long before that anxiety gave way to something much more compelling—comfort. This wasn’t just a sound upgrade. It was a reintroduction to the content I already loved.

Unboxing and setup: Surprisingly stress-free, With one big realisation

Sonos doesn’t believe in clutter, neither in sound nor in packaging. The unboxing was clean and intentional, with just what I needed and nothing more.

But here's the thing: My first playthrough using only Bluetooth left me underwhelmed. Volume had to be cranked past 30 just to feel anything remotely cinematic. The moment I connected the Arc through HDMI eARC, everything changed. Audio suddenly had weight. Dialogue carried presence. Then came the Sub 4. That’s when the room transformed.

The Sonos app handled setup like a quiet professional, clean interface, seamless pairing, no hoops to jump through. Adding Trueplay tuning did sharpen things slightly. Nothing dramatic, but enough to notice.

Design and build: Heavy, minimal, and surprisingly adaptable

Both the Arc Ultra and Sub 4 feel like they're carved out of intention. In white, they somehow managed to complement my black TV and brown wooden cabinet without trying too hard. Minimal, but not sterile. And yes, they’re heavy.

Genuinely heavy. This isn’t a setup for those who like rearranging their rooms every weekend. But it’s the kind of heft that feels earned. No rattling plastic. Just cold, clean confidence. Touch controls and LED cues were intuitive during setup, but once the app took over, I rarely went back. It felt right that way.

Living with it: A system that adapts without asking much

I put the system through a mixed playlist of real life like OTT dramas, fast-paced action films, cricket matches, music videos, even a few janky smartphone videos. Across everything, the system showed up. Voice-focused modes made news and daily soaps genuinely listenable without maxing volume. Background music stayed where it belonged—in the background—while dialogue stayed front and centre. No subtitles. No guessing.

Interestingly, my house is home to a few very vocal pet birds. They chirp throughout the day, and yet the Sonos setup seemed to account for them, not by adjusting volume, but by subtly shaping the soundstage so that important audio didn’t get lost in the ambient noise. It didn’t overpower the birds or silence them, it just made room for everything.

I even tried taking a couple of work meetings on this setup. I know, overkill. And while there was a minor sync lag between audio and video on one occasion, the voices felt so natural it almost felt like the person was in the room with me. For casual video calls? A bit much. But as an experiment? Surprisingly immersive.

I relied almost entirely on the Sonos app. It felt native, not like a second remote. I didn’t use voice assistants much, but if you’re already plugged into that ecosystem, integration is baked in. It won’t take effort.

Sound quality: Warm, expansive sound that you can feel

At lower volumes, most systems tend to go flat or timid. Not this one. Even at 20–25, the Arc Ultra delivered clarity—real clarity. And once the Sub 4 joined the party, everything became physical. But not aggressive. The bass doesn’t shake your furniture, it fills the air. During a casually recorded home video, I caught subtle sounds like someone breathing off-screen, insects chirping faintly, that most systems would completely swallow.

It’s immersive, yes. But more importantly, it’s detailed. You’re not just hearing more, you’re hearing better.

Value and verdict

The Sonos Arc Ultra and Sub 4 combo is a serious investment. At nearly ₹2 lakh, this isn’t a casual upgrade. It’s a system meant for those who truly care about sound and want to feel every detail, not just hear it. If you're someone who lives for great audio and is ready to commit to a long-term setup, this can genuinely recreate a theatre-like feel at home.

But there are caveats. The setup is heavy, not something you’d want to move around often. And a practical note for Indian buyers: the plugs aren’t suited to Indian switchboards out of the box. You’ll need a separate universal adapter to get started, which feels like a small miss in an otherwise premium experience.

Still, for listeners who treat sound like a sensory experience, this duo delivers on its promise. It's not just powerful, it’s precise, emotionally resonant, and surprisingly intimate. The price stings, yes. But if you’re buying with your ears—and a little bit of your heart—you won’t regret it.

Who should buy it?

Audiophiles. Home theatre buffs. Those who want their sound system to be the experience—not just support it.