Soundbars are an excellent way to provide an easy upgrade for your existing speaker system. With so many soundbars on the market today, it can be hard to choose which one to buy.
Some have hailed Sennheiser’s Ambeo Soundbar as the best soundbar on the market. The Sonos Arc sound bar has also been praised for its excellent fidelity and versatility.
The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Vs Sonos Arc? Let’s see which superb sound bar is right for you!
Contents
Sonos Arc Overview
The Sonos Arc is a high-end soundbar designed to provide an immersive audio experience for home entertainment systems.
Audiophiles and movie buffs will adore the Arc’s sleek and beautiful design and many functions and capabilities.
Pros:
- Incredible audio performance that immerses you in your favorite movies and music
- Sleek and stylish design that looks great in any home entertainment system
- Easy connectivity with multiple inputs and voice control options
- Intuitive app-based control that allows for easy customization and adjustments
- Compatibility with other Sonos speakers for a seamless multi-room audio experience
Cons:
- High price point compared to other soundbars on the market
- Limited compatibility with older audio systems that may not support HDMI eARC
- Some users may find the setup process to be more complicated than other soundbars
- While the Arc performs well for most audio content, it may not provide the same bass level as dedicated subwoofers.
Specifications of the Arc
- Dimensions: 3.4x45x4.5 inches (H x W. x D).
- Weighs 13.7 pounds
- Black or white color
- Eight drivers
- Elliptical woofers
- Three silk-dome tweeters
- Class D Digital amplifiers (11)
- Support for Amazon Alexa or Google assistant
- Dolby Atmos
- Sonos Trueplay for iOS devices
- Smart feature for IR repeater
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Overview
The Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar provides a powerful and immersive audio experience. This soundbar has various features that make it stand out from the competition. It has a sleek, modern design that blends seamlessly with any living room setup.
The soundbar supports Dolby Atmos, which delivers a three-dimensional sound experience. It also has 13 high-end drivers that deliver crystal-clear audio with deep bass and crisp highs.
Pros
- It is easy to connect blu-ray players or gaming systems to your Sonos soundbar
- A powerful speaker arrangement delivers high-quality 3D sound and loud music playback with no distortion
- Fully functional app for all smartphones
Cons
- It looks bulky and ungainly when it is hung on a wall. Some people don’t have a table underneath the TV.
- Fine-tuning is required for various listening experiences, especially bass frequencies in smaller spaces.
- Very expensive
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar specifications
- HDMI inputs and optical inputs
- Dolby Atmos support and DTS:X support
- WiFI and Ethernet for Internet connectivity
- Bluetooth support
- Dimensions (height x width x depth) 14 x 127 x 17cm
- Weighs 18.5kg
SONOS ARC VS SENNHEISER AMBEO SOUNDBAR: Top Comparison Of 2023
Look As Good As They Sound
Overall, the Sonos ARC has a different shape than the Sennheiser AMBEO soundbar, which is a rectangle. Both look great and are of good quality, which makes them both great choices for a room with a home theater.
SONOS ARC
The SONOS ARC has an easy-to-use yet attractive design. It has no further design. SONOS sub made every effort to make its soundbar as simple as possible. This is the genuine item that keeps the customer coming back for more.
The length is adequate, but the height is inadequate. Because of its modest stature, it is ideal for becoming a buddy in front of the television. The majority of soundbars cannot be placed in front of the TV since they obstruct the screen. However, Sonos solves this issue by creating this sound bar with careful thought.
The whole body is constructed of plastic. This makes it strong and long-lasting. Plastic grills were utilized to protect the sides and front.
There are no tangled connecting possibilities at the back. That location is spotless, with no new holes.
This bar is ideal for TVs up to 45 inches in size. It is possible to wall-mount it. However, you will need to purchase additional wall-mounting brackets.
If you want a sophisticated soundbar with a simple design, this one is the best option.
SENNHEISER AMBEO
Sennheiser AMBEO is a kit for individuals who believe in beauty combined with intelligence. This sound bar, without a doubt, offers the most immersive sound while also featuring a stunning aesthetic.
It features a simple external design with a black brushed metal matte finish. There is no other design than the Sennheiser logo in one corner.
There is an LED in front of the bar in the middle and a control panel for max volume and other functions.
It seems to be a high-quality sound bar, and anybody would fall in love with it at first sight. That matte black aesthetic may enhance the appeal of any home décor.
Sennheiser made no compromises when it came to construction quality. This bar is wrapped in a detachable superior-quality fabric. This item makes it simple to wipe the bar when necessary.
Many people may believe that this bar is quite huge, but let me assure you that AMBEO has more important drivers than the majority of the bars. So, they took up a lot of space inside the bar, which made it pretty big.
You might not be able to put it in front of your TV because it would block the screen. This sound bar is ideal for TVs measuring 65 inches or larger.
You may install it anywhere else you like depending on your design, TV, or home theater arrangement. However, make sure that this bar is visible to your guests since it might earn you a lot of compliments.
SONOS ARC VS SENNHEISER AMBEO: Features
SENNHEISER AMBEO
Sound improvement options
Sennheiser offers a few yet crucial sound-enhancing options.
The most crucial feature is the Auto room correction tool. This function ensures that the bar’s sound automatically adapts to the area or room. As a consequence, dedicated sound quality is achieved in every size environment. This function is activated when the microphone is turned on.
The conversation improvement feature follows. This consistently produces crystal-clear sounds and speech. Each word in the movies or music lyrics may be heard.
There is also a night mode and an EQ with simulated surround capability. This virtual surround sound setting generates a 3D soundstage and improves audio quality.
Tweeters/drivers
The tweeters of the high-end speakers smoothly operate behind the defined, exquisite sound quality. Sennheiser is equipped with excellent drivers, resulting in excellent sound staging.
These are why the best soundbar is worth considering for home theaters.
Included are six dedicated 10-cm woofers, five high-fidelity tweeters, two up-firing drivers, and a Sennheiser AMBEO full-range driver.
These six woofers provide 30Hz bass, eliminating the need for an additional subwoofer. Many of you have been thinking about this question, but now you don’t have to be confused. Right? Unless you are a serious bass fan, you don’t need more bass than 30 Hz.
Then, five tweeters give excellent sound accuracy; highs and lows are matched with clear middle.
These drivers provide the illusion of 3D virtual sound for amazing home audio quality.
Wireless connectivity
The abundance of wireless connections is a key advantage of SONOS ARC. Bluetooth and WiFi are both supported by this bar. This soundbar can connect to several devices and stream a variety of materials.
Wired Connectivity
Like many other features, Sennheiser has a suitable quantity of wired connectors. There are four HDMI connectors, three for inputs and one for TV output. Sennheiser supports both HDMI inputs and eARC, as shown in the comparison table.
This bar is compatible with Dolby Vision, HDR, and 4K video. Because of this soundbar, you will not miss a single piece of enjoyment.
However, Sonos ARC does not accept HDMI inputs other than ARC.
But this soundbar works with Dolby Atmos, you’ll always get great sound.
Finally, there’s a USB for updates, stereo RCA AUX, optical input, and a subwoofer pre-output option.
Remote control
Sennheiser AMBEO remote control provides consumers with an adequate control choice. There aren’t many opportunities.
The “sennheiser ambeo” button allows you to pick an advanced audio format and change the level and the source button. You may also choose Bluetooth connections, and since this bar supports Chromecast, you can control it.
Notably, there are six distinct modes with presets that may be changed using the remote control.
These are the fundamental Sennheiser AMBEO controls. However, this remote cannot completely please the customers. This bar’s pricing was excessive, and they should have been more mindful of the remote control.
Extra intelligent control
Sennheiser released an app to provide full access to the bar. You may use this app to control the remainder of the settings, such as the EQ preset, listening modes, music playback, etc.
Adjust as desired and enjoy a unified audio experience.
Inactive mode
This option conserves energy for you. Standby mode is activated if the bar is inactive for more than 20 minutes.
SONOS ARC
SONOS ARC has several sound-enhancing functions. These are fantastic since you may modify your audio to get the ideal quality.
These two are bass and treble control, which I indicated from the start. I like these two since I can change the bass. Only bass fans will feel the gift here.
The Trueplay room correction function then allows the bar to mix the stereo sound based on the size of the space. This works well because you don’t have to worry about how big the room is. You may thoroughly appreciate it whether it is large or tiny. However, this function is only available on iOS.
Following that is the Dialogue Enhancement, Night Mode function. This feature allows for more exact conversation. You may enjoy a movie or listen to music late at night without disturbing others with the soundbar’s night mode.
Drivers/Tweeters
SONOS ARC has 11 drivers. There are two woofers on the top, four in the front, and two on each side.
A Class D amplifier powers three silk-dome tweeters. This amplifier is powerful enough to power all of the drivers. This gives the music a powerful and lively quality.
Connectivity through wireless
Sennheiser AMBEO enables the soundbar to connect to WIFI, Bluetooth, Ethernet, and other wireless networks. However, the situation is different in this case since SONOS ARC only supports WIFI.
This is insufficient for a wireless streaming service, while for others, it is more than enough. If you have a WIFI connection, you don’t need Bluetooth.
All electrical gadgets are WIFI compatible, so you can instantly connect your phone or anything you desire. Stream your preferred music or material.
Connectivity by wire
For a clean design, all wiring connections are located on the soundbar’s rear. A single HDMI connector, an optical adapter, an ethernet connection, and Sonos ARC are all supported. Sonos ARC now supports eARC for delivering high-quality signals from your TV to the bar.
To hear Dolby Atmos sound, your TV or streaming program must support Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, or pass through. Your TV or media will not be able to experience Dolby Atmos support unless it is encoded using these codecs.
Also, a normal Sonos ARC connection is enough to handle these formats. If you are worried about the apps, don’t be because almost all streaming apps now support high audio files.
EARC may operate with higher Dolby Atmos sound formats on Xbox or 4K blu-ray and PlayStation.
Voice assistant
Voice assistant is a huge advantage for lazy folks who don’t want to use the remote or the SONOS app. SONOS ARC, unlike Sennheiser AMBEO, includes Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
With the microphone switched on, you can deliver single orders to your soundbar and accomplish anything you could do with the remote. Volume can be adjusted, bass and treble can be customized, music can be played, and alarms can be set.
SONOS ARC VS SENNHEISER AMBEO: Appearance
Voice assistant is a huge advantage for lazy folks who don’t want to use the remote or the SONOS app. SONOS ARC, unlike Sennheiser AMBEO, includes Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
With the microphone switched on, you can deliver single orders to your soundbar and accomplish anything you could do with the remote. You can change the volume, make changes to the bass and treble, play music, and set timers.
SONOS ARC VS SENNHEISER AMBEO: Appearance
The Sonos Arc soundbar design is simple; the oval form is what you first notice. The soundbar will disappear almost instantly when mounted on the wall if your TV is at least 45 inches in width. Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar’s geometric shapes-and-squares design makes it stand out and not blend in with the TV.
The aesthetic of the Sonos Arc is up to the customer, but the sleek profile will make a less striking statement regardless of how your entertainment space looks.
The layout of both units is similar, with the input and output plugs located in the back. Both teams can be used for tabletop or wall mounting. The mount is not included in either product. Only the mounts made by the manufacturer will work. The Sonos Arc wall mount costs around $120, while the Sennheiser Ambeo wall mounting costs only about half.
You can choose from black or white for the Sonos Arc to match your home’s style. Ambeo’s soundbar is only available as a black option. Although black is a popular choice, it can sometimes look better in certain situations. It’s good to have alternatives.
SONOS ARC VS SENNHEISER AMBEO: Speakers
A soundbar’s job is to produce great sound. These goods are good, so you won’t be unhappy with them.
The Arc has 11 speakers, compared to Ambeo’s 13. However, the satellite speakers are not identical. The Sonos Arc has eight powered elliptical speakers, two of which are up-firing.
These speakers provide a good mix of mid-range and bass frequencies. They also improve high-frequency sound quality. Three silk-dome tweeters deliver high-frequency sound and enhance vocal quality.
Five long-throw woofers provide bass and mid-range tones for the Sennheiser Ambeo. Two up-firing drivers deliver excellent bass response and realism. Five aluminum dome tweeters can handle high-frequency frequencies.
Both soundbars work flawlessly regardless of whether music, TV, or movie is being played. They are both top-quality soundbars on Amazon, so it is not surprising that they sound great. The Arc seems to offer a more prosperous, richer, and more immersive experience for movies and television.
However, it does not have surround sound rear speakers, so the sounds from the rear are noticeable. When playing music, especially songs with deep bass, you need a subwoofer.
However, if you’re watching an action movie, you will be amazed at a depth of the bass sound the soundbar produces without it rattling your walls.
It sounds fantastic, especially when you play Dolby Atmos 3D sound. Horror movies are made more frightening by the astonishingly realistic sound quality. The Sennheiser Ambeo gives you a sense of movement and distance in the sound. Even though the bass is great, it might need some tweaking to sound right.
As with the Arc, the absence of rear speakers makes a significant difference in how sound effects from the overhead or behind can be heard.
Overall, the Sonos Arc was better in incredible sound quality and reproduction. Ambeo’s voice quality was comparable or better to the Sonos Arc, which is significant given the price difference. The extra cost of the Sennheiser Ambeo for movies, music, and television was not worth it compared to the Arc.
App Control
Sennheiser’s app unlocks the full potential of the soundbar. Android and iOS users can download the software in its entirety. After you get used to the app, you will adjust the soundbar to suit your listening preferences and room.
The Sonos Arc is built on the new S2 platform and comes with a revolutionary app for Android, iOS, or iPadOS. TruePlay on Android is not supported by the app, which can be a problem when you quickly tweak your gaming system.
The Sennheiser app is better and more polished than the old S1 version. It’s easy to change the settings and make the sound just the way you want it. The new Sonos app works much better than the S1 version and has many of the features you’d expect.
For those who use Android only, the incompatibility with Android is a continuing source of frustration. It is possible to have a friend who has an iOS smartphone come to your house and program the speakers.
Which Sounds Better?
After reviewing the two most powerful manufacturers, SONOS and SENNHEISER AMBEO, it isn’t easy to pick the best soundbar. We were pleasantly impressed by both the SONOS ARC and the SENNHEISER AMBEO.
However, SENNHEISER AMBEO fared much better than SONOS ARC. Both support DOLBY ATMOS support. However, Sennheiser AMBEO has superior sound quality.
SONOS ARC
You’d gladly pay the premium for the amazing Dolby Atmos performance of the SONOS ARC. Its performance is outstanding and commendable in every way. Very few soundbars can transmit Dolby Atmos material well, and ARC did so admirably.
This is more than just a soundbar that delivers the cinema experience into your house. This bar’s customer was continuously shocked; how can a single piece of hardware be so dedicated?
The sound is strong and full, making it perfect for watching movies, listening to music, or watching TV. Nothing could be a better alternative for TV addicts than this.
If you can afford this much, you will undoubtedly have a fantastic sound experience in your house. In a nutshell, Sonos invested much in this bar to satisfy customers.
Let’s go through the sound quality in further depth.
Despite the lack of a virtual sound mode, ARC manages to deliver 3D surround sound into your house. It fills the whole space with amazing sound, making you feel like you are in the real material.
All are owing to the smart positioning of the driver within the bar. There are four in the front and two on each side. These side-firing speakers aid in obtaining surround sound, which appears to the listener as a reflection.
With accuracy and clarity, catch every moving item. Every small footstep or piece of copper falls from the sky. This is made feasible by the larger soundstage and Dolby Atmos content.
Because of the excellent performance of the center channel speaker, this bar is ideal for watching movies. The center channel operates behind the scenes to pinpoint the precise position of the discussion or action in the film.
It entails understanding the precise position of every moving item from where the sounds originate in the movie. The ARC center channel properly reproduces the sound.
The height performance with the central channel is next. With its height performance, ARC once again leaves users dumbfounded. The music is produced properly by the up-firing speakers, which complement the height performance.
The highs and mid-range are also remarkable. When all of these elements come together, it creates a fantastic surround sound stage. Every vocal, instrument sound, highs, and mids provide detailed, crisp-clear, and rich results.
Finally, the bass is an inescapable subject for a speaker. A total of eight woofers are used to provide strong, punchy, and deeper bass. You can feel the warmth of bass without utilizing an additional subwoofer.
SENNHEISER AMBEO
The Sennheiser AMBEO is one of the greatest soundbars available today. The price puts most people off, but you will be smitten once you learn about this bar and its sound quality.
Almost no one has said anything negative about this soundbar. The sound quality is powerful, elegant, and fantastic. This is the king of all soundbars that support Dolby Atmos.
Nothing beats this for delivering life-like surround sound into your living room and presenting you to the true audio world. This 5.1.4ch speaker delivers consistently accurate, balanced sound.
This soundbar supports not only DOLBY ATMOS but also MPEG-H material. And you may have recognized the value of this bar by now.
Let’s look at some criteria to assess how excellent the sound quality is.
This bar, with 13 speakers, can emit the loudest sound you’ve ever heard. This bar does not need additional channels to be loud. It may stimulate the most audible sound with the maximum loudness, causing your heart to begin pounding quickly.
You don’t have to pay more money for another teacher if you have a larger group. This speaker is capable of handling it all. This bar saves you money since you don’t have to pay for extra speakers; you get the whole thing.
THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) performance is also acceptable. This is also being discussed since it influences overall sound quality. The lower the THD rate, the more pure and precise the sound.
Fortunately, the average and maximum volume AMBEO THD rates are acceptable. Even at maximum volume, the clarity will not disappoint.
As a result of the 5.1.4ch arrangement, this speaker performed well with the center channel speaker. Sennheiser Ambeo is comparable to SONOS ARC’s center channel speaker.
The center channel speaker reproduces the crisp, detailed, and defined sound. You may sense the movement of each item where the sound is coming from behind you or above you.
This transforms the movie experience into a realistic one. If you have high-quality television, you may feel like you are there in the program. To view the true magic, use the Sennheiser AMBEO 3D model.
Great height AMBEO delivers a larger soundstage with Dolby Atmos compatibility, Sennheiser AMBEO 3D mode, and excellent driver positioning.
As a result, virtual sound mode and, once again, Sennheiser AMBEO 3D mode provide superb surround sound. It feels great to discover you are surrounded by noises in your room and have a comfortable experience knowing you have spent your time in the ideal spot.
SENNHEISER AMBEO is the winner.
We did not anticipate SENNHEISER AMBEO to be so influential. The price is rather costly, and many people believe it is not worth it. The sonic quality, on the other hand, astounded everyone.
It supports a variety of audio formats and also works with HDMI cable in ARC mode. There are several wireless connectivity choices available.
On the other hand, SONOS ARC sounds gorgeous but lacks more than Sennheiser AMBEO. If we are not to compare them, then the SONOS ARC is the greatest.
As we need to discover a better soundbar, the SENNHEISER AMBEO is unquestionably the best option.
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FAQs
What is it that makes the ambeo soundbar special?
The Ambeo Soundbar can produce rare, natural tone, cohesion, and solidity by using more significant, better-quality drivers. It also has 3D audio processing that is convincing.
Is Sennheiser ambeo good at music?
Although the Sennheiser Ambeo doesn’t do everything right, it can only play music and movies without a dedicated sub; these are minor, fixable issues. It is one of the best soundbars without a subwoofer on the market. This is especially true when you consider that the Sennheiser has mastered surround sound.
Do I need a subwoofer that has Sonos Arc?
It is powerful enough to power large TVs and most rooms. An optional subwoofer is available, but it is not required. Voice (mic) support is built-in for Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri via AirPlay. The music is also excellent.
Conclusion
Soundbars are an excellent way to provide an easy upgrade for your existing speaker system. With so many soundbars on the market today, it can be hard to decide which one to buy. Some have hailed Sennheiser’s Ambeo Soundbar as the best soundbar on the market. The Sonos Arc soundbar has also been praised for its excellent fidelity and versatility.
Both Sennheiser’s Ambeo Soundbar and Sonos Arc are excellent sounding soundbars. The decision between them comes down to the user’s preference and budget.
Hooke Audio hopes you enjoyed this comparison. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions about our review or want to suggest a soundbar.
