The Sonos Arc Ultra is an excellent soundbar — there's a reason it tops the list of the best soundbars you can buy today. It features amazing Dolby Atmos performance, along with super smart features. It's not cheap, but it's worth every penny of its $1,000 price tag.
But you might not be getting the most out of your pricey soundbar.
So, let's make sure that your Sonos Arc Ultra is working its absolute best as you watch your favorite movies. Get that Sonos App installed, and lets get your soundbar tuned up.
Trueplay tuning
Ok, so some of you might already know how this works, but if you've just plugged your soundbar in and not checked out the app yet, the bar might not be properly attuned to your space.
Every room, be that a bedroom, a living room, or even a bathroom (if you've got a Sonos Arc Ultra in your bathroom, I suspect you might be Lex Luthor), has different audio parameters. Sound is bounced around in different ways by wall layout, and even the stuff that you've got in the room, like sofas, tables, and even light fittings. Some things absorb sound, changing the way the movie sounds even further.
That's where TruePlay comes in — the soundbar plays a series of noises, and then listens to them to make sure the sound is as good as it should be. It doesn't take long, but it's a must if you want your movies to sound the way the director intended.
First off, tap the TruePlay button, and then follow the on-screen instructions. From there, the soundbar will play a series of noises to read the room, and then change the EQ from there to make sure that it sounds its best.
It'll let you know when it's done. Now you can enjoy amazing sound!
That said, remember to redo the TruePlay tuning if you significantly change the makeup of your room, like moving furniture. Also, redo it if you put the soundbar in a different room. Preferably out of the bathroom, Lex.
Change the height setting for superior Atmos
Not getting the full effect of the height channels when you're watching a Dolby Atmos-encoded movie? Make sure you check the height channels in the Sonos app. The height channels in the Sonos Arc Ultra are bounced off the ceiling, so raise them to make sure they're coming in at the correct height.
It's another simple fix. Go to the height channel settings in the Sonos App, and then raise and lower them until you're hearing overheard effects.
Not sure what to watch? I like to use the Dolby Atmos test video, although you'll have to pick up a special DVD and DVD player to make it work properly. Otherwise, use your favorite movie on Netflix or Disney+ that you know features a Dolby Atmos channel, and adjust accordingly from there.
My room needs about +1 to the height channels for the full effect, although your room may vary depending on the ceiling height or how tall your TV stand is.
Make the dialogue super clear
Dialogue is a tricky thing for any kind of audio equipment to get right. Perhaps there's lots going on in a scene, or there's some mad director's decision that's left the dialogue feeling lost and muffled (I'm looking at you, Christopher Nolan). Either way, the Sonos Arc Ultra has some excellent built-in features to make the dialogue in your favorite movies sound even better.
There's a setting called "Dialogue enhancer," which make the voices in your movies sound clearer and easier to hear. It's easy to find and use, and very useful if you or someone you know is hard of hearing.
Find the Dialogue Enhancer option in the Sonos app, and from there find the option that works best for you. The "Low" and "Medium" settings are the least intrustive, but they don't enhance the dialogue as much for people who struggle with busy sounding move mixes.
"High" and "Max" are the options you'll want to use if you struggle to hear the dialogue. They quieten the rest of the scene, and raist the volume of spoken parts to make them easier to hear. They aren't very close to the director's intent, but they're a great way of making movies more accessible for more people.
And we can finally hear what the characters are saying in Tenet. No thanks to you, Nolan.
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