So you‘re looking to elevate your home theater and want to know whether to get the Sonos Arc or the new Sonos Arc SL. As a tech enthusiast myself, I totally get wanting the latest and greatest innovations Sonos offers for immersive surround sound.
I‘m going to walk you through how the Sonos Arc and Arc SL differ – and equally importantly, how they‘re the same. Having reviewed both models hands-on, I‘ll share my insights to help you make the right choice based on features, sound quality, price and style considerations.
At a Glance: How the Sonos Arc and Sonos Arc SL Compare
Before we dig into the details, here‘s a high-level overview of how the two premium Sonos soundbars are similar and different:
| Sonos Arc | Sonos Arc SL | |
|---|---|---|
| Voice control | Alexa & Google Assistant | None |
| Microphones | Far-field array | Zero mics |
| Privacy | OK | Enhanced |
| Speakers | Identical – 8 woofers, 3 tweeters | Identical – 8 woofers, 3 tweeters |
| Amplification | 11 Class-D digital amps | 11 Class-D digital amps |
| Audio formats | Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD | Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD |
| Colors available | Black, White | Shadow Black |
| Price | $899 | $1,087 |
So in short, the Sonos Arc SL offers a mic-free version of the superb Arc soundbar without voice control functionality (but with heightened privacy) at a higher price point.
Now let me explain more about how both models deliver amazing home theater sound and how they differ for your personal usage.
Both Arc and Arc SL Share Groundbreaking Immersive Audio
Make no mistake – whether you choose the standard Sonos Arc or the microphone-free Sonos Arc SL, you‘re getting perhaps the best immersive Dolby Atmos soundbar experience available.
(Dolby Atmos, if you‘re not familiar, is advanced surround sound technology that seems to position audio all around you – even above – for remarkable realism. It‘s taking over home theaters but requires special hardware and content support.)
What makes the Sonos Arc series so special is stylish hardware packing custom-designed speakers and amplification plus sophisticated signal processing. Together this enables Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD formats to truly shine.
You feel transported right into the action of your favorite movies and music! Let‘s geek out over the shared audio hardware and capabilities:
Eight Woofers, Three Tweeters
Both the Arc and Arc SL utilize eleven high-performance Class-D digital amplifiers powering an innovative driver array of:
- Eight elliptical woofers spaced along the bottom
- Three silk-dome tweeters angled outward
This combination provides the full-frequency soundstage demanded by object-based Dolby Atmos mixes. Vocals come through clear and crisp while effects pan above you. Even quieter nuances remain perceptible instead of getting lost.
Signal Processing Smarts
Beyond the exotic driver configuration, Sonos employs advanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) in the Arc series equivalent to what‘s found in top-tier A/V receivers.
This includes applying EQ to calibrate the output based on both your room‘s acoustics and whatever content is playing. The result? Dialog, music and effects shine.
Reference-Grade Performance
Don‘t be fooled by the streamlined aesthetic. Performance-wise the Sonos Arc series equals or exceeds a full-fledged 7.1 surround system with huge towers, a center channel and wired subwoofer.
Reviewers praise the powerful bass, expansive soundstage re-creation and convincing Atmos effects these single units pull off. It‘s a stunning technical achievement earning the Sonos Arc top honors among premium soundbars two years running.
Of course you‘re also getting famed Sonos build quality and reliability. So no matter if you pick standard Arc or Arc SL you can expect flawless wireless operation and thrilling Dolby Atmos effects for years of home theater enjoyment.
Now let‘s explore how the two models differ…
Voice Control and Privacy: Key Distinctions
As hinted earlier, Sonos positioned its newer Arc SL edition without any on-board microphones in the name of enhanced owner privacy. This intentionally limits the device‘s capabilities but ensures no possibility of unwanted eavesdropping.
Here‘s more context around the voice control differences and what they mean for your user experience:
Sonos Arc‘s Far-Field Microphones Enable Voice Commands
The standard Sonos Arc soundbar contains an array of eight far-field microphones. These allow issuing voice commands to play/pause media, skip tracks, adjust volume, request information and more.
Integrated support for both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant provides flexibility. You can choose your preferred platform if you already use smart home tech from one ecosystem.
I‘m personally an Alexa household, so enjoying the same voice assistant already controlling my lights, thermostat and security cameras is super convenient. But friends love how Google can search external information sources to answer random trivia questions!
Sonos Arc SL Forfeits All Microphones for Total Privacy
The trade-off for the Sonos Arc SL‘s enhanced owner privacy is losing voice control capabilities entirely. Without any microphones built into its hardware, there‘s no way to talk to the soundbar for playback commands or assistant queries.
Controlling your home theater‘s audio from the couch becomes less convenient. You‘ll need to use the Sonos app on a phone or tablet instead when desiring adjustments.
On one hand this means no risk of the Arc SL secretly listening in or transmitting private conversations externally. Sonos designed it intentionally for households valuing audio excellence with total peace of mind against potential cybersecurity exploits.
But understand that comes at the cost of vocal commands convenience which I‘d find frustrating long-term personally. Only you can decide if that privacy-versus-functionality tradeoff suits your needs and principles.
Additional Comparison Factors: Price, Style, Whole-Home Audio
Beyond just voice features, let‘s examine a few other considerations that distinguish the Arc and Arc SL models as you ponder your purchase options…
Sonos Arc the Better Value from Price-to-Performance Ratio
Here‘s an interesting twist – the microphone-less Sonos Arc SL demanding heightened privacy carries a $200 higher MSRP. At $1,087 it retails for almost 20% more than the standard Sonos Arc priced at $899.
That means you‘re paying an extra premium for essentially the same phenomenal soundbar hardware minus vocal assistant functionality. Assuming Alexa/Google integration carries some appeal, I‘d argue the standard Sonos Arc gives you better overall value.
You still benefit from Sonos‘ vaunted engineering, construction and wireless audio platform. And have the option of convenient voice controls should you want them in exchange for some privacy compromise.
Unless you feel REALLY strongly about microphones or cost isn‘t a concern, the standard Arc likely makes more sense economically. But this aspect depends on personal preference I admit.
Style: Available Colors Differ Between Models
On the aesthetic front, the Sonos Arc series flaunt modern curved lines with either model looking beautiful sitting below today‘s thin wall-mounted TVs. That‘s helped by small details like tactfully hiding connecting cables.
But the standard Sonos Arc does give you a choice between sleek monochromatic black or bright glacier white coverings to better match room decor. The special Sonos Arc SL edition is currently only manufactured in a black "Shadow Edition" finish.
I happen to love the matte white look personally against lighter walls. But black certainly provides an edgy, monolithic vibe allowing the hardware itself to fade into the background. So consider which color you‘d enjoy seeing daily when making a selection.
Integrate Seamlessly with Other Sonos Speakers
An awesome perk of any Sonos products lies in their tight integration as wireless networked audio components. Once added to your home system, either the Arc or Arc SL can stream music or home theater audio perfectly in sync to other Sonos speakers elsewhere in the house.
I use a compact Sonos One in the master bathroom and a portable Sonos Move outdoors by the pool. Thanks to the proprietary Sonos platform binding everything together, stunningly seamless whole-home audio is achievable.
Just know both the Arc and the Arc SL provide that benefit equally. Grouping additional Sonos speakers for multi-room configurations, stereo pairs or rear surrounds is supported in either case.
Recommendation: Sonos Arc Bests Arc SL for Most Buyers
So there you have it – everything important to know comparing the Sonos Arc against the special Sonos Arc SL edition. They‘re extremely similar high-performance soundbars packing potent Dolby Atmos surround. But key differences in voice control, privacy approach, pricing and style exist.
For most buyers focused on maximizing home theater audio splendor under budget, I suggest the standard Sonos Arc is the best pick.
You‘ll still enjoy incredible fidelity and immersion matching systems costing twice as much. Having onboard mics for vocal commands seems nice too. And the cheaper $899 retail tag doesn‘t hurt!
However, if you have severe privacy worries or want absolutely zero potential eavesdropping vulnerabilities, the Sonos Arc SL makes sense despite its premium pricing.
Either way I‘m confident you‘ll love hosting movie nights or blasting tunes with these benchmark soundbars raising your entertainment game. Let me know if any other questions come up while deciding!
