Soundbars / Sonos Arc Ultra vs LG S95AR
Sonos Arc Ultra vs LG S95AR
LG S95AR
A complete 9.1.5 system with rears and sub in the box — the LG OLED match.
Wins overall by 0.4 points
Quick Verdict
A 0.4-point gap makes the LG S95AR the straightforward choice here. A complete 9.1.5 system with rears and sub in the box — the LG OLED match.
The Sonos Arc Ultra and LG S95AR are both closely matched soundbar models, and the Sonos Arc Ultra is $600 cheaper than the LG S95AR ($1,099 vs $1,699). On Connectivity, the LG S95AR leads (9.0 vs 7.5/10) — HDMI inputs and passthrough, eARC, Wi-Fi and streaming protocol support. On Design & Build, the Sonos Arc Ultra leads (9.0 vs 8.0/10) — finish, size relative to a TV, and how well it fits a living room. On Value, the LG S95AR leads (8.0 vs 7.0/10) — performance and features relative to price. Overall, the LG S95AR scores 8.8/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 8.4/10 for the Sonos Arc Ultra. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Sonos Arc Ultra | LG S95AR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1099.00 | $1699.00 |
| Release Year | 2024 | 2025 |
| Channels | 9.1.4 (14 drivers: 9 tweeters, 6 mid-woofers, plus the Sound Motion woofer) | 9.1.5 (17 drivers, five up-firing including a centre height channel) |
| Total Power (W) | Sonos does not publish power ratings | 810 |
| Subwoofer | Built in (Sound Motion woofer); Sonos Sub 4 or Sub Mini optional | Included (wireless), 8-inch driver in a 20-litre cabinet, extending to 27.1Hz |
| Rear Speakers | Optional add-on — Sonos Era 300 or Era 100 pair as wireless surrounds | Included — six-channel true wireless rears with up-firing drivers |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
| DTS:X | No | Yes |
| HDMI Ports (ports) | 1 | 2✓ |
| HDMI Passthrough | None — there is no HDMI input at all, only eARC out | 4K/120Hz with VRR and ALLM, HDCP 2.3, HDR10 and Dolby Vision |
| eARC | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi & Streaming | Wi-Fi 6 with AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect; Chromecast is not supported | Yes — AirPlay 2, Google Cast and Spotify Connect all supported |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | Not published by the manufacturer |
| Voice Assistant | Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa built in | Works with Alexa and Google Home; whether either is built in is not confirmed by LG. The built-in microphone is documented for room calibration |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black, White | Black |
Category Scores
Sound Quality
The Sonos Arc Ultra is marginally ahead, 9.2 to 9.0. A gap this small rarely decides a purchase on its own, though it counts if overall tonal balance, clarity and detail is your priority.
Bass
The LG S95AR leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.5 — a 0.5-point margin on low-end weight and extension, with or without a separate subwoofer. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Arc Ultra does not close the gap elsewhere.
Dialogue Clarity
The Sonos Arc Ultra and LG S95AR are level here, at 8.5/10 each. how well speech cuts through a busy soundtrack is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Surround & Height
The LG S95AR leads clearly here, 9.5 against 9.0 — a 0.5-point margin on dolby Atmos height effect and how convincingly it places surround audio. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Arc Ultra does not close the gap elsewhere.
Connectivity
The LG S95AR leads clearly here, 9.0 against 7.5 — a 1.5-point margin on HDMI inputs and passthrough, eARC, Wi-Fi and streaming protocol support. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Arc Ultra does not close the gap elsewhere.
Features
The LG S95AR leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.5 — a 0.5-point margin on room calibration, TV-brand integration, app control and expandability. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Arc Ultra does not close the gap elsewhere.
Design & Build
The Sonos Arc Ultra leads clearly here, 9.0 against 8.0 — a 1.0-point margin on finish, size relative to a TV, and how well it fits a living room. If that is what you are buying for, the LG S95AR does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The LG S95AR leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.0 — a 1.0-point margin on performance and features relative to price. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Arc Ultra does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Sonos Arc Ultra if…
- • Design & Build matters most to you — the Sonos Arc Ultra scores 9.0/10 here (finish, size relative to a TV, and how well it fits a living room).
- • You want to spend less — it's $600 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is tv-upgrade.
Choose the LG S95AR if…
- • Connectivity matters most to you — the LG S95AR scores 9.0/10 here (HDMI inputs and passthrough, eARC, Wi-Fi and streaming protocol support).
- • Value matters most to you — the LG S95AR scores 8.0/10 here (performance and features relative to price).
- • Bass matters most to you — the LG S95AR scores 9.0/10 here (low-end weight and extension, with or without a separate subwoofer).
- • Surround & Height matters most to you — the LG S95AR scores 9.5/10 here (dolby Atmos height effect and how convincingly it places surround audio).
- • Your main use case is gaming.
Pros & Cons
Sonos Arc Ultra
Pros
- +Widely rated the best one-box Atmos bar you can buy
- +The Sound Motion driver produces genuine bass without a separate subwoofer
- +Trueplay room tuning adapts it to your room
- +Superb build and finish
Cons
- −No HDMI input at all, which is a real problem if your TV has only one spare HDMI port
- −No DTS:X or DTS-HD decoding
- −Deliberately brand-agnostic, so no TV-brand features like Q-Symphony
- −Some controls sit on the rear, awkward when wall-mounted
- −List price rose from $999 to $1,099
LG S95AR
Pros
- +Rear speakers and subwoofer both included, so it is a complete system out of the box
- +The only bar here with a centre up-firing height channel
- +810W published power and full 4K/120Hz VRR pass-through
- +WOW Orchestra and WOWCAST make it the natural match for an LG OLED
Cons
- −LG does not publish the Bluetooth version
- −Whether Alexa or Google Assistant is genuinely built in is unclear from LG's own materials
- −Large footprint — the bar, sub and two rears need real space
- −2025 hardware, and LG has announced a modular Sound Suite successor with no price or date
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Sonos Arc Ultra or LG S95AR better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the LG S95AR comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Connectivity, the Sonos Arc Ultra or the LG S95AR?+
The LG S95AR scores higher on Connectivity (9.0/10 vs 7.5/10) — HDMI inputs and passthrough, eARC, Wi-Fi and streaming protocol support.
Which is better for Design & Build, the Sonos Arc Ultra or the LG S95AR?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra scores higher on Design & Build (9.0/10 vs 8.0/10) — finish, size relative to a TV, and how well it fits a living room.
Which is better for Value, the Sonos Arc Ultra or the LG S95AR?+
The LG S95AR scores higher on Value (8.0/10 vs 7.0/10) — performance and features relative to price.
Which is better for Bass, the Sonos Arc Ultra or the LG S95AR?+
The LG S95AR scores higher on Bass (9.0/10 vs 8.5/10) — low-end weight and extension, with or without a separate subwoofer.
Is the Sonos Arc Ultra worth the price difference over the LG S95AR?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra is the cheaper option at $1,099 versus $1,699. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Connectivity.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra is the better fit if you mainly care about tv-upgrade. The LG S95AR is the better fit for gaming.
What's the warranty on the Sonos Arc Ultra vs the LG S95AR?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra ships with a 12-month warranty; the LG S95AR ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 7 (HT-A7100) — $869.99
Premium Option
Samsung HW-Q990H — $1999.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.