Soundbars / Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500)
Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500)
Sonos Arc Ultra
The best one-box Atmos bar — real bass, no sub needed, but no HDMI input.
Wins overall by 2.1 points
Quick Verdict
The Sonos Arc Ultra is the stronger all-round pick, ahead by 2.1 points. The best one-box Atmos bar — real bass, no sub needed, but no HDMI input.
The Sonos Arc Ultra and Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) are both closely matched soundbar models, and the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) is $749 cheaper than the Sonos Arc Ultra ($349.99 vs $1,099). On Surround & Height, the Sonos Arc Ultra leads (9.0 vs 5.5/10) — dolby Atmos height effect and how convincingly it places surround audio. On Features, the Sonos Arc Ultra leads (8.5 vs 5.0/10) — room calibration, TV-brand integration, app control and expandability. On Connectivity, the Sonos Arc Ultra leads (7.5 vs 4.5/10) — HDMI inputs and passthrough, eARC, Wi-Fi and streaming protocol support. Overall, the Sonos Arc Ultra scores 8.4/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 6.3/10 for the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500). 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 | Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1099.00 | $349.99 |
| Release Year | 2024 | 2026 |
| Channels | 9.1.4 (14 drivers: 9 tweeters, 6 mid-woofers, plus the Sound Motion woofer) | 3.1 |
| Total Power (W) | Sonos does not publish power ratings | Sony publishes power consumption only (bar 30W, subwoofer 20W), not system output |
| Subwoofer | Built in (Sound Motion woofer); Sonos Sub 4 or Sub Mini optional | Included (wireless), model SA-WB500 |
| Rear Speakers | Optional add-on — Sonos Era 300 or Era 100 pair as wireless surrounds | None — Sony has published no compatible wireless rear kit for this model |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes |
| DTS:X | No | Yes |
| HDMI Ports (ports) | 1 | 1 |
| HDMI Passthrough | None — there is no HDMI input at all, only eARC out | None — there is no HDMI input, only eARC out |
| eARC | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi & Streaming | Wi-Fi 6 with AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect; Chromecast is not supported | None — no AirPlay, Chromecast or Spotify Connect |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Voice Assistant | Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa built in | None |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black, White | Black |
Category Scores
Sound Quality
The Sonos Arc Ultra leads clearly here, 9.2 against 7.0 — a 2.2-point margin on overall tonal balance, clarity and detail. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Bass
The Sonos Arc Ultra leads clearly here, 8.5 against 6.5 — a 2.0-point margin on low-end weight and extension, with or without a separate subwoofer. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Dialogue Clarity
The Sonos Arc Ultra leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.5 — a 1.0-point margin on how well speech cuts through a busy soundtrack. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Surround & Height
The Sonos Arc Ultra leads clearly here, 9.0 against 5.5 — a 3.5-point margin on dolby Atmos height effect and how convincingly it places surround audio. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Connectivity
The Sonos Arc Ultra leads clearly here, 7.5 against 4.5 — a 3.0-point margin on HDMI inputs and passthrough, eARC, Wi-Fi and streaming protocol support. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Features
The Sonos Arc Ultra leads clearly here, 8.5 against 5.0 — a 3.5-point margin on room calibration, TV-brand integration, app control and expandability. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Design & Build
The Sonos Arc Ultra leads clearly here, 9.0 against 7.5 — a 1.5-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 Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Sonos Arc Ultra leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.5 — a 0.5-point margin on performance and features relative to price. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Sonos Arc Ultra if…
- • Surround & Height matters most to you — the Sonos Arc Ultra scores 9.0/10 here (dolby Atmos height effect and how convincingly it places surround audio).
- • Features matters most to you — the Sonos Arc Ultra scores 8.5/10 here (room calibration, TV-brand integration, app control and expandability).
- • Connectivity matters most to you — the Sonos Arc Ultra scores 7.5/10 here (HDMI inputs and passthrough, eARC, Wi-Fi and streaming protocol support).
- • Sound Quality matters most to you — the Sonos Arc Ultra scores 9.2/10 here (overall tonal balance, clarity and detail).
- • Bass matters most to you — the Sonos Arc Ultra scores 8.5/10 here (low-end weight and extension, with or without a separate subwoofer).
Choose the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) if…
- • You want to spend less — it's $749 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is compact.
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
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500)
Pros
- +A genuine 2026 model rather than old stock
- +Dedicated centre channel makes dialogue noticeably clearer than a 2.1 bar
- +Slim profile designed to fit under a BRAVIA without blocking the screen
- +Both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X
Cons
- −Reviewers report almost no sense of overhead height despite the Atmos badge
- −No room calibration
- −No Wi-Fi streaming of any kind
- −No HDMI input
- −Only a power button on the unit itself, so you depend entirely on the remote
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Sonos Arc Ultra or Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Sonos Arc Ultra 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 Surround & Height, the Sonos Arc Ultra or the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500)?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra scores higher on Surround & Height (9.0/10 vs 5.5/10) — dolby Atmos height effect and how convincingly it places surround audio.
Which is better for Features, the Sonos Arc Ultra or the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500)?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra scores higher on Features (8.5/10 vs 5.0/10) — room calibration, TV-brand integration, app control and expandability.
Which is better for Connectivity, the Sonos Arc Ultra or the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500)?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra scores higher on Connectivity (7.5/10 vs 4.5/10) — HDMI inputs and passthrough, eARC, Wi-Fi and streaming protocol support.
Which is better for Sound Quality, the Sonos Arc Ultra or the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500)?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra scores higher on Sound Quality (9.2/10 vs 7.0/10) — overall tonal balance, clarity and detail.
Is the Sonos Arc Ultra worth the price difference over the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500)?+
The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) is the cheaper option at $349.99 versus $1,099. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Surround & Height.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra is the better fit if you mainly care about home-theater. The Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) is the better fit for compact.
What's the warranty on the Sonos Arc Ultra vs the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500)?+
The Sonos Arc Ultra ships with a 12-month warranty; the Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 5 (HT-B500) 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
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Premium Option
LG S95AR — $1699.00
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.