Upgrading to a premium soundbar can transform your TV viewing experience thanks to clearer dialogue, richer bass, and a wider, more immersive sound field. German audio specialist Sennheiser and American connected audio company Sonos are two of the most reputable names when shopping for high-performance home theater soundbars.
But which brand should you choose – Sennheiser or Sonos? This in-depth comparison aims to help you decide…
Sennheiser and Sonos: Brand Backgrounds
Founded in 1945, Sennheiser is widely regarded as one of the world‘s leading manufacturers of professional and consumer audio equipment ranging from studio headphones to premium home theater speaker systems.
Renowned for advanced acoustic engineering and superb craftsmanship, Sennheiser products deliver breathtakingly realistic sound fueled by innovative technologies like Ambeo 3D audio. However, this premium quality comes at a relatively high cost.
Sonos, launched in 2002, pioneered wireless multi-room audio systems and smart speakers for both music and home theater applications. While Sonos may not match Sennheiser‘s audiophile-grade components, its products emphasize sleek contemporary design and intuitive controls including seamless integration with major streaming platforms.
Sennheiser vs Sonos Soundbars: Model Lineup Comparison
Sennheiser currently offers two core soundbar models catering to different budgets and use cases – the high-end Ambeo Soundbar Plus retailing at $1,500 and the more affordable Ambeo Soundbar at $800. Both leverage Sennheiser‘s signature Ambeo 3D audio virtualization technology to create stunningly lifelike surround sound.
In contrast, Sonos provides a wider range of soundbar options spanning from the compact $279 Ray soundbar to the $899 Dolby Atmos-enabled Arc soundbar. Additional models like the Beam, Arc SL, and second-gen Beam round out the selection with prices ranging from $449 to $799.
Feature and Specs Comparison
| Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus | Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar | Sonos Arc | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,500 | $800 | $899 |
| Audio Technology | Ambeo 3D Audio | Ambeo 3D Audio | Dolby Atmos |
| Speakers | 5 channel with upfiring & side-firing speakers | 5 channel with upfiring speakers | 11 drivers including angled side tweeters |
| Built-in Subwoofer | Yes (4-inch dual subwoofers) | No | No |
| Inputs | 2x HDMI, 1x Optical, Bluetooth | 1x HDMI, 1x Optical, Bluetooth | 1x HDMI (eARC), Optical, Ethernet |
| Voice Assistant Support | Google Assistant & Amazon Alexa | Google Assistant & Amazon Alexa | Google Assistant & Amazon Alexa |
| App Control | Sennheiser Smart Control app | Sennheiser Smart Control app | Sonos app |
| Setup Assistance | N/A | N/A | Trueplay room tuning |
With double the number of speakers compared to Sennheiser models, the Sonos Arc soundbar promises an especially wide and enveloping soundstage. The Arc also edges out both Sennheisers with its HDMI eARC connectivity for higher bandwidth audio formats.
However, only the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus matches the Arc‘s support for voice assistants, while also uniquely offering a set of upfiring and side-firing drivers to bounce audio off surrounding walls and ceiling. This helps replicate even more immersive overhead and surround channel effects.
Audio Quality Comparison
Sonos soundbars like the Arc produce pleasing, well-balanced sound that‘s superior to your TV‘s built-in speakers. However, they cannot match Sennheiser‘s audio pedigree honed over more than 75 years of acoustic innovation.
Reviewing the $1,499 Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar for CNET, audio expert Steve Guttenberg wrote: "The Ambeo Soundbar is in a different league compared with Sonos, Bose, JBL or Yamaha." He praised its "smooth and airy" delivery across bass, midrange and treble frequencies.
According to Steve, "The Ambeo Soundbar projects a huge spacious sphere of sound in front of and around the speakers". This soundstage expansion combined with the soundbar‘s Upmix processing helps create a supremely immersive listening experience on par with a dedicated surround speaker system.
In his review for What HiFi, tester Kob Monney also highlighted the Ambeo soundbar’s expansive soundstage: ”It’s wide, tall and has depth in spades. It’s a huge presentation that no other soundbar has managed thus far.”
Kob did note that the Sonos Arc has an edge when playing Dolby Atmos soundtracks thanks to dedicated upfiring drivers. But besides this, he found that the "Sennheiser serves music and movies with greater insight and finesse” compared to Sonos.
Real-World Impressions
In community forums, owners generally agree that Sennheiser soundbars, especially the flagship Ambeo Soundbar Plus, sound superior for both movies and music versus Sonos models like the Arc.
As one Redditor shared: "I tested both the Arc and Ambeo soundbar at my home. Arc has slightly better integration for home theater, but Ambeo blew it away for audio quality – much fuller sound with better channel separation and audio positioning."
Another owner highlighted just how cinematic the Ambeo Plus can sound: "The overall soundstage, imaging, height and surround effects crush my LG SN9YG soundbar. Vocals pop with clarity while effects pan seamlessly around the room just like Atmos is meant to."
Based on the above reviews and impressions, audiophiles seeking reference-grade performance will likely prefer Sennheiser. But Sonos remains a very capable option for buyers focused more on convenience than ultimate fidelity.
Design & Build Quality
Available in white or black finishes, Sennheiser‘s Ambeo series soundbars flaunt a minimalist yet premium design mixing metal, glass and fabric materials. The included fabric grille for the top-mounted speaker drivers is a particularly distinctive design accent.
By comparison, Sonos soundbars like the Arc showcase a more mainstream consumer electronics aesthetic. Nevertheless, their matte polycarbonate construction feels solid and the touch sensitive controls add a high-tech flourish.
At just 3 inches tall, the Sonos Ray soundbar has an especially low profile perfect for bedrooms or smaller living spaces where you don‘t want gear that‘s visually obtrusive. Larger models like the Arc are still compact enough to fit comfortably in front of most TVs without blocking the screen.
With their premium craftsmanship and high-end materials, Sennheiser soundbars like the Ambeo Plus do convey a stronger sense of luxury. But the similarly unobtrusive dimensions ensure they don‘t dominate your room either.
Smart Features & Connectivity
All current Sennheiser and Sonos soundbars work with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for handy voice control. You can adjust volume, skip tracks, launch streaming services, control smart home devices and more completely hands-free.
Sennheiser‘s built-in microphones do a solid job capturing voice commands accurately. However, for even better far-field microphone performance, Sonos supports directly pairing an Amazon Echo Studio or 4th-gen Amazon Echo smart speaker. This enables activating Alexa even when the soundbar itself is completely silent or turned off.
Sonos also uniquely supports Apple AirPlay 2 allowing you to stream audio or podcasts directly from any iPhone, iPad or Mac device to your Sonos speakers. And the Sonos app grants access to more music services including Pandora,Deezer and Audible.
The Sennheiser Smart Control app focuses more narrowly on customizing your listening experience with adjustable equalizer presets and Ambeo Upmix profiles. An updated auto calibration feature promises to analyze your room and determine optimalfrequency correction settings for your specific setup.
For home theater usage, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus supports the latest HDMI 2.1 specification enabling 4K video at up to 120Hz frame rates. The Sonos Arc isn‘t HDMI 2.1 certified but can still handle standard 4K 60Hz signals without issue.
Expandability
As true wireless speakers, all Sonos soundbars can form the foundation for a convenient multi-room audio setup. Simply add other Sonos speakers like the One SL bookshelf model or Sonos Sub subwoofer to enjoy synchronized music across different rooms.
Streaming musical content to multiple zones does require using the Sonos app. Sennheiser soundbars can‘t natively integrate wirelessly with other Sennheiser speakers in the same manner. However, Sennheiser soundbars are uniquely compatible with certain wireless surround speaker kits.
For example, the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus can pair over a 5 GHz wireless link with the brand‘s RS 5000 surround speakers and XS Wireless subwoofer. This creates a true wireless surround sound system rivaling a conventional wired setup.
Both Sennheiser and Sonos soundbars also feature a single HDMI eARC port allowing you to route sound from an attached media streamer, Blu-ray player or game console back through the soundbar.
Pricing Comparison
Even Sonos‘ premium Arc soundbar costs several hundreds dollars less than Sennheiser‘s "entry-level" $800 Ambeo Soundbar model.
This stark price differential reflects the higher-end components and advanced proprietary technologies powering Sennheiser‘s audio engineering masterpieces.
On a budgets, Sonos soundbars provide strong bang for buck. But spend a little more on a Sennheiser system like the Ambeo Plus, and you‘ll unlock a more cinematic, immersive listening experience showcasing remarkable clarity and spatial imaging.
Sennheiser vs Sonos Soundbars: Pros and Cons
| Brand | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Sennheiser |
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| Sonos |
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Which Soundbar Brand Is Better?
For shoppers who want the absolute best sound quality and most immersive performance for premium home theater use, Sennheiser Ambeo soundbars stand out as top choices.
Featuring innovative technology like upfiring speaker arrays combined with Sennheiser‘s audiophile-grade components and tuning, Ambeo models offer class-leading clarity, expansive soundstaging, and lifelike surround effects.
The hefty price tags do limit Sennheiser soundbars‘ mainstream appeal though. This is where Sonos shines by delivering very solid audio and smart connectivity at more affordable pricing.
Easier to use and control thanks to intuitive touch interfaces and extensive app support, Sonos soundbars fit better for buyers prioritizing convenience. Their flexible form factors and wireless streaming capabilities also make them ideal for multi-room installations.
In summary, while Sennheiser reigns supreme for sheer audio performance, Sonos balances quality and features impressively considering the lower cost. Choose Sennheiser if you want an elite listening experience with cinema-grade sound. But Sonos remains a great option for buyers who value usability and wireless functionality on a budget.
