Have been researching soundbars lately and stumbled upon this deal. Works out to roughly 21% discount.
Still haven't decided whether to go Sonos or not. Seems to be lots of issues with their new app.
Sonos Arc + Sonos Sub Gen 3 Bundle $2198 (RRP $2798) + Delivery ($0 C&C/ in-Store) @ JB Hi-Fi
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Pretty crazy in which way??
The way you said, It sounds more bad than good haha
I'm a current owner and I have no idea what you're talking about?
Nah… winging gits as usual. The soundbar is phenomenal. App… barely use it. Other than to activate/deactivate night mode. Music… Airplay. Done.
lol possibly one of the worst comment that absolutely gives out nothing
I have been absolutely happy with my Sonos Arc + Gen 3 Sub ( x2) + SL (x2) setup. Never had any issues .
Pretty Decent deal. i am using Gen2 Woofer with Arc and 2 SL speakers and no dramas.
go for it… you won't regret it.I bought it at the same price 2 years ago.
Plus you get get discounted gift cards to bring down the price.Same
Same
Double the price of the Samsung Q900, gee this must be something special with 2 less speakers…
I bought Sammy first and returned it immediately for this…
Why even compare Samsung speakers with Sonos, they are completely different leagues. It’s like comparing Samsung with some soundbar you pick up for $10 at Kmart
I bought the bose soundbar 900 and was disappointed, had to return it. So in my opinion, yes it's worth comparing.
Did you with Sonos after Bose? I recently got the 900 so asking
@kalakaar: Wife was so unimpressed that I lost my budget for it 😂 + rate increase so we decided to save instead. Otherwise I would have tried the Samsung.
Good thing with Bose though is the trial.
For the other brand I don't think you can return it if you're unhappy.
Sonos is better at music set-up, and Samsung is best at movie theatre setup. But price difference between the two, I would pick Samsung anyday.
Only advantage (that is if you can throw more money)with Sonos is, you can have multiple subs ..
That’s a little unfair don’t you think.
I have a Samsung Q900T that I bought 3 years ago. It was 1/3 the price of Sonos Arc + Sub but still offered a comparable audio experience. Sonos setup is definitely not 3 times better than Samsung.I mean yeah, it’s all very subjective anyway. There’s no metric to measure what exactly is 3x better, really just depends on what you like, if you like what Samsung sounds like then it’s better. But for me, subjective view, it’s probably more than 3x better. I used to hack(both hw and sw) a lot of Sonos speakers, the attention to detail that they put is amazing compared with other that I have seen.
What I mean mostly is they clearly target a different market with the price, Sonos wants to be the premium market and charges a premium price, so not really comparable.
@neurofunky: They're not comparable because they massively overcharge?
Nah, mate. They're just doing the apple route - make a good product, then hype the shit out of it and triple the price tag compared to your competitors.
Thats like saying 'my Cerato is fast enough, a Porsche is not worth it' just to justify you got a Cerato and not a Porsche.
Sonos is worth it, if you wanna spend the money, simple as that@OldSchoolHarry: There’s a reason so many people buy the ‘Porsche’. They wouldn’t buy it if it was a ‘stinger’ at triple the price.
I’m trying to decide myself if I’ll go for Sonos or settle for q990d
How does the JBL 800 compare to these two? Is $620 a deal or not?
I actually thought the same before buying Q930b for less than half the price last year but I have been pleasently surprised especially by the bass performance of the subwoofer. I dont think Sonos would be 3 times better than samsung.
100% agree Q900 is much better value for money.
I heard both. Sonos is better at music set-up, and Samsung is good at movie theatre setup. But price difference between the two, I would pick Samsung anyday.
I'm contemplating going with the Samsung having owned the first gen Sonos. Why isn't the Samsung less good with music set up? Can you not stream Spotify through it?
It's just the sound profile is bit rich on Sonos music, and feels good to ears compared to the Samsung. But doesn't mean Samsung isn't good though. Samsung is more immersive with movies and surround sound. It's only more so if you compare both side by side. Both are capable enough..
100% agree with this.
FYI i have both set ups in my house.
Samsung Q990C
+
Sonos Arc + 2xGen1 Sonos as surrounds + 1xGen1 SubThe Q990C is alot better then sonos for movies, there system just works together alot better then Sonos.
For Sonos as they were ORIGINALLY more music based speakers it doesnt work that well for movies.
Arc 2 expected later this year or early next year
https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/11/24195947/sonos-lasso-soun…
Looks like it's going to cost $1800 Aud or something but exciting times!
People been saying this since February
Arc is amazing. I used to have Yamaha soundbar and dialogue was muffled
Yeah I bought Yamaha soundbar and after less than a week went back to the TV’s built-in speakers. Dialogue is where I struggle the most.
It’s now doing an OK job as my PC speaker.
I have a Yamaha on the second TV as well and had to turn subs on.
Damn these are expensive now compared to a few years back. Still, 21% off sonos RRP plus ability to use GCs on top is pretty rare… not to be sneezed at, if you’re in the market.
FYI Arc v2 may be coming out before end of the year as Sonos’ 2nd new product for the year. So if you can hold til eg BF then will get v1 cheaper
Recent new app ongoing dramas are real though for many current users. Still unlikely to be able to edit a playlist or queue until sept-oct, 5 mths in. Nuts.
Certainly seem to be people losing their minds over changes to the app, with the odd person jumping in and mentioning that they never even use the app.
For me if the sound quality is amazing then I’m still considering it.
What do people use the Sonos app for? I have Sonos and I don't think I've ever used it besides for initial set-up.
Use it all the time for night mode and voice priority, not to mention occasional tweaks to the EQ. I've not had any issues with the new app other than some annoying UX changes that took a while to be re-added (like numbers on the volume slider).
The issues seem to be related to them switching to using mDNS? Anyone relying on an Apple ecosystem, especially Home is already relying on mDNS so it’s more a user/home network issue than a Sonos issue.
@SolitaryMan: How am I getting downvotes, bizarre.
Anyway, yeah agreed, although I've heard a lot about UX issues as well as playing saved local playlists etc. Nothing I've used personally but when it first updated I noticed it lacked some really basic stuff like volume numbers on the slider which was a bad sign.
@SolitaryMan: There’s two groups of issues.
One group is about changes to their networking stack to use mDNS among other changes. For some people that has introduced significant latency and for others it has resulted in connection drops.
The other group of issues are in the app itself. For the launch of their headphones, they completely replaced the app. The new version is missing a lot of features that were in the old one and has some bugs around things like volume control.
If only using for TV audio,then just EQ and Trueplay correction. Otherwise, for music - streaming straight to the speaker, rather than through your phone/device (which drains battery). Alarms and sleep timers, but less likely a need for Arc in living room - unless for eg turn radio/music on automatically in the morning.
How do you stream straight to the speaker? The only thing works is Spotify which I don't think works that great. I was looking for ways to cast youtube but nothing really works.
I'm in the Sonos ecosystem in a BIG way, and have been very happy.
I've read quite a bit about the issues others have faced recently, but my experience certainly hasn't mirrored the extremes of pain and dramas that others are expressing online.
The app is definitely slower and less responsive than it was, but they are aware of all of the issues and the CEO has come out recently and communicated a path to resolution.
For day to day tv/ movie viewing with something like the above arc/ sub combo deal , the app is largely irrelevant - it all just works through the TV remote.
If you want to listen to music you can bypass the app completely and just play to the speakers through the Spotify app, or ask Siri/ Alexa etc. or similar.
The app is really only needed if you want to play multi-room audio and pair multiple speakers together into zones. Alternatives like SonoPhone exist if the offical app is too painful in the interim.
Despite the current issues, I'd definitely still recommend Sonos products and particularly the Arc/ Sub combo.
Are you able to enable/disable night mode and voice priority through a normal remote? If so I could do away with the app as well.
No that I know of, but I've never had any issues/ lag/ delay firing up the app and selecting either of those options when needed.
If you’re in the apple ecosystem, you can use shortcuts + soro to create automations / shortcuts that toggle night mode and dialogue mode.
Oh wow, that’s awesome thanks for sharing. Will look into this.
Agree re general TV/movies.
But for music - for me the app has continued to work, but defo more clunky, slow and more errors. The ridiculous part has been the lack of option to roll back the app coz of their new Ace headphones, and there had been no apology (just bravado) until just this week (some 2 or so months later) re taking away functionality (mostly integrating user music libraries) and also nixxing many features that had been present for years and years, without warning (eg alarms, sleep timers). So have peeved a lot of faithfuls who are invested deep. And still wont be able to edit a queue or playlist for another few months (since May, WTF!). But for some ppl, couldnt update wifi settings for months, or even play music.
Need app for EQ, Trueplay (with iphone) and streaming music directly through sonos (not via your phone)
This or SONY A9?
exactly my thoughts too :)
or the good old bose 900 with sub :D
Music or movies? Would you add rears to this? Sub with Sony? A9 v2 (bravia quad) meant to be better than v1 all around - but it's got a big ol price hike to boot.
Worth asking for further discount on JB live chat. Got this same bundle from them for $1761 less than a year ago.
What… you cracked a real deal …
Got lucky with live chat salespersons especially since I also managed to get 2 x Sonos One SL for just $320 after this.
Man.. you really got lucky …
That's more like it….
I own this + 2 Era 100 speakers for surround sound and definitely recommend them. I only use them for watching tv which means I rarely need to use the app so all the issues people discuss on Reddit haven’t impacted me at all. All I use the app for is changing volume, night mode on/off etc and I’ve had no issues.
Same here. I recently started listening to music through the setup and it sounds awesome in surround sound.
Been using Sonos sub, play 5’s and sound bar for years. Zero problems.
You need the app if you play your music through YouTube Music. It mostly works but just doesn't have all the features and queuing ability. Good enough but not great. What is great is the ability to play without phone. I got 2 Era 100s and love them.
I have a gen 1 play 5 (12 years old, wow).
Asides from them trying to shelve the unit with a non compatible app moving forward a few years back, it has and continues to be, amazing (they introduced a legacy app to allow continued usage after the deserved outcry).
Same deal available directly through the Sonos website
The most frustrating part of my Sonos system is I have to use their app for Youtube music as I can't cast from the YoutTube music app, supposedly due to some conflict between Google and Sonos that's been going for ages. The Sonos app is clunky with a fair amount of bugs. I could avoid all of this before when using Spotify as you can cast from the Spotify app, didn't realise the trouble it'd cause switching to YouTube music.
You on Android? No issue doing this on an iPhone.
Yeah I'm on Android, and that's my other gripe with Sonos…why is it so much more compatible with Apple than Android? Furthermore, I gave Apple Music a go as my partner's in the Apple ecosystem and I learnt very quickly that Android's Apple music app has way less capability than the iPhone version…I couldn't cast from Apple music to the Sonos app for instance…which to me was strange, as despite enjoying Apple's playlists and music selection, this sort of restriction wrote off any favourable impressions, and made want to switch to Apple even less - I can't support a brand who locks functionality behind spending thousands on their flagship product.
If you have the space, you can get a very decent Amp + bookshelf speaker stereo setup for the same money. My guess it that the sound quality will be a lot better than any soundbar.
Is getting a Wiim Amp, which has ARC, and a decent set of speakers an option (potentially a fair bit cheaper)?
That sounds like a great idea. If you place the speakers correctly, stereo sound (2.0) is pretty engaging for movies. And the setup will be a LOT better for music listening.
Guys I’m struggle with not sure getting Sub Mini or Gen3 sub, my room is a 5x6m size.. and I want a fuller sound
Bedroom, sub mini. Lounge room, Gen 3
Don’t buy from JB Hi-Fi… Go Westcoast Hi-Fi.
I bought from them last time (brilliant service and communication) and they will price-match (+beat it). You can text them from the website.
I purchased a Sonos Sub Mini and a Sonos Arc. Bloody amazing. Always a talking point for visitors, can’t go wrong.
Will they beat it by 10%?
Won't comment on this deal but I am another long time Sonos user. The latest app update is a dog. Heaps of issues getting my system to stay connected and lots of speaker dropouts requiring resets. The notifications on Android no longer work so I need to go into the app to change songs and volume. Ongoing YouTube music and Sonos integration issues. Sonos have always been very Apple-centric and the latest update certainly has the feel that it's catered to that ecosystem.
The app issues are so blown out of proportion by diehards. Really don’t represent the experience which is completely fine.
That's your experience, with your setup. I still love all my Sonos gear, but the app is jacked and there is no arguement that this is a lesson in poor software release management. The app is poorly designed and full of bugs.
If you have multiple sets of speakers there are constant volume control issues and many other bugs. If you only use for TV, fine. But that isn't the appeal of buying into the ecosystem for many people.
People that are thinking about buying into the system need to know the straight. Not just your experience and gaslighting the honest feedback of people that are experiencing constant issues. This is one of, if not the worst app updates I've experienced, and I've worked on a lot.
I understand soundbars when you're in budget world but if you're spending this much money I don't understand why you wouldn't head into receiver + speaker territory
Yeah, this genuinely boggles the mind. Who TF is spending this much money on a soundbar and sub.
It’s an extremely tidy set up that is extremely simple to set up and sounds extremely good.
As good as a dedicated receiver + speaker setup?
Yes, for 95% of people. An audiophile might disagree to some extent but audiophiles are never quite happy enough anyways.. keep in mind this is much tidier than a dedicated setup.
@EitherWayUp: I could be called an 'audiophile' but am extremely satisfied with a fairly modest 2 channel setup, no sub. Very tidy. Speakers have 8" drivers and I don't watch movies with lots of explosions. I did run a 10" sub for a while, noticed a difference but not enough to really obsess about- I ended up just getting rid of the sub.
It cost a lot less than this Sonos setup, because I built most of it myself (and enjoyed learning during the build process). And it will never rely on outside software to remain functional- to me, not having an app on a phone is a major upside. When it comes to electronics, I try to avoid 'ecosystems' because that leads to being trapped inside one. Maybe nice at the beginning, but problematic five years later when the manufacturer's attention has shifted elsewhere.
Not an approach for everyone, but one thing that I did learn through this process was to be very skeptical of tiny drivers placed directly under a TV, and whizz bang tech buzzwords that promise to defy the laws of physics.
I have a home theatre setup with dedicated speakers and this setup in another room. I use the sonos setup as its tidy- single speaker and wireless sub and sounds good 90% there. There is a benefit of convenience of a single speaker setup and aesthetics. And integration with the sonos ecosystem is a plus
I'm replacing a 15 year old 5.1 system that had an Onkyo receiver with B&W M1 speakers and Yamaha sub.
My lesson from all those years was that the missus doesn't want to juggle remotes (or use a Harmony remote) or switch inputs. She just wants to turn on the TV and watch something. So it was just me getting any usage out of the surround system.
Are there any receivers these days that don't need to be touched after setup? If we're just using built-in streaming apps on a Sony Oled, and the kids' game consoles are plugged directly into the TV, can everything be controlled through HDMI-CEC from the TV remote without touching the receiver?
I am also still on an old setup with Onkyo receiver with floor standing JBL speakers and sub with Sony TV.
Switch, Google TV all goes into the TV via HDMI, then I have optical out from the TV into the receiver.
Setting in the TV is set to use external speaker systems, so any sounds out goes to Receiver without needing to switch inputs.other than that, i have Google Audio optical out / into Receiver, only input switch (one button click done on Onkyo remote) i do is when i need to listen to music without TV.
I will always switch it back to TV input after use, in case missus gest confused lol
i have been thinking about getting sound bar for the neatness but just couldnt submit on the sound quality differences…
Switch, Google TV all goes into the TV via HDMI, then I have optical out from the TV into the receiver.
Setting in the TV is set to use external speaker systems, so any sounds out goes to Receiver without needing to switch inputs.This is pretty much what I do. The TV takes multiple HDMI inputs from various devices, and the sound out is optical into a speaker system.
I am a long time Sonos user. I think if you're just after a surround setup, then go for a standalone setup like the Sammy Q990D. There's no reason to get into the Sonos ecosystem, especially at the moment.
The latest app hasn't affected everyone. Those who watch movies and AirPlay music to their speakers are mostly ok.
Without going into any detail, those Sonos Nerds who have used features like alarms, sleep timers, music queues, custom internet radio stations, playing from local libraries, listening to different music in different rooms (multi-user household), or even have reliable volume controls, have had their experience become significantly reduced and unreliable.
I would recommend people stay away from Sonos - the features that make it better than a standard surround setup are unreliable at the moment, so there's no reason to get into the Sonos ecosystem.
Thanks for the insight. You make some good points.
After researching soundbars extensively and looking at all the options on the market, it's clear that Sonos has the advantage of upgradability over time.
The Q990D is a great package, but it will always just be what it is. E.g. as far as I understand, there is no ability to swap the subwoofer to a larger one or add a second sub. Whereas with Sonos, it's possible to assemble a system over time and replace/upgrade components as desired. Also there is an second-hand market for Sonos. When I no longer want it, the Sammy will just be another HTiB system being sold on gumtree.
The only other soundbar I would consider is the Sennheiser Ambeo Plus, which has the advantage of being able to use the existing Yamaha sub from the 5.1 system I've retired. However Sennheiser don't offer any rears speakers - the bar is designed to bounce sounds off side walls which doesn't suit my room layout.
Yeah… I agree on upgrading Sonos as you go, and being easily able to sell or repurpose any old speakers. I’ve done that many times over the years, and the buoyant secondhand market is a massive bonus.
You do pay a Sonos premium for that flexibility though. A just-as-capable non-upgradable surround setup is half the price.
The app is just so bad now. I had to uninstall it yesterday, because the latest version (released a couple of days ago) used 40% of my phone battery in one day, and I hadn’t even used it - I wasn’t even home. I also can’t trust it to keep playing when I have people over, nor can I trust the alarms to work.
I have sold 7 of my separate Sonos speakers since May. I plan to sell my Sonos surround setups (x 2) once I get a special on the Samsung Q990D or similar. I had enough of Sonos.
Definitely search Reddit and others for opinions of existing Sonos owners…sounds pretty crazy from what I've read.