Sonos Arc Ultra Outshines Marshall Heston 120 in Premium Soundbar Faceoff

The battle for premium soundbar supremacy intensifies as audio giants clash. Marshall, famed for rock amplifiers, steps into the arena with its debut Heston 120, challenging the established prowess of the Sonos Arc Ultra. Both promise immersive Dolby Atmos experiences, but which truly delivers the sonic revolution your home cinema deserves?

Priced at £900/$1000/AU$1799, the Marshall Heston 120 enters as a bold contender, leveraging its iconic aesthetic heritage. Its woven grille, leather trims, and signature rotating metal knobs scream rock and roll. Under the hood, it boasts a 5.1.2 configuration with 11 drivers and 150W power, supporting both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Connectivity is a strong suit, featuring HDMI eARC, a dedicated HDMI 2.1 input (4K/120Hz passthrough), RCA inputs, and extensive streaming via Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Bluetooth 5.3, AirPlay 2, and Chromecast. Marshall’s commitment to sustainability with user-replaceable components is commendable.

The Sonos Arc Ultra, priced slightly higher at £999/$999/AU$1799, counters with refined engineering. Its minimalist design (118cm wide, 7.5cm high) prioritizes subtlety. The real innovation lies inside: a 9.1.4-channel setup powered by 14 drivers and 15 Class D amps. Sonos’s breakthrough Sound Motion woofer technology uses four opposing lightweight motors for deep, distortion-free bass without excessive bulk. While it delivers exceptional Dolby Atmos, the Arc Ultra lacks DTS:X support and crucially, any HDMI inputs, relying solely on eARC passthrough. Its ecosystem strength shines through Sonos Voice Control, Alexa, Google Assistant, and advanced Trueplay room correction for both iOS and Android.

Sound Performance: Where the Battle is Decided

Despite its feature set and visual appeal, the Marshall Heston 120 stumbles where it matters most: sonic performance. While dialogue clarity is strong and tonal balance generally coherent, significant flaws emerge. Treble can become harsh and sibilant, bass lacks nuanced extension and impact, and dynamics feel flat and underwhelming during intense scenes. Critically, its Dolby Atmos implementation fails to create a truly immersive, room-filling experience, confining sound largely to the TV’s vicinity. Music reproduction suffers from a lack of cohesion and definition, earning it a three-star verdict in reviews.

The Sonos Arc Ultra, however, justifies its five-star acclaim and higher price tag through sheer audio excellence. Its Sound Motion technology delivers bass that’s powerful yet agile, tuneful, and controlled. Spatial audio is its crowning achievement: effects are placed with remarkable precision, creating a convincing three-dimensional soundscape where rain seems to fall from the ceiling and voices emanate from specific heights. Detail retrieval is exceptional, micro-dynamics are handled deftly, and complex sequences remain clear and organised. Musically, it excels with rhythmic precision and cohesive integration across frequencies, showcasing Sonos’s multi-room audio pedigree.

The Verdict: Substance Over Style

The Marshall Heston 120 is an ambitious first effort with undeniable visual charm and robust connectivity. Its DTS:X support and dedicated HDMI input offer practical advantages. However, fundamental shortcomings in dynamic punch, bass refinement, spatial immersion, and overall engagement prevent it from competing at the true premium level. It’s style over substance.

The Sonos Arc Ultra, despite lacking DTS:X and HDMI inputs, delivers a masterclass in soundbar performance. Its innovative engineering translates into a genuinely immersive, detailed, powerful, and engaging listening experience that defines what premium Dolby Atmos should sound like. The compromises it makes are far outweighed by its sonic triumphs.

For those seeking the pinnacle of soundbar audio immersion and performance, the Sonos Arc Ultra emerges as the clear and decisive winner.

Must Know

Q: Which soundbar is better for Dolby Atmos, the Marshall Heston 120 or Sonos Arc Ultra?
A: The Sonos Arc Ultra is significantly superior for Dolby Atmos. Its advanced driver array and Sound Motion technology create a far more convincing and immersive three-dimensional soundstage with precise object placement, whereas the Marshall Heston 120 struggles to deliver a truly enveloping Atmos experience.

Q: Does the Sonos Arc Ultra support DTS audio formats like the Marshall?
A: No, this is a key limitation of the Sonos Arc Ultra. It only supports Dolby Atmos and not DTS:X or other DTS formats. The Marshall Heston 120 does support both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, offering broader format compatibility.

Q: Which soundbar has better connectivity options?
A: The Marshall Heston 120 wins on connectivity. It features a dedicated HDMI 2.1 input (supporting 4K/120Hz passthrough) alongside its HDMI eARC port, plus RCA inputs. The Sonos Arc Ultra only has an HDMI eARC port, requiring all sources to connect via your TV, which can be limiting for users with multiple gaming devices.

Q: Is the Marshall Heston 120 significantly cheaper than the Sonos Arc Ultra?
A: The price difference is relatively small but consistent. The Marshall Heston 120 is priced at £900/$1000/AU$1799, while the Sonos Arc Ultra costs £999/$999/AU$1799. This makes the Marshall slightly more affordable, especially noticeable in the UK market.

Q: Which soundbar has the more distinctive design?
A: The Marshall Heston 120 has a far more unique and striking design, heavily inspired by Marshall’s guitar amplifiers, featuring a woven grille, leather accents, and illuminated metal knobs. The Sonos Arc Ultra opts for a minimalist, understated aesthetic with a clean perforated grille. Design preference is highly subjective.

Q: Can both soundbars be used effectively for music streaming?
A: Yes, both support major streaming services and protocols (AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Bluetooth). However, the Sonos Arc Ultra generally delivers superior music performance, with better cohesion, rhythmic precision, and overall sonic refinement, leveraging Sonos’s strong multi-room audio heritage.