Arc

Maybe get the old arc on discount and add the 100s as fronts with Sonosequencr. Great for music and TV.

Since they added adjustable speech enhancement it's significantly better. Before that it was maybe a 10% upgrade.

Could also go for the non-Ultra Arc if you want better than the Beam but still want to save a few hundred compared to the Ultra.

It's not. Atmos bubble with ultra and 300s is levels above the og arc + 300s

Anyone that tries the Ultra says it's worth the upgrade and yet there are always people convincing themselves that they don't need better vocal clarity/wider soundstage etc. It's because you have no idea how much better it can possibly sound. How much more audible the dialogue can be without coming off sibilant. I had the og Arc and I used to watch movies with remote near me to control the volume between action and dialogue scenes. The luxury of not having to do that anymore alone is more than worth it. If you have era 300s as surrounds, Ultra is a must have to create an amazing Atmos bubble for music.

You think I'm comparing them on paper? I have both as well bro. The difference in vocal clarity, soundstage and overall sound fidelity is strikingly obvious.

I have the original arc and love it and wouldn't look back or change.

I have ceilings like this and started with arc, sub 2 and two 100s. Added the 300 and it made a huge difference. They will fill up the room and have good Atmos. In fact I upgraded Netflix for the Atmos. Set your height at 10

I’m rocking a first gen Arc with a Gen 2 sub and Era 100s as fronts and rears. It sounds fantastic in my space. I considered an upgrade to the Arc Ultra, but I listened to my neighbour’s and the juice isn’t worth the squeeze for me at current pricing. I’ll most likely hold on to my Arc until whatever the Ultra’s successor is.

For Atmos, you need either the Beam or the Arc. Sub and rears are not required, but definitely add to the envelope.

With the Arc, you'll notice height channels and some front L+R (if your room layout provides for sound bouncing off of walls), but to get a proper Atmos experience, you'll want 2 x rears. Era 300s are your best option there, but I use 100s and it still sounds immersive.

That thing still negates the upward-firing and side-firing speakers. Sonos even specifically recommends against enclosing the Arc.