I switched my old Sonos Playbar for the Arc soundbar – but 24 hours later the Arc was back in the box

The truth is you might not need to buy that new product. There, I said it.

Sure, I’ve spent 20 years reviewing and recommending shiny new things on a regular basis, but just because they exist doesn’t mean you need to buy them (unfortunate, I know).

In many cases, it might not even deliver the upgrade you hoped it would.

I was reminded of this fact recently when I decided to make an upgrade of my own.

I’ve been using Sonos products at home pretty much since the company launched its first “ZonePlayers” back in 2005.

Twenty years later and I still have various Sonos speakers and a soundbar at home (fear not, I also have a separates hi-fi system).

Taking pride of place under our TV is the Sonos Playbar, which launched all the way back in 2013.

Why a soundbar? Sure, I wouldn't say no to a surround-sound system, but having already commandeered one room in our house for my hi-fi and record collection, I was prepared to meet the rest of my family half way by not filling the front room with speakers and cables.

But the fact I’ve had this soundbar for quite so long, while doing what I do for a living, has been commented on by various colleagues and friends over the years.

After all, the average person replaces their TV every 7-10 years. As someone who works in the AV industry, it might be expected that I’d have a soundbar that wasn’t 12 years old.

But it works. I like it. The sound is good, and the Sonos features are extremely handy (Sonos app issues not withstanding – we will avoid that rabbit hole for now).

Nevertheless, I finally had my arm twisted and recently found myself unboxing a Sonos Arc. Out with the old, in with the new-er (the Arc Ultra has already replaced the Arc).

A whole new world of AV enjoyment awaited me, right? Hmm, not exactly.

The first issue with the Arc (pictured above, but not in my house...) was a cosmetic one.

The Playbar fitted our TV stand pretty much perfectly, while the Arc was so wide as to be poking off the end. Not ideal.

And to make matters worse, due to its shorter height, it somehow also looked a little bit lost on the shelf.

“Erm… it’s a no from me,” said my partner as I shuffled the soundbar around on the shelf to try and make it fit better. And I could see her point.

I am prepared to sacrifice form for function but there’s always a middle-ground – and we seemed to be teetering on the brink at this first hurdle.

We pressed on, hoping the 'function' would change our minds.

The Arc certainly did deliver Dolby Atmos, which isn’t on offer at all from the Playbar.

And a quick blast of a few classic Dolby Atmos test scenes did have us both pretty convinced.

If this upgrade was inspired by the thought of watching non-stop action movies, we'd probably have been thinking about a new stand at this point.

But the reality is that we use the soundbar on a much more regular, daily basis for prosaic TV viewing and also, crucially, music.

And it was for these uses that we found ourselves missing our old faithful.

Watching TV, the detail was impressive and vocals sounded clear and punchy on the Arc, but we missed the bolder, broader delivery of the more substantial Playbar.

Notably, music seemed more engaging and authoritative on the Playbar, that extra bass weight and presence, and the larger cabinet, making a real difference.

Were my ears deceiving me? Had we just become too attached to our chunky old ’bar?

A quick search put my mind at ease a little; it seems there are people out there who feel the same way.

We gave it time but ultimately the Arc’s days were numbered and the Playbar, much to my surprise, was back underneath the TV.

Clearly, it’s horses for courses.

If you’re buying a Dolby Atmos soundbar for thrilling movie experiences – and that’s likely most people – then the Arc will deliver a clear upgrade. Job done.

But if your needs are more nuanced, and music and TV audio is just as important from your soundbar, the decision may not be so obvious.

And then there's the appearance and dimensions – less exciting, less important, but ultimately a crucial part of whether a product is right for you (and your partner).

What did we learn? I find myself repeating advice we have repeated on What Hi-Fi? for many years: think long and hard about whether you really need that upgrade and whether it will really deliver what you hope it will.

Also, local retailers can be your friend. Find a good one and build a relationship and they will not only advise you but also, crucially, may allow you to try before you buy.

But ultimately – don't get sucked into the upgrade trap unnecessarily.

It’s not just vinyl where old can be gold. Whether it’s classic hi-fi or home cinema, great products tend to stay pretty damn good for a long time. And that's a good thing.

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