Don't want the Sonos Arc Ultra? I use this five-star alternative every day, and it's hugely discounted for Black Friday

(Image credit: Future)

Black Friday has kicked off a week early, which is good news for deal hunters such as myself, as I now have even more time to locate and recommend the best products at the best prices.

While I often look towards the products that we've tested recently on my search for the most purchase-worthy discounts, I will also consult the products that I use every single day, and for good reason too.

Black Friday 2025 hi-fi and home cinema deals live: our experts' picks of the top savings on speakers, headphones, TVs, soundbars and more

I have reviewed more TVs, soundbars, and video streamers than I can count at this point, which means my standards are, understandably, high. This means the products that I use on a day-to-day basis are ones that I can truly vouch for, as is the case with the five-star Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus.

It's a competitor to the Sonos Arc Ultra, which is an admittedly superb Dolby Atmos soundbar, but I think that the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus has its own benefits, which make it a fantastic alternative for those who are looking to avoid Sonos.

I'll start with the biggest advantage right now: the price. We tested the Ambeo Soundbar Plus at £1299, a substantial price tag no matter how you look at it. However, a Black Friday deal at Amazon knocks this price down to just £749.

That's a huge £549 discount, and it means that the Ambeo Soundbar Plus is now £49 cheaper than the Sonos Arc Ultra, which is currently down to £799 from £999.

While I have to admit that the Sonos Arc Ultra takes the edge when it comes to sound quality, thanks to its Sound Motion drivers for enhanced bass, and superbly spacious handling of Dolby Atmos height effects, the Sennheiser holds its own when it comes to delivering cinematic sound, and the feature set is a step above the Sonos.

We complimented the Ambeo Plus' wide and room-filling sound that envelops us in immersive Dolby Atmos audio, and its surprisingly potent bass is weighty and present without introducing distortion. Pair that with a warm, rich sound that makes movies and music alike shine, and the Sennheiser quickly becomes a very likeable soundbar indeed.

I've spent a considerable amount of time using both 'bars, and when it comes to design, I think that the Sennheiser is the nicer-looking soundbar. While audio quality is paramount, and design is ultimately subjective, the Sennheiser's grey fabric mesh and top-mounted capacitive buttons and light bar make it a bit more visually appealing.

It's in the features department that I find the Sennheiser soundbar to truly outshine the Arc Ultra. Unlike the Sonos, the Amebo Soundbar Plus features two HDMI passthrough ports that support signals up to 4K/60Hz with Dolby Vision. Furthermore, Sennheiser includes a dedicated remote in the box, whereas the Arc Ultra relies on the Sonos app.

Speaking of the app, Sonos has come under fire for its app issues within the last year, and as someone who had to set up a Sonos Beam Gen 2 just a couple of days ago, I can vouch that the Sonos app is still a bit messy. The Sennheiser Control app, on the other hand, is nicely laid out, simple and responsive.

It also allows users to access the automatic calibration system, which is combined wth the on-board microphone to adapt the sound to your listening environment. It's as easy as pressing a button, whereas Sonos' Trueplay system is a lot more complicated.

iPhone users can access an advanced version of the calibration system, which requires walking around the listening space, waving their phone around, whereas the quick version utilises the built-in microphone to take a less thorough measurement. You'll notice I singled out iPhone users; that's because the advanced version isn't compatible with Android devices.

If you're trying to avoid Sonos and want an alternative that delivers a competitive sound and even better features, then the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus is a great choice. And for £750 at Amazon, this is one of Black Friday's best soundbar deals yet.

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Lewis Empson is a Senior Staff Writer on What Hi-Fi?. He was previously Gaming and Digital editor for Cardiff University's 'Quench Magazine', Lewis graduated in 2021 and has since worked on a selection of lifestyle magazines and regional newspapers. Outside of work, he enjoys gaming, gigs and regular cinema trips.

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The five-star Dolby Atmos soundbar that I use every day is on sale right now – and it's cheaper than the Sonos Arc Ultra

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