Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment Apple WWDC 2025 Switch 2 Restock Best laptops Best Mattress Wordle Today Recommended reading Change these 3 Bose headphone settings right now to get better sound I test soundbars for a living, and these are 5 movie scenes I use every time 7 tips and tricks to make your Fire TV even better Best Dolby Atmos soundbars: Top TV speakers with 3D sound recommended by certified audio experts 6 tips and tricks to make your Vizio TV even better If you just bought a Hisense TV, change these 5 settings right away Do you even need Dolby Atmos? I test soundbars for a living, and here’s what I think Got a Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar? You should change these 3 settings immediately Tammy Rogers 17 June 2025 Optimize your movie watching When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Future) The Sonos Arc Ultra is an excellent soundbar — there's a reason it tops the list of the best soundbars you can buy today. It features amazing Dolby Atmos performance, along with super smart features. It's not cheap, but it's worth every penny of its $1,000 price tag. But you might not be getting the most out of your pricey soundbar. So, let's make sure that your Sonos Arc Ultra is working its absolute best as you watch your favorite movies. Get that Sonos App installed, and lets get your soundbar tuned up. You may like Change these 3 Bose headphone settings right now to get better sound I test soundbars for a living, and these are 5 movie scenes I use every time 7 tips and tricks to make your Fire TV even better Sonos Arc Ultra: was $999 now $899 at Amazon The Sonos Arc Ultra is our pick for the best soundbar overall, and when you sit down and watch some movies with it, you'll soon understand why. It sounds excellent, and the surround and Dolby Atmos performance is out of this world. Trueplay tuning (Image credit: Future) Ok, so some of you might already know how this works, but if you've just plugged your soundbar in and not checked out the app yet, the bar might not be properly attuned to your space. Every room, be that a bedroom, a living room, or even a bathroom (if you've got a Sonos Arc Ultra in your bathroom, I suspect you might be Lex Luthor), has different audio parameters. Sound is bounced around in different ways by wall layout, and even the stuff that you've got in the room, like sofas, tables, and even light fittings. Some things absorb sound, changing the way the movie sounds even further. That's where TruePlay comes in — the soundbar plays a series of noises, and then listens to them to make sure the sound is as good as it should be. It doesn't take long, but it's a must if you want your movies to sound the way the director intended. (Image credit: Tom's Guide/ Sonos) First off, tap the TruePlay button, and then follow the on-screen instructions. From there, the soundbar will play a series of noises to read the room, and then change the EQ from there to make sure that it sounds its best. It'll let you know when it's done. Now you can enjoy amazing sound! That said, remember to redo the TruePlay tuning if you significantly change the makeup of your room, like moving furniture. Also, redo it if you put the soundbar in a different room. Preferably out of the bathroom, Lex. Change the height setting for superior Atmos (Image credit: Future) Not getting the full effect of the height channels when you're watching a Dolby Atmos-encoded movie? Make sure you check the height channels in the Sonos app. The height channels in the Sonos Arc Ultra are bounced off the ceiling, so raise them to make sure they're coming in at the correct height. It's another simple fix. Go to the height channel settings in the Sonos App, and then raise and lower them until you're hearing overheard effects. (Image credit: Tom's Guide/ Sonos) Not sure what to watch? I like to use the Dolby Atmos test video, although you'll have to pick up a special DVD and DVD player to make it work properly. Otherwise, use your favorite movie on Netflix or Disney+ that you know features a Dolby Atmos channel, and adjust accordingly from there. My room needs about +1 to the height channels for the full effect, although your room may vary depending on the ceiling height or how tall your TV stand is. Make the dialogue super clear (Image credit: Future) Dialogue is a tricky thing for any kind of audio equipment to get right. Perhaps there's lots going on in a scene, or there's some mad director's decision that's left the dialogue feeling lost and muffled (I'm looking at you, Christopher Nolan). Either way, the Sonos Arc Ultra has some excellent built-in features to make the dialogue in your favorite movies sound even better. There's a setting called "Dialogue enhancer," which make the voices in your movies sound clearer and easier to hear. It's easy to find and use, and very useful if you or someone you know is hard of hearing. (Image credit: Tom's Guide/ Sonos) Find the Dialogue Enhancer option in the Sonos app, and from there find the option that works best for you. The "Low" and "Medium" settings are the least intrustive, but they don't enhance the dialogue as much for people who struggle with busy sounding move mixes. "High" and "Max" are the options you'll want to use if you struggle to hear the dialogue. They quieten the rest of the scene, and raist the volume of spoken parts to make them easier to hear. They aren't very close to the director's intent, but they're a great way of making movies more accessible for more people. And we can finally hear what the characters are saying in Tenet. No thanks to you, Nolan. More from Tom's Guide iOS 26 has brought yet another Photos app overhaul for your iPhone — here's how it's different I’ve set up hundreds of TVs in my career — here are 6 mistakes people make when setting up a new TV Pest experts warn you should never squash ants in your home — here’s why Today's best Sonos Arc Ultra deals Sonos Arc Ultra $899View Deal See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Tammy Rogers Social Links Navigation Audio Editor Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Change these 3 Bose headphone settings right now to get better sound I test soundbars for a living, and these are 5 movie scenes I use every time 7 tips and tricks to make your Fire TV even better Best Dolby Atmos soundbars: Top TV speakers with 3D sound recommended by certified audio experts 6 tips and tricks to make your Vizio TV even better If you just bought a Hisense TV, change these 5 settings right away Latest in Soundbars Do you even need Dolby Atmos? I test soundbars for a living, and here’s what I think I test soundbars for a living, and these are 5 movie scenes I use every time No, a $67 soundbar isn’t going to perform like Sonos — but this one actually surprised me I just tested this $67 soundbar, and I'm blown away for the price JBL’s newest soundbar and speaker combo is one serious upgrade — but it will run you $1,199 Marshall Heston 120 Soundbar review: Rock n’ roll styling meets movie magic Latest in Opinion I’ve played Nintendo Switch 2 for over a week — and I’m already bored Do you even need Dolby Atmos? I test soundbars for a living, and here’s what I think I fell for the bean-to-cup hype — here's the espresso machine I wish I'd bought, and why Forget Joy-Cons — this $20 accessory brings PS5/Xbox controller support to the Switch 2 I think the new Fujifilm X-E5 is overrated — and I’m so glad I bought the X-T50 instead I test headphones for a living, and here are the 5 rock tracks I use every time LATEST ARTICLES I’ve played Nintendo Switch 2 for over a week — and I’m already bored Amazon Prime Day 2025 just announced — here's the dates and best early deals Could ‘Jeffing’ be the secret to running faster? — I tried it, and here’s what happened 5 top new movies to stream this week on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus and more (June 17-23) EcoFlow's EOFY sale is here to sort your winter outdoor-adventure power needs Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. Terms and conditions Contact Future's experts Privacy policy Cookies policy Accessibility Statement Advertise with us Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Please login or signup to comment Please wait...