Sonos announced today that it is introducing a new AI-powered Speech Enhancement feature to its Arc Ultra soundbar. To improve dialogue clarity, four adjustable levels are available: Low, Medium, High, and Max.
The feature was developed with the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). It addresses unclear dialogue, poor mixing, varying accents, and room acoustics. In most cases, increasing volume or using subtitles won’t help and can be distracting, especially if you have hearing loss.
With the new AI-powered tool, Sonos isolates dialogue from bass and Dolby Atmos without affecting overall sound balance. As a result, it applies more enhancement in chaotic scenes and less in quieter moments, ensuring clear dialogue throughout the entire scene.
There are four levels of Speech Enhancement:
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Low: Enhances dialog without overpowering the original mix.
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With Medium, the speech clarity is improved while the audio is kept natural.
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A high setting will push dialogue forward and reduce surrounding mix elements.
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For users with hearing loss, Max prioritises dialogue over non-speech sounds, reducing non-speech sounds to maintain focus.
Over nearly a year, Sonos tested the feature with 37 participants of varying ages and hearing abilities. According to RNID researcher Lauren Ward, many people experience hearing loss without knowing it, and this feature can benefit a wide range of people.
Additionally, Sonos collaborated with award-winning sound mixer Chris Jenkins to ensure the feature enhanced dialogue while maintaining the creative intent of the content.
Sonos Arc Ultra users will be able to download the free software update starting today, May 13, 2025.
