HDMI ARC or HDMI Audio Return Channel was introduced into the HDMI specification (in this case HDMI 1.4) in 2009 with a specific purpose: simplifying and improving the experience of getting audio from your TV to a speaker. Historically, soundbars and other audio equipment have used optical cables to transfer digital audio, which meant introducing yet another cable to your TV or routing everything through a dedicated, expensive home theater receiver. ARC lets an HDMI port do the heavy lifting, eliminating the need for a separate audio cable and giving you access to the sort of high-quality audio that was previously locked behind specialized equipment.
Right now, the Sonos Arc Ultra is on sale for $879 on Amazon on Black Friday, down from $1,099 and it is a record-low 20% discount that makes Sonos's flagship soundbar available at prices close to those of mid-range options that don't perform as well. The 9.1.4 channel Dolby Atmos makes soundscapes that sound like they're coming from above, beside and behind you. No matter what the marketing says, budget bars can't do this.
Soundbars solve that problem by fitting proper speakers and amplification into a sleek package that fits beneath your TV without taking up space and adding the complexity of full surround sound systems. The Bose smart Dolby Atmos soundbar brings premium audio technology from one of the most respected names in sound, and Amazon just dropped its price to an all-time low of $399 from the standard $499 tag.
You don't have to wait for Prime Big Deal Days to kick off on October 7 to start saving, as the Toshiba 55-Inch Class C350 LED Smart Fire 4K TV is already down to its lowest price ever at Amazon. The LED TV is just $200 (was $400), and several other sizes are also discounted ahead of the shopping event--including nice price cuts on the 75-inch and 65-inch variants.
The Bose TV Speaker is a solid starter soundbar that can easily integrate into existing setups with a simple one-cable connection (via optical or HDMI). At under 24 inches wide and around two inches tall, the soundbar features a small footprint, yet it delivers a rich, immersive sound thanks to its three-speaker setup. For more bass, you can press the "Bass" button on the remote, while a dedicated dialogue mode further elevates what people are saying, allowing you to finally turn off the subtitles.
