Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400 vs Sonos Arc

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Votes 11 11
Rating 5 5

MusicCast BAR 400 vs Arc comparison chart

Overall
Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400
8.2
Sonos Arc
7
10
8
Multichannel surround
6
4

Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400 vs Sonos Arc review

Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400
vs
Sonos Arc

Choosing a soundbar is not an easy task and the Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400 vs Sonos Arc comparison is meant to help you with that. As a result, it is clear that MusicCast BAR 400 is much better designed and has a better sound performance than Arc. According to the results of our comparison, MusicCast BAR 400 received 8.2 points out of 10 possible, and Arc was rated 7 points.

Advantages Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400 over Sonos Arc

  • Separate subwoofer provided
  • Possible to create a multi-room system
  • Supports external media connection via USB

Advantages Sonos Arc over Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400

  • Supports object-oriented sound with Dolby Atmos technology
  • App for remote control

Audio features

The MusicCast BAR 400 is rated 7 of 10 against 5 for the Arc according to the audio features rating.

MusicCast BAR 400
7
Arc
5

It worth understanding the difference between the two types of amplification: a passive soundbar does not have its own amplifier and receives amplification from the signal source, while an active soundbar has a built-in amplifier. The same active type of amplification is used in the MusicCast BAR 400 and the Arc.

There are stereo soundbars and multichannel ones. It is with the help of multichannel devices that you can get volumetric sound.

MusicCast BAR 400 Arc
Built-in channels5.1N/A
Amplification typeactiveactive
Output power, W200 (overall)N/A
Separate speaker (in package)00
Separate speaker connectionswirelesswireless

Subwoofers

Soundbars can have a built-in or external subwoofer. The first type is inseparable from the soundbar body, but for the second, you can choose a good location for deep bass. The MusicCast BAR 400 comes with an external subwoofer. Competitors support wireless connection to a separate external subwoofer.

MusicCast BAR 400 Arc
Built-in subwoofer
Separate subwoofer (in package)
Separate subwoofer connectionswirelesswireless

Multichannel surround

Unlike stereo, when reproducing multichannel sound, each specific direction of sound corresponds to its dedicated channel with a separate independent loudspeaker, which creates a three-dimensional sound stage. The MusicCast BAR 400 received rating 6 out of 10 for multichannel audio processing, but the Arc, in the same category, earned 4 out of 10 points.

MusicCast BAR 400
6
Arc
4

The peculiarity of Dolby Atmos is that this format is object-oriented, that is, each object of the audio signal is sounded separately and linked to its spatial location. Dolby Atmos surround sound support is implemented only in Sonos Arc.

DTS:X is an algorithm for processing sound scenes by the processor, linking directly to objects, rather than channels, and calculating the optimal distribution of sound output in a room. This ability to reproduce surround sound with DTS:X technology is not implemented in any of the soundbars in this comparison.

MusicCast BAR 400 Arc
Dolby Atmos
Dolby (other)Dolby DigitalDolby Digital
DTS:X
DTS (other)DTS Virtual:X, DTS Digital Surroundhas not

Streaming services

The possibility to listen online to millions of songs from one device has become a reality thanks to streaming services. The streaming services category rating is the same - 10 out of 10 points.

MusicCast BAR 400
10
Arc
10

AirPlay is available on each of the two models. The popular Spotify service is available on both soundbars.

MusicCast BAR 400 Arc
Apple Music (AirPlay)AirPlay 2AirPlay 2
Amazon Music
Spotify
Other streaming servicesPandora, Deezer, TIDAL, Napster, SiriusXM, QobuzPandora, Tuneln, iHeart, Chromecast

Connectivity

The existence of a sufficient number of current connectors significantly expands the functionality of the device. For example, only through HDMI is it possible to implement the transfer of object-oriented formats, and the presence of a Bluetooth connection will allow remote control, etc. The devices received different ratings for connectivity: Yamaha MusicCast BAR 400 was rated 8 out of 10, and Sonos Arc was rated 7 out of 10.

MusicCast BAR 400
8
Arc
7

The presence of Wi-Fi in the soundbar allows you to get rid of wires when connected to a sound source and get minimal audio latency when playing content from streaming services. Wireless connection via Wi-Fi is possible on both devices.

Bluetooth connection is now one of the main communication protocols for speaker systems, which provides excellent quality and minimal audio latency. The availability of Bluetooth protocol, we can see in both models. The MusicCast BAR 400 has 1/1 HDMI inputs/outputs, but the Arc got 1/0 HDMI inputs/outputs from the manufacturer.

HDMI ARC is a very usefull technology that creates a two-way communication channel between a TV and another device. This is convenient since there is no need to use optical and other cables in the system. HDMI ARC is basic for both soundbars.

MusicCast BAR 400 Arc
WI-FI
Bluetooth
Ethernet (RJ45)11
NFC
HDMI input/output1/11/0
HDMI ARC
HDMI eARC
HDMI CEC
Optical digital input/output1/00/0
USB1 (USB 2.0)
Coaxial digital input/output0/00/0
Analog audio input/output (RCA)1/00/0
Headphone output00
Subwoofer output00

Features

Voice control is designed to make operating the device more convenient. This allows you to control basic soundbar functions from anywhere in the room. The voice control feature is implemented in each of the compared soundbars.

Proprietary applications allow you to control your soundbars remotely. This is possible both via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The Arc has its own remote control application. Both soundbars have a built-in microphone.

Some soundbars can be part of a multi-room system and it is an affordable solution for sounding the whole house. The MusicCast BAR 400 has the ability to use a multiroom system.

MusicCast BAR 400 Arc
Voice controlAmazon Alexa, Google AssistantAmazon Alexa, Google Assistant
App control
Microphone
Remote control
Multi-room

Dimensions

MusicCast BAR 400 Arc
Size (Wx H x D), cm/in94.2 x 8.3 x 11/38.6 x 3.3 x 4.3114 x 7.6 x 10.1/45 x 3.4 x 4.5
Weight, kg/pounds2.7/66.2/13.7
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