Short answer: Somfy's ultra quiet motor line is Sonesse ULTRA. The 120V AC ULTRA 50 models run at 38 dB with 6 Nm at 24 rpm, the 24V DC ULTRA 504A8 runs at 35 dB with 4 Nm, and the battery ULTRA 30 WireFree runs at 42 dB with 2 Nm. The ULTRA 50 needs a 1.85 in tube; the ULTRA 30 fits 1.13 in.
Somfy builds Sonesse ULTRA for rooms where a motor hum gets noticed: nurseries, bedrooms, home offices and conference rooms. Somfy calls the ULTRA 50 platform the quietest motor on the market and backs it with the standard 5-year Somfy warranty. The range splits into two bodies, a 50 mm motor for large shades and a 30 mm battery motor for smaller ones, and the right pick comes down to tube size, torque and the power you can reach at the window.
The Sonesse ULTRA range in one table
Six ULTRA references cover most quiet-shade jobs. Somfy publishes each figure below on its somfypro.com product pages.
| Motor | Power and control | Torque / speed | Noise | Min. tube inside diameter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonesse ULTRA 506A2 RTS (1002562) | 120V AC, 60Hz, RTS | 6 Nm (53 in-lb) / 24 rpm | 38 dB | 1.85 in (47 mm) |
| Sonesse ULTRA 506A2 RTS RH (1002564) | 120V AC, 60Hz, RTS | 6 Nm (53 in-lb) / 24 rpm | 38 dB | 1.85 in (47 mm) |
| Sonesse ULTRA 506A2 (1002558) | 120V AC, 60Hz, wired switch | 6 Nm (53 in-lb) / 24 rpm | 38 dB | 1.85 in (47 mm) |
| Sonesse ULTRA 504A8 DC RTS (1134023) | 24V DC, RTS | 4 Nm (35 in-lb) / 25 rpm | 35 dB | 1.85 in (47 mm) |
| Sonesse ULTRA 30 WireFree RTS (1003310) | 12V Li-ion battery, RTS | 2 Nm (18 in-lb) / 20 rpm | 42 dB | 1.13 in (29 mm) |
| Sonesse ULTRA 30 WireFree Zigbee (1241752) | 12V Li-ion battery, Zigbee 3.0 | 2 Nm (18 in-lb) / 20 rpm | 42 dB | 1.14 in (29 mm) |
The 120V ULTRA 50 motors carry an IP 31 rating. The DC and WireFree models carry IP 20. All six are interior motors for roller and solar shades.
Quieter than a standard Sonesse by how much
The gap shows up in Somfy's own numbers. A standard Sonesse 506S2 delivers 6 Nm at 32 rpm and runs at 45 dB. The Sonesse ULTRA 506A2 delivers the same 6 Nm at 24 rpm and runs at 38 dB. A Sonesse 30 RTS sits at 47 dB, and a Sonesse 40 RTS 404S2 RH at 42 dB.
Decibels run on a log scale, so a 7 dB drop is a bigger change than the raw number suggests. You hear it most at night and in a quiet office, where a standard motor's whine carries across the room.
The trade is speed. An ULTRA 506A2 turns at 24 rpm against 32 rpm on the standard 506S2, so a tall shade takes a little longer to travel. In a bedroom or a boardroom, the quieter motor is worth the wait.
Matching an ULTRA motor to the power at your window
Start with the power you can reach. The choice of motor follows from it.
- A 120V outlet or a hardwired circuit: the Somfy Sonesse ULTRA 506A2 RTS 120V Motor (1002562) is the standard pick, with a built-in RTS receiver and 38 dB operation.
- A low-voltage 24V DC system: the Somfy Sonesse ULTRA 504A8 RTS 24V DC Motor (1134023) is the quietest model in the range at 35 dB, at 4 Nm. Somfy specifies a 24V DC Somfy power supply for it.
- No wiring at the window: the Somfy Sonesse ULTRA 30 WireFree 12V Li-ion RTS Motor (1003310) runs on a built-in rechargeable battery. Top it up with the Somfy Sonesse ULTRA 30 WireFree Plug-in Charger (9025166).
- A wired wall switch or relay system: the Somfy Sonesse ULTRA 506A2 120V Motor (1002558) has no radio and takes standard wired switching.
The battery motor trades a few decibels for the freedom from wiring: 42 dB against 38 dB for the 120V ULTRA 50. A retrofit with no outlet near the head rail makes that trade an easy one. Our WireFree vs wired comparison covers the power side in more depth.
Tube, head and bracket fit
The ULTRA 50 motors need a tube with an inside diameter of at least 1.85 in (47 mm), the same LT50 platform as the standard Sonesse 50. They take LT50 crowns and drives sized to your tube.
Head type differs between references, and it decides the bracket. Somfy publishes these heads:
- 1002562 ULTRA 506A2 RTS: star head.
- 1002564 ULTRA 506A2 RTS RH: round head. Pick the Somfy Sonesse ULTRA 50 506A2 RH RTS Motor (1002564) when the shade bracket takes a round head.
- 1002558 ULTRA 506A2 wired: star head.
- 1134023 ULTRA 504A8 DC RTS: square head, which seats in the Somfy Sonesse ULTRA 50 DC Motor Bracket with Spring Ring (9020957). A star-head bracket will not hold it.
The ULTRA 30 WireFree motors fit tubes from 1.13 in (29 mm) inside diameter and use Sonesse 30 WireFree crowns and drives. Our guide to Somfy crowns, drives and brackets walks through matching each part to the tube profile.
Control options: RTS, Zigbee or a wired switch
Four of the six ULTRA motors carry a built-in RTS receiver on 433.420 MHz. They pair with Somfy RTS remotes and wall switches, such as the Somfy Situo 1 Channel RTS Pure Remote (1870571) for a single shade.
The Somfy Sonesse ULTRA 30 Zigbee WireFree 12V Li-ion Motor (1241752) speaks Zigbee 3.0 on 2.450 GHz instead. It pairs with Zigbee controls and the Somfy TaHoma Switch RTS and Zigbee Smart Hub (1871037) for app, voice and schedule control. RTS remotes do not pair with it.
Commercial projects on the Somfy Digital Network have RS485 versions of the ULTRA 50 as well. The protocol changes the wiring and the commissioning, not the quiet gearbox.
Choosing between the ULTRA 30 and the ULTRA 50
Torque settles most of it. The ULTRA 30 WireFree delivers 2 Nm, enough for a small to mid-size interior roller shade on a narrow tube. The ULTRA 50 delivers 6 Nm on 120V AC, which carries large, heavy shades and blackout fabric on a 1.85 in tube.
Run the numbers for your fabric weight, width and drop before you order. Our guide on how to size a Somfy shade motor gives the method, and the Sonesse 28 vs 30 vs 40 vs 50 comparison shows where each body size fits. Browse the full range of Somfy Sonesse motors to compare ULTRA against the standard models side by side.
If the label on an old motor or the shade's paperwork names a Sonesse ULTRA, order the same reference so the head and bracket match. Call 859-414-6872 with the part number if you want a second check.
Sources: Somfy Pro product pages for 1002562, 1002564, 1002558, 1134023, 1003310 and 1241752 (somfypro.com e-cat). Full install guides live in our Somfy spec library.
Sonesse ULTRA FAQ
Is Sonesse ULTRA the quietest Somfy motor?
Somfy describes the Sonesse ULTRA 50 platform as the quietest motor on the market. The 24V DC ULTRA 504A8 (1134023) is the quietest reference in the range at 35 dB. The 120V ULTRA 506A2 models run at 38 dB, and the battery ULTRA 30 WireFree motors run at 42 dB, against 45 dB for a standard Sonesse 506S2.
Does the Sonesse ULTRA 50 fit a standard LT50 tube?
Yes. The ULTRA 50 needs a minimum tube inside diameter of 1.85 in (47 mm), the same as the standard Sonesse 50, and takes LT50 crowns and drives sized to the tube. Check the head type before ordering a bracket: Somfy builds the ULTRA 50 in star, round and square head versions, and they do not share brackets.
Will a Sonesse ULTRA motor work with my Somfy RTS remote?
The RTS versions will. The ULTRA 506A2 RTS, the ULTRA 506A2 RTS RH, the ULTRA 504A8 DC RTS and the ULTRA 30 WireFree RTS pair with Somfy RTS remotes and wall switches on 433.420 MHz. The ULTRA 30 WireFree Zigbee needs a Zigbee control or a TaHoma Switch, and the wired ULTRA 506A2 needs a wired switch.
Is a quiet motor slower than a standard Sonesse?
Yes, by 8 rpm. The Sonesse ULTRA 506A2 turns at 24 rpm, while the standard Sonesse 506S2 turns at 32 rpm with the same 6 Nm of torque. A tall shade takes longer to travel. In a bedroom or an office, the 7 dB drop in noise is the reason buyers choose ULTRA.
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