At a Look
Professional’s Score
Execs
- Compact
- Glorious sound high quality
- Dolby Atmos
- HDMI ARC
Our Verdict
Not the inexpensive system it was, the Beam isn’t the most effective worth Sonos soundbar however gives a steadiness of compact design, massive sound, good options and Dolby Atmos that may nonetheless swimsuit many consumers.
Worth When Reviewed
$499
Finest Costs At the moment: Sonos Beam
$369.00
For years, Sonos soundbars have been just for the flush of money. Nevertheless, the agency’s newest speaker is way extra inexpensive, extra compact and contains good options.
Design & Construct
You actually do know what you’re getting when buying a Sonos product; Primarily a smooth and fashionable design with a mode that may match properly with the overwhelming majority of TVs and decors. You may select black or white finishes.
The Beam, like each Sonos speaker we’ve reviewed seems to be and appears like a high-end product – and we’re speaking in regards to the packaging and cables as effectively.
Construct high quality is great with a mixture of strong plastic that doesn’t really feel low cost and material across the sides. All of the ports are neatly hidden on the again as traditional.
The important thing issues right here is that the Beam is rather more compact than the opposite two Sonos soundbars. So should you’re on the lookout for one to place in a bed room, kitchen or simply don’t have as a lot area then it’s an ideal selection.
Just like the Playbar, you may wall-mount the Beam so it’s very versatile in how one can place it.
The speaker has contact delicate controls on the highest that are responsive and never annoying to make use of as is commonly the case.
Sound High quality & Options
Establishing the Beam couldn’t be a lot simpler. Merely plug the ability in and comply with the directions on the app, which can take you thru the completely different choices for connecting to your TV. This may embody establishing your TV distant to manage the quantity of the speaker, which could be very helpful.
Regardless of being cheaper, the Beam has some options not discovered on the older Playbar. You get AirPlay built-in making it simpler to stream music to the speaker and HDMI ARC, which is a primary for a Sonos system.
This implies you may plug it into your TV with an HDMI cable, so long as it has an audio return channel (ARC). In any other case, Sonos gives a helpful adapter so you should use optical.
You additionally get Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, just like the Sonos One, so it is a good soundbar which you’ll management together with your voice.
Utilizing your voice and the far-field mic array, you may alter the quantity, swap the TV on and management different good dwelling gadgets round your own home like lights and heating in case you have suitable merchandise. If you would like privateness, the mics may be switched off.
Lastly, we’re onto sound high quality and though the Beam is considerably smaller than its two larger brothers, it nonetheless packs a formidable punch within the audio division.
It solely has 5 drivers in comparison with the Playbar’s 9 but it surely doesn’t matter an excessive amount of, particularly should you’ve acquired the Beam in a smaller sized room.
4 of them are full-range drivers and one is a tweeter. Some are organized to present a strong centre channel sound, whereas two face out to the facet to supply a wider soundstage.
This isn’t encompass sound, however if you’d like you may add satellite tv for pc audio system, the most affordable possibility being the $179/£179 One SL. The Beam Gen 2 provides Dolby Atmos for the most well-liked digital encompass sound commonplace on the market.
There are additionally three passive bass radiators, which help the Beam within the low finish. It might probably’t compete with the Playbar or Arc on this respect but it surely’s nonetheless spectacular. You may pair the Beam with the Sonos Sub however we’d advocate merely getting the Playbar if it’s not too giant as shopping for the Beam and the $429/£429 Sub Mini actually provides up.
Though the Beam is half the scale of the Playbar and designed to be a speaker for TV, sound and music it managed to adapt to something you may throw at it -somehow with wonderful sound high quality, spaciousness and stereo area.
For the Beam, you may make use of modes like speech enhancement and night time mode. The latter of which makes positive loud parts like explosions don’t wake anybody up advert you may nonetheless hear quieter issues.
There’s all of this and we haven’t even talked about all the same old advantages of the Sonos multi-room system with its nearly limitless listing of suitable providers. Discover out extra in our full information to the most effective Sonos audio system.
Worth & Availability
Initially launched at £399/$399 for the unique technology, the newer Gen 2 Beam has been given a worth rise to $499/£499 making it extra inexpensive than the $899/£899 Arc.
These wanting one thing extra inexpensive ought to go for the Sonos Ray which is simply $279/£279 should you don’t want HDMI or voice management.
You should buy it instantly from Sonos or retailers together with Argos, John Lewis, Currys and Amazon. You may as well check out the most effective soundbars proper now if you’d like extra inspiration earlier than taking the plunge.
Verdict
There’s little or no to dislike in regards to the Beam, although it’s not essentially the most inexpensive soundbar within the Sonos vary.
HDMI ARC shall be a boon for some and Amazon Alexa/Google Assistant is one other bonus, particularly in case you have good dwelling merchandise you may management with it. The Gen 2 mannequin provides Dolby Atmos.
What makes the Beam actually particular is that the extra compact measurement means it is going to match into extra areas, but the sound isn’t massively worse off for it. Sonos has labored its audio magic right here. It’s the now inflated worth that’s the fundamental draw back.