We found these controls were very responsive, though you’ll probably find yourself reaching for your TV’s remote to do most of these things. The capacitive touch sensors allow you to control your music playback, adjust the volume, and turn off the inbuilt microphones for extra privacy. You’ll find a touch-sensitive control panel on the top of the soundbar. We asked Sonos whether the new grille brings any acoustic benefits, but the company told us it’s purely an aesthetic choice. This design choice is more in keeping with the Sonos Arc, and as the company points out, it’s far easier to clean than dust-attracting fabric. One key difference between the new Sonos Beam and its predecessor is the design of the grille, which is now made of plastic rather than a woven fabric. Like other Sonos speakers, the design of the Beam (Gen 2) is all about clean lines and subtle branding this soundbar isn’t flashy, but it looks stylish, and as it comes in a choice of black and white finishes, you can find the right look to fit in with your decor. Like the original Beam, the new Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a compact soundbar that can easily fit under most TVs on a cabinet or be mounted to a wall to keep your living room clutter-free.Īt 2.72 x 25.63 x 3.94 inches (H x W x D), it’s much smaller than the company’s flagship soundbar, the Sonos Arc, making it ideal for smaller spaces. (Image credit: TechRadar) Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: design You can read more about the Arc in our Sonos Arc review. At launch, the original Sonos Beam cost $399 / £339 / AU$599, though it’s often discounted these days. You can find out more about its predecessor in our Sonos Beam review.įor a cheaper alternative, take a look at our Sonos Ray review, which doesn't have the same performance but is much more affordable at $279 / £279 / AU$399.įor a soundbar with similar performance that's a little more expensive, check out our Sony HT-G700 review, which is available for $600 / £450 / AU$900, to see how it compares.Īlthough it isn't the cheapest soundbar available, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a huge $400 / £400 / AU$800 less expensive than one of TechRadar's best soundbars of the moment, the Sonos Arc, which delivers ‘true’ Atmos thanks to upfiring tweeters. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) launched in October, 2021 for $449 / £449 / $699, which is more expensive than the original. (Image credit: TechRadar) Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: price and availability
SONOS ARC VS BEAM FULL
Read on for our full Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review.
SONOS ARC VS BEAM UPGRADE
Overall, if you’re looking for a mid-range soundbar that won’t take over your living room and you want the ability to upgrade it in the future with a subwoofer or rear speakers, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a great choice-just don’t expect a super-convincing Dolby Atmos experience. Or take a look at our best Dolby Atmos speakers and soundbars guide. Check out our Sony HT-X8500 review for a good example. You’re still getting a far more immersive experience than you’d get from a non-Atmos bar, and there is a small amount of vertical information coming through-it’s just not as convincing as other virtual Atmos bars. We’re hesitant to judge the Beam (Gen 2) too harshly for that, though. You can read more about this more capable-and expensive-soundbar in our Sonos Arc review. While the Beam (Gen 2) has a vast soundstage and powerful audio performance for its size, we didn’t experience the kind of overhead sound you get from its larger sibling, the Sonos Arc (which has those all-important upfiring drivers). In theory, this should make it seem as though the sound from your films is coming at you from every angle we weren’t entirely convinced, however.
SONOS ARC VS BEAM MOVIE
While the soundbar doesn’t contain the upfiring drivers you’d need for ‘true’ Atmos, it uses psychoacoustic techniques to give the impression of height from your movie soundtracks. However, the standout new feature for the Beam (Gen 2) is Dolby Atmos support.
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