Table of Contents
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a small and powerful soundbar made by the company Sonos, which is a leader in multi-room audio. It’s a big step up from the company’s first mini soundbar because it has virtual Dolby Atmos, works with HDMI eARC, and has a new look. Even though it costs a little more than the first Sonos Beam, the new soundbar is a great deal. So, it’s one of our top choices in our guide to the best soundbars.
Because it works with the larger Sonos ecosystem, you can add more speakers to your setup and make it bigger. The Beam (Gen 2) sounds great on its own, but you can make it sound even better by connecting it to the Sonos Sub or using a pair of Sonos One SL speakers as your rear right and left channels.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) specifications
Size | 25.6 x 2.3 x 3.9 inches |
Weight | 6.2 pounds |
Speakers | 4 drivers, 1 tweeter |
Dimensions | 69mm x 651mm x 100mm (2.72in x 25.63in x 3.94in) |
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: Design and connectivity
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 since it comes in both black and white, you can find the right look to match your decor. The grille on the new Sonos Beam is made of plastic instead of woven fabric, which is one of the biggest differences between it and its predecessor.
This design choice fits better with the Sonos Arc, and the company says it’s much easier to clean than fabric, which tends to gather dust. We asked Sonos if the new grille improved the sound in any way, but the company said it was just a matter of style. You can buy this soundbar from its official website
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: Sound quality
Dolby Atmos is really what makes the Beam Gen 2 stand out, so can Sonos get sound to come from above without any height drivers? Well, real sounds coming from above might be a stretch, but there’s more to Dolby Atmos than just planes and helicopters, and the Beam Gen 2 handles it better than any other soundbar in the same price range.
Atmos lets the people who make movies place sounds and music as separate objects in a soundfield. If you can figure out how to decode it, you can watch movies with more interesting soundtracks, whether they are slow-paced dramas or action-packed blockbusters.
When you use the Beam Gen 2 to listen to Atmos movies, you can feel the motion, depth, and space, which makes the drama and sense of immersion stronger. The soundstage is big, and when we tried the new Beam with 55-inch, 65-inch, and 43-inch screens, it made all of them feel more cinematic and improved the viewing experience.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: Features
The new Beam is a big improvement over the old one. This one has five speaker arrays instead of the first one’s three. It also has a much faster processor and supports HDMI eARC as well as ARC. So, the biggest change in the new Beam is that it now works with Dolby Atmos.
All of these features sound great, but they are packed into a small device that costs more than some full soundbar systems. Is it worth spending more money on the Sonos Beam? Based on how it sounds.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: Setup and Integrations
Because it has an NFC chip, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is easy to set up in the Sonos S2 app. With the always-reliable TruePlay tuning feature, you’ll be asked to customise the sound for your room and the best way to sit on the couch.
Auto TruePlay is only available on the company’s portable speakers, so you’ll have to walk around your living room or wherever you have the Beam (Gen 2) hooked up for a minute with your phone upside down.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: Price and availability
We did wish that the company had kept the price of the Beam below $400. We can think of some situations in which the soundbar will cost more than the TV. Still, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) has everything you could want in a soundbar, from great sound quality to a full set of smart speaker features.
Final Words
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is an upgrade to the original Sonos Beam. It is a 5.0 setup. It has the same small size as its predecessor, but now it also supports Dolby Atmos so you can watch movies and other content with height on your favourite streaming services. It’s a Wi-Fi-enabled soundbar that you can control with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
It’s also easy to add to your existing Sonos system because it works with the Sonos S2 app. Also, if you want to make it sound better, you can buy a separate subwoofer and satellites from the company that made it.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Ratings
Pros
- Wide soundstage
- Hi-res audio compatibility
- Compact design
Cons
- No additional HDMI ports
- Doesn’t support DTS:X
FAQs
Is Sonos Beam Gen 2 worth the money?
The Beam Gen 2 is a great product that is worth the $450 price tag, just like the first one. The Sonos app and Wi-Fi integration, the sleek design, and the Beam’s great sound quality (with or without Atmos) all work together to make it a real symphony of a soundbar.
Is Sonos Beam Gen 2 loud enough?
To start, the volume of the Gen 2 may grow rather remarkable. It is significantly louder than something of the size of an adult’s arm would lead one to anticipate.
What is better than Sonos Beam Gen 2?
When it comes to a combination of uses, the Sonos Arc is a better option than the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). The Arc is a 5.2 configuration that offers an improved Atmos performance. Moreover, the volume increases but at the same time a slightly increased amount of compression can be heard.