Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review

We were consistently impressed with the sound quality and the design during testing, only encountering one or two minor hiccups in terms of usability. The Sonos app can be a little involved and over-complicated, but this ultimately pays off for those building multi-room setups.

The Beam (Gen 2) is a brilliant all-rounder that comes in a smaller package than some comparable soundbars — its big brother, the Sonos Arc, being one example — and that makes it an ideal living room companion to level up your sound and bring cinematic viewing experiences home.

Jump to:

• Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: summary
• What is Sonos Beam (Gen 2)?
• How much is Sonos Beam (Gen 2)?
• Sonos Beam (Gen 2) design
• Sonos Beam (Gen 2) sound quality
• Sonos Beam (Gen 2) set-up
• Difference between Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and Sonos Arc
• Our verdict
• Where to buy

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: summary

We loved the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). While it's primarily intended as a TV-accompanying soundbar, it's also a joy to call on for music, podcasts, radio and general use, thanks to the fantastic sound quality it delivers.

It's aesthetically pleasing too and easy to fit into almost any living room without looking out of place. That's thanks to its relatively compact size as well as its styling.

When it comes to sound quality, it's hard to fault the Beam for a soundbar in this price bracket. It delivers on the quality users expect from Sonos, with treble, bass and mid-tones all rendered with fantastic clarity for films, TV, or music. We've put the speaker through its paces and will discuss the sound quality offering in more detail later in this article.

If you're looking for something with an even more powerful sound, it's worth considering the Sonos Arc, which uses multiple directional speakers to create surround sound through just one device. Read on for more comparisons of these two Sonos speakers, or take a look at our best soundbars page to better understand the alternatives.

Pros:

• Fantastic sound quality
• Good for multi-room setups
• Subtle and appealing design
• Relatively compact form-factor

Cons:

• Set-up a little complex compared to some alternatives
• Only one HDMI port
• Lacks the upfiring speakers of the more expensive Arc

Price: £449

Key features:

• Dolby Atmos
• Virtual surround sound
• Impressive sound quality
• Can be integrated into multi-room and surround sound setups
• Voice control
• Relatively compact form-factor

What is Sonos Beam (Gen 2)?

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is the latest sophisticated soundbar from renowned audio brand Sonos. It's perfect for pairing with a TV or using as part of a home cinema setup, giving you TV and films a richer, deeper, more cinematic sound.

How much is Sonos Beam (Gen 2)?

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) has an RRP of £449. The price dropped to £399 during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and is currently still available for that price on eBay.

• £449 £429 | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) via Amazon
• £449 £429 | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) via Currys
• £449 | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) at Sonos

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) design

The speaker itself looks sleek and pairs nicely with almost any television. It's not the biggest soundbar out there either, so it's likely to fit on most TV stands one way or another. That said, it's worth double-checking measurements if you have a particular space in mind. (25.6 x 2.3 x 3.9 inches.)

The fabric mesh of the original Sonos Beam is swapped out for a solid grille, intended to be more hardwearing and easier to clean. We liked the look and agreed with the practical reasoning, though some Sonos fans reportedly much preferred the fabric finish.

The Beam (Gen 2) is available in black or white, so it's relatively easy to make it fit in your chosen spot, but there aren't any wacky shades on offer.

There are several touch buttons on top of the soundbar, allowing you to pause and play manually or access a microphone for voice control. There is an on-off button, an HDMI port, and an ethernet port on the back. The fact that there is only one HDMI port could be a slightly frustrating drawback in some circumstances.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) sound quality

Sonos is a brand known for sound quality, and this new Beam is certainly a fantastic new example of how that reputation was earned. It packs Dolby Atmos, creates virtual surround sound and ultimately offers a clear, well-rounded sound with plenty of depth.

The folky mid-tones of John Martyn's 'Over the Hill' nicely showed off the speaker's ability to offer a layered, engrossing sound.

'Do It Again' by Steely Dan perfectly showed off the Beam's ability to create an expansive soundstage with fantastic treble and distinct details.

When it comes to bass, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) packs a real punch – delivering thumping film effects and bassy beats with equal vigour. Electronic beats like Bicep's 'Glue' were rendered just as pleasingly as the rolling bass guitar in Van Morrison's 'Moondance' and the thumping bass of 'Seven Nation Army' by the White Stripes.

Sonos is clearly keen for the new Beam to deliver when it comes to low down bass, partly because the soundbar will be paired with a television in most cases. The healthy helping of bass really differentiates the speakers' output from the comparatively tinny sound of standard TV speakers or a lesser soundbar. This makes it perfect for pairing with your TV to deliver a more cinematic experience. However, in some isolated instances, the bass did slightly overpower other sounds like dialogue when using the soundbar for TV and films. This was rare but noticeable.

The growing prominence of straight-to-streaming film premieres — brought about by the pandemic — made that home cinema feel more important than ever. So the arrival of the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is well-timed, and really it's an ideal companion for cinephiles looking to boost their at-home blockbusters.

Notably, Sonos used a 40% faster chip in this new Beam than its predecessor, which it claims "creates two new audio paths for a virtual surround sound experience". Without having the first Sonos Beam on hand to make a direct comparison, the Beam (Gen 2) certainly does offer a pleasing surround sound effect — as far as a solo soundbar can. Obviously, the best setup for real surround sound Sonos fans would be to use multiple speakers to create a genuine, non-virtual surround sound experience.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) set-up

The set-up process is relatively simple, but when compared to some less upmarket Bluetooth speakers, it might seem a little on the complex side.

You'll need to plug the speaker into the HDMI (Arc) port to use it with your TV. This is different from the other HDMI ports, though the fitting is the same, but it should be clearly denoted next to the port.

Then download the Sonos app and add your favourite music apps to use use them from your phone via Bluetooth. This works fine, but it's one of the very slight drawbacks of the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). Occasionally swapping between the TV and your phone as the speaker's source left the app a little bamboozled — making the speaker hard to detect on the phone app and requiring a restart. Ultimately, it just doesn't feel seamless sometimes.

For example, entering the Sonos app and selecting Spotify takes you relatively quickly and easily to your playlists but — unthinking for a moment during testing — we exited the Sonos app to play a different playlist via Amazon Music. The result we were unintentionally left with was quite unpleasant: Spotify played through the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), while Amazon played through the phone speaker. This isn't a major issue though, it's easy to navigate once you're used to the Sonos app system, but at times there is the feeling that things could be more seamless for such a top-end product.

Equally, there is a reason for the slightly more complex setup. If you buy multiple Sonos speakers (the new Beam can be twinned with the Sonos One SL and others) and create your own multi-room system, there are plenty of helpful features on the app to help you manage the functions that each speaker fulfils and to switch your listening experience between rooms.

What is the difference between the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and Sonos Arc?

The most instantly recognisable difference between the Beam (Gen 2) and the Arc may be the price difference, with the Arc retailing for £899 and the new Beam costing around £449.

The Sonos Arc uses up-firing speakers alongside its front-firing speakers to bounce sound off the ceiling, creating a surround sound effect. This is what gives the speaker its name.

The Arc also provides slightly better sound quality and is around 1m long, much longer than the compact Beam (Gen 2), which is designed to fit happily in most entertainment stands.

For more on the Arc, take a look at our full Sonos Arc review.

Our verdict: should you buy the Sonos Beam (Gen 2)?

Ultimately, sound quality is the foremost concern for anyone buying a Sonos soundbar, and this new Beam delivers. It's immensely listenable, creating an immersive soundstage for music-lovers, or giving films and TV a real boost with a kick of high-quality sound that renders bass.

It's a more subjective field, but we also loved the design of the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). It's bound to look fantastic in your living room with its sleek edges, curves and subtle front grille.

Plus, the prospect of building your Beam (Gen 2) into a larger Sonos setup is appealing, though potentially very expensive. For anyone looking for great sound quality or to build their own multi-room or surround sound setup, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a near-unbeatable option for the price.

Where to buy the Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is available at a wide range of top-end retailers.

• £449 £429 | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) via Amazon
• £449 £429 | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) via Currys
• £449 | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) at Sonos

For more soundbar options, take a look at our best soundbar page, or take a look at our full Sony HT-G700 review for an in-depth look at the competition. Looking for more tech? why not check out our best smart speakers and best smart TV guides.