Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review

Two-minute review

Sonos has up to date it is a lot liked Beam soundbar and the largest replace right here us help for Dolby Atmos due to a a lot quicker processor. Also new is eARC help and an up to date grill on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2).

At AED 2,069, it's kind of extra dear than the unique Beam which is not stunning contemplating Sonos raised costs for a lot of of its merchandise lately. However it is nonetheless purchase and may simply be prolonged by hooking it up the Sonos Sub, or through the use of a pair of Sonos One SL audio system as your rear proper and left channels.

Setting up the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a breeze – you simply want the Sonos S2 app, and also you’ll be capable to join the soundbar to your Wi-Fi community and arrange your voice assistant of selection. The S2 app additionally provides you entry to the corporate’s TruePlay know-how, which calibrates the soundbar’s audio to your room’s dimensions, utilizing its built-in microphones.

It’s a disgrace that TruePlay nonetheless solely works with iOS gadgets, because it does make a distinction to the sound. Still, you may borrow a good friend’s iPhone for the setup course of – and we do assume that’s price doing. Also price noting is that TruePlay is not supported on the iPhone 13 on the time of scripting this review.

Unlike its predecessor, the brand new Beam comes with eARC compatibility, a characteristic that followers of the unique soundbar have been requesting for some time. This permits the soundbar to deal with extra superior audio codecs than earlier than, together with hi-res audio codecs.

Sonos Beam Gen 2

(Image credit score: Future)

However, the standout new characteristic for the Beam (Gen 2) is Dolby Atmos help. While the soundbar doesn’t include the upfiring drivers you’d want for ‘true’ Atmos, it makes use of psychoacoustic methods to offer the impression of top out of your film soundtracks.

In idea, this could make it appear as if the sound out of your movies is coming at you from each angle; we weren’t totally satisfied, nevertheless. While the Beam (Gen 2) has a remarkably extensive soundstage and highly effective audio efficiency for its measurement, we didn’t expertise the form of overhead sound you get from its bigger sibling, the Sonos Arc (which has these all-important upfiring drivers).

We’re hesitant to evaluate the Beam (Gen 2) too harshly for that, although. You’re nonetheless getting a extra immersive expertise than you’d get from a non-Atmos bar, and there's a small quantity of vertical data coming via – it’s simply not as convincing as different digital Atmos bars just like the Sony HT-X8500.

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) additionally works very well for listening to music, with a transparent, well-balanced soundstage and a powerful low finish – and the S2 app makes it simple to navigate your favourite music streaming companies with out switching between a number of totally different apps and platforms.

Overall, when you do not personal the unique Sonos Beam and are searching for a mid-range soundbar that received’t take over your front room, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a good selection – simply don’t count on a super-convincing Dolby Atmos expertise.

Sonos Beam Gen 2

(Image credit score: Future)

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) UAE value and launch date

AED 2,069
Available to purchase from October 5, 2021

The second-gen Beam will probably be available for purchase from October 5 for AED 2,069 which is dearer than the unique; at launch.

Compared to different soundbars with digital Dolby Atmos, the Beam (Gen 2) is a bit of cheaper than the Sony HT-G700, and a complete lot inexpensive than SociallyKeeda's greatest soundbar of 2021, the Sonos Arc, which delivers ‘true’ Atmos due to upfiring tweeters.

Sonos Beam Gen 2

(Image credit score: Future)

Design

Compact construct
New plastic grille
Touch controls

Like the unique Beam, the brand new Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a compact soundbar that may simply match below most TVs on a cupboard, or be mounted to a wall to maintain your front room clutter-free.

At 69 x 651 x 100mm (H x W x D), it's equivalent to its predeccesor and far smaller than the corporate’s flagship soundbar, the Sonos Arc, making it superb for smaller areas.

Like different Sonos audio system, design of the Beam (Gen 2) is all about clear traces and delicate branding; this soundbar isn’t flashy, however it seems trendy, and because it is available in a selection of black and white finishes you could find the best look to slot in along with your decor.

One key distinction between the brand new Sonos Beam and its predecessor is the design of the grille, which is now fabricated from plastic quite than a woven material. This design selection is extra in line with the Sonos Arc, and because the firm factors out, it’s far simpler to wash than the dust-attracting or unattainable to take away liquid stains of the material cowl from the previoous gen. We requested Sonos whether or not the brand new grille brings any acoustic advantages, however the firm advised us it’s purely an aesthetic selection.

On the highest of the soundbar you’ll discover a touch-sensitive management panel. The capacitive contact sensors will let you management your music playback, modify the quantity, and switch off the inbuilt microphones for additional privateness. We discovered these controls had been very responsive, although you’ll in all probability end up reaching on your TV’s distant to do most of this stuff.

You’ll additionally discover a small LED mild strip on the highest of the soundbar, which lights up as you work together with it, in addition to one other LED beneath the microphone icon to let you understand when the soundbar’s mic is enabled.

Around the again of the soundbar is a port for plugging it into an influence outlet, and HDMI, optical, and Ethernet ports.

Sonos Beam Gen 2

(Image credit score: Future)

Setup and connectivity

Works with wider Sonos ecosystem
TruePlay room calibration
Easy-to-use app

Setting up the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) may be very easy; you simply have to download the Sonos S2 app and observe the directions to attach the soundbar to your Wi-Fi community and any music streaming companies you’d like to make use of.

You’ll additionally then be capable to select between Alexa or Google Assistant- you may't have each. Considering that Alexa is not formally supported within the Middle East, that's wonderful for now. Thanks to the soundbar’s built-in microphones, you’ll be capable to management playback utilizing your voice alone, in addition to asking your chosen voice assistant questions and controlling your different good residence gadgets.

We did run into a difficulty establishing Google Assistant from the Sonos app however that was solved through the use of the Google Assistant app which robotically acknowledged the Beam and allowed us to set it up with none points.

Once you’ve accomplished this, you’ll be capable to use the Beam’s room calibration characteristic, TruePlay, which tunes the ‘bar’s sound to the scale of your room.

As you undergo the TruePlay course of, the Beam performs out a series of beeps and ticks throughout the frequency vary; you’ll then be prompted to stroll round your room waving your smartphone round. Do be sure to do that in solitude if you do not need unusual seems out of your family members.

The S2 app makes use of the microphones inbuilt to your smartphone to research the audio; Sonos says it’s necessary to cowl as a lot area as potential, and to attenuate another environmental noise that would have an effect on the outcomes. Unfortunately, TruePlay is barely appropriate with iOS gadgets at present, however it’s price borrowing a good friend’s iPhone to get probably the most out of your new Beam.

Also price highlighting once more that TruePlay doesn't work with iPhone 13 fashions on the time of scripting this review. We assume that is probably becasue the cellphone was launched only a week again and are assured that Sonos will resolve this.

the sonos beam gen 2 soundbar

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

The app additionally provides you the choice to pair the Beam with another Sonos speaker you might need, such because the Sonos Sub, or a pair of Sonos One SL audio system that could possibly be used as left and proper rear audio system.

Integration with the Sonos community provides the Beam (Gen 2) one thing many different soundbars don’t have: a straightforward solution to improve your house cinema system. While the brand new Beam works very effectively by itself, including in a sub and rear audio system is a good way so as to add to your setup over time; and if you have already got a Sonos Roam transportable speaker, you’ll be capable to ‘throw’ your audio between the Bluetooth speaker and the Beam utilizing the Sound Swap characteristic.

In phrases of wi-fi connectivity, the Beam (Gen 2) helps Wi-Fi, and Apple AirPlay 2 with appropriate iOS gadgets. There’s additionally the choice to hook it as much as your router with an Ethernet cable if you'd like a extra secure connection to your house community.

One new connectivity characteristic for the Sonos Beam is HDMI eARC compatibility, which the corporate says will carry a “richer, more immersive, and higher definition sound experience”. Compared to the HDMI ARC connectivity discovered on the unique Beam, eARC can deal with extra superior audio codecs and ship superior audio high quality.

It’s a disgrace there’s no HDMI 2.1 help, which might permit for 4K at 120Hz and even 8K at 60Hz passthrough – which in flip, would make the Beam superb for 8K-supporting consoles just like the PS5 and the Xbox Series X.

Still, the brand new Beam can address 32 channels of audio, and even eight-channel 24-bit/192kHz uncompressed 38Mbps information streams. In different phrases, in addition to supporting Atmos, it may play hi-res audio recordsdata of your favourite songs.

If your TV doesn’t have a HDMI port, you may also join the Beam through the optical port; Sonos supplies all of the cables you want within the field.

The S2 app additionally makes it simple to stream music, permitting you so as to add the music streaming platforms of your selection and navigate them with out leaving the app.

the sonos beam gen 2 soundbar

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

Audio efficiency

Wide soundstage
Great for music
Dolby Atmos could possibly be extra convincing

In spite of its small measurement, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) delivers highly effective audio efficiency, and is greater than able to filling your front room with sound.

For dialogue, we watched Our Planet on Netflix that stuffed the room with David Attenborough's clear and calming voice. Unlike ome of the opposite soundbars that muffle up dialogue in louder scenes, the Beam (Gen 2) does an excellent job at this.

To expertise Atmos, we examined certainly one of Sonos' advisable film which was The Midnight Sky with George Clooney, once more on Netflix. It does a good job of virtualizing audio however you need to pay attention for it- the shortage of upward firing drivers is definitely felt.

These drivers are designed to bounce pontificate of the ceiling and again all the way down to your ears, giving an actual sense of sonic top to film soundtracks and appropriate audio recordsdata. Without them, the Beam (Gen 2) doesn’t appear able to offering the complete Atmos expertise.

the sonos beam gen 2 soundbar on a tv cabinet

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

Saying that, we had been very impressed by the width of the soundstage. You actually get the sense that the motion onscreen is going down round you, and that’s with out including any further rear left or proper audio system, just like the Sonos One SL.

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) additionally sounds nice while you're taking part in music. Listening to Thunder from Imagine Dragons or Delicate from Taylor Swift sounded equally nice with deep sounds and respectable bass.

We're additionally excited for upcoming help for Amazon Music’s Ultra High Definition audio on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) which brings lossless audio as much as 24-bit / 48kHz. Sonos expects this to be out there by the tip of the 12 months together with help for Dolby Atmos Music.

As succesful because the Beam (Gen 2) is by itself, the bass is far improved by hooking it as much as the Sonos Sub, which delivers higher separation between the totally different frequencies and a extra arresting, toe-tapping sound.

Should I purchase the Sonos Beam (Gen 2)?

sonos beam gen 2 soundbar

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

Buy it if...

You need a highly effective sound
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) sounds a lot greater than its small measurement would possibly recommend.

You have a small front room
The new Beam is compact sufficient to squeeze into the smallest residing rooms, and may be wall-mounted to avoid wasting much more area.

You produce other Sonos audio system
The Beam (Gen 2) matches into the broader Sonos ecosystem, and is the proper playmate for the model’s subwoofers and rear audio system.

Don't purchase it if...

You need true Dolby Atmos
The Beam does sound immersive, however you’ll want upfiring tweeters for ‘true’ Atmos.

You’re on a decent funds
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is nowhere close to the most costly soundbar we’ve examined, however there are cheaper choices.

You don’t have entry to an iOS system
You want an iOS system to benefit from the TruePlay calibration characteristic – it’s price borrowing a good friend’s iPhone to do that.