Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: The best-sounding soundbar for small TVs

Our Verdict

The Sonos Beam (Gen two) soundbar delivers sophisticated sound in a small-scale parcel. A compensation of smart features and listening options make the new Beam an bonny follow-up to the original.

For

Impressive sound for its size
3D audio with support for Dolby Atmos
Reliable TruePlay tuning
Best option for 55-inch and smaller TVs

Against

More expensive than Axle (Gen 1)
Some new formats not available at launch

Tom's Guide Verdict

The Sonos Axle (Gen ii) soundbar delivers sophisticated sound in a small package. A bounty of smart features and listening options brand the new Beam an attractive follow-up to the original.

Pros

+
Impressive sound for its size
+
3D audio with support for Dolby Atmos
+
Reliable TruePlay tuning
+
Best option for 55-inch and smaller TVs

Cons

-
More expensive than Axle (Gen 1)
-
Some new formats not available at launch
-

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) specs

Size: 25.6 x 2.three x 3.ix inches
Weight: 6.2 pounds
Speakers: 4 drivers, 1 tweeter
Ports: HDMI eARC, Ethernet
Audio formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus
Colors: Black, White
Voice administration: Alexa, Google Assistant
Connectivity: 802.11b/yard/n/air conditioning, ii.iv and v GHz Wi-Fi, AirPlay ii

The Sonos Axle (Gen two) soundbar is the latest dwelling house-theater production promising the visitor's signature sound quality for high-fidelity formats and perfectly-tuned entertainment experiences.

So does it deliver? Refreshing the original Sonos Beam (Gen 1), one of the best soundbars on the market, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a smart speaker, music player and Dolby Atmos sound purveyor all-in-one.

In that location are no changes to the sound internals, merely an upgraded CPU, tweaked profiles, more audio formats and HDMI eARC support are welcome improvements. The Axle (Gen ii) is compact and nonetheless rather affordable; though at $449, it is $50 more than the start-generation model.

While the booming Sonos Arc remains the make's tiptop option for the all-time TVs with big screens in big spaces, information technology'south only fair that apartment dwellers or those with smaller sets deserve a stellar Sonos soundbar, as well.

I actually replaced the Arc in my i,000-foursquare human foot apartment for this Sonos Beam (Gen two) review, and I don't think I'll go back. The Axle (Gen two) is simply a amend fit.

Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar up close — (Image credit: Future)

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) price and availability

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) costs $449 and is available every bit of October. 5, 2021. You can pre-order the new soundbar now if you lot want to get your hands on information technology as soon as it starts shipping.

Nosotros wouldn't consider the Beam (Gen 2) i of the best cheap soundbars, but it's half the price of the Sonos Arc, which recently saw a toll hike from $799 to $899. Considering Sonos has discontinued the Sonos Playbar, the Arc and Axle are the company'southward remaining two soundbar offerings.

Sonos Axle (Gen 2) review: Pattern

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) design is somewhat of a blend of the Sonos Arc and the original Sonos Beam. While it maintains the elongated-pill shape and slightly concave top of the get-go Beam, information technology gets the Arc's perforated polycarbonate grille. Co-ordinate to Sonos, the new grille should brand the Beam (Gen 2) easier to make clean and more durable over time.

Sonos Beam Gen 2 from side, close up of grille — (Prototype credit: Time to come)

The Sonos Axle (Gen 2) is much smaller than the Arc, measuring 25.6 ten two.three 10 three.9 inches instead of 45 x 4.5 10 iii.4 inches. This makes it more suitable for smaller amusement spaces. It fits my 55-inch Samsung Q80T QLED TV much ameliorate than the Arc ever did — I'd say the Beam (Gen two) is well-proportioned for whatever of the best 55-inch TVs, best 50-inch TVs or smaller.

Sonos Beam Gen 2 ports — (Image credit: Future)

Capacitive volume and pause/play controls are on the top side of the Axle (Gen 2), while on the back in that location'southward a concave port array with options for Ethernet and HDMI ARC/eARC connections. When you pair the Beam to your TV via HDMI eARC, you tin do good from high-definition audio formats during movie-watching and gaming. Note some other soundbars have added HDMI, USB or 3.5mm aux ports.

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) also comes in ii colour options, like the rest of Sonos' products of the concluding few years. If you lot've coordinated your Sonos Movement, Sonos Roam or Sonos I colors, yous can keep the pattern upward for your new soundbar.

Sonos Beam (Gen ii) review: Audio quality and uniform formats

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is nearly identical to the first-generation Axle on the inside. It features one tweeter, iii passive radiators and four elliptical midwoofers, 2 of those forrad-firing and the other two angled to either side. Simply an upgraded CPU improves the soundbar's height and surround abilities, fifty-fifty with the same speaker hardware.

Sonos says the Beam (Gen 2) has been retuned, creating a crisper central aqueduct that prioritizes vocal clarity and vocal dialog. Users will also benefit from 3D sound with back up for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus and most leading home-theater sound formats.

Once the new soundbar was tuned to my living infinite, I tested the Beam's abilities with a multifariousness of music, testify and movie formats. I turned on Whiplash and felt each percussion scene as though I was sitting in Shaffer Conservatory watching a manic Miles Teller live.

Sonos Beam Gen 2 stacked on the Sonos Arc soundbar — (Image credit: Future)

The Beam (Gen 2) delivers some of the depth and superlative perhaps absent in the first-generation model. Merely I will say that when viewing the same scenes using a Sonos Arc, I could have been on stage with the studio ring thank you to the larger soundbar'southward 11 drivers compared to the Beam's four.

The Axle also doesn't get nearly as loud as the Arc, which I actually appreciated because I couldn't use the Arc to its full capacity in my New York City flat. The Beam's tempered volume alleviates some of my self-inflicted stress nearly existence a courteous neighbor.

That's not to say this small speaker doesn't pack a punch. Kayne Due west and Jay-Z'southward "No Church in the Wild'' infectiously thumped just similar it should, causing my compact living room to vibrate and complementing the song's cinematic fashion. It'south decided — I'll be using the Axle (Gen 2) to DJ next time I have some friends over.

Sonos Beam Gen 2 review — (Image credit: Time to come)

Sonos Beam (Gen two) review: Smart features and streaming services

The Sonos Beam (Gen two) will initiate setup easily in the Sonos S2 app, thanks to its added NFC chip. With the e'er-reliable TruePlay tuning characteristic, you'll also be prompted to curate sound to your space and optimal burrow position.

The new Beam doesn't take Auto TruePlay (that'south only establish on the company'due south portable speakers), and then you'll need to walk around your living room, or wherever you've hooked up the Axle (Gen ii), with your phone upside down for a minute.

Sonos Beam Gen 2 set up with TruePlay on iPhone — (Image credit: Future)

When yous're watching a blockbuster movie, the Sonos Axle (Gen 2) works as a regular music speaker. In other situations, yous can either AirPlay from the music apps on your iPhone or utilise the Sonos S2 app to add and control your music and podcast services.

Sonos fifty-fifty offers its own online radio service with guest hosts and curated content. Sonos Radio recently added 20 new stations, too. In other software updates, support for Amazon Music Ultra HD is coming to all S2 compatible Sonos speakers before the stop of this twelvemonth. Sonos should too add back up for decoding DTS Digital Surround Sound later this year.

Sonos Beam Gen 2 controls and mic buttons — (Image credit: Future)

Like most of Sonos's other devices, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) supports Alexa and Google Banana. Information technology can act like many of the all-time Alexa speakers or best Google Home speakers, letting you command your smart-home devices, become answers to queries or simply modify the soundtrack hands-free.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review: Verdict

Creating the ultimate home-theater experience has get a top consumer priority in the by year and half. While the Sonos Arc stood out in 2020, not anybody tin fit (or afford) the massive soundbar. With its smaller footprint and smart features, the $449 Sonos Beam (Gen ii) could be an attractive choice for urban dwellers or for those who just want a soundbar for their mid-size TVs.

Nosotros practise wish the company had kept the Beam price under $400. I can imagine some scenarios where the soundbar will actually be more expensive than the Television receiver. Still, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) has everything yous could want from a soundbar, from audio prowess to thorough smart-speaker functionality.

Kate Kozuch is a senior writer at Tom's Guide covering wearables, TVs and everything smart-home related. When she's not in cyborg fashion, you can observe her on an exercise wheel or channeling her inner celebrity chef. She and her robot ground forces volition rule the world one twenty-four hours, but until then, reach her at kate.kozuch@futurenet.com.