When it comes to home audio, few brands resonate with audiophiles like Sonos. Known for their sleek designs, seamless connectivity, and impressive sound quality, Sonos has carved a niche for itself in the competitive soundbar market. Among their extensive range of products, the Sonos Beam Soundbar stands out for its compact size, affordability, and impressive features. But the question remains: Are Sonos Beam Soundbars good? In this comprehensive review, we’ll delve into the details to help you make an informed decision.
Design and Build: Compact yet Powerful
The Sonos Beam Soundbar is designed to impress, with a compact and sleek profile that seamlessly integrates into any living room setup. Measuring just 25.6 inches wide, 2.7 inches tall, and 3.9 inches deep, the Beam is an ideal choice for smaller rooms or those with limited space. Despite its compact size, the Beam packs a punch, capable of producing rich, detailed sound that belies its diminutive stature.
The Beam’s build quality is exceptional, with a sturdy construction that exudes premium quality. The soundbar’s outer shell is made of a durable polycarbonate material, while the grille is crafted from a thin, hexagonal aluminum mesh that adds a touch of sophistication. The Beam’s compact design also makes it incredibly lightweight, weighing in at a mere 6.2 pounds, making it easy to move around or mount on a wall.
Sound Quality: Impressive Performance in a Small Package
So, how does the Sonos Beam Soundbar perform when it comes to sound quality? In a word: impressively. The Beam boasts five Class-D digital amplifiers, which power three speakers – a tweeter, a woofer, and a passive radiator – to produce a rich, detailed sound that’s surprisingly robust considering its compact size.
The Beam’s soundstage is impressive, with clear separation between instruments and vocals. Dialogue is crisp and clear, making it an excellent choice for TV shows and movies. The soundbar’s bass response is noteworthy, with the passive radiator adding depth and punch to the low-end frequency response. While the Beam may not produce the same level of bass as larger soundbars, it’s more than adequate for its size and price point.
Smart Speaker Capabilities: Built-in Alexa and Google Assistant
The Sonos Beam Soundbar takes its smart speaker capabilities to the next level, with built-in support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. This means you can control your music, TV, and smart home devices using just your voice, making it an incredibly convenient addition to your home entertainment setup.
Alexa and Google Assistant integration is seamless, with quick and accurate responses to voice commands. You can use your voice to adjust the volume, change channels, or even control other smart devices in your home. The Beam’s microphone array is highly sensitive, picking up voice commands from across the room with ease.
Connectivity and Compatibility: Seamless Integration with Your Devices
The Sonos Beam Soundbar boasts an impressive range of connectivity options, making it compatible with a wide range of devices.
HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) connectivity ensures seamless integration with your TV. This means you can control the Beam’s volume using your TV’s remote control, and even adjust the soundbar’s settings using your TV’s on-screen menu. The Beam also supports Apple AirPlay 2, allowing you to stream music from your iPhone or iPad with ease.
In addition to HDMI ARC, the Beam features an optical audio input, a USB port for charging devices, and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity for streaming music from popular services like Spotify, Apple Music, and more.
Multi-Room Audio: Expand Your Sound System
One of the standout features of the Sonos Beam Soundbar is its support for multi-room audio. This means you can connect multiple Sonos speakers throughout your home, creating a seamless whole-home audio experience.
Using the Sonos app, you can group multiple speakers together or play different music in different rooms. The Beam can also be paired with other Sonos speakers, such as the Sonos One or Sonos Play:5, to create a truly immersive audio experience.
Setup and Configuration: Easy Peasy
Setting up the Sonos Beam Soundbar is a breeze, thanks to the intuitive Sonos app and a comprehensive setup process that guides you through the installation process.
The Sonos app is incredibly user-friendly, with clear instructions and helpful tutorials. The app walks you through the setup process, step by step, ensuring that you’re up and running in no time. The app also provides access to plenty of settings and features, allowing you to customize your Beam experience to your heart’s content.
Troubleshooting: Rarely Necessary, But Always Helpful
While the Sonos Beam Soundbar is incredibly reliable, issues can occasionally arise. Fear not, however, as Sonos provides an impressive range of troubleshooting resources to get you back up and running in no time.
Sonos’s online support resources are comprehensive and easy to navigate. The company’s website features a wealth of tutorials, FAQs, and troubleshooting guides that can help you resolve common issues. If you need more personalized support, Sonos’s customer service team is always available to lend a helping hand.
Conclusion: Is the Sonos Beam Soundbar Worth It?
So, are Sonos Beam Soundbars good? In a word: absolutely. The Beam’s impressive sound quality, compact design, and seamless connectivity make it an excellent choice for those seeking a high-quality soundbar without breaking the bank.
The Sonos Beam Soundbar offers an unbeatable combination of performance, features, and value. While it may not be the cheapest soundbar on the market, its compact size, impressive sound quality, and range of features make it an excellent investment for anyone seeking a premium home audio experience.
If you’re in the market for a new soundbar, the Sonos Beam should be at the top of your list. With its impressive performance, sleek design, and range of innovative features, this compact soundbar is sure to impress even the most discerning audiophiles.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Design and Build | Compact and sleek design, premium build quality, and durable polycarbonate construction |
| Sound Quality | Rich, detailed sound with clear separation between instruments and vocals, and impressive bass response for its size |
| Smart Speaker Capabilities | Built-in Alexa and Google Assistant support for seamless voice control |
| Connectivity and Compatibility | HDMI ARC, optical audio input, USB port, and built-in Wi-Fi for seamless integration with your devices |
| Multi-Room Audio | Support for whole-home audio with multiple Sonos speakers, allowing for a seamless and immersive audio experience |
What is the Sonos Beam Soundbar?
The Sonos Beam Soundbar is a compact and powerful soundbar designed to elevate your TV viewing experience. It is a sleek and stylish device that can be easily placed under your TV or mounted on a wall, providing an immersive audio experience with its advanced speaker technology.
With the Sonos Beam, you can enjoy clear and detailed sound, whether you’re watching your favorite TV show, movie, or playing video games. It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing you to control your soundbar with voice commands. What’s more, the Beam supports multi-room audio, enabling you to pair it with other Sonos speakers for a seamless listening experience throughout your home.
What are the key features of the Sonos Beam Soundbar?
The Sonos Beam Soundbar comes with a range of impressive features that set it apart from other soundbars in its class. These include five Class-D digital amplifiers, four full-range woofers, one tweeter, and three passive radiators, all of which work together to produce a rich and powerful sound. The Beam also supports HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel), which allows it to seamlessly connect to your TV and other devices.
In addition to its advanced audio technology, the Sonos Beam also boasts a compact and sleek design, making it perfect for smaller rooms or apartments. It’s also incredibly easy to set up, with a simple and intuitive app-based setup process that gets you up and running in no time. Plus, with its built-in voice assistants, you can control your soundbar and access your music, podcasts, and more with just your voice.
Can I use the Sonos Beam Soundbar with my existing TV?
The Sonos Beam Soundbar is compatible with most modern TVs, including those with HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) support. This means you can easily connect your TV to the Beam using an HDMI cable and enjoy a seamless audio experience. However, if your TV is older and doesn’t support HDMI ARC, you may need to use an optical cable or another audio output to connect to the Beam.
It’s also worth noting that the Sonos Beam is designed to work with a wide range of TV sizes and types, from small screens to large-screen 4K TVs. Whether you have a Samsung, LG, Sony, or Vizio TV, the Beam is likely to be compatible and provide an exceptional audio experience.
How does the Sonos Beam Soundbar compare to other Sonos speakers?
The Sonos Beam Soundbar is a unique product in the Sonos lineup, offering a compact and affordable soundbar solution that’s perfect for smaller rooms or apartments. While it shares many features with other Sonos speakers, such as its compact design and advanced audio technology, the Beam is specifically designed to provide an immersive audio experience for TV viewing and gaming.
Compared to other Sonos speakers like the Sonos One or Playbar, the Beam is more compact and affordable, making it an excellent option for those on a budget or with limited space. However, it’s still a powerful and feature-rich soundbar that offers many of the same benefits as more expensive Sonos products, including multi-room audio support and voice assistant integration.
Can I use the Sonos Beam Soundbar in a large room?
While the Sonos Beam Soundbar is designed for smaller rooms and apartments, it’s still capable of producing a powerful and immersive audio experience that can fill a larger room. However, the Beam’s compact size and design mean it may not be as effective in very large rooms or open-plan spaces.
If you have a larger room, you may want to consider pairing the Beam with other Sonos speakers to create a more comprehensive and immersive audio experience. This can help to ensure that the sound is evenly distributed throughout the room and provides a more engaging listening experience.
Is the Sonos Beam Soundbar worth the investment?
The Sonos Beam Soundbar is an excellent investment for anyone looking to elevate their TV viewing experience with a compact and powerful soundbar. With its advanced audio technology, sleek design, and affordable price point, the Beam offers exceptional value for money.
While there are many soundbars on the market, the Sonos Beam stands out for its ease of use, compact design, and advanced features like voice assistant integration and multi-room audio support. If you’re looking for a high-quality soundbar that won’t break the bank, the Sonos Beam is definitely worth considering.
How do I set up and use the Sonos Beam Soundbar?
Setting up the Sonos Beam Soundbar is incredibly easy, thanks to its intuitive app-based setup process. Simply download the Sonos app, follow the on-screen instructions, and your Beam will be up and running in no time.
Once set up, using the Beam is a breeze. You can control it using the Sonos app, voice commands, or even your TV’s remote control. The Beam also supports a range of popular music services like Spotify, Apple Music, and more, making it easy to access your favorite tunes and podcasts. Plus, with its compact design and wall-mounting option, you can easily place the Beam anywhere in your room for an optimal listening experience.