Sonos Beam Review: A Sleek Soundbar that Packs a Punch

Last updated on 2022-09-19
By Yvonne

Sonos Beam Review: An Elegant Soundbar That Packs a PunchThe Sonos Beam smart speaker has Wi-Fi capabilities. It boasts an impressive, full sound and a beautiful design.

Sonos Beam

We like this

Sleek design
Sound quality is excellent
Good value

The Things We Hate

Ports for input/output are limited
A little lacking in sound detail
Simple physical controls

For those looking for the Sonos sound quality and design, the Sonos Beam can be a great option without spending a lot on the larger Playbar.

This article explains.

Expand

Design
Quality is key
Configuration & Connectivity
Sound Quality
Some interesting features
Prices
Concurrence
Final Verdict
Specifications

Sonos Beam was purchased by us so that our reviewer could fully test it and evaluate it. Continue reading to see our complete product review.

One of Sonos' most recent offerings is the Sonos Beam, a well-known brand for audio products. Although it is not the sole soundbar from the Sonos range (there are also the Playbar and Playbase), we believe that the Sonos Beam offers the most value for money in terms of form, price and versatility. The sound quality is not as good and it doesn't have the same flashy projections that larger Sonos speakers. The Beam soundbar is great if you are looking for a stylish and well-equipped soundbar.

Design: A slim, elegant and very smart design

It is the Sonos Beam's best attribute. This might not be an important feature, but it is still a great advantage. We can't believe how modern and sleek this soundbar looks. A soft mesh grill wraps the entire soundbar. The soundbar is unassuming and can be folded into any entertainment system without becoming too distracting.

It measures in at 2.5 inches high and 25.5 inches wide. It can be mounted flush against the wall or placed flat beneath your TV. We really liked the palindrome design of the Sonos logo. The logo will be displayed correctly regardless of whether the device is mounted on the wall or flat on your TV.

This soundbar is so modern and stylish, we can't believe it.

It is round at the corners and shaped almost like a large pill from the top. Only a few buttons are found here. They can be found on top of the unit as flush capacitive touch control. This makes it an extremely simple and beautiful design. However, we found it difficult to use buttons.

Quality: Premium, solid, and a little bit heavier

Although it may not be necessary to look into the build quality for something sitting on your entertainment centre, this is a good indicator of how care was taken in manufacturing it. The Sonos Beam's construction feels great, with a strong plastic feel and soft mesh grill covering its entire perimeter.

The soundbar weighs in at over 6 pounds and is made of a strong material that can withstand heavy vibrations from loud music for years. The quality of the soundbar is well worth the cost.

Related Reading: JBL Charge 4 Review: A Stellar Waterproof Speaker

Connectivity & Setup: Complex, but intuitive

When you fire up the soundbar and download the app to connect it, the Beam takes you through a guided process that aims to tune the far-field microphones to better map your space—a feature it calls True Play. This speaker uses your smartphone's microphone and determines how it sounds from the position you are standing.

You first allow the device to play various tones, while you are seated in the area where you will be most listening to it. It then asks you walk slowly around the room, waving your smartphone in slow, concentric circles. Although it felt silly, it was actually helpful for the Beam in locating the Beam relative to various parts of the room.

The input/output is basic, despite the flashiness. The standard optical digital cable can be used to pass through surround sound mixes. There is also an HDMI ARC port. Sonos offers an optical-to HDMI ARC converter to achieve optical compatibility, instead of including the optical port.

The Beam will cost you more than many other Sonos products.

An Ethernet port is also available for more reliable connection to your network. This is crucial because Sonos uses Wi-Fi and wired Internet. Although it offers a more reliable connection to stream playlists or mix multiple speakers, it also means that the app must be downloaded in order to use the speaker's controls.

We mentioned that the capacitive touch controls can be a little awkward and don't come with a remote. Another quirk here is that the speaker works best—and in some cases only works—if you play music through the app. AirPlay is supported, however, we found it to be somewhat sporadic. We recommend using the Sonos app to connect to streaming media and other services. This is mostly acceptable as the app's interface makes it easy to set up. It's a pleasant experience, once it is all set up.

Sound Quality - Cinematic and bassy, but lacking detail

Bose's Sonos looks a bit like Bose because there is so much weight just in its brand name. Sonos employs the top sound engineers in the world, who research enclosure acoustics and speaker design to help you optimize your space for maximum response. The system includes four full-range, bass-recording woofers and one tweeter to reproduce the high end of the spectrum. Five dedicated class D amplifiers power all of this.

Sonos also includes five far-range microphones that can be used to do the same room tuning as we discussed before. (We'll go into more detail about this later). Because the enclosure is small, three passive radiators are built in to push the sound forward. It all results in a very solid sound for such small speakers, which is especially impressive at the bottom end.

The speaker delivers a solid sound for a tiny speaker. This is especially noticeable at the bottom end.

You're not getting the full potential of Sonos if you use the Beam as it is. The accompanying app allows you to adjust the volume and tone of the Beam according to what media is being used. The speaker works well for music and can be used at parties as well as general listening. We also thought that the wide dynamic range and impressive sound projection helped to create a nice, pseudo-surround-sound for movies. It lacked the ability to produce complex soundscapes (e.g. Video games and less dynamic media such as TV shows. We consider these minor issues to be minor and still rate sound quality as a pro.

Features: Emulated surround sound and entire home audio

The customization available through the Sonos app is where Sonos can make up some sound quality issues. Sonos speakers are designed to allow you to control music and sound throughout your home, customizing each room with a single app. Because of its unique spatialization and sound flexibility, the Beam is a great fit for this ecosystem.

It was simple to set up, and surround sound was good even with the standard soundtracks. You can also use the accompanying Sonos app to choose a speaker and then play media. It can be enabled to play in specific rooms or throughout the house.

The Beam is a powerful soundbar when combined with the Play series. This gives you Sonos's amazing 'whole-home' audio system. The Beam also has Alexa built-in, which gives you some voice control. The app also offers a Night Mode option, which, when enabled, lowers the volume and boosts dialogue. This allows you to keep track of key moments and won't disturb your family.

Premium Price: Without pushing the limits

The Beam will be priced at a higher price than many other Sonos products. Because Sonos is such an exclusive brand, the retail price will not vary from $399 (MSRP). The Beam's price tag is justified, according to our view. The Beam is one of Sonos's most affordable soundbars. Most users will love it because it provides a full, pleasant response. You can find soundbars made by other manufacturers that offer the same quality at a fraction of the price. You should remember that if you are looking for a complete home system, you will pay a premium price.

Competiton: It is difficult to compare standard soundbars

Sonos Playbar The Playbar, which is the main competitor in the Sonos soundbar range is the clear winner. The Playbar, which costs almost twice as much, is an incredibly nicer choice, offering larger drivers and more responsiveness.

Bose Soundbar 500 The Soundbar 500 has a similar feature-set to the Bose Soundbar 500, down to Alexa functionality. If you like the Bose brand, and have a couple hundred extra dollars, then the Soundbar 500 might be a good alternative.

Yamaha Yamaha YAS207BL: With Bluetooth and an integrated wireless subwoofer you get more for your money with Yamaha. However, you will not get the user-friendly software nor the flexible sound profile.

Sonos Beam ticks many boxes. While the sound quality will be great for most apps, detailed highs and richer sounds might require you to spend a little more for a better-priced option. Playbar's compatibility with Sonos is what makes it a truly impressive living-room unit.