Sonos Beam soundbar test (Gen 2) - a strong candidate for my "bar"

I mention film music composers because their work is often underestimated. Sound and image are ying and yang, they cannot live without each other. When watching a movie gives you goosebumps, goosebumps, or wakes up the sleeping warrior inside, the soundtrack plays a big part in those feelings. While we're paying more and more attention to what kind of TV we're going to buy, we're still putting sound on the back burner. Televisions have their own speakers, but with rare exceptions they cannot conjure up the magic of famous composers.

That's why we need more dedicated solutions, such as the Sonos Beam sound bar (2nd generation), which I was able to test in recent weeks. It's moments like these that make me remember how late I am because I, too, still rely on the TV's poor speakers. I promised myself that when I move into my "shack" (when the real estate market allows me to do so), I will also take care of the sound as it should.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) price in Slovenia?

The Sonos Beam is available for €499 at Mimovrste and other stores.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) – blends in nicely with the living room

When I looked at the original release of the Sonos Beam soundbar, I didn't find many differences at first glance. The design was already quite modern in 2018, and apparently they had no reason to completely redesign it. What is noticeable is the different mask on the front. It is no longer made of fabric, but of polycarbonate. At least to me, the fabric looks a little more sophisticated, but I agree that the plastic will last much longer and is even easier to clean. Despite the concern, the speaker went very well in my living room. If I were to own it permanently, I'd mount it on the wall (it also supports that) just like the TV, which would make it look even more minimalistic.

The dimensions are relatively compact (65.1 x 6.86 x 10 cm). It is not the thinnest bar, its bed is quite high and you will not be able to place it, for example, under the TV if it is very low on the cabinet. If you have the TV at least slightly raised, then there will be no problems. Although I love white electronics, in this case I'd rather stick with the black version, which goes better with most TVs.

At the top there are touch buttons for controlling music, volume, and the microphone can also be turned off. Once you set up the speaker, I doubt you'll use these buttons very often. Instead, you'll prefer to reach for the Sonos app or your TV remote.

On the back, of course, there are also connectors: HDMI, Ethernet, optics and a connection connector.

Installation is easy, Dolby Atmos and HDMI eARC are important

Installing the speaker will take you about 5 minutes. You need to install the Sonos app, follow the instructions, pair the device with a Wi-Fi network (there is no Bluetooth connectivity, AirPlay 2 is available) and if you may already have a Sonos speaker at home, you can pair it with the new Sonos Beam at this moment. When paired, the TruePlay function should follow me to adjust the sound according to the dimensions of the living room. Since it wasn't there, I first thought that the problem was with my Huawei phone, but later I found out that TruePlay is only available with iOS devices. Too bad. I would like to see how much the sound would differ after the adjustment.

The bar has four mid-range speakers in the front, and a tweeter is placed in the middle. For audiophiles, I have additional information that the speakers are powered by class D amplifiers, and finally there are three passive radiators to boost the low frequencies. The layout is certainly not bad, but even more important is the support for Dolby Atmos, which film buffs are looking for to brighten up their home theater. Yes, it doesn't have upward-firing speakers, so it won't have that authentic Atmos feel, but Sonos makes up for that quite well with this psychoacoustic technology that creates a sense of height in the room, even though the speaker itself doesn't have such drivers. And this is not just empty talk from the manufacturer, because you actually feel the depth of the sound around you.

In general, I can only praise the sound quality. Maybe I would add another woofer, but I would be satisfied with the existing bass level. To begin with, I watched the movie The Batman (2022), where sound plays a very important role. To feel the gloom and despair, I also had to start the movie Dune (2021), where I could feel even more the culture of the sand planet Arrakis, the fate of young Paul and simply enjoy the soundscape created by Hans Zimmer and company.

Another novelty is compatibility with HDMI eARC, which means that we have access to even better quality sound and, of course, support for more advanced audio formats. If you happen to not have a TV with an HDMI connection, you can use the supplied optical cable. You can also play music from your phone, but only through built-in stations and services that you can connect to the Sonos app (Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music...). I couldn't find an option to play music from my local storage. An updated application is coming. It's coming on May 7, and they promise a fresh look, a simplified and faster interface, and even more features.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) – will overrule any doubters

The second generation of the Sonos Beam soundbar is a bestseller story for me. It has no flaws that would deter me from buying it, with the possible exception of a relatively high price, but it's hard to find a similar soundbar for a significantly lower price.

The sound is excellent, the shape is pleasing, the installation is easy, the connectivity is at the expected level. His only fault is that he won't stay with me.

If you're interested in something more portable, check out the Sonos Move 2 portable speaker review.