Smart Soundbar
Sonos Beam Gen 2
by Sonos
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is one of the best compact soundbars available, balancing genuinely good sound, smart home integration, and understated design in a package that fits almost any living room.
Technical Specifications
- Dolby Atmos support via psychoacoustic processing
- HDMI eARC connection with simple setup
- Built-in voice control (Alexa or Google Assistant)
- Apple AirPlay 2 streaming support
- Multi-room sync with other Sonos speakers
- Trueplay automatic room tuning (iOS)
- Five Class-D amplifiers with dedicated bass port
- Touch controls and far-field microphone array
Pros
- ✓ Impressively deep bass for its compact size
- ✓ Clean, minimalist design fits under most TVs
- ✓ Easy one-cable HDMI eARC setup
- ✓ Strong multi-room ecosystem integration
- ✓ Regular software updates improve performance over time
- ✓ Doubles effectively as a standalone music speaker
Cons
- ✕ No physical height channel drivers despite Atmos branding
- ✕ Requires separate subwoofer purchase for true deep bass extremes
- ✕ Only one HDMI port, so AV receiver users may need workarounds
- ✕ Voice assistant choice is exclusive, not simultaneous
- ✕ Premium price compared to basic soundbars
Sonos Beam Gen 2
by Sonos
- Room-filling Dolby Atmos sound
- Compact minimalist design
- Seamless smart home integration
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The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a compact smart soundbar that packs surprising depth into a footprint small enough to sit in front of most televisions without blocking the screen. Built around five Class-D digital amplifiers driving four elliptical woofers, one center tweeter, and a dedicated dip-cast aluminum bass port, it produces room-filling sound with genuine bass extension that larger soundbars twice its size often fail to match. Dolby Atmos support uses clever psychoacoustic processing rather than upward-firing drivers, so height cues are simulated through phase manipulation instead of physical speakers, which keeps the price and size reasonable while still delivering a noticeably taller soundstage than typical TV speakers. Beyond home theater duties, the Beam Gen 2 doubles as a serious music speaker and a full member of the Sonos multi-room ecosystem. It connects over Wi-Fi to other Sonos speakers for synchronized playback across rooms, supports AirPlay 2 for quick streaming from Apple devices, and works with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one at setup) for hands-free voice control of both music and TV functions. The upgraded S2 chip architecture inside this second generation model gives it more processing headroom than the original Beam, which translates into snappier voice response and support for future software features like enhanced Dolby Atmos processing and improved speech clarity modes. Setup is refreshingly simple: one HDMI eARC cable to the TV, power, and a few minutes in the Sonos app for automatic Trueplay room tuning on iOS devices. The soundbar also includes a far-field microphone array for voice commands, physical touch controls on top for volume and playback, and a discreet status light that stays unobtrusive in a dark room. For anyone upgrading from tinny built-in TV speakers or a bulky older sound system, the Beam Gen 2 offers a genuinely modern, minimalist alternative that still feels premium in daily use.
Customer reviews
I was skeptical a soundbar this small could sound this good, but the bass genuinely surprised me. Dialogue is crisp and movies feel immersive without needing a full surround setup.
Sound quality is fantastic and setup was painless. Occasionally the Wi-Fi connection drops when streaming from my phone, but a router reboot always fixes it.
Compact enough to sit under my TV without blocking the stand, and it fills the whole room with sound. The Sonos app makes multi-room control effortless.
The sound itself is superb, especially for movies. My only complaint is the single HDMI port limits my older AV setup, but for pure TV and streaming use it's excellent.
