Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

The compact Sonos bar has a harder decision ahead

Beam Gen 2's best feature is how much TV functionality it fits into a 65 cm-wide bar. HDMI audio and remote control, dialogue emphasis, Night Sound and Sonos music playback can make it a useful everyday upgrade without filling the furniture beneath the screen. Compactness is a reason to choose it, not a compromise everyone should eventually outgrow.

The US manufacturer price was $499 with free shipping and ordering available on September 11, 2026. That needs context: the new Beam Ultra was already listed for $699 preorder, with estimated shipping on September 29. At full price, Gen 2 is no longer the obvious middle choice simply because Arc Ultra costs much more.

Ordinary television is its most persuasive job

Speech Enhancement boosts voice frequencies, while Night Sound reduces the difference between loud effects and quieter material. Those are useful options for following a show in the evening without constantly changing the volume. They matter more to that use than a dramatic Atmos demonstration.

These controls do not prove that every difficult soundtrack will become clear. Beam Gen 2 has the ordinary Speech Enhancement toggle, rather than Arc Ultra's four selectable dialogue levels. We have not listened to the bar or measured its response, so this recommendation rests on the features, size and cost rather than a claimed sonic advantage.

Its Dolby Atmos height effect is virtual: processing creates phantom height channels without upward-firing speakers. That can be an attractive extra for a small setup, but I would not buy it primarily to recreate sound from physical overhead speakers. The badge alone does not make Beam equivalent to a larger Atmos system.

Trueplay tuning also needs a supported iOS device. Android users can operate the soundbar, but do not get that same room-tuning route on this generation. This is a meaningful omission when comparing it with newer Sonos hardware.

Small enough to keep the furniture you like

Beam measures 651 × 68 × 100 mm. It is nearly 53 cm narrower than Arc Ultra, leaving much more room on a compact media unit. Check the television's feet and lower screen edge as well as the cabinet width; a small soundbar can still occupy the space the TV stand needs.

HDMI ARC or eARC provides the main TV connection. The included optical adapter is useful for an older television, although optical removes the Atmos option. There is no separate HDMI source input, so a console or streaming player still depends on the television's connections and audio handling. eARC is required for lossless Dolby TrueHD Atmos and multichannel PCM.

Music streaming through Sonos and AirPlay 2 gives the bar another job when the screen is off. It is a good reason to pay for Sonos if other rooms already use the system. It is a weaker reason when you only want TV audio and have no interest in another app or a connected music system.

Buy the fit, or wait for the comparison

Beam Ultra's announced $200 premium brings upward-firing drivers, Bluetooth audio, four dialogue-enhancement levels and Trueplay quick tuning for Android as well as iOS. Its published width is 750 mm, so Gen 2 remains about 10 cm narrower. The new model was still a preorder at this check, so its real-world performance remains an open comparison.

Gen 2 makes more sense at a meaningful discount, when its narrower body is necessary, or when an available soundbar is needed now and the features meet the brief. I would not rush to pay $499 solely because it once occupied Sonos's default midrange position.

Ray saves $280 if optical audio and a compatible infrared remote are sufficient. Arc Ultra is the much larger, more expensive option; a main living room does not automatically require it. Choose by the actual listening problem and available space.

Keep an existing Beam if its dialogue, volume and music use already work for you. A forthcoming model changes the buying comparison for new customers, but does not make a good installation stop being useful.