Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Review: The Compact Dolby Atmos Soundbar Most Rooms Actually Need

**Verdict: The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is the compact Dolby Atmos soundbar most small and mid-size rooms actually need.** It won't shake a large living room the way a full 5.1.4 system does, and its Atmos is virtual rather than driven by up-firing drivers. But for rooms under about 2,000 cubic feet, it delivers the clearest dialogue in its class, genuine Sonos multiroom integration, and a one-cable setup — at half the price of the flagship Arc. At $499 (often less on sale), it's the soundbar most people should buy.

**Buy the Sonos Beam Gen 2 on Amazon →**

Key Specs at a Glance

- **Drivers:** 5 (four elliptical full-range woofers + one center tweeter) - **Passive Radiators:** 3 - **Amplifiers:** 5 Class-D digital amplifiers - **Audio Configuration:** 5.0 channel, virtual Dolby Atmos - **Spatial Audio:** Dolby Atmos (phantom/virtual height — no up-firing drivers) - **Codecs:** Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, multichannel PCM, DTS Digital Surround - **Connectivity:** HDMI eARC/ARC (cable included), optical (via included adapter), WiFi, AirPlay 2, Ethernet - **Bluetooth:** No - **Voice Control:** Sonos Voice Control, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant - **Dimensions:** 25.6" × 2.7" × 3.9" (W × H × D) - **Weight:** ~6.2 lb - **Price:** $499 USD (MSRP)

Who the Beam Gen 2 Is For

The Beam Gen 2 sits in the middle of the soundbar market, and it's the size that matters most. At 25.6 inches wide, it fits under a 42-inch TV without overhang and disappears under anything 55 inches or larger. That footprint is the whole point: it's a big sound upgrade for the rooms where a 45-inch bar like the Sonos Arc Ultra would look oversized and cost twice as much.

If your TV lives in a bedroom, an apartment living room, a den, or any space under roughly 2,000 cubic feet, this is the Sonos to buy. Larger rooms and dedicated theater setups are better served by the Arc Ultra or a discrete 5.1.4 system.

What You Get for $499

The Beam Gen 2 keeps the same physical enclosure as the original Beam but adds a faster processor that unlocks Dolby Atmos decoding. Inside are five Class-D amplifiers driving four elliptical full-range woofers and one center tweeter, backed by three passive radiators that extend the low end further than a bar this size has any right to.

The center tweeter is doing quiet, heavy lifting here. It's dedicated to the center channel — which is where movie and TV dialogue lives — and it's the biggest reason the Beam punches above its price for spoken-word clarity.

There are no up-firing drivers. The Beam creates height effects with psychoacoustic processing (phantom height), which is the single most important thing to understand before buying. More on that below.

Sound Quality

**Dialogue clarity is the Beam's headline strength.** The dedicated center tweeter and Sonos's speech processing keep voices intelligible even when action or a music bed is competing. Turn on Speech Enhancement and the effect is stronger still. This is where cheaper soundbars fall apart, and it's where the Beam Gen 2 feels genuinely premium.

**Virtual Dolby Atmos is convincing for width, less so for true height.** Because there are no up-firing drivers, the Beam simulates overhead effects rather than bouncing them off your ceiling. The result is a wider, taller-feeling soundstage than the bar's size suggests — but it does not place sounds distinctly above you the way the Arc Ultra's up-firing drivers or dedicated ceiling speakers do. Think "spacious," not "overhead." For most streaming content, the effect is a clear step up from your TV speakers.

**Bass is good for the size, but this is not a subwoofer replacement.** The three passive radiators give the Beam surprising low-end weight for a 25-inch bar, and in a small room it's satisfying on its own. In anything mid-size or larger, action scenes and bass-heavy music will want reinforcement. The natural pairing is the Sonos Sub 4 or the smaller Sub Mini, both of which connect wirelessly through the Sonos app.

**Music performance is strong for a soundbar.** The Beam handles stereo music well beyond TV duty — clean midrange, tidy imaging, and enough low end for casual listening. It plays loud without obvious strain in small rooms; push it hard in a large space and you'll hear it reach its limits.

Connectivity and Setup

Setup runs through the Sonos app and takes under ten minutes. Connect the Beam to your TV's HDMI eARC (or ARC) port with the included cable, open the app, and follow the guided process.

**HDMI eARC** is the connection you want. It carries the full-resolution audio needed for real Dolby Atmos decoding rather than the compressed stream you get over optical. If your TV only has an optical output, Sonos includes an optical-to-HDMI adapter in the box.

**WiFi and AirPlay 2** let the Beam join a Sonos multiroom system and stream directly from Apple devices. If you already own Sonos speakers, the Beam slots into your existing setup and group-plays with the rest of the house.

**There is no Bluetooth.** This is the Beam's most notable connectivity limitation. All wireless streaming goes through WiFi/AirPlay 2 or the Sonos app — you can't pair an Android phone over Bluetooth and play directly. For most buyers this is a non-issue, but if Bluetooth is a must-have, know it's absent.

**Trueplay tuning** calibrates the Beam's EQ to your room's acoustics. On iOS, the full Trueplay process uses your phone's microphone to measure reflections; there's also a quick auto-Trueplay that runs on the Beam's own mics. In rooms with hard surfaces, it makes an audible difference.

Codecs: Dolby, and DTS Digital Surround

The Beam Gen 2 decodes the full Dolby family — Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and Dolby Atmos (carried over both DD+ and TrueHD). Sonos also added **DTS Digital Surround** support via software update, so DTS-encoded content plays in surround rather than downmixing to stereo.

The one gap is **DTS:X** — the object-based DTS format found on many Blu-rays is not supported. For streaming (Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Max), this is irrelevant; those platforms use Dolby Atmos. If you have a large physical Blu-ray collection with DTS:X tracks, factor that in.

Limitations Worth Knowing

**No up-firing drivers.** Atmos height is virtual. If distinct overhead effects are your priority, step up to the Arc Ultra or add ceiling speakers to an AV receiver.

**No Bluetooth.** WiFi and AirPlay 2 only for wireless streaming.

**No DTS:X.** DTS Digital Surround is supported; the object-based DTS:X is not.

**Bass needs help in larger rooms.** Excellent for the size, but a sub is the natural next purchase for mid-size and larger spaces.

**Sonos ecosystem lock-in.** Setup and control run through the Sonos app and account. That's a strength if you're already in the ecosystem and a consideration if you'd rather avoid an app-and-account requirement.

Who Should Buy the Sonos Beam Gen 2

**Buy it if:** - Your TV is in a small or mid-size room (under ~2,000 cubic feet) and you want a major sound upgrade without a large bar. - Clear dialogue is your top priority — the Beam is class-leading here. - You're in or entering the Sonos ecosystem and want the living room to match. - You want a clean one-cable setup and are happy to add a sub later.

**Step up to the Sonos Arc Ultra instead if:** - Your room is large, or you want real up-firing Dolby Atmos height and near-subwoofer bass from the bar itself.

**Look at the Polk Audio Signa S4 instead if:** - You want Dolby Atmos with a dedicated up-firing driver and an included wireless subwoofer for well under the Beam's price — accepting a less polished app and no multiroom ecosystem.

Sonos Beam Gen 2 vs. Sonos Arc Ultra

- **Drivers:** Beam Gen 2 has 5; Arc Ultra has 14. - **Amplifiers:** Beam Gen 2 has 5; Arc Ultra has 15. - **Up-firing drivers:** Beam Gen 2 has none (virtual Atmos); Arc Ultra has them. - **Bass:** Beam Gen 2 relies on passive radiators (sub recommended); Arc Ultra has a Sound Motion woofer (sub optional). - **Width:** Beam Gen 2 is 25.6"; Arc Ultra is 45.2". - **Best room size:** Beam Gen 2 suits small–mid rooms (under ~2,000 cu ft); Arc Ultra suits mid–large. - **Price:** Beam Gen 2 is $499; Arc Ultra is $999.

The Beam is the right pick for smaller rooms and tighter budgets. The Arc Ultra is the upgrade when you have the space, want real overhead height, and want the bar to carry the bass on its own.

Bottom Line

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 does the hard part of home theater — making dialogue clear and giving TV audio real presence — in a bar small enough to fit almost anywhere, at a price most people can justify. Its virtual Atmos and lack of Bluetooth are honest trade-offs, not dealbreakers, for its target room size. Pair it with a Sub later and it grows with you.

For small and mid-size rooms, it's the best soundbar most people should buy.

**Rating: 4.5 / 5**

**Buy the Sonos Beam Gen 2 on Amazon ($499) →**