Compare Sonos Beam (Gen 1) vs Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Soundstage height had limited but positive evidence, with one reviewer noting a surprisingly tall delivery for the Beam's size.

Soundstage height was the most mixed area: reviewers heard some height, but many said true overhead effects were limited or unconvincing.

Audio format support was a recurring limitation because reviews criticized missing DTS or Atmos support, despite one included review praising Atmos content.

Audio format support was treated as a meaningful upgrade, especially for Atmos, eARC-era formats, and expanded surround decoding.

Surround impressions were mixed: the Beam can sound spacious and becomes stronger with rear speakers, but reviewers stressed it is not a true surround replacement on its own.

Surround simulation was widely liked for width and immersion, though it still falls short of discrete rear-speaker systems.

Bass impressed some reviewers for the Beam's size, but the most repeated caveat was limited low-end rumble unless a separate Sonos Sub is added.

Bass is punchy and satisfying for the size, but reviewers agree deep rumble usually requires adding a Sonos Sub or choosing a larger setup.

Low-volume tools such as Night Sound and speech enhancement were useful, but one reviewer did not find very quiet listening a meaningful TV-speaker upgrade.

Night mode was praised in one review for reducing sudden loud effects and making late-night viewing easier.

Stereo width was one of the most consistent strengths: reviewers repeatedly described a surprisingly wide, spacious stage for such a compact bar.

Imaging and placement were praised for width and perspective, but music stereo separation remains limited by the single-bar form factor.

Wired inputs were repeatedly described as minimal, with reviewers noting the lack of extra analog inputs and the reliance on HDMI/optical paths.

Wired input options were a recurring weakness because reviewers found the physical port selection limited, especially with only one HDMI port.

Dolby Atmos evidence was mostly a limitation for Gen 1, with several reviews pointing to missing height/3D support; one included review praised Atmos handling more positively.

Atmos processing was usually considered impressive for the size, but reviewers also warned it is virtual and not fully convincing overhead.

TV connection stability was mixed: one reviewer was pleased by automatic Roku remote behavior, while another reported a Roku mute/unmute problem.

TV connection stability was praised in one review, which reported no missed beats during streaming tests.

Touch controls were considered useful and straightforward, with reviewers noting practical top-panel volume and playback actions.

Touch controls were praised as responsive and intuitive, though most reviewers expected users to rely more on app or TV remote control.

Inter-speaker connectivity was praised as easy within the Sonos ecosystem, though surround results could depend on source format and setup.

Inter-speaker connectivity was a Sonos strength, with reviewers praising easy syncing, grouping, and wireless expansion.

The tonal balance was usually described as clear and well balanced, with caveats around slightly murky bass, brightness, or low-bass limits in some testing.

Reviewers consistently described the tonal balance as clear, robust, refined, and larger than expected for the Beam’s size.

HDMI ARC was a major usability win because it simplified setup, TV remote control, and voice TV control, though it depends on compatible TVs.

HDMI ARC/eARC was strongly praised for richer format support, easier setup, and reduced sync issues with TVs and game consoles.

Detail retrieval was mostly strong, with repeated praise for clarity, effects, and precision; the main caveat was some complex sounds being glossed over.

Detail retrieval was repeatedly praised, with reviewers calling out nuance, timbre, transients, and small sound effects.

Most high-volume comments were positive, with reviewers hearing little or no distortion, but one review reported crackle/distortion when pushed to maximum volume.

Most reviewers found the Beam composed at normal-to-loud levels, with only one noting compression or distortion when pushed above roughly 80 dB.

Home theater integration was good for compact rooms and expandable Sonos setups, but reviewers warned it is not a full cinematic system without additions.

Home theater integration was a major Sonos advantage, especially the ability to add a Sub, surrounds, or other Sonos speakers over time.

Dynamic headroom had limited but very positive evidence, with one review praising the Beam's scale, dynamics, detail, and punch.

Dynamic headroom was strong for the size, with reviewers praising wide dynamic range, punch, and convincing jumps in intensity.

Music vocals and voice-forward content were generally praised as warm, clear, or natural, though voice presence was not the main strength in every mix.

Vocal reproduction was praised in music and TV contexts, with reviewers noting clearer, more natural voices than expected from a compact soundbar.

The microphone array was generally praised for hearing commands across the room and over playback, with one reviewer offering only a light, unextended test.

Microphone quality was praised for clarity and far-field voice use, supporting both voice assistants and Sonos control.

Cohesive presentation was one of the Beam's strongest areas, with reviewers describing rich, balanced, impressive sound that dramatically improves TV audio.

One detailed review praised driver handoff and coherence, describing a seamless presentation across the soundfield.

Remote usability was positive overall because TV remotes could pair or work automatically, despite the absence of a dedicated Sonos remote.

Remote usability was strong when using a TV or Apple TV remote, but the lack of a dedicated remote was still a minor drawback.

Trueplay room calibration was usually praised for improving room fit and sound, though reviewers noted the effect can be modest and iOS-only.

TruePlay room calibration was often praised for improving clarity and spatial performance, but Android exclusion remained a common caveat.

Reviewers generally found the Beam loud enough for living rooms and action scenes, though several noted it does not have the punch or room-filling power of larger soundbars.

Maximum volume is generally strong for a compact bar and enough for smaller spaces, though it is not as powerful as larger Sonos options.

Dialogue clarity was a major consensus strength, with reviewers praising crisp, clear speech and the usefulness of speech enhancement for TV and movie viewing.

Dialogue clarity was one of the strongest points across reviews, with repeated praise for clear, accurate, and easy-to-follow speech.

Multi-speaker expansion was viewed as a key Sonos advantage, but one reviewer found moving/removing surround speakers in the app slow and frustrating.

One review strongly praised Sonos multi-speaker syncing, describing add-on speakers as simple to connect and keep in sync.

App reliability and usability were mixed: several reviewers called the app intuitive or fluid, while others hit setup retries, configuration friction, or frustrating system changes.

The Sonos app was mostly praised as stable, polished, and easy to use, with one reviewer noting it can feel confusing at first.

Bluetooth connectivity was a repeated weakness, with reviewers missing Bluetooth as a quick fallback despite Sonos' Wi-Fi and AirPlay alternatives.

Reviewers repeatedly treated the lack of Bluetooth as a real limitation, especially for users who want direct, app-free playback from varied devices.

Voice recognition was generally strong, with far-field microphones often hearing commands across rooms or over playback, though not every command was caught perfectly.

Voice recognition accuracy was praised in one review, where far-field microphones heard commands from across a large room.

On-device controls received limited but strong praise, with one review calling the top touch controls a joy to use.

On-device controls were praised in one review for working well directly on the unit.

Voice responsiveness was useful for music and TV control, but reviewers noted limits such as lag, reduced feature parity, or incomplete hands-free control.

Voice assistant responsiveness was generally praised, with reviewers saying commands worked reliably even in active listening environments.

EQ and sound modes were useful for bass, treble, speech, and night listening, but one reviewer wanted more granular control.

EQ customization is useful but basic; reviewers liked bass/treble adjustment while noting the absence of a full EQ.

Smart features were a consistent strength, with reviewers praising the large service ecosystem, assistant flexibility, and smart-home hub role.

Smart features were considered broad and useful, combining ecosystem streaming, voice support, app control, and expandable home-audio options.

Voice-assistant integration was broadly useful and flexible, especially for music, TV volume, and smart-home control, but reviewers also described limits and occasional awkwardness.

Smart assistant integration was framed positively for users who want built-in Alexa or Google-style control in the soundbar.

Setup was usually easy and fast, especially over HDMI ARC, but non-ARC TVs and app connection attempts caused notable friction for some reviewers.

Setup was one of the clearest strengths, repeatedly described as quick, painless, simple, or only a few minutes long.

Optical support was treated as a useful fallback, but one reviewer clearly disliked optical setup and called the connector fragile.

Optical input is useful for older TVs, but reviewers noted it blocks Dolby Atmos playback, making it a fallback rather than the best connection.

Video passthrough support was weak, with one comparison noting disappointment that HDMI passthrough was still absent.

Video passthrough was a clear weakness because many reviewers criticized the absence of HDMI passthrough or spare HDMI inputs.

Value sentiment was strong: reviewers often called the Beam affordable or excellent for the price, while noting that adding a Sub or surrounds raises total cost.

Most reviewers judged the Beam Gen 2 as strong value for a compact Sonos soundbar, though some disliked the upgrade cost or add-on expense.

Build quality was generally strong, with reviewers calling the Beam well made, robust, and high quality, while fabric durability concerns appeared in one review.

Build quality was praised for the durable polycarbonate grille, premium feel, and improved ease of cleaning versus fabric.

Design and aesthetics were highly praised: reviewers repeatedly called the Beam stylish, understated, minimal, sleek, or easy to blend into a room.

The Beam’s compact, stylish look was a major strength, with reviewers praising its clean appearance and room-friendly footprint.

AirPlay 2 was treated as a useful flexibility feature for Apple users, although one reviewer still found it less convenient than Bluetooth.

Google Assistant support was praised where tested, mainly because it broadened assistant choice and worked well for basic commands or music control.

Privacy evidence was limited to one reviewer who raised Alexa privacy concerns while noting microphone muting in the surrounding discussion.

Status indicator design received one positive note for keeping lights hidden and unobtrusive during viewing.

One reviewer praised Sonos for using sustainable packaging without surface foam.

The Beam's compact, lightweight body was widely praised for easy placement, although one reviewer felt it looked odd under a very large TV.

Lip-sync and TV latency were praised, with reviews noting minimal lag, flawless syncing, or excellent measured performance.

Spotify-related control was supported by one positive review that described the handoff into the Sonos app as mostly seamless.

Wi-Fi streaming was mostly praised as seamless and dropout-free, though one review disliked the extra app setup required compared with a quick Bluetooth handoff.