Compare Sonos Beam (Gen 2) vs Marshall Heston 60

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

4 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Bluetooth phone hookup is easy and adds a convenient alternative to Wi-Fi and wired playback.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Marshall Heston 60

There is no built-in voice assistant. Some testers see that as a minor omission, while others simply consider it something to know before buying.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

3 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

The five-band EQ and mode-specific tuning give useful control over tonal balance and let owners work around some of the preset limitations.

3 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

9 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

The Marshall app is capable but inconsistent. Some testers found it stable and responsive, while others hit pairing failures, slow reconnects, loading delays, freezes, and small bugs.

7 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

3 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Voices are clean and natural, with music vocals in particular described as smooth, detailed and highly intelligible.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Marshall Heston 60

The top-panel controls are tactile, clearly labeled and intuitive, giving useful access to core functions without opening the app.

4 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

2 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

The physical buttons are simple, responsive and effective, even if some testers miss the larger Heston 120’s knobs.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

6 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

A strong mix of connectivity, streaming options, room tuning and app controls gives the Heston 60 more flexibility than a basic TV-only soundbar.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

2 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

The analog input and sub output make the Heston 60 unusually flexible for a compact bar, including turntable use and third-party subwoofers.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

11 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

The Heston 60 works well as a compact one-box TV solution, but its home-theater ecosystem is less expandable than rivals because rear channels are not supported.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

4 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

A/V sync is adjustable in the app, but one tester had to correct the delay manually at the start of a movie.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

4 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Wireless subwoofer linking can be easy and stable once established, but some setups experienced initial pairing friction. Marshall’s broader speakers also do not integrate with the soundbar as a unified ecosystem.

4 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

4 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Remote-free control divides opinion. TV-remote and app control are convenient for many users, but several testers still wanted a dedicated physical remote.

6 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

6 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

For its size, the bar gets impressively loud and can fill small or medium rooms with substantial output.

4 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

14 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Room calibration is inconsistent: it made the soundstage more immediate in one room and produced a clear improvement in another, but made no audible difference in a third.

3 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

16 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

The Heston 60 has enough bass to work well alone, while the optional Heston Sub 200 adds deeper cinematic impact. The matching sub is useful but expensive, and a few testers wanted even more power.

9 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

4 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

HDMI eARC makes basic TV use convenient, including volume control from the television’s existing remote.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

5 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

The Heston 60 generally stays controlled at high volume, but one Bluetooth music test produced audible distortion and muddiness.

3 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

14 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Tonal balance is generally strong, with clear mids and detailed highs, but some listening exposed a bass-to-midrange gap or sharper, more sibilant treble in Atmos music.

6 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

16 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Atmos height performance is the most divisive part of the sound. Some tests heard convincing overhead motion and surprising vertical reach, while others found height effects limited and short of truly enveloping.

11 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Marshall Heston 60

Repairable and replaceable parts are a genuine long-term strength, giving the Heston 60 a stronger durability and sustainability story than many sealed soundbars.

6 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Marshall Heston 60

Complex soundtracks stay impressively unified, with effects and voices presented as parts of one coherent performance rather than disconnected elements.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

8 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Fine details come through clearly, helping subtle effects, textures and small soundtrack cues remain audible in busy scenes.

2 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

4 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Dynamic range is strong, with smooth transitions from quiet dialogue to loud action and plenty of headroom for big moments.

2 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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.

21 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Value is the toughest tradeoff. The Heston 60 feels premium and some testers think it earns the price, but many note that cheaper compact rivals or full soundbar-and-sub packages can cost less.

14 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

14 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Basic setup is one of the easiest parts of ownership: HDMI hookup is quick, and most testers were up and running with little effort.

6 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

9 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

The lack of HDMI passthrough is a recurring practical limitation for owners who want to connect source devices through the soundbar.

2 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

14 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Horizontal width and motion are often excellent, but full wraparound immersion is inconsistent. Without rear speakers or dedicated height channels, some listeners still hear the action as coming mainly from the front.

12 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

7 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

The Heston 60 can create useful vertical scale, but height is less consistent and less expansive than its impressive horizontal width.

2 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

6 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Spatial positioning and imaging are precise, with movement across the screen and individual elements placed clearly within the soundstage.

2 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

4 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X is a meaningful strength, especially against compact rivals that omit DTS:X.

4 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Marshall Heston 60

Voice mode helps keep speech intelligible at lower listening levels or in tricky rooms without requiring high overall volume.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

18 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Dialogue is usually crisp, well separated and easy to follow, even in dense action. A few tests found speech could become muddied when background activity became especially busy.

10 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

7 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Build quality matches the premium styling, with solid construction, tight finish and a durable feel that several testers ranked among the best in the compact class.

6 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

10 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

Design is a major selling point. The amp-inspired grille, gold accents, cream option and magnetic details make this one of the most distinctive compact soundbars around.

19 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Day-to-day operation is mostly easy thanks to intuitive controls and a well-organized app, though app delays and bugs can interrupt the experience.

8 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

AirPlay playback is straightforward and, where directly tested, reliable and good-sounding.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Cable management is mixed: the rear cover can keep ports and wiring tidy on a stand, but one wall-mounted setup left the power and TV cables awkwardly exposed.

2 supporting reviews · Mixed evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Google Cast is generally a strong high-quality streaming route, though one tester encountered a source-specific low-volume quirk.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

There is no HDMI passthrough for consoles or other HDMI-reliant devices, so gaming setups may lose a convenient connection path.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

2 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Marshall Heston 60

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

The Heston 60 earns strong overall praise as a stylish, compact and capable soundbar. Its premium price, software quirks and limited expansion keep it from being an automatic choice for everyone.

12 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Rear-speaker expansion is a clear weakness: there are no matching rear channels, so owners cannot build the same kind of wraparound system available from Sonos and some other rivals.

4 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

This is particularly well suited to small and medium rooms, where its compact footprint still produces surprisingly full, powerful sound.

12 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Marshall Heston 60

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

At roughly six pounds, the Heston 60 is light enough to reposition or mount without much hassle.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Bass is one of the Heston 60’s biggest surprises, with unusually strong punch and weight for such a small bar. Deep sub-bass still benefits from an added subwoofer.

13 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Overall sound quality is consistently strong, especially for a compact bar, with punchy bass, clear mids and convincing scale for movies and music.

14 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Sound elevation can be remarkably convincing for a compact bar, with several tests hearing clear overhead movement, though the effect varies by room and content.

3 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Broad Bluetooth codec support adds flexibility and helps the Heston 60 stand out from more limited compact rivals.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Bluetooth playback was reliable in direct testing, though one separate Bluetooth music test also exposed some muddiness that was scored under distortion rather than connection stability.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Marshall Heston 60

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Music performance is a standout strength, with strong energy, clear vocals and engaging instrument separation. Spatial mixes tend to fare better than plain stereo in the most critical listening.

9 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

4 supporting reviews

Marshall Heston 60

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

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

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Marshall Heston 60

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Wi-Fi streaming is generally easy and dependable, especially with direct services, though individual casting paths can behave differently.

2 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

The 73cm-wide chassis works especially well with smaller TVs and narrow stands, while remaining easy to wall mount. It can look undersized beneath very large screens.

7 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Spotify Connect is a reliable, great-sounding direct streaming option and avoids some of the quirks seen with other casting paths.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

Wall mounting is unusually thoughtful, with reversible magnetic branding and controls plus compact proportions that keep the installation neat.

5 supporting reviews

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

No review summary available for this feature. Missing evidence does not mean the feature is absent.

Marshall Heston 60

The USB-C port is of limited appeal in this compact setup; one tester was unsure what practical use it offered.

1 supporting review · Limited evidence