Audio T Verdict
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) remains one of the easiest ways of giving a television a serious audio upgrade without allowing the sound system to take over the room. At just 651mm wide it is substantially more compact than Arc Ultra, yet still brings Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC, clear dialogue, music streaming and the full Sonos multi-room ecosystem to the living room.
Its approach to Dolby Atmos is clever rather than extravagant. There are no physical upward-firing drivers, so Beam uses its phased acoustic array and powerful processing to create virtual height and surround information. It cannot defy physics or provide quite the scale of Arc Ultra, but in smaller and medium-sized rooms the presentation can be remarkably spacious for such a compact soundbar.
The real strength is how easily the system can grow. Add a Sub Mini or Sub 4 for more bass, a pair of Era speakers for physical rear surrounds, or send the television soundtrack privately to one or two pairs of Sonos Ace headphones. You can start with Beam on its own and build the rest of the system only if and when you need it.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Dolby Atmos Soundbar
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a compact smart soundbar for television, film, gaming and music, combining five Class-D amplifiers with a carefully controlled acoustic array and advanced digital processing.
HDMI eARC provides high-quality television audio and support for formats including Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD, while WiFi, Apple AirPlay 2 and the Sonos platform turn Beam into a complete music speaker whenever the television is switched off.
- Compact Sonos Dolby Atmos soundbar
- Five Class-D digital amplifiers
- One centre tweeter
- Four elliptical midwoofers
- Three passive radiators
- Phased acoustic array
- Virtual Dolby Atmos height channels
- Dolby Atmos home cinema playback
- Dolby Atmos Music
- Dolby Digital Plus
- Dolby TrueHD via HDMI eARC
- Multichannel PCM via HDMI eARC
- DTS Digital Surround
- HDMI eARC / ARC
- Optical adapter supplied for compatible televisions
- Trueplay room tuning
- Speech Enhancement
- Night Sound
- Sonos music streaming
- Apple AirPlay 2
- Sonos multi-room audio
- Amazon Alexa
- Google Assistant
- Sonos Voice Control
- TV remote control
- TV Audio Swap with Sonos Ace
- One or two Sonos Ace headphone support
- TrueCinema with Sonos Ace
- Expandable with Sonos Sub
- Expandable with wireless Sonos surrounds
- Black or White finish
- 651mm compact width
Compact Dolby Atmos Home Cinema
Beam (Gen 2) was designed to bring immersive home cinema sound to rooms where a full-width flagship soundbar may simply be too large.
At 651mm wide, it sits comfortably beneath a broad range of televisions without dominating the furniture or screen.
Despite those compact dimensions, Beam supports modern Dolby Atmos soundtracks and can be expanded into a genuine wireless surround system later.
Virtual Dolby Atmos Height Channels
Beam (Gen 2) does not use dedicated upward-firing loudspeaker drivers.
Instead, its faster processor and phased speaker arrays create additional virtual audio paths that help reproduce the height and surround information encoded within Dolby Atmos content.
The processing uses timing, directionality and psychoacoustic techniques to make sound appear to extend beyond the physical dimensions of the soundbar.
Virtual Atmos Versus Physical Height Drivers
Beam creates its Dolby Atmos height effect through processing rather than physical upward-firing drivers. If you want Sonos' most expansive standalone Atmos performance, Arc Ultra is the step up. Beam's advantage is bringing Atmos capability to a considerably smaller enclosure.
Five Class-D Amplifiers
Five Class-D digital amplifiers are individually tuned to Beam's acoustic architecture.
Because the amplification, drivers and digital processing are designed together, Sonos can control the individual parts of the array much more precisely than would be possible with a conventional passive soundbar connected to an external amplifier.
One Centre Tweeter
A dedicated centre tweeter handles high-frequency detail and supports the clear reproduction of voices.
Dialogue is especially important in a soundbar because film and television mixes can become difficult to follow when music and effects become busy.
Four Elliptical Midwoofers
Four elliptical midwoofers reproduce the midrange and much of Beam's low-frequency output.
The elliptical shape provides useful radiating area while fitting within the soundbar's relatively shallow cabinet.
Three Passive Radiators
Three passive radiators reinforce low-frequency reproduction without requiring Beam to use a large conventional bass reflex port.
This helps the compact soundbar produce a fuller and more substantial tonal balance than its dimensions might suggest.
Can Beam Be Used Without a Subwoofer?
Yes. Beam is designed to operate perfectly well on its own.
For television, dialogue, everyday films and music in a smaller or medium-sized room, many customers may find its integrated bass sufficient.
A Sonos Sub can then be added later if deeper bass and greater cinematic impact become a priority.
HDMI eARC
Beam connects to the television using HDMI eARC / ARC.
The supplied 1.5m HDMI cable carries the television soundtrack to the soundbar and allows HDMI-CEC control, so the existing television remote can continue to operate Beam's volume.
Why eARC Matters
HDMI eARC provides more audio bandwidth than conventional ARC.
This matters when using higher-quality formats such as Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos carried within TrueHD and multichannel PCM from compatible Blu-ray players, games consoles and streaming devices.
Beam will still work with an HDMI ARC television, but the formats available depend on what the television itself can receive and pass to the soundbar.
Check the TV as Well as the Soundbar
Beam can only reproduce the format it receives. Television settings, HDMI capabilities and the source device can all affect whether you actually receive Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD or multichannel PCM.
Supported Home Cinema Formats
Current Sonos support includes:
- Stereo PCM
- Dolby Digital
- Dolby Digital Plus
- Dolby Atmos via Dolby Digital Plus
- Dolby Atmos via compatible HDMI eARC source
- Dolby TrueHD via HDMI eARC
- Dolby Atmos via Dolby TrueHD and HDMI eARC
- Multichannel PCM via HDMI eARC
- Dolby Multichannel PCM via HDMI eARC
- DTS Digital Surround
The Sonos app can display the format currently being decoded, which is useful when checking whether the television and source device are configured correctly.
Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby Digital Plus is widely used by modern television and video streaming services.
It can also carry Dolby Atmos information and is particularly important for televisions that support Atmos through HDMI ARC rather than eARC.
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby TrueHD is a lossless home cinema format most commonly associated with Blu-ray and other high-quality local sources.
Beam (Gen 2) can reproduce Dolby TrueHD when the television and connection support HDMI eARC.
DTS Digital Surround
Beam (Gen 2) also supports DTS Digital Surround.
This is particularly useful for older DVD and Blu-ray libraries where DTS soundtracks remain common.
Optical Adapter Included
If the television does not provide HDMI ARC or eARC but does have an optical digital output, the supplied Sonos Optical Audio Adapter provides an alternative connection.
The adapter connects to Beam's HDMI cable and converts the physical connection for use with the television's optical output.
Optical Has Limitations
Optical does not provide the full bandwidth or HDMI-CEC control available through HDMI eARC. Use the television's HDMI ARC or eARC connection whenever possible, particularly if Dolby Atmos and higher-bandwidth audio formats are important.
Speech Enhancement
Speech Enhancement is designed for programmes where voices are getting lost beneath music and effects.
Activate it through the Sonos app and Beam boosts the frequencies associated with human speech to make dialogue easier to follow.
It can be particularly useful with quietly mixed dramas, late-night television and programmes where repeatedly adjusting the volume becomes distracting.
Night Sound
Night Sound tackles a different problem.
It reduces the intensity of loud effects while increasing the level of quieter sounds, narrowing the dynamic range of the soundtrack.
This makes it easier to watch films and television at reduced volume without constantly turning the system up for dialogue and down again when something explodes.
Speech Enhancement
- Focuses on voice clarity
- Useful when dialogue is difficult to understand
- Activated through the Sonos app
- Does not simply raise overall volume
Night Sound
- Reduces loud peaks
- Raises quieter information
- Useful for late-night viewing
- Reduces the need for constant volume changes
Trueplay Room Tuning
A soundbar never operates independently of the room around it.
Nearby walls, furniture and the position of the television can all alter the balance heard at the listening position.
Trueplay measures the room's acoustic response and adjusts Beam accordingly.
Trueplay Requires a Compatible iOS Device
Unlike Arc Ultra, Beam (Gen 2) currently requires a compatible iPhone or iPad for Trueplay tuning.
The resulting Trueplay calibration is stored within the Sonos system, so an Apple device is required for the tuning procedure rather than for everyday playback.
Run Trueplay After the System Is Finished
Position Beam and any Sub or surround speakers first, then run Trueplay after everything is in its normal location. If you substantially change the room or speaker positions later, repeat the tuning process.
Music When the TV Is Off
Beam is a complete Sonos network speaker as well as a television soundbar.
When the television is switched off, you can stream music, radio, podcasts and other supported content using the Sonos app or Apple AirPlay 2.
This means the main television audio system does not spend most of its life doing nothing when nobody is watching TV.
Dolby Atmos Music
Beam (Gen 2) supports compatible Dolby Atmos Music from supported services.
Spatial music mixes can use Beam's processing to create a broader presentation than conventional two-channel playback.
Apple AirPlay 2
AirPlay 2 allows compatible Apple devices to send audio directly to Beam over the network.
This provides an easy route from an iPhone, iPad or Mac without needing to find the same content independently inside the Sonos app.
No Conventional Bluetooth Audio
Beam (Gen 2) does not provide conventional Bluetooth music streaming.
Normal wireless music playback is based around WiFi, supported Sonos services and Apple AirPlay 2.
If Bluetooth audio is an important requirement in a Sonos soundbar, the flagship Arc Ultra includes Bluetooth 5.3.
Beam Uses WiFi Rather Than Bluetooth for Music
For everyday streaming, think of Beam as a network speaker rather than a Bluetooth speaker. This also allows it to take part in synchronised Sonos multi-room playback.
Sonos Multi-Room Audio
Beam becomes a room within the wider Sonos system.
It can play music independently or be grouped with Sonos products elsewhere in the home for synchronised playback.
You can therefore start with the television room and gradually add Sonos speakers to the kitchen, bedroom or other areas later.
2.4GHz WiFi
Beam (Gen 2) connects directly to compatible 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n WiFi networks.
For installations where wireless networking is unsuitable, a wired Ethernet connection is also provided.
Beam (Gen 2) Is Not a 5GHz WiFi Client
The current Sonos specification lists Beam (Gen 2) for 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n WiFi. Make sure your router provides a compatible 2.4GHz network or use Ethernet where appropriate.
10/100 Ethernet
A 10/100 Ethernet port allows Beam to be connected directly to the network.
This can be useful where the soundbar is installed in an area with unreliable wireless coverage or where a wired network connection is preferred.
Voice Control
Beam incorporates a far-field microphone array for compatible voice services.
Beamforming and multichannel echo cancellation help the system hear commands while audio is playing.
Current Sonos setup guidance supports Sonos Voice Control, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, subject to service availability, language and regional restrictions.
Control the Television by Voice
With a supported voice service and compatible HDMI-CEC television, Beam can respond to voice commands for functions including television volume and power.
This requires Beam to be connected through the television's HDMI ARC/eARC input rather than through the optical adapter.
Microphone Control
A capacitive microphone control on Beam allows the microphone system to be switched off when voice control is not required.
An indicator light shows microphone status.
Capacitive Touch Controls
The top of Beam provides local controls for everyday functions.
You can:
- Play and pause
- Adjust volume
- Skip to the next track
- Return to the previous track
- Control the microphone
- Group Beam with another Sonos room
The touch controls can also be disabled through the Sonos app where required.
Works With Your Existing TV Remote
An infrared receiver and HDMI control allow Beam to work with a compatible television remote.
There is therefore no separate Sonos handset to lose down the back of the sofa.
TV Audio Swap With Sonos Ace
Beam (Gen 2) supports TV Audio Swap with Sonos Ace wireless headphones.
This allows the television soundtrack to move from Beam directly to the headphones for private listening.
It is useful late at night, when somebody else in the room wants quiet, or when you simply want the more personal experience of headphones.
Two Sonos Ace Headphones at Once
Current Sonos software allows television audio from Beam to be swapped to one or two pairs of Sonos Ace.
Two people can therefore watch a film or play a game together without using the room speakers.
Private TV Sound for Two
When two pairs of Sonos Ace are receiving TV Audio Swap simultaneously, dynamic head tracking is disabled. With a single pair, compatible spatial and head-tracking functions remain available.
TrueCinema With Sonos Ace
TrueCinema uses Beam and Sonos Ace together to create a more convincing private surround experience.
The system maps information about the room and then uses that acoustic character when rendering the headphone soundstage.
The intention is to make private listening feel more like hearing a home cinema system positioned around you rather than simply listening to conventional headphones.
Add a Sonos Sub Mini
The Sonos Sub Mini is a particularly natural partner for Beam.
Its compact dimensions suit the same smaller and medium-sized rooms where Beam makes most sense, while the dedicated subwoofer handles the deepest bass information that the soundbar cannot reproduce on its own.
Why Add a Subwoofer?
A dedicated subwoofer can increase the depth and impact of films, games and music.
It also allows the soundbar to concentrate more of its available performance on the midrange and treble once the lowest bass has been handed to the Sub.
Add Sonos Sub 4
For larger rooms or listeners wanting considerably more low-frequency scale, the Sonos Sub 4 is another option.
Which Sub is most appropriate depends on room size, playback level and how much bass impact you want from the completed system.
Sub Mini
- Compact cylindrical design
- Natural match for Beam
- Excellent for smaller and medium rooms
- Easy to position discreetly
- Adds dedicated deep bass
Sub 4
- Larger full-size Sonos subwoofer
- Greater bass scale and output
- Better suited to larger rooms
- Useful for more demanding cinema systems
- Pairs wirelessly with Beam
Add Wireless Rear Surround Speakers
Beam can be expanded beyond virtual surround by adding a matched pair of compatible Sonos speakers behind the listening position.
These connect as dedicated surround speakers over the Sonos network, avoiding the need to run speaker cable from the television to the rear of the room.
Beam With Era 100 Surrounds
A pair of Sonos Era 100 speakers makes an excellent compact rear-surround solution.
Physical speakers behind the listening position provide more convincing rear effects than asking Beam alone to simulate all of the surround information from the front of the room.
Beam With Era 300 Surrounds
A pair of Sonos Era 300 speakers offers a more ambitious approach.
Era 300 uses a multi-directional acoustic design with dedicated spatial-audio capability, making it particularly effective for immersive Dolby Atmos rear and height information in a Beam (Gen 2) home cinema system.
Rear Speakers Become Part of the Cinema System
Once a pair of compatible Sonos speakers is bonded to Beam as surrounds, they form part of the Beam home cinema room rather than acting as independent Sonos rooms.
Certain standalone functions on those speakers, such as their own Bluetooth or line-in connections, may therefore become unavailable while they are configured as surrounds.
Think of Surrounds as Components of Beam
If you want your Era speakers to return to normal standalone operation, remove them from the Beam surround configuration through the Sonos app.
Beam on Its Own or Full Surround?
Beam on Its Own
- Compact one-box TV upgrade
- Dolby Atmos processing
- Virtual height and surround effects
- Good dialogue clarity
- Built-in music streaming
- Ideal where simplicity is the priority
Expanded Beam System
- Beam handles the front soundstage
- Sonos Sub provides dedicated bass
- Rear speakers provide physical surround channels
- Greater immersion and scale
- Wireless Sonos integration
- Can be built gradually over time
Beam (Gen 2) or Arc Ultra?
Both support modern Sonos home cinema and Dolby Atmos, but they are designed for different rooms and budgets.
Beam (Gen 2)
- 651mm wide
- Compact soundbar
- Five Class-D amplifiers
- Virtual Dolby Atmos height channels
- Excellent for smaller and medium rooms
- HDMI eARC
- Trueplay with compatible iOS device
- No conventional Bluetooth audio
Arc Ultra
- 1178mm wide
- Current flagship Sonos soundbar
- 15 Class-D amplifiers
- Dedicated upward-firing drivers
- Sound Motion bass technology
- Better suited to larger rooms
- Trueplay with compatible iOS and Android devices
- Bluetooth 5.3
The Sonos Arc Ultra is the natural upgrade if you want a larger and more physically ambitious soundstage. Beam remains the more discreet choice where room size and visual impact matter just as much as performance.
Beam (Gen 2) or Ray?
Sonos Ray sits below Beam as the simpler entry point into Sonos television sound.
Beam adds HDMI eARC, Dolby Atmos, higher-bandwidth home cinema formats and a more sophisticated acoustic architecture.
If immersive home cinema and expandability are priorities, Beam is the more capable starting point.
40% Faster Processing Than the Original Beam
Beam (Gen 2) introduced a substantially faster processor than the original Beam.
That additional processing capability is fundamental to the newer model's virtual Dolby Atmos presentation and expanded home cinema format support.
Quad-Core Processor
The internal processor uses four A53 cores running at 1.4GHz.
It handles network operation, signal processing, Trueplay, voice functions and the decoding and virtualisation required for Beam's home cinema performance.
Precisely Perforated Grille
Beam (Gen 2) replaced the fabric grille of the first-generation model with a precisely perforated polycarbonate enclosure.
This makes the visual design more consistent with other current Sonos home cinema products while remaining acoustically transparent.
Black or White
Beam is available in Black and White with a matte finish.
Both versions are designed to sit discreetly beneath the television rather than draw attention away from the screen.
651mm Wide
Beam measures:
- Height: 68mm
- Width: 651mm
- Depth: 100mm
- Weight: 2.88kg
Its compact width is one of the key reasons to choose Beam over a larger flagship soundbar, especially when used with TVs up to around 65 inches or in rooms where furniture space is limited.
Tabletop Positioning
Beam can sit directly on suitable furniture beneath the television.
Sonos recommends placing it horizontally on a stable and level surface, at least 50mm from the television.
If Beam is positioned on a shelf, keep it towards the front rather than burying it deep inside the furniture.
Allow Space Around Beam
Sonos recommends at least 50mm clearance at the sides when Beam is installed on a shelf and at least 25mm above the soundbar so the touch controls remain accessible.
Do not position Beam vertically or on its side.
Don't Hide Beam Deep Inside a Cabinet
The soundbar relies on its acoustic output interacting correctly with the room. Position it towards the front of a shelf or cabinet and avoid obstructing the sides or front.
Wall Mounting
Beam can also be mounted directly above or below the television using a compatible wall mount.
A dedicated Sonos Beam Wall Mount is available separately for a neat, low-profile installation.
Mounting Thread
The soundbar incorporates a 10-32 threaded mounting socket with a 12.7mm threaded depth for compatible mounting hardware.
Infrared Receiver
An IR receiver allows Beam to synchronise with compatible television remote controls.
This remains useful even though HDMI-CEC handles much of the everyday interaction between modern TVs and the soundbar.
Internal Power Supply
Beam uses an internal universal power supply rated for 100–240V at 50/60Hz.
There is no external mains transformer or power brick to hide behind the television.
Only Two Main Cables
For the normal HDMI installation, Beam needs only:
- Mains power
- HDMI connection to the television
Network connectivity can then be handled wirelessly unless Ethernet is preferred.
Simple Sonos App Setup
Beam must be configured using the current Sonos app before it can play television audio.
The app guides you through connecting the soundbar, configuring the television and adding music and voice services.
Beam (Gen 2) Is Not Compatible With Sonos S1
Beam (Gen 2) requires the current Sonos platform and cannot be added to a system that is being operated solely through the legacy Sonos S1 Controller app.
What Comes in the Box?
- Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- 2m power cable
- 1.5m HDMI cable
- Sonos Optical Audio Adapter
- Quickstart Guide
- Legal and warranty information
Recommended Beam Setup Routine
- Position Beam centrally beneath the television or install it on a suitable wall mount.
- Keep the front and sides of the soundbar unobstructed.
- Connect the supplied HDMI cable to the television's HDMI eARC or ARC socket.
- If the television only has optical output, use the supplied Sonos Optical Audio Adapter.
- Connect Beam to mains power.
- Open the current Sonos app on a compatible device.
- Add Beam to the Sonos system.
- Complete the television setup procedure in the app.
- Check that HDMI-CEC is enabled on the television where appropriate.
- Play a known source and check the received audio format in the Sonos app.
- Run Trueplay using a compatible iOS device.
- Adjust bass, treble and loudness if required.
- Enable Speech Enhancement if dialogue requires greater clarity.
- Enable Night Sound where useful for quieter evening viewing.
- Add a Sonos Sub if additional low-frequency performance is wanted.
- Add compatible rear speakers if physical surround channels are wanted.
- Configure TV Audio Swap and TrueCinema if using Sonos Ace.
Key Features
- Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- Compact smart soundbar
- Dolby Atmos soundbar
- Virtual height channels
- Phased acoustic array
- Five Class-D amplifiers
- One centre tweeter
- Four elliptical midwoofers
- Three passive radiators
- Far-field microphone array
- Beamforming microphones
- Multichannel echo cancellation
- HDMI eARC
- HDMI ARC
- Optical adapter included
- Stereo PCM
- Dolby Digital
- Dolby Digital Plus
- Dolby Atmos via Dolby Digital Plus
- Dolby TrueHD via eARC
- Dolby Atmos via TrueHD
- Multichannel PCM
- Dolby Multichannel PCM
- DTS Digital Surround
- Dolby Atmos Music
- Speech Enhancement
- Night Sound
- Trueplay room tuning
- Compatible iOS device required for Trueplay
- Apple AirPlay 2
- Sonos multi-room streaming
- 2.4GHz WiFi
- 802.11b/g/n WiFi
- 10/100 Ethernet
- Sonos app control
- Amazon Alexa
- Google Assistant
- Sonos Voice Control
- TV remote synchronisation
- TV Audio Swap
- One or two Sonos Ace support
- TrueCinema
- Sonos Sub compatibility
- Sub Mini compatibility
- Sub 4 compatibility
- Wireless surround expansion
- Era 100 surround compatibility
- Era 300 surround compatibility
- Capacitive touch controls
- Quad-core processor
- 1.4GHz A53 processor
- 651mm width
- 68mm height
- 100mm depth
- 2.88kg weight
- Black finish
- White finish
- Wall-mountable
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sonos Beam (Gen 2) still current?
Yes. Beam (Gen 2) remains part of the current Sonos soundbar range.
Does Beam (Gen 2) support Dolby Atmos?
Yes.
Does Beam have upward-firing speakers?
No. Beam creates virtual Dolby Atmos height channels using its phased acoustic array and digital processing rather than dedicated upward-firing drivers.
How many amplifiers are inside Beam?
Five Class-D digital amplifiers.
How many tweeters does Beam have?
One centre tweeter.
How many midwoofers are fitted?
Four elliptical midwoofers.
Does Beam have passive radiators?
Yes. Three passive radiators reinforce low-frequency output.
Do I need a Sonos Sub?
No. Beam works as a complete standalone soundbar. A Sub is an optional upgrade for deeper bass and greater cinematic impact.
Can I use Sub Mini?
Yes. Sub Mini is a particularly natural match for Beam in smaller and medium-sized rooms.
Can Beam work with Sub 4?
Yes.
Can I add rear surround speakers?
Yes. Compatible Sonos speakers can be added as a matched wireless rear-surround pair.
Can I use Era 100 as surrounds?
Yes. A pair of Era 100 speakers can be configured as rear surrounds with Beam.
Can I use Era 300 as surrounds?
Yes. A pair of Era 300 speakers provides a more ambitious spatial-audio surround configuration with Beam (Gen 2).
Does Beam have HDMI eARC?
Yes.
Will Beam work with ordinary HDMI ARC?
Yes. The exact audio formats available depend on the television and source equipment.
Do I need eARC for Dolby Atmos?
Not always. Dolby Atmos carried within Dolby Digital Plus can work through a compatible HDMI ARC connection. Dolby TrueHD-based Atmos and other higher-bandwidth formats require eARC.
Does Beam support Dolby TrueHD?
Yes, through a compatible HDMI eARC connection.
Does Beam support DTS?
Yes. Sonos currently lists DTS Digital Surround among its supported formats.
Does Beam support multichannel PCM?
Yes, with HDMI eARC.
Can I connect Beam to an optical TV output?
Yes. Sonos supplies its Optical Audio Adapter with Beam.
Is the optical adapter included?
Yes.
Is the HDMI cable included?
Yes. A 1.5m HDMI cable is supplied.
What is Speech Enhancement?
Speech Enhancement boosts voice frequencies to make dialogue clearer.
What does Night Sound do?
Night Sound reduces louder effects while increasing quieter sounds so television can be followed more easily at reduced volume.
Does Beam support Trueplay?
Yes.
Can I run Beam Trueplay with Android?
Sonos currently specifies that Beam's Trueplay tuning requires a compatible iOS device.
Does Beam have Bluetooth?
No conventional Bluetooth audio input is provided on Beam (Gen 2).
How do I stream music to Beam?
Use the Sonos app and compatible music services or Apple AirPlay 2 from a supported Apple device.
Does Beam support AirPlay 2?
Yes.
Does Beam support Dolby Atmos Music?
Yes, from compatible services and content.
What WiFi does Beam use?
Sonos currently specifies 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n WiFi.
Does Beam connect directly to 5GHz WiFi?
Sonos' current Beam specification lists it for 2.4GHz WiFi. A wired 10/100 Ethernet connection is available where preferred.
Does Beam have Ethernet?
Yes. One 10/100 Ethernet port is provided.
Does Beam have voice control?
Yes. Compatible services include Sonos Voice Control, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, subject to availability.
Can voice control turn my television on and off?
With compatible HDMI-CEC equipment and a supported voice service, Beam can control television power and volume when connected through HDMI ARC/eARC.
Can I switch the microphone off?
Yes. Beam includes a microphone control and status indicator.
Will my existing TV remote work?
Yes. Beam is designed to synchronise with compatible television remotes.
Does Beam work with Sonos Ace?
Yes. TV Audio Swap can move television audio from Beam to Sonos Ace.
Can two Sonos Ace headphones listen at once?
Yes. Current Sonos software supports TV Audio Swap to one or two pairs of Sonos Ace simultaneously.
What is TrueCinema?
TrueCinema uses information about the room to create a more room-like private surround presentation through compatible Sonos Ace headphones.
How wide is Beam?
651mm.
How high is Beam?
68mm.
How deep is Beam?
100mm.
How much does Beam weigh?
2.88kg.
What colours are available?
Black and White with a matte finish.
Can Beam be wall mounted?
Yes. Sonos offers a dedicated Beam Wall Mount separately.
Can I put Beam inside a cabinet?
It is better positioned towards the front of furniture with sufficient space around the enclosure so its acoustic output is not obstructed.
How much clearance should I leave?
Sonos recommends at least 50mm at each side when installed on a shelf and at least 25mm above Beam for access to the controls.
Does Beam need the Sonos app?
Yes. Beam (Gen 2) must be configured using the current Sonos app before it can play television audio.
Does Beam work with the Sonos S1 app?
No. Beam (Gen 2) requires the current Sonos platform and is not compatible with the legacy S1 Controller system.
What is the difference between Beam and Arc Ultra?
Beam is the smaller 651mm soundbar and creates Atmos height information virtually. Arc Ultra is the substantially larger flagship design with more amplifiers, dedicated upward-firing drivers, Sound Motion bass, Bluetooth and a more expansive spatial presentation.
Related Sonos Products and Audio T Guides
Why Buy Sonos Beam (Gen 2) From Audio T?
A soundbar is often bought because it promises simplicity, so it is frustrating when television settings, HDMI formats or network configuration get in the way. Audio T can help make sure Beam is connected correctly, receiving the best format your television can provide and positioned properly for the room.
We can also demonstrate the difference between Beam on its own and a complete Sonos surround system, helping you decide whether Sub Mini, Sub 4, Era 100, Era 300 or Sonos Ace is actually worthwhile for the way you watch television and listen to music.
- In-store Sonos demonstrations
- Beam (Gen 2) demonstrations
- Dolby Atmos guidance
- HDMI ARC and eARC advice
- Television compatibility checks
- Audio-format troubleshooting
- Trueplay setup advice
- Soundbar positioning guidance
- Wall-mounting advice
- Speech Enhancement guidance
- Sub Mini demonstrations
- Sub 4 demonstrations
- Era 100 surround demonstrations
- Era 300 surround demonstrations
- Sonos Ace demonstrations
- TV Audio Swap guidance
- TrueCinema setup
- Sonos multi-room planning
- WiFi and Ethernet advice
- Ongoing after-sales support
Contact your local Audio T store to hear Sonos Beam (Gen 2), compare it with Arc Ultra or build a complete Sonos home cinema system around your television and room.