Sonos has earned its reputation as the premium choice in home audio through years of engineering excellence and ecosystem refinement. The Beam soundbar (now second generation) is their most accessible entry point into high-quality soundbar territory, and it punches well above its weight class.
At $349, down from $499, this Dolby Atmos soundbar has hit an all-time low price on Amazon for Black Friday. Competing soundbars from Samsung and Bose struggle to match the combination of sound quality, features, and ecosystem integration that Sonos delivers at this price point.
Dolby Atmos That Makes a Difference
Dolby Atmos’ 3D surround sound effect creates an immersive audio experience that will totally change movie nights. Height channels bounce the sound off your ceiling to create overhead effects during action sequences and atmospheric moments. Helicopters fly over your head, rain falls from above, and explosions surround you from every side. The Beam Gen 2 achieves this spatial audio through psychoacoustic processing and some seriously clever speaker placement inside the compact bar.
Crystal clear dialogue reproduction ensures you never miss the important conversations or plot details. This is ensured by a dedicated center channel that focuses on vocal frequencies carrying speech. Background music and sound effects stay separated from dialogue, avoiding the muddy mix that plagues cheaper soundbars. You can finally stop reaching for the remote to adjust the volume when scenes switch between quiet dialogue and loud action.
The bass performance is well above expectations for such a compact soundbar: The lively low-end adds weight to movie soundtracks and music playback without overwhelming other frequencies. You feel the rumble of engines and the thump of music bass lines. The bass stays tight and controlled rather than boomy or muddy. Many users find the bass output sufficient without adding a separate subwoofer, though Sonos makes it easy to expand later if desired.
The Sonos app is your key to intuitively controlling all your audio settings and streaming services. You’ll tweak EQ settings, manage multiple Sonos speakers across your home, and access music from dozens of streaming services. Music streaming works independently when the TV is off, turning your soundbar into a capable music speaker. Radio, podcasts, and audiobooks all play through that superior sound system you’ve already installed for your TV.
Set up is simple, requiring just two cables: one to your TV via HDMI and one to a power outlet. A single HDMI ARC or eARC connection for audio input to the soundbar also enables TV remote control pass-through. Control volume and power with your existing TV remote; no programming or separate controls are required. Apple AirPlay 2 support lets you stream directly from iPhones and iPads.
At $349, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 is offering high-end soundbar performance for 30% off retail this Black Friday. None of the competing Samsung or Bose soundbars at this price offer the complete package you’re getting here from Sonos.