Sonos Beam (2021): If it ain't broke

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The 2nd generation Sonos Beam embodies this axiom, for better and for worse. 

The original Beam was an excellent soundbar / smart speaker hybrid, and the same can be said for the latest iteration. At the same time, the 2nd generation Beam feels like a minor upgrade that doesn't quite deliver on its biggest new feature: Dolby Atmos support.

The 2nd generation Beam builds on the original by using the same audio hardware in a redesigned shell. Where the original had a fabric mesh exterior, the upgraded device is entirely plastic, which at the least, makes it much easier to clean, and far less likely to get damaged if you have animals around. Sizing hasn't changed either, with the 2nd generation measuring in at just over 65cm in length and under 7cm in height. It's not a soundbar that's going to dominate your living room.

It's hard to fault Sonos reusing existing hardware. After all, the original Beam sounded excellent, and the same can be said for the new model. It delivers whether you're watching a movie or using it to listen to music. You get an impressive amount of bass given the size, but naturally it won't have the same impact as a dedicated subwoofer. The 2nd generation Beam also offers up impressive presence and stereo separation; if you closed your eyes, you'd assume the sound is coming from a bigger speaker.

Where the 2nd generation Beam falls a little short is Dolby Atmos. Dolby Atmos is best perhaps best described as the evolution of surround sound. In addition to positioning sound behind you and to your sides, it allows for sound above you, such as rainfall or a helicopter.

Dolby Atmos is presently mostly used for movies. Platforms like iTunes and Netflix already support Dolby Atmos for select titles in terms of digital, while 4K Blu-Ray does the same for those that prefer physical media. There are also a select number of Dolby Atmos enabled games on Xbox and PC.

The 2nd generation Beam is only the second Sonos product to support Dolby Atmos, following last year's Arc. But while the Arc has upward firing speakers, the Beam doesn't. Instead, it's ostensibly using software speaker arrays to simulate height. This is known as psychoacoustic sound - the new Beam is trying to trick your ears.

Sometimes, this works. I got a hint of verticality while watching Squid Games, but the effect is subtle. It doesn't legitimately sound like the audio is coming from above you, which isn't entirely surprising. There's only so much you can do without upward firing speakers (and even then, it depends the geometry of your living environment).

It's best to think of Dolby Atmos support as a bonus when it comes to the new Beam. Where supported, you'll get just a slightly bigger sound, but it's not a game changer. At the same time, the vast majority of soundbars in the Beam's price point all use similar tech rather than upward firing speakers.

In addition to being a great soundbar, the 2nd generation Beam benefits from being part of the expanded Sonos universe. Setup is a simple experience that can be as easy as downloading the Sonos app and tapping your phone on the Beam (just be aware that MagSafe Apple cases may cause interference, you'll want to take it off first).

You can then use the Beam as a standalone soundbar, using it in a multi-room group with other Sonos speakers, or even pair other Sonos speakers to create a 5.1 setup.

iPhone owners have access to Trueplay, which is a tuning process that adjusts the Beam's sound to your living environment. This isn't part of the Android app, but Android owners can still manually adjust the Beam's bass, treble, and loudness. It might be worth borrowing a friend's iPhone to run the tuning process, however. Given Sonos speakers like the Roam now have automatic Trueplay that isn't dependent on an iOS app, it's a shame the manufacturer hasn't brought this across to the new Beam.

And as a Sonos product, the Beam is incredibly versatile by nature. If you want to use it as a smart speaker, you can pick between Google Assistant and Alexa. You can AirPlay music directly to it from any Apple device. And it's compatible with almost every music streaming service you can think of.

Sonos Beam (2021) - Final Thoughts

The 2nd generation Sonos Beam is an excellent soundbar that sounds great whether you're watching a show or listening to music. It's easy to recommend if you're still using your TV's in-built speakers and you're looking to upgrade. It will make a big difference, and the fact it doubles as a smart speaker helps up the value proposition - even if this year's model comes in at $699, $100 more than its predecessor. (The price rise is predominantly due to the ongoing component shortage, according to Sonos.)

The only real ding against the new Beam is that it's not a great pick if you're specifically looking for an Atmos soundbar. Sure, you might notice some extra verticality, but it's so subtle that you'd likely be disappointed if it's the main reason you're looking at this model.

From a tech perspective, it's also very easy to see the 2nd generation Beam as a "Beam 1.5" of sorts. While reusing the same audio hardware as the original Beam makes sense given the quality on display, it would have been nice to see Sonos push further. Even if it can't add upward firing speakers at this price point, I would have liked to see a little more in audio innovation. At a minimum, automatic Trueplay tuning for those without iPhones would have been a great step forward.

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