Sonos Beam Gen 2 Soundbar - Beam Me Up

BOTH THE original Sonos Beam and the company's new Beam Gen 2 soundbar use beamforming, a technology that combines an array of drivers with advanced signal processing, to create an enveloping audio experience without need for multiple speakers. With the Beam Gen 2 ($449), Sonos builds upon the virtual surround sound capabilities of the original by adding Dolby Atmos processing and side-firing drivers, a combination that ups the sense of immersion it can create. And the cost for this upgrade: a mere $50 premium over the original Beam soundbar's $399 price.

- By Mark Henninger

The presumed advantage to virtualized Atmos, which is much less dependent on room acoustics, is that it will work in a space with a vaulted ceiling as opposed to the flat ceiling Dolby recommends for the format. The disadvantage is that the height effect is less impactful than what you’d hear with a standard Atmos system with sound coming from above, whether reflected or direct. But if you set your expectations realistically, what the Beam Gen 2 accomplishes comes across as quite remarkable.

FEATURES & SPECS

A total of five active drivers and three passive radiators are used in the Beam Gen 2. A dome tweeter is located in the center of the front panel and can reasonably be credited for the focused clarity of dialogue. It’s flanked to the left and right by a pair of active elliptical cone drivers, while a pair of passive radiators to enhance bass output are located at the front outer edges, with a third one on the back baffle. Lastly, a second pair of active elliptical drivers are located at the soundbar’s outer edges and partially angled forward. The way Dolby Atmos uses these side-firing drivers to expand the soundstage represents the most fundamental audio processing difference versus the original Beam.

The Beam Gen 2’s precision perforated grill is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, allowing audio to pass through unobstructed while creating a seamless appearance. Sonos is meticulous about the design of each element in its products down to the screws; everything fits snugly and the look and feel is of a unified object, not just an assemblage of parts.