![]() ![]() If your TV has HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel, there will be a symbol near the HDMI slot), then it’s a cinch. No remote, you need to use the Sonos app.There’s an ethernet, HDMI slot, power and a Wi-Fi button. If you’re an Android user, unfortunately you will miss out on this option as Trueplay is only available through iOS devices at the moment.įlip the device around and the ports are minimal. When Trueplay is enabled, the room fills with sound - it feels like it works better with something like a soundbar as the radius is that much larger. ![]() The magic happens during setup when the speaker asks you to use your tablet or smartphone to ‘scan’ the room (essentially wave your device around while the speaker plays a series of sounds). The Sonos Beam is designed for three-channels, but it can nearly make those three channels sound like true surround sound thanks to Trueplay-a software feature that calibrates the sound to the room. The speakers inside have been specially made for the Beam, though, so there is no recycling here by Sonos. These drivers work together to help the speaker deliver sound somewhere in between a Sonos Play:3 and Sonos PlayBar. ![]() Inside the Sonos Beam are four full-range drivers, a center tweeter and three passive radiators which are there to add to the bass. With a depth of 100mm, most TVs will happily have it sit in front of them and it not impinge on the actual screen, merely block the stand. The soundbar can be mounted or plonked in front of the TV. Instead of a metal grille, fabric is draped over the opening to the speakers. The 43,000 hand-drilled holes may no longer be there-something the over-engineered PlayBase boasted-but it’s still a lovely-looking device. That doesn’t mean that it has scrimped on design quality. But Sonos is also one of the only speakers to support both Google Assistant and Siri. We nearly slipped there and called it the Alexa mic, as that's what it currently is. Above this is the ability to turn the speaker mic on and off. The setup is simple: a four dot square on the left for volume down, the same on the right for up and a play/pause button in the middle. The controls on the top are touch sensitive and look identical to the Sonos One. It’s a slick-looking device, taking its design cues from both the Sonos One and the Sonos Play:5. In fact, it’s 60% smaller (and that can be said of the price, too) but has the addition of HDMI connectivity-something the Sonos PlayBar sorely lacked. Measuring 650 x 100 x 68.5mm, it’s much smaller than its super-sized sibling, the PlayBar, which you can find out more about in our Sonos PlayBar review. The Sonos Beam soundbar will happily sit in front of a 32-inch set up or a 40-inch plus TV-we should know, as we tested it on both variants. Take a look at our Sony HT-MT300 Soundbar review to see how it compares, which retailed for $300 / £250 / AU$434. The Sonos Beam was competitively priced at the time it launched, a little more expensive than similar entry-level soundbars from Sony. Or for a smaller and cheaper alternative from Sonos, check out our Sonos Ray review, which costs $279 / £279 / AU$399. Now there are plenty more Sonos soundbar devices on the market, including the Sonos Beam (Gen 2), which launched at a higher price than the original Beam at $399 / £339 / AU$599. The Sonos Beam was considered the entry-level soundbar of the product line-up and came after five Sonos speakers and four home theater audio setups from the company. Although it might be available for a little cheaper today from some third-party retailers. When it first launched in 2018, the Sonos Beam was cost $399 / £399 / AU$599. Sonos Beam review: availability and price But if you want to find out more about the original Beam, read on for our full Sonos Beam review below. Or our best surround sound system guide if you want an even more immersive listening experience. Check out our best soundbars guide for our pick of the top TV-enhancing devices you can buy today. ![]()
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