A Review of the Sonos Sound Bar

Best Buy Rating
(3.47K ratings)

The Sonos sound bar provides higher-quality sound than basic television or phone speakers. It also has some handy voice controls that let you play music, check the news or set alarms on demand.

Where to Buy
Updated 8/13/2022. Prices are subject to change.
from Best Buy
from Amazon

Product Highlights

  • Get refined sound throughout your house by connecting the Sonos sound bar to your television.

  • The option of voice controls allows you to adjust the sound bar completely hands-free.

  • You can choose from the Sonos Beam or Arc sound bars to find the option that suits your budget and audio needs.

  • With the option of connecting the bar to other Sonos products, you can build a full home audio system.

  • You have to use an app from Sonos to pick settings like Voice Enhancement and Night Sound.

Everything you need to know about the Sonos Sound Bar

What can you use the Sonos sound bar for?

The Sonos Beam bar comes with many helpful functions. The simplest use is just hooking it up to your television to play standard television shows and movies. It can also be used to play a wide range of music, include Spotify or Apple Music playlists, CDs and music downloaded on your phone. The ability to set timers and reminders lets you use the sound bar as an alarm clock and personal calendar. You can also ask it to read news or answer basic questions for you.

What are the Sonos sound bar's audio capabilities?

The Sonos Beam has four drivers to provide a full range of sound. This bar has one tweeter, three passive radiators and five class-D amplifiers to further augment sound. Its playback is generally clear and strong, maintaining equal levels at both high and low volumes. One thing that many users note, though, is that the Beam's bass is a little lacking. Though it has very good bass articulation for its level of audio drivers, it simply does not have the hardware to handle lower sounds.

What are the best Sonos sound bar playback modes?

Here are some of the many helpful modes available through the app.

  • Night sound: This muffles explosions and other loud noises so you don't disturb others while watching TV late at night.
  • Voice enhancement: This mode emphasizes audio so you won't have to turn up your television to hear dialogue.
  • Ambient: This music mode will turn your playlist into pleasant background music.
  • Full: This provides a richer music listening experience that is sure to catch everyone's attention.

How do you control the Sonos sound bar?

Sonos has several different control options for the sound bar. As long as you hook it up to Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, you can use basic commands like "Play music" or "Volume up" to handle controls. For more detailed control, you can also use the Sonos app. This lets you do things like adjust the speaker levels and select various playback modes.

What cables and adapters do you need to set up the Sonos sound bar?

Technically, you can use the sound bar without having to do any complex connections. Just turning it on and opening the Sonos app on your phone will walk you through basic setup. If you want to get audio from your television, you will need an HDMI connector. All other information is sent to and from the Sonos wirelessly, so you don't need to hook up your phone or other devices to play them on the Sonos.

Is the Arc or the Beam the best Sonos sound bar?

Both devices perform all of Sonos' standard sound bar functions, including managing television sound, playing music and responding to your voice. However, the Arc is the premium version of the Beam, Sonos' standard sound bar model, costing about $400 more than the Beam. This higher price tag comes with additional subwoofers that the Beam is lacking. The Arc also has seven more drivers than the Beam and two additional speaker arrays. Unlike the Beam, the Arc has the necessary processing power to support Dolby Atmos, so you get full surround sound.

Is the Sonos Beam one of the best sound bar options?

Sonos is one of the leaders in the sound bar field, so it offers many features not found on other sound bars. For example, the five far-field microphone array can pick up your voice commands from rooms away, unlike other sound bars. In addition, the Sonos Beam is currently the cheapest sound bar option that comes with Google Assistant. However, it is pricier than Alexa-powered options like the Polk Command Bar. Another thing to keep in mind is that it does not have the dedicated subwoofers found in some other models.

Final Verdict

Ultimately, the Sonos Beam sound bar is an excellent introduction to the world of sound bars. With its easy controls and low price, it is ideal for someone who just wants to upgrade their home's sound system without hassle or a lot of expense. As long as you are not playing a lot of extremely bass-heavy audio, the performance of this sound bar from Sonos is truly impressive. With clear, high-fidelity sound and a wide range of adjustments, the Sonos Beam sound bar is a major upgrade from standard television speakers.

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