Sonos Beam Gen 2 Review (2026): Compact Soundbar With Limits

Depends

A polished compact soundbar, best for small rooms and Sonos fans

Reviewers praise the Beam Gen 2 for crisp dialogue, clean design and a wide-ranging set of connections including HDMI eARC, Dolby Atmos and AirPlay 2. They also agree the bass is thin without a Sonos Subwoofer, the Atmos effect is modest, there is no Bluetooth and no remote, and occasional dropouts or lip-sync fixes come up. Because it is premium-priced, the value is strongest for small rooms and buyers who plan to grow a Sonos system.

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Buy it again if you…

have a TV of about 55 inches or smaller in a small or mid-size room
care most about clear dialogue and a tidy look
may add Sonos speakers or a sub later

Skip it if you…

want deep bass without buying a subwoofer
need Bluetooth or a physical remote
want a strong overhead Atmos effect in a large room

The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a compact smart soundbar with Dolby Atmos support, one HDMI eARC input, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, AirPlay 2 and voice assistant support. It uses the same speaker hardware as the first Beam, retuned for dialogue.

Owner evidence we found is limited, so we flag where it is thin.

What owners say, at a glance

HDMI eARCsingle input, with Ethernet and Wi-FiTom's Guide

1 + 4 + 3center tweeter, four mid-woofers, three passive radiatorsSlashGear

~55 inlargest TV size reviewers suggestTom's Guide

Dialogue clarity

Strong praise

Setup and ecosystem

Strong praise

Atmos effect

Modest

Bass without a sub

Common complaint

Connection reliability

Occasional dropouts reported

Bars show our editorial summary of how consistently owners praise or complain about each area across all sources — not a lab measurement.

The key specs

Audio formats	Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital Plus
TV connection	HDMI eARC (single input)
Network	Dual-band Wi-Fi, Ethernet, AirPlay 2
Voice	Alexa and Google Assistant
Bluetooth	Not included

What owners and reviewers love

Clear dialogue.SlashGear describes piping clarity even without Speech Enhancement, and Tom's Guide says Sonos retuned a crisper center channel.

Small and tidy.The low-profile matte design suits smaller TVs of up to about 55 inches.

Ecosystem.It works with other Sonos speakers for multi-room audio and can add rear speakers or a subwoofer later.

A step up from Gen 1.SlashGear says the Atmos processing sounds more encompassing than the original Beam.

What owners and reviewers complain about

Thin bass.A review summary notes low-end output is weak without a Sonos Subwoofer.

Modest Atmos.SlashGear says there are no up-firing drivers, the effect weakens in larger rooms, and it is not as strong as the larger Arc.

Missing conveniences.No Bluetooth, no physical remote, a single HDMI input, and Trueplay tuning needs an iPhone.

Occasional reliability issues.An aggregated summary reports audio dropouts when formats switch and some manual lip-sync adjustment. A Sonos community thread title also mentions a loud pop and loss of audio, but we did not verify how common that is.

Is the premium worth it?

It is premium-priced for what is a small bar. The case is strongest if you value dialogue clarity, a clean look and a path to expand with a subwoofer or rear speakers. If you want bass and a bigger Atmos effect from one box, a larger bar will serve better, and the cheaper Sonos Ray is the budget option inside the same ecosystem.

How it holds up over time

We found no failure-rate or long-term durability data. Reviewers describe a mature product and software updates, but we cannot say how often units fail.

Tips from reviewers

Plan for a subwoofer if bass matters to you.
Use the Ethernet port if your Wi-Fi is spotty.
Check lip-sync settings if audio and picture drift apart.

Pros and cons

What owners love

Very clear dialogue
Compact, clean design
HDMI eARC, Atmos, AirPlay 2 and voice support
Expandable with Sonos speakers
Clear improvement over the original Beam

What owners complain about

Weak bass without a subwoofer
Modest Atmos effect
No Bluetooth or physical remote
Single HDMI input
Occasional dropouts and lip-sync issues reported

Other options buyers compare

These are the Sonos soundbars most often compared with the Beam.

Model	Style	Consider it if…
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) (this review)	Compact Atmos soundbar	You want clear dialogue in a small bar	See on Amazon
Sonos Ray	Smaller, simpler soundbar	You want a more affordable Sonos bar for a small TV	See on Amazon
Sonos Arc	Larger Atmos soundbar	You want a bigger Atmos effect and a larger room	—

Want clearer dialogue from a small TV?

Check current pricing, colors and bundles on Amazon.

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Frequently asked questions

Does the Beam Gen 2 have Bluetooth?

No. It connects over Wi-Fi, Ethernet and AirPlay 2, and has no Bluetooth.

Do I need a subwoofer?

Reviewers say bass is weak without a Sonos Subwoofer, so it helps if you care about low-end punch.

Is the Atmos effect strong?

SlashGear says it sounds more encompassing than the first Beam, but there are no up-firing speakers and the effect weakens in larger rooms.

What size TV suits it?

Tom's Guide suggests TVs of roughly 55 inches and under.

Sources we analyzed

Tom's Guide: Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review — dialogue tuning, connectivity, room size
SlashGear: Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review — Atmos effect, drivers, cons
ShopSavvy: Sonos Beam Gen 2 review summary — bass, remote, dropout and lip-sync themes
Sonos Community: Beam Gen 2 loud pop and loss of audio — thread title only, not verified for frequency

Figures reflect each source as of October 20, 2026 and may change. We summarize owner feedback in our own words and do not reproduce retailer reviews.