Sonos Beam Compact Smart Soundbar with Alexa built-in in Black

Product Information

I wasn’t blown away by the audio quality of the Polk React at first listen. But as I spent more time using it, I came to appreciate the nuances of its sound modes and the small tweaks you can make to enhance your audio experience based on what you’re watching. There are two key factors to consider when pairing a TV with a soundbar. The most important is how you are going to connect them. There are two main methods, optical and HDMI. The number of channels present in a soundbar is represented by two digits separated by a full stop. The first digit reflects the number of primary channels, while the second indicates the presence of a subwoofer to handle low-end frequencies. So, a 2.0 soundbar possesses two audio channels – left and right – while 2.1 bars add a third via a subwoofer. If you’re seeking to recreate a cinematic experience at home, there are no two ways about it, you need the best soundbar you can afford.

Sports mode is one of four EQ presets available, with movie, music and night modes also on offer. They all do a good job at enhancing your audio experience when watching the content they’re designed to cater to, while Polk’s Voice Adjust technology allows you to increase how prominent dialogue is in the audio and works very well. In addition, you don’t have to manually switch the connections or go through the hassle of finding certain playlists; just Ask Alexa to find stuff and play for you. The key thing to know about optical is that it's restricted in bandwidth compared to ARC/eARC. So if you have the choice between the two and opt for optical, you might not be making the most of the audio decoding built into your soundbar. The most advanced immersive formats optical can handle are compressed Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 surround sound, so that means no Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.The absence of an in-built voice assistant and the decision not to include a remote sting a little, particularly given how much the Dione costs, but in terms of style and performance, few standalone soundbars get close to the Dione. Unfortunately, ARC/eARC can sometimes introduce a slight audio lag resulting in lipsynching issues that can vary depending

They deliver rich and deep bass without the need for a separate sub. There is the Clear Voice mode that allows you to hear dialogues better by enhancing the conversations. The DTS VirtualX gives you real-life surround sounds that envelop your theatre room. With WiFi and Bluetooth access, you can control the soundbar through the Soundbar Control app.

What's the best soundbar in 2022?

The integrated sub, while not up there with the very best subwoofers you can buy, is very impressive for one bundled with a soundbar, with a taut, controlled and powerful performance, "even when we push it to the extremes with the pulsating synths of Blade Runner 2049..." There are nine drivers crammed into that little cabinet, arrayed to give a realistic impression of width to the sound. It means the Soundbox isn’t wild about being closed in on either side, but give it some breathing space and it’s capable of greater scale and presence than seems feasible from an enclosure of this size. It’s certainly punchy enough to make a subwoofer less-than essential. Audio Qualities: All smart speakers connect with your phone and can stream music online. The availability and accessibility of online streaming stations are worth keeping in mind. It’s always good to go for a 2.1 or a 5.1 channel soundbar that offers multi-room support. The multi-room support coupled with the smart assistants can play music with different connected devices at the same time. The up-firing speakers come into action while gaming or music listening for an amazing surround sound experience. We tested it with gaming first, and all the explosions, gunshots, and racing noises were hitting into the eardrums.

It is the best choice if you are looking for a mid-range sound system that can work for multi-purposes, like gaming, movies, and music, while not breaking the bank. This powerful and compact 7.1.2ch soundbar is ready to transform your listening experience with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X technology. For optical soundbars, just make sure your TV has an optical output. HDMI soundbars require a TV that supports ARC, which may not be available on older sets. ARC-ready HDMI ports on a TV will usually be labelled “ARC”. You're transported to the heart of the action. Surround effects are expertly placed and there's great dynamism and good weight to the sound too. Tonally, it's nicely balanced if you just want to listen to music, although it could sound a tiny bit more direct. But, there's no doubt this is a hugely impressive Dolby Atmos soundbar for the money. The Beam 2’s Achilles heel is that it has only one HDMI port and requires a TV with an eARC HDMI port to make use of Atmos. So those with older TVs will probably want to avoid it, but if you do own a TV with eARC, you will struggle to find a better-sounding standalone soundbar.If your soundbar comes with its own automatic calibration software, then make sure you run it, so the soundbar’s audio output is matched to your room’s layout and characteristics. The Sonos Arc, for example, uses Sonos's Trueplaysoftware in conjunction with your smartphone's microphone to tailor its sound. The Ray has been conceived to slot into cabinets without its sonic dispersion being impacted. However, it doesn’t feature the virtual Dolby Atmos decoding of Sonos’ more premium soundbars– the Beam Gen 2 and Arc. So, pragmatically, Sonos also decided to ditch the HDMI eARC connections of its pricier products in favour of a classic optical input, which almost every TV will have, but monitors and consoles may not. We tested the unit for the best portable soundbar for its lowkey profile, but its features brought it here. It is a handy soundbar with a heavy sound punch to transform your TV and gaming experience. Read the full Roku Streambar review How to choose a soundbar How to choose the best TV soundbar for you There are a few options to improve your TV sound that range from the budget to the expensive, but a soundbar is one of the simplest ways as they are typically compact and require minimal cabling. They often also have added benefits, such as wireless streaming over Bluetooth or WiFi.

With TVs getting thinner, especially OLED models with razor-sharp chassis, there is considerably less room for proper sound systems. While this is an inevitability, it doesn't excuse poor sound quality, which is why we always recommend budgeting for some sort of sound system when you buy a new TV. Delivering Dolby Atmos from a small chassis is no mean feat and the Sonos Beam Gen 2 achieves a convincing, immersive performance without so much as a vertical speaker in sight. Instead, when watching Atmos content, two of the soundbar's five front-facing arrays are dedicated to reproducing overhead and surround sounds. With its hefty processing power, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 uses psychoacoustic HRTF (head-related transfer function) technology to give the impression of height without needing to get vertical. Soundbars are slim, often rectangular, speaker systems with drivers positioned side by side that are designed to slot underneath your TV or to be fitted neatly to the wall. With front-facing drivers, even basic, budget soundbars typically offer more direct and clear audio than a TV.I found setting up the Polk React an absolute breeze – it took no more than five minutes to get up and running after being taken out of the box. What we have here is a surround-sound audio system disguised as a soundbar. Well, a soundbar with a fairly hefty wireless subwoofer accompanying it, anyhow.