And bim, the Beam is back! Sonos does it again with a new version of its small sound bar. The Beam (Gen 2) is thus launched a little more than three years after its elder brother, which we had already tested. So what improvements can we expect from the news? soundbarr from the American sound specialist? 20 minutes was able to try it for a week, before it was released on October 5.
The same … or almost
Aesthetically, nothing really sets the new Beam apart. The sound bar retains its measurements (6.9 x 6.51 x 100 cm for 2.8 kg). Available in black or white, it can either be hung on the wall or placed in front of a television. Below, it looks more complicated. Quite thick with its 6.9 cm height, the Beam (Gen 2) could not be slipped under our Frame TV stamped Samsung. However, it did not hinder our vision by its presence either.
Notable change: Sonos has swapped the fabric on the front of the device with a polycarbonate grid. According to the manufacturer, the audio quality would only be better, which seemed impossible to verify.
Dolby Atmos is heard
Quick, quick, we’re rushing to some Dolby Atmos content. Because it is here “the” novelty proposed by Sonos with its Beam (Gen 2). Equipped with a new chip “40% faster”, according to the manufacturer, the sound bar is now compatible with the Dolby format, courted by all brands of audio products. With compatible content, Dolby Atmos is able to reproduce 3D sound with vertical effects.
Games, movies, but also music with content remastered in Dolby Atmos: we’ve tried everything. First observation: the Beam (Gen 2), which now incorporates five speakers and no longer three, stands out. Equipped with a Tweeter central for high frequencies and four mid-woofers (including two on the sides) for mediums, the device sends heavy. For its part, the reproduction of low frequencies is provided by two passive radiators.
Better restored voices
Our tests find a fleshy sound that can greatly increase in volume. The Beam’s new HDMI (e) ARC socket allows it to be directly controlled by the TV remote control. Otherwise, from the application, it is also possible to raise and lower the sound of the Beam (Gen 2), but also to adjust the level of bass and treble.
A real equalizer would not have been too much, especially for music. Nevertheless, we note a real improvement in the reproduction of the voices, delivered with a lot of clarity, with very assertive ranges, both for films and musical pieces.
An immersion to complete
With the Bean (Gen 2), we spent a Jazz à Vienne evening with two concerts broadcast on Culture Box, a Netflix evening with the first episodes of season 3 of Family Business, and a musical evening with a playlist Dolby Atmos flushed out on Spotify. If the listening pleasure is frankly there, the enveloping virtual effects promised by the soundbar still seemed to us sometimes rather anecdotal.
Associating the Bean (Gen 2) with two speakers One SL (sold for 199 euros each) or One (229 euros) to be placed on either side of your sofa may seem wise for a better immersion. In the state, the Beam (Gen 2) – which is launched at 499 euros can nevertheless be sufficient on its own, especially if you have a small living room. Its compatibility with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa is a plus.
The Sonos Beam, first of the name, had been launched at 449 euros. With the Beam (Gen 2), it is destined to disappear, its manufacturer indicating to have stopped production. In the meantime, its price has just fallen by 10% and we can afford this old model at 399 euros. Maybe less during the next Black Friday… A good deal if you want to have a sound bar that remains very effective. A good gateway to the world of Sonos, which allows you to upgrade your equipment by gradually adding new speakers …