Sonos doesn't just make multi-room speakers. It also makes soundbars, and like its speakers, they too have multi-room skills. Also like its speakers, some of them are among the best in their class, winning What Hi-Fi? Awards up against some stiff competition.
They're not all premium either – some are at the affordable end of the market. So whatever your budget, there might be a Sonos soundbar for you...
Let's run down Sonos' current range of soundbars – and a subwoofer – and see what's available.
Sonos Beam Ultra
Should you buy the Sonos Beam Ultra?
Sonos' latest soundbar sits above the Beam Gen 2 (below), and brings up-firing drivers to the mix. That means properly immersive Dolby Atmos, as opposed to the Beam Gen 2's (still very impressive) virtual attempt.
It's not Sonos' flagship soundbar, however. That honour goes to the Arc Ultra. The Beam Ultra is smaller and less powerful than the Arc Ultra, but cheaper too.
The Beam Ultra can connected wirelessly to other Sonos speakers like the Era 100 as part of a surround sound system. Or – like all Sonos speakers – it can work as part of a multi-room setup.
So it's a good thing that the Beam Ultra handles music well, proving an engaging listen with excellent organisation skills. But it's with movies where it really shines.
The up-firing drivers really add to the sense of height, helped in no small part by the bar's immaculate sense of precision – in one scene in Bladerunner 2049, you can hear each advert flickering to life above your head. It also has an expansive sense of width and height, with effects extending far beyond the confines of the relatively compact soundbar.
Should you buy the Beam Ultra?
If you want an audio experience that's a cut above the standard Beam Gen 2, but don't have the space – or funds – for the Arc Ultra, the Beam Ultra is a fantastic middle ground. Just bear in mind that the Arc Ultra has dropped to near the Beam Ultra's price before, so if you are torn between them, maybe wait for a sale.
Is it the best soundbar for its price?
We think so. The Arc Ultra is bigger, more impactful and projects further into the room, but it's also much pricier. The Award-winning Samsung HW-Q990H is a great alternative, but again, it's pricier, and it's a whole system, with a sub and surround speakers. Probably its closest rival is the Beam Gen 2, which lacks the up-firing drivers. You can read about it below.
- Read the full Sonos Beam Ultra review
- Sonos Beam Ultra vs Arc Ultra: which is for you?
Sonos Beam Gen 2
Should you buy the Sonos Beam Gen 2?
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a direct replacement for the multi-Award-winning original and has some pretty big shoes to fill. It aims to up the ante by cramming in Dolby Atmos capabilities into the same minuscule form factor, and achieving this without any upward-firing speakers, no less.
It sounds like a crazy risk but, as you can read in our Beam Gen 2 review, its forward-facing drivers (configured into five separate arrays rather than the original's three), combined with more processing power, results in a product that's even better than the original.
The result is a soundbar that can handle Dolby Atmos more capably than many more expensive soundbars with actual upward-firing drivers. It creates a more spacious soundscape, with an impressive sense of height.
Atmos aside, it sounds incredible, besting the Gen 1 with more refinement, a warmer treble, and a wider dynamic range. Overall the listening experience is richer, more nuanced, and varied. And that's without even mentioning the return of the usual features like Apple Airplay 2, Alexa and Google Assistant support, and eARC connectivity.
Should you buy the Beam Gen 2?
The compact dimensions are ideal for those who can't fit the larger, pricier Sonos Arc into their homes, though getting the full spectrum of Sonos's multi-room and streaming features for a more affordable price will be hugely popular too. That said, if the original (non-Atmos) Beam is heavily discounted, that could well be a better-value option for those on a budget.
Is it the best soundbar for its price?
Ultimately, the Beam Gen 2 is comfortably the best Dolby Atmos soundbar at this price point. The five-star Sony HT-S2000 is even cheaper, and performs very well for the money, though it's not quite as bassy or full-bodied as the Beam Gen 2.
- Read our Sonos Beam Gen 2 review
- Our pick of the best soundbar deals
Sonos Arc Ultra
Should you buy the Sonos Arc Ultra?
The Sonos Arc Ultra launched in October 2024 as a higher-end alternative to the Sonos Arc (below). It has a lot of the same features as the original Arc, but Sonos makes some bold claims, promising twice the amount of bass and 'Dolby Atmos like never before'.
This is all due to Sonos' new Sound Motion technology (acquired when it bought Dutch start up Mayht), which it's hailing as a game-changer. Because Sound Motion drivers have smaller motors than standard speakers, they can produce a larger sound while allowing the soundbar itself to be smaller. The Arc Ultra was the first product to feature Sound Motion.
The Ultra is a little wider than the original Arc, and slightly less tall, making it less obtrusive when watching a film. Like the Arc, it offers Dolby Atmos (but no DTS:X) and has no HDMI ports, connecting to your TV via eARC. But unlike the Arc, it has Bluetooth and its Trueplay room calibration software works on Android as well as iOS.
Should you buy the Arc Ultra?
The Ultra boasts a 9.1.4-channel configuration, up from the 5.0.2 arrangement of the original Arc. There are 15 Class D amplifiers powering 14 drivers, along with seven tweeters, six mid-range woofers, and a 'Sound Motion' woofer which claims to deliver double the bass of the original Arc.
There's also a new front-firing speaker array which enhances the dialogue and make it clearer.
So is it worth buying? It scored five stars in our review, and has won multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards, so we would say yes. Sonically, it's a real step up, and considering that the original Arc won plenty of Awards, that's quite some achievement. As we wrote in our Sonos Arc Ultra review: "the delivery as a whole is just that bit more energetic, exciting and engaging" than the original Arc's.
Is it the best soundbar for its price?
At £999 / $999 / AU$1799, the Arc Ultra is £100 / $100 / AU$300 pricier than the original Arc, though the older model can be picked up much cheaper as it's end of life.
That makes the Ultra a similar price to the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9 and Award-winning Samsung HW-Q990H. (Both launched at higher prices but are now discounted.) That's tough competition. For those with other Sonos speakers, it probably is the best bet. For everyone else, it's a little more complicated... See our in-depth comparisons below for reference.
- Sonos Arc Ultra review: the full lowdown
- Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sonos Arc: which is better?
- Sonos Arc Ultra vs Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 9: how do they compare?
- Sonos Arc Ultra vs Samsung HW-Q990H: which is better?
Sonos Arc
Should you buy the Sonos Arc?
The Arc is Sonos's stunning – and former flagship – Dolby Atmos soundbar. Since it was replaced by the Arc Ultra, it's end of line, though a few places do still stock it, and at a tidy discount, too.
In our review, we called it "simple to set up, lovely to live with and supremely capable". It previously won a What Hi-Fi? Award.
The Arc is certainly big – at 114cm wide, it is a bit wider than a typical modern 49in TV – so it's best partnered with a 55in TV. But if you can accommodate it, you won't be sorry.
The Arc supports eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) so it can handle Dolby Atmos signals from compatible TVs. And unlike the Beam, it packs upward-firing speakers to more convincingly and effectively deliver Atmos content. In short, it delivers one of the most convincing Atmos presentations of any soundbar we’ve heard.
Should you buy the Arc?
If you want a big and convincing surround sound performance for a bit less money than the Arc Ultra, plus all the usual Sonos functionality built-in, the original Arc could be for you.
The Sonos Sub can be added for more grunt (although we don't feel it necessary) and other Sonos speakers like the Era 300 and Era 100 can be used as dedicated surrounds if you wish. The Arc can also pass audio from itself to the Sonos Ace headphones (but not the newer Ace Ultra) in a feature called TV Audio Swap (this feature has since been extended to certain other Sonos soundbars).
Is it the best soundbar for its price?
At one point, certainly, but now it's been comprehensively outclassed by the Arc Ultra. You can still pick it up discounted, but given how old it is, you would be better off spending a little more on the Arc Ultra, or going for a package like the Samsung HW-Q990H.
- Read our Sonos Arc review
- Sonos Arc long-term review: the highs and lows
- Read the full Sonos Ace Ultra review and find out about their home cinema features
Sonos Ray
Should you buy the Sonos Ray?
If your budget doesn't stretch to any of the above options, you could opt for the Sonos Ray. At just £279 / $279 / AU$399, it's Sonos' most affordable soundbar ever.
We're not used to seeing Sonos compete at the budget end of the market, and unfortunately, its inexperience shows. Because while the Ray is an assertive, punchy soundbar, our review unit initially struggled with an annoying bass buzz at the lower end of the frequency range. It's a shame, but it has since been rectified via a firmware update.
Other than that, the Ray is an enticing prospect. Despite its small dimensions, its sound is admirably room-filling, with excellent vocal clarity and a detailed high end. Compromises? There's no HDMI socket, no Dolby Atmos and no Bluetooth. But it does fit seamlessly into the Sonos ecosystem, partnering wirelessly with other Sonos speakers to create a full home cinema package.
Should you buy the Sonos Ray?
If you want help making dialogue more intelligible while boosting your overall TV sound without spending too much, then quite possibly. We initially gave it three stars out of five because of that buzzing sound – since it was fixed, we upped that score to four.
Is it the best soundbar for its price?
No. The Sony HT-S2000 launched at a lower price than the Ray. While the Ray has since fallen lower, the Sony is worth its price in gold – its simple plug-and-play functionality, solid dynamics and clear dialogue make it a steal.
- Read the full Sonos Ray review
Sonos Sub Mini
Should you buy the Sonos Sub Mini?
Unveiled in September 2022, the Sub Mini aims to bring a serious slug of bass to even the smallest of rooms. Despite its compact size – it's just 30.5cm tall – the Sub Mini packs in a pair of 6-inch woofers powered by a class-D amplifier. The result? A claimed low-frequency response down to to 25 Hz. We rated it four stars, praising its snappy delivery.
Should you buy the Sonos Sub Mini?
The Sub Mini delivers on Sonos’ aim to bring a big sound to small spaces with a carefully controlled and quick performance that can combine easily with a variety of the brand’s speakers. It’s with the Beam Gen 2 that Sub Mini gives its best performance, and we’d avoid pairing it with the Ray. But ultimately, if you have a budget of around £1000 / $1000 / AU$1500 to spend on a soundbar system, a solo Arc Ultra will deliver a more cinematic experience.
Is the Sonos Sub Mini the best sub at this price?
It’s not remarkably detailed or tonally sophisticated but it unlocks more scale and depth from film soundtracks and music and does so, on the whole, without drawing attention to itself. At £429 / $429 / AU$699, it's both pricey and of limited appeal. We'd suggest that you peruse our guide to the best subwoofers before cracking open your piggybank.
- Read our Sonos Sub Mini review
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