Beam Ultra puts upward-firing drivers in a bar less than 30 inches wide. That's the practical change for someone who liked the size of Beam (Gen 2) but wanted overhead effects with suitable movie soundtracks.
In depth
Sonos Beam Ultra review
Published
Best forA Sonos household that wants clearer speech and height audio from a compact bar.
At a glance
- Channel configuration
- 7.1.2 (Sonos rendered layout)
- Included system
- All-in-one soundbar
- Immersive audio
- Dolby Atmos
- TV connection
- HDMI eARC
Pros
- A discrete center channel and four speech-enhancement levels.
- A compact bar that can take optional Sonos surrounds and a sub later.
Cons
- No separate sub or rear speakers in the standard box.
- A single HDMI eARC connection leaves source switching to the television.
Sound Quality
- Nine drivers
- Two up-firing drivers
- Dolby Atmos
Sonos describes the rendered layout as 7.1.2. That describes what the bar is designed to reproduce, not nine separate speaker enclosures placed around the room. On its black test unit, RTINGS found voices clearly localized but noted that Atmos processing sometimes made dialogue sound a little artificial. I'd try a familiar scene before deciding how much enhancement to apply. 1
Dialogue and Room Tuning
- Four speech levels
- Trueplay
- Night Sound
Use Speech Enhancement if voices are buried under music and effects. Night Sound addresses a different problem by making the jump from quiet conversation to a loud sequence easier to live with. Trueplay takes the room into account, useful after moving the bar or changing the furniture.
Connectivity
- HDMI eARC
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth
The eARC connection brings TV audio back to the bar. Connect a console or disc player to the TV itself since the Beam Ultra has no HDMI source-switching path. With a limited number of TV sockets, count that return-audio port before deciding whether the cabinet can handle another device.
Alternatives
A Beam (Gen 2) owner who mainly watches dialogue-heavy shows may get more from adjusting the setup than from adding height drivers. If the missing ingredient is deep bass, compare adding a compatible Sonos Sub to the existing system with replacing the bar.
Verdict
Beam Ultra is an appealing centerpiece for a modest-size Sonos room. Buy it for its dialogue controls, compact proportions and actual height drivers. Budget separately if you want sound originating behind the sofa.
About this review
This is a research-based review. The Fasit has not physically tested this product.
Sources & Research
1 reference
Independent sources cited in this article.
- RTINGSSonos Beam Ultra review (opens in a new tab)https://www.rtings.com/soundbar/reviews/sonos/beam-ultra
Black standalone sample, speech localization and Atmos dialogue coloration; distinguishes channel classification from Sonos rendering.