29 Oct
Blog

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Review: Improved Immersion

Sonos Beam Gen 1 and Gen 2, stacked vertically.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

RRP $ 449.00

"Dolby Atmos adds a touch of 3D fun to an already excellent soundbar."

advantages

  • Easy adjustment

  • Immersive, room-filling sound

  • Slim design

  • AirPlay 2

disadvantage

  • No HDMI inputs

  • Requires compatible TV for Dolby Atmos

Since debuting in 2018, the Sonos Beam has been one of the best small soundbars you can buy for $ 399, thanks to its great sound, compact and stylish design, easy integration with Sonos' sound platform for the whole house and home its ability to double as a smart speaker for Alexa or Google Assistant.

But in recent years Dolby Atmos – the 3D surround sound format that makes movies and music much more immersive – has become hugely popular, not least due to its acceptance by streaming giants like Netflix, Disney +, Amazon Prime Video, and both Apple TV + as well as Apple Music. This means that most new soundbars, including Sonos' $ 799 flagship Arc soundbar, are now Atmos compatible, and the second generation Beam is no exception.

The new Sonos Beam is more expensive at $ 449. So the questions are whether existing Beam owners should even think about an upgrade and what prospective Beam newbies can expect from it.

A couple of small changes

First things first, before reading this hands-on test, be sure to check out our review of the original Sonos Beam. Sonos made very few changes to the second generation version. From now on, I'll just discuss what these changes are and how they affect the performance of the beam.

I am a fan of the grid. It's much easier to clean and doesn't attract as much dust in the first place.

Some of these changes are relatively minor, such as the decision to replace the fabric speaker grille with one made of rigid plastic. The biggest change is in the sound, which I'll get into in a moment. It's worth noting, however, that while I am discussing the changes Sonos made to the Beam, this is not an attempt to figure out which one is better because, aside from remaining Gen 1 inventory, the second generation Beam is now the only one that you can buy.

What's in the box?

Sonos Beam Gen 2 scope of delivery.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sonos has always been the king of simplicity, and that goes from setup to software to packaging. The new Beam comes in a plain printed, fully recyclable box, and the only plastic you'll find are the two small poly bags that protect the included HDMI cable and optical-to-HDMI adapter. If Sonos finds a way to erase those bags, it will have some of the most sustainable packaging in the business.

In the box you will find the beam, color-coordinated power and HDMI cables, the adapter I mentioned and some printed matter for guarantees, etc.

Great grill

Sonos Beam Gen 2.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

I like the traditional look of cloth grilles on a speaker. But as the owner of two cats, I can confirm that fabric grids are more like dust and fur magnets that have to be cleaned pretty much all the time. I don't know if that was the idea behind Sonos when it decided to replace the fabric grille on the first generation Beam with a perforated plastic version, but I'm a fan. It's much easier to clean and doesn't attract as much dust in the first place at.

Setting up Sonos products has always been remarkably easy. The new beam is even easier.

The white Gen 2 test device Sonos sent me looks great. And if you're a die-hard white product fanatic, this new Beam will go with every other white Sonos speaker you might own, from the Sonos One to the tiny new Roam.

An (even) simpler set-up

Setting up Sonos products has always been remarkably easy. Plug it in, open the Sonos app, tap some settings and press a button or two on the speaker. Two minutes later and that's it. The new beam is even easier to set up thanks to near field communication (NFC) from Sonos. As soon as I put the beam on the wall and started the Sonos S2 app, the app recognized the beam and asked me to complete the setup.

This would have been as easy as tapping my iPhone against the top of the Beam, but my phone case is ridiculously thick (it was designed to be attached to a motorcycle) so that part didn't work. The app cleverly saw that I was having problems and asked if I would like to switch to an audio-based setup. When I said yes, I was asked to hold the phone next to the speaker while the speaker played an encoded audio tone. Five seconds later I was done. I have to give Sonos crazy props – the company just keeps making its products easier to work with.

The connection to my TV was also a breeze. As soon as the HDMI cable is plugged in, the Beam automatically recognizes your television and determines which commands it needs to control. This is especially handy if you choose to use Alexa's TV control capabilities.

Is it atmos?

Sonos Beam Gen 1 and Gen 2, stacked vertically.Sonos Beam Gen 2 (above, in white) and Sonos Beam Gen 1. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Dolby Atmos can be a difficult technology to understand. In an ideal world, we would all buy dedicated 5.1.2 or better home theater systems with at least two ceiling speakers to give us all of the juicy hemispherical sound effects that Atmos is known for. That's not realistic for most of us, which is why Dolby Atmos soundbars have become so popular. With built-in up-firing drivers that radiate sound from the ceiling to our ears, the best Atmos soundbars provide a compelling replacement for the installed ceiling speakers. But here's the thing about Dolby Atmos: thanks to sound virtualization, which uses some very clever tricks to simulate the presence of upward-facing or ceiling-based height channels, it can actually be delivered over just two channels.

With the addition of virtualized surround sound, it's an even more impressive addition to your TV.

How well virtualization works depends on a number of factors, including the size of the soundbar, the number of drivers it can use to create the simulated sound, the size and shape of your room, and even whether you have the soundbar Have turned on on a tabletop or mounted on the wall.

In general, this type of virtualized Atmos sound just can't compete with what you get from dedicated speakers, and the new Beam is no exception. However, Sonos managed to get a surprising amount of additional immersion out of what is exactly the same driver setup as the first-generation Beam under that perforated grille.

Sonos Beam Gen 1 and Gen 2, stacked vertically.Sonos Beam Gen 2 (above, white) and Beam Gen 1. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

To get a feel for the difference between the first and second generation models, I stacked them vertically and played a variety of content by switching the HDMI cable between them. The sound stage of the new beam is significantly wider and when playing Atmos content you get a small but noticeable height effect. The Beam has always outperformed its weight class when it comes to filling a room with great sound, and with the addition of virtualized surround sound, it's an even more impressive addition to your TV.

For fun, I tried the recently remastered classic Top Gun from the 1980s. In fact, those epic dogfight scenes and the iconic opening sequence on board an aircraft carrier sounded fantastic. The Beam still lacks the deep, low-end rumble of sound bars that come with their own subwoofers, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it mimicked a full surround system. Even more surprising is how well this effect carries over to standard 5.1 content.

There have been a couple of occasions when I thought the first generation Beam was providing a bit more understandable dialogue, but the difference was small.

The one port problem

The rear connections of the Sonos Beam Gen 2.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The new Beam has a single HDMI ARC / eARC port for connection to a television. The eARC part is new – it allows HDMI-eARC-enabled TVs to send a high-resolution, lossless 24-bit audio signal to the soundbar, while the first generation Beam was limited to lossy digital audio. That single port wasn't a serious limiting factor for the first-generation Beam, as the speaker couldn't decode more than Dolby 5.1, which meant that every television for the past 15 years could use its full capabilities, even if it meant having an optical- to use HDMI adapter.

But with the Dolby Atmos capabilities of the new beam, this is no longer the case. To hear Dolby Atmos from the new Beam, your TV must also support Dolby Atmos. If you want to hear Dolby Atmos from your other devices (such as streaming boxes, game consoles or Blu-ray players), they must also be connected to the HDMI inputs on your TV. There is simply no other way to transfer Atmos content to the new beam.

If you have a Dolby Atmos TV with lots of HDMI ports, this should work fine. However, if your TV isn't Dolby Atmos compatible, you will never be able to take full advantage of this speaker. Many other Atmos sound bars come with at least one HDMI input so you can connect an Apple TV 4K or a Roku Ultra. This would send the Atmos content straight to the speaker while the video goes to the TV, but that's not an option with the new Beam.

For Dolby Atmos Music, Sonos plans to support this format later this year. It starts with Amazon Music HD, but hopefully other services that offer Atmos Music and lossless music like Tidal and Apple Music will be added soon.

diploma

The Sonos Beam is a little more expensive now, but it's worth it. The additional immersion offered by the speaker's virtualized Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround sound makes an already powerful soundbar for movies and music even better. If you have an Atmos-enabled TV, it's worth upgrading to take advantage of the better sound. Even if your TV isn't Atmos-enabled, the new Beam may offer improved immersion over its predecessor, but the difference will be less noticeable.

Editor's recommendations



30 Sep
Blog

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Review: Improved Immersion

Sonos Beam Gen 1 and Gen 2, stacked vertically.

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

RRP $ 449.00

"Dolby Atmos adds a touch of 3D fun to an already excellent soundbar."

advantages

  • Easy adjustment

  • Immersive, room-filling sound

  • Slim design

  • AirPlay 2

disadvantage

  • No HDMI inputs

  • Requires compatible TV for Dolby Atmos

Since its debut in 2018, the $ 399 Sonos Beam has been one of the best small soundbars you can buy thanks to its great sound, compact and stylish design, easy integration with Sonos' sound platform for the whole house and its ability to double as a smart speaker for Alexa or Google Assistant.

But in recent years, Dolby Atmos – the 3D surround sound format that makes movies and music much more immersive – has become hugely popular, not least due to its acceptance by streaming giants like Netflix, Disney +, Amazon Prime Video, and both Apple TV + as well as Apple Music. This means that most new soundbars, including Sonos' $ 799 flagship Arc soundbar, are now Atmos compatible, and the second generation Beam is no exception.

The new Sonos Beam is more expensive at $ 449. So the questions are whether existing Beam owners should even think about an upgrade and what prospective Beam newbies can expect from it.

A couple of small changes

First things first, before reading this hands-on test, be sure to check out our review of the original Sonos Beam. Sonos made very few changes to the second generation version. From now on, I'll just discuss what these changes are and how they affect the performance of the beam.

I am a fan of the grid. It's much easier to clean and doesn't attract as much dust in the first place.

Some of these changes are relatively minor, such as the decision to replace the fabric speaker grille with one made of rigid plastic. The biggest change is in the sound, which I'll get into in a moment. It's worth noting, however, that while I am discussing the changes Sonos made to the Beam, this is not an attempt to figure out which one is better because, aside from remaining Gen 1 inventory, the second generation Beam is now the only one that you can buy.

What's in the box?

Sonos Beam Gen 2 scope of delivery.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sonos has always been the king of simplicity, and that goes from setup to software to packaging. The new Beam comes in a plain printed, fully recyclable box, and the only plastic you'll find are the two small poly bags that protect the included HDMI cable and optical-to-HDMI adapter. If Sonos finds a way to erase those bags, it will have some of the most sustainable packaging in the business.

In the box you will find the beam, color-coordinated power and HDMI cables, the adapter I mentioned and some printed matter for guarantees, etc.

Great grill

Sonos Beam Gen 2.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

I like the traditional look of cloth grilles on a speaker. But as the owner of two cats, I can confirm that fabric grids are more like dust and fur magnets that have to be cleaned pretty much all the time. I don't know if that was the idea behind Sonos when it decided to replace the fabric grille on the first generation Beam with a perforated plastic version, but I'm a fan. It's much easier to clean and doesn't attract as much dust in the first place at.

Setting up Sonos products has always been remarkably easy. The new beam is even easier.

The white Gen 2 test device Sonos sent me looks great. And if you're a die-hard white product fanatic, this new Beam will go with every other white Sonos speaker you might own, from the Sonos One to the tiny new Roam.

An (even) simpler set-up

Setting up Sonos products has always been remarkably easy. Plug it in, open the Sonos app, tap some settings and press a button or two on the speaker. Two minutes later and that's it. The new beam is even easier to set up thanks to near field communication (NFC) from Sonos. As soon as I put the beam on the wall and started the Sonos S2 app, the app recognized the beam and asked me to complete the setup.

This would have been as easy as tapping my iPhone against the top of the Beam, but my phone case is ridiculously thick (it was designed to be attached to a motorcycle) so that part didn't work. The app cleverly saw that I was having problems and asked if I would like to switch to an audio-based setup. When I said yes, I was asked to hold the phone next to the speaker while the speaker played an encoded audio tone. Five seconds later I was done. I have to give Sonos crazy props – the company just keeps making its products easier to work with.

The connection to my TV was also a breeze. As soon as this HDMI cable is plugged in, the Beam automatically recognizes your television and determines which commands it needs to control. This is especially handy if you choose to use Alexa's TV control capabilities.

Is it atmos?

Sonos Beam Gen 1 and Gen 2, stacked vertically.Sonos Beam Gen 2 (above, in white) and Sonos Beam Gen 1. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Dolby Atmos can be a difficult technology to understand. In an ideal world, we would all buy dedicated 5.1.2 or better home theater systems with at least two ceiling speakers to give us all of the juicy hemispherical sound effects that Atmos is known for. That's not realistic for most of us, which is why Dolby Atmos soundbars have become so popular. With built-in upward-facing drivers that radiate sound from the ceiling to our ears, the best Atmos soundbars provide a compelling replacement for the installed ceiling speakers. But here's the thing about Dolby Atmos: thanks to sound virtualization, which uses some very clever tricks to simulate the presence of upward-facing or ceiling-based height channels, it can actually be delivered over just two channels.

With the addition of virtualized surround sound, it's an even more impressive addition to your TV.

How well virtualization works depends on a number of factors, including the size of the soundbar, the number of drivers it can use to create the simulated sound, the size and shape of your room, and even whether you have the soundbar Have turned on on a tabletop or mounted on the wall.

In general, this type of virtualized Atmos sound just can't compete with what you get from dedicated speakers, and the new Beam is no exception. However, Sonos managed to get a surprising amount of additional immersion out of what is exactly the same driver setup as the first-generation Beam under that perforated grille.

Sonos Beam Gen 1 and Gen 2, stacked vertically.Sonos Beam Gen 2 (above, white) and Beam Gen 1. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

To get a feel for the difference between the first and second generation models, I stacked them vertically and played a variety of content by switching the HDMI cable between them. The sound stage of the new beam is significantly wider and when playing Atmos content you get a small but noticeable height effect. The Beam has always outperformed its weight class when it comes to filling a room with great sound, and with the addition of virtualized surround sound, it's an even more impressive addition to your TV.

For fun, I tried the recently remastered classic Top Gun from the 1980s. In fact, those epic dogfight scenes and the iconic opening sequence on board an aircraft carrier sounded fantastic. The Beam still lacks the deep, low-end rumble of sound bars that come with their own subwoofers, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it mimicked a full surround system. Even more surprising is how well this effect carries over to standard 5.1 content.

There have been a couple of occasions when I thought the first generation Beam was providing a bit more understandable dialogue, but the difference was small.

The one port problem

The rear connections of the Sonos Beam Gen 2.Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The new Beam has a single HDMI ARC / eARC port for connection to a television. The eARC part is new – it allows HDMI-eARC-enabled TVs to send a high-resolution, lossless 24-bit audio signal to the soundbar, whereas the first generation Beam was limited to lossy digital audio. That single port wasn't a serious limiting factor for the first-generation Beam, as the speaker couldn't decode more than Dolby 5.1, which meant that every television over the past 15 years could use its full capabilities, even if it meant having an optical- to use HDMI adapter.

But with the Dolby Atmos capabilities of the new beam, this is no longer the case. To hear Dolby Atmos from the new Beam, your TV must also support Dolby Atmos. If you want to hear Dolby Atmos from your other devices (such as streaming boxes, game consoles or Blu-ray players), they must also be connected to the HDMI inputs on your TV. There is simply no other way to transfer Atmos content to the new beam.

If you have a Dolby Atmos TV with lots of HDMI ports, this should work fine. However, if your TV isn't Dolby Atmos compatible, you will never be able to take full advantage of this speaker. Many other Atmos sound bars come with at least one HDMI input so you can connect an Apple TV 4K or a Roku Ultra. This would send the Atmos content straight to the speaker while the video goes to the TV, but that's not an option with the new Beam.

For Dolby Atmos Music, Sonos plans to support this format later this year. It starts with Amazon Music HD, but hopefully other services that offer Atmos Music and lossless music like Tidal and Apple Music will be added soon.

diploma

The Sonos Beam is a little more expensive now, but it's worth it. The additional immersion offered by the speaker's virtualized Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround sound makes an already powerful soundbar for movies and music even better. If you have an Atmos-enabled TV, it's worth upgrading to take advantage of the better sound. Even if your TV isn't Atmos-enabled, the new Beam may offer improved immersion over its predecessor, but the difference will be less noticeable.

Editor's recommendations



06 Apr
Blog

Sonos Roam Review: Tiny Speaker, Huge Value

Sonos Roam

"This magical little speaker could do for Sonos what the iPod did for Apple."

  • Excellent design

  • Lightweight and portable

  • Completely waterproof and dustproof

  • Very good sound for its size

  • Selection of intelligent speaker assistants

  • Wireless charging

  • No Bluetooth stereo pairing

  • Does not work as a speakerphone

  • Less battery life than some other speakers

The $ 399 Sonos Move is a very powerful wireless speaker. When you're at home, it can be connected to the rest of your Sonos gear. Thanks to the built-in microphone, it can act as a smart speaker powered by Google or Alexa. On the go, the Bluetooth radio and 10-hour battery ensure a powerful, portable sound system. Well, maybe not that portable.

As good as the Move is, it will never be a grab-and-go speaker because it's just too big and too heavy. Go out onto the terrace from the living room? Grab the train. Going to the park from the terrace? That’s a different story.

But now we have the Sonos Roam for $ 169. It has all of the features of the Move (and a few more) but is only a fraction of the size, weight, and price of the Move. Is roam a breeze for Sonos fans? Let's try it out.

What's in the box?

Sonos RoamSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sonos has long been a leader in sustainably packaged products, but the Roam is its best performance yet. It even includes a handy label to help you determine which parts can be recycled.

In the small, simply printed cardboard box you will find the Roam, a USB-C charging cable, a printed quick start guide and no reference to plastic or foam.

design

Sonos RoamSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The first thing you notice when you unpack the Sonos Roam is how small it is. Not only is it the smallest Sonos speaker by far, with a hair over 6.5 inches tall, it's also slightly smaller and lighter than many of the Bluetooth speakers it'll compete with, like the $ 120 JBL Flip 5 and the $ 150 Marshall Emberton.

The shape of the roam practically begs you to pick it up and take it with you.

Despite its small size, the Roam's minimalist design is a pure Sonos, regardless of how our test device comes in matte black or matte white.

The Toblerone style triangular shape isn't just for looks. it makes the roam extremely tangible. Point one of the three sides towards the palm of your hand, and your fingers will naturally curl around the curved edges along the other two sides. While the Move's integrated handle always feels a bit risky to grasp, the shape of the Roam practically prompts you to pick it up and take it with you.

The only thing missing is a built-in lanyard option for those times when you need your hands free.

You can stand the Roam vertically or lay it horizontally with the four built-in rubber feet to anchor it securely to your chosen surface.

In any case, the simple elegance of the Roam can be invisibly combined with almost any decor.

Sonos Roam with Sonos MoveSonos Roam (front) and Sonos Move Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The physical controls are also very stealthy – a set of four buttons hidden behind a layer of rubber on the top, barely hinted at by their slightly raised icons. From a distance they disappear completely.

The loudspeaker grille with its thousands of tiny perforations fits seamlessly into the body of the Roam. It looks like it could be badly dented, but behind that thin layer is a much tougher hexagonal grille that gives the grille an impressive level of rigidity.

Two tiny LED lights hidden behind the grille indicate the status of the speaker: one light shows whether you are in WiFi or Bluetooth mode, and one that shows the charge level of the battery. A third light next to the microphone button indicates when the microphone is active. According to Sonos, this cable is permanently connected to the microphone circuit. When the lights are off, you can be sure that no one is listening.

Sonos RoamSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

On the back is the USB-C charging port and a small power switch that is also used for Bluetooth pairing. When you're at home, it's a good idea to keep the Roam plugged in so it's always ready to play your music. However, if you're likely to move it around a lot, you should take advantage of wireless charging.

Sonos sells a custom Qi charger for $ 50 that is shaped to fit the bottom of the Roam and stays magnetically locked until you need it. However, I did not receive a charger to test. Not that it matters – any Qi charging mat does the job, and I found it very easy to just let the Roam sit on one when I wasn't carting it around.

Setup and configuration

If you're a Sonos owner, I don't have to tell you how easy it is to set up the company's wireless speakers. A few taps of your finger on the Sonos app, a few keystrokes on the speaker and less than two minutes later you are done. With the Roam, Sonos has made this process even easier.

Every technical product should be this easy to configure.

After you've connected the Roam to a power source using the supplied USB-C cable (or wireless charger) and opened the Sonos S2 app, the app will automatically prompt you to set up the speaker. It's very similar to how Apple's AirPods prompt you when you first open the charging case.

The next step is to tap the back of your phone against the back of the Roam. This should allow the speaker's NFC sensor to detect your phone for the process to complete.

Unfortunately, this didn't work with my iPhone 11, but after two failed attempts, the Sonos app offered another solution: the Roam gave a beep that was picked up by the iPhone microphone and the setup completed automatically, including adding the Roam to my Wi-Fi network. No buttons to press and no passwords to enter. Every technical product should be this easy to configure.

At this point, you can play music through the Sonos app, manage the roam as a single speaker or as part of a group of Sonos products, or stream audio directly to the roam using Apple AirPlay.

However, since the Roam can also act as a smart speaker, you may want to take the extra step of adding it to the Google Home app or the Amazon Alexa app – it only takes a few extra minutes.

Sound quality

Sonos Roam with JBL Flip 5 and Marshall EmbertonJBL Flip 5 (left), Sonos Roam (center) and Marshall Emberton Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

In line with Sonos' reputation for products well above their weight class, the Roam sounds fantastic for such a small speaker.

It delivers a warm yet clear signature with a decent response considering how compact it is.

Indoors, the Roam is an ideal loudspeaker for smaller rooms.

If you have WiFi, you can use the Sonos app to adjust the bass and treble if you want to override the factory EQ – an optimization that's retained even if you switch to Bluetooth.

Indoors, the Roam is an ideal speaker for smaller spaces – such as a bedroom, bathroom or even a kitchen. Outside, it gets loud enough to host a pool party or a backyard gathering. Speaking of volume, the Roam is virtually distortion-free up to its loudest setting, and the speaker housing doesn't hum in an uncomfortable way, which can be the case with lower-quality Bluetooth speakers.

As you turn up the volume settings, the roam keeps the frequencies in balance – until you hit around 75%. Once you exceed this limit, the speaker simply no longer has a low or mid range and uses the high frequencies to reach maximum volume.

There is simply no way a speaker this size can deliver the deep bass or powerful sound of larger devices. However, when you place the roam in a corner – a tried and true way to improve bass response – it's surprising how deep the sound can get.

The roam outshines that JBL Flip 5 However, for clarity and sound quality, it delivers an almost identical signature to the Marshall Emberton.

The Emberton proved to be a little more flexible for outdoor gatherings thanks to its 360-degree speaker pattern, while the Roam is more directional.

In theory, the roam's automatic Trueplay feature will continually adjust the roam's sound depending on where you place it. It works whether you're using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and you won't find it on any other non-Sonos-branded wireless speaker.

In practice, I found it difficult to determine if Auto Trueplay actually made a significant difference. I moved the roam to different indoor and outdoor locations and turned Auto Trueplay on and off to see if I could see it. For the most part, the changes were barely noticeable even when I placed the speaker in places that should have caused a lot of adjustment (like the corner placement mentioned above).

user friendliness

Sonos Roam Top controls

If you've never used the Sonos app and Roam is your first Sonos product, it's time to pamper yourself. It's the best audio streaming software in the world other than none. Not only is it compatible with almost every streaming music source imaginable – over 100 so far – but all of this music is incredibly easy to navigate and find thanks to the universal search function.

The Sonos software is so good that it's reason enough to buy the Roam over any other portable speaker in its price range.

You can create your playlists and favorites that will work independently from the ones you may have already created in your music apps. If you have more than one Sonos speaker, you can control each speaker independently or as a group.

Most other Wi-Fi speakers rely on Apple HomeKit, Google Home, or Amazon Alexa for their multi-room capabilities. However, these cannot affect the extensive range of functions of the Sonos app.

The Sonos software is so good that it's reason enough to buy the Roam over any other portable speaker in its price range.

As with any other Sonos speaker, the controls are as intuitive as possible. The two volume buttons work exactly as expected, while the play / pause button can skip a track forward with a double press or backward with a triple press.

Switching from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth is also very easy. A long press on the small button on the back will put the speaker in bluetooth mode and the Roam will automatically re-pair with the last paired device.

Pairing a second or third device is a little more complicated. You must turn off the bluetooth radio on the currently paired device so that the roam can re-initiate bluetooth pairing. Once the second (or third, etc.) device is paired, you can control which device the Roam is talking to without repeating the pairing process.

Unfortunately, Sonos does not support stereo pairing of its speakers via Bluetooth. To do this, you need to be on your home Wi-Fi network and have a matching set of Sonos speakers. The roam can only be paired with a second roam in stereo, and even a paired set of roams cannot be used as surround speakers for Sonos Arc, Beam, Playbase or Playbar.

And despite the presence of a microphone, you can't use the Roam as a speakerphone – which is a bit confusing given the number of business people likely to pack the Roam in their pockets when traveling.

Smart speaker skills

Sonos RoamSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Sonos Roam is by far the cheapest portable speaker that can also act as a smart speaker – and one of the few where you can choose between Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

It's amazing how easily the roam can hear and respond to your commands

I set it up with the Google Assistant. This process takes about two minutes and requires that you have the Google Assistant app installed on your phone.

Once you're ready, it's amazing how easily the roam can hear and respond to your commands. For fun, I placed the roam at one end of our yard and called "Hey Google" at the other end – about 40 feet away. The Roam heard and answered immediately.

Smart speakers are pretty darn handy and allow you to do everything from managing music playback to organizing your shopping lists to controlling smart home devices like lights and cameras. But smart speakers usually need to stay plugged in, which is why people often buy a Nest Mini or Echo Dot for every room in their home. Since the Roam is completely wireless, it can be used anywhere and will continue to function as a smart speaker as long as it has WiFi.

The Ultimate ears blast and JBL Link Portable can do this too, but they cost $ 10 more than the Roam and they only work with one assistant (Amazon Alexa for the Blast, Google Assistant for the Link Portable).

If freedom of choice is important to you, the Sonos Roam is clearly the best option.

Extras

Sonos RoamSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

What makes the Sonos Roam such a remarkable speaker is its additional features. Some, like wireless charging, Auto Trueplay, AirPlay, and its ability to act as an assistant-free smart speaker are tangible benefits for anyone who buys it.

However, if you have or want to buy other Sonos products, there are other cool features available, such as: B. Sound Swap, which allows you to transfer a Wi-Fi streaming session to and from the Roam by pressing and holding the Play / Pause button. It only works with newer Sonos products like Sonos One, One SL, Beam, Move, and Arc, but it works just fine.

You can also use the Roam's Bluetooth connection as a source for your other Sonos speakers. For example, if you're away from home and using the roam as a bluetooth speaker, when you return home you can open the Sonos app and group your other speakers with the roam, which will then share the roam's BT session with the group.

It's also a great solution for giving guests access to your Sonos system without giving them your WiFi password or forcing them to download and install the Sonos app.

It's also a great solution for streaming songs stored locally on your phone – a feature Sonos offered in its app.

Battery life

With a claimed battery life of 10 hours, the Roam doesn't set any endurance records, especially when you consider that the JBL Flip 5 packs 12 hours and the Marshall Emberton packs 20 hours. On the other hand, the Emberton weighs 40% more than the Roam.

Still, 10 hours is probably more than enough for a day trip. If you need to add more playtime to the Roam, you can always bring a portable battery pack as the Roam (unlike the Move) can be charged from virtually any USB power source.

robustness

Sonos RoamSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

With an IP67 rating, the Roam can handle just about anything you throw at it, from full immersion in water to a sandy day at the beach. That makes it a great companion for pool parties, as long as you're ready to dive in afterwards when it gets kerplunk: The Roam doesn't swim.

However, I am not convinced that the Roam can withstand drops on hard surfaces such as the JBL Flip 5 or Marshall Emberton.

Despite its thin rubber end caps, the body of the Roam is made of unprotected hard plastic that may crack or flake upon direct impact. Care should be taken to prevent this from happening.

Our opinion

Sonos packed so many features into the roam that it is easily the best value for a portable speaker.

Is there a better alternative?

You can find portable speakers with better sound quality, longer battery life, or louder volume, but you won't find one that offers all of the features of the Sonos Roam at all costs – including its more expensive big brother, the Sonos Move.

But if you're willing to forego WiFi, Apple AirPlay, voice commands, and the Sonos ecosystem, you get $ 150 Marshall Emberton sounds just as good and has a 20 hour battery.

If you're willing to forego a selection of voice assistants, Apple AirPlay, and Sonos Ecosystem, get $ 180 UE explosion has longer battery life and 360-degree sound.

How long it will take?

Sonos products are very well built. If you consider protecting IP67 from dust and water, it should last for many years as long as you protect it from severe shock. All Sonos products come with a one-year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes, I can only recommend Sonos Roam if you intend to start a new Sonos system, add it to an existing system, or use it all on your own.

Editor's recommendations




29 Oct
Blog

Bose Smart Soundbar 300 review: Sonos Beam-beater

Bose Smart Soundbar 300

"Packed with features and great sound, it's an investment you won't regret."

  • Expansive and rich sound

  • Either Alexa or Google Assistant

  • Elegant, minimalist design

  • Listen to private headphones

  • AirPlay 2

  • Expensive for a small soundbar

  • Some music services are not supported

  • No Chromecast option for Android

Bose has gradually expanded its portfolio of smart soundbars and its $ 400 Smart soundbar 300 is the newest addition. It's the smallest and most affordable product in the range, but it has most of the features of its more expensive siblings, the Soundbar 500 for $ 550 and the Soundbar 700 for $ 800.

It might be the perfect choice for those with smaller rooms (or just smaller budgets). Is it right for you Let's try it out.

What's in the box?

In a mostly recyclable box (with some foam inserts that you may need to throw away), you get the Smart Soundbar 300, a power cable, an optical cable, a remote control and a quick start guide.

design

Bose Smart Soundbar 300Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Bose's soundbar design philosophy is one that I fully support: these speakers should be heard, not seen. The Smart Soundbar 300 is almost invisible with its completely matt black housing and its extremely flat shape.

It will look like home when I'm in front of virtually every television I can think of.

At just 2.25 inches tall and 27.5 inches wide, it won't block the bottom of your screen and (depending on the design of your TV) you might even be able to place it under the screen between your legs.

But it's also elegant. With clean lines, a button-free exterior, and a wraparound metal grille, it will look like home sitting in front of virtually every television I can think of. The $ 400 Sonos Beam – Bose's closest competitor – is a bit narrower, but also a bit bigger.

In the upper left corner, a small multi-colored LED light strip gives you visual feedback on the status of the speaker. Two white bars indicate a break, a single blue bar indicates Bluetooth and a small red point means mute. It would be cool if Bose used it to display the volume, but unfortunately not that lucky.

If you'd like to mount it on the wall, an optional bracket is available for $ 40.

The connection ports, which include an HDMI-ARC, an optical input, an Ethernet port, an infrared expansion port and a subwoofer output, are located on the rear. We'll discuss how these can be used in a moment.

Setup and connections

Bose Smart Soundbar 300Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

As with the Soundbar 500 and 700, the Smart Soundbar 300 is not just a TV speaker, it's also a wireless smart speaker that can be added to other Bose wireless speakers for a whole house audio solution. For this reason, the Bose Music app is required to set up (and use the non-TV features) (free on iOS and Android). Today, most people likely have a phone or tablet that can run the app. If you don't, consider one of the many soundbar systems that aren't based on Wi-Fi or app control.

The music app makes setup effortless. In a few minutes the soundbar will be connected to your wireless network and you can configure the soundbar 300 with either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, or just skip this step (you can always change it later if you change your mind).

The advantage of connecting the speaker to your TV using the supplied optical cable is that you don't use any of your HDMI connections, which depending on the TV set can be scarce. Since the Soundbar 300 is not compatible with advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS: X (which require HDMI ARC), an optical connection is really all you need.

Usually, using an optical connection means missing out on the HDMI enabled TV control features. Thanks to the infrared heater of the Soundbar 300, you can still use Alexa or Google Assistant to operate TV functions without HDMI. This is a neat trick that the Sonos Beam can't.

Oddly enough, Bose recommends using an HDMI cable, which is more reliable than using infrared. It's not included in the box, however, as most people already have an extra HDMI cable, while optical cables tend to be harder to come by.

The bass connector for wiring a subwoofer is proprietary, so it cannot be used with another company's subwoofer. However, if you're not a fan of cables, it makes more sense to upgrade the low-end of the Soundbar 300 to include Bose wireless subwoofers, which cost $ 400 Bass module 500and the $ 700 Bass module 700. If you want to create a more immersive surround sound atmosphere, the soundbar is compatible with the $ 299 wireless device too Bose surround speakers or $ 500 Bose surround speaker 700.

Streaming music from the Bose Music app over WiFi provides the best sound quality for Android users, but it's not a great music management app (more on this below). Instead, Apple users will be happiest with AirPlay 2, which gives every app on your phone or tablet a direct Wi-Fi connection to the speaker. Spotify subscribers can use the Spotify Connect feature to connect to the speaker from any Spotify app. There is also bluetooth on board which will be the best option for Android users.

Speaking of Bluetooth: The Soundbar 300 has the same Bose SimpleSync technology as the more expensive Soundbar 500 and 700. With SimpleSync you can pair a set of Bose Bluetooth headphones or a Bluetooth speaker with the soundbar and control the volume for the two devices independently of each other . It may work with third party headphones – I tried one set Bowers and Wilkins PX5 Headphones and it worked, if a little out of sync. However, your mileage may vary: The Sony WH-1000XM4 was not recognized by the soundbar.

Sound quality

Bose Smart Soundbar 300Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

If you're looking for room-filling sound, look no further. The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 delivers the goods, whether it's bigger, better sound for movies and TV shows, or just listening to your favorite music.

By default, the speaker's EQ is comfortably neutral and has a good frequency balance that works well with a wide variety of music genres and TV content. Given that soundbars are usually the tool of choice for those looking for a simple home theater upgrade, it's a good thing that you can dramatically increase the bass response using the Music app.

Don't get me wrong, the Soundbar 300 can't deliver the kind of bone-jarring bass a dedicated subwoofer can, but in a smaller space, like a bedroom, it has more than enough oomph to bring even the biggest blockbusters to life .

Not that it has to be confined to a small room – the soundbar can get very loud and does so without distortion.

The result is an impressive feeling that the Sonos Beam cannot quite keep up with.

For voice-heavy music or TV dialogues, the soundbar offers flawless, clear playback. Higher frequencies work freely and have both structure and airiness – an unusual combination, even with more expensive speakers.

I was particularly impressed by the sound stage width of the Soundbar 300. The angled full-range drivers impressively reflect the sound from your side walls in the direction of the display / listening zone and create an impressive feeling that the Sonos Beam cannot quite keep up with. The beam feels warmer and has more resonance when it comes to string instruments like bass or cello, but it's also a more reserved sound. The soundbar 300's dispersion pattern feels much more open.

Dialog enhancement mode is essentially a one-click EQ adjustment that brings higher frequencies to the fore and forces other bands to fade into the background. It's not a substitute for something as specific as the Zvox AV157 TV speaker, but it does go a long way in making cloudy speech easier to spot.

Multiroom audio and music sources

Bose Smart Soundbar 300 and Sonos Beam "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/bose-smart-soundbar-300-00012- 640x640 .jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAABose Smart Soundbar 300 (front) and Sonos Beam Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Bose Smart Soundbar 300 and Sonos Beam "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/bose-smart-soundbar-300-00014- 640x640 .jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAABose Smart Soundbar 300 (right) and Sonos Beam Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Bose Smart Soundbar 300 and Sonos Beam "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/bose-smart-soundbar-300-00013- 640x640 .jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAABose Smart Soundbar 300 (right) and Sonos Beam Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Bose Music app provides an easy way to manage multiple Bose wireless speakers in your home, including the ability to group them for shared or separate playback. It's not perfect – you can't pair stereo speakers or use them as surround to upgrade a soundbar like the 300 – but for most people it provides very good control.

However, this control does not extend very far into streaming music. The app supports a decent selection of music services including Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and SiriusXM. However, there is no consistency. Some services are searchable, others are not, and each has its own interface. There is no way to create playlists with the app. You are therefore dependent on the tools of each service. You can save playlists, albums, and songs as presets, but the app only gives you six presets to work with.

Not only is the Sonos system better, it's orders of magnitude better, with universal search, unlimited favorites, multi-source playlists, and support for every streaming service under the sun.

remote control

Bose Smart Soundbar 300 remote controlSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Smart Soundbar 300 comes with a small and simple infrared remote control. It covers the basics: volume, mute, play / pause, power, and source selection (music, TV, bluetooth). The rubberized surface and the curved back make it easy to hold and use.

The only unusual aspect of this remote control is the ability to use the music app to synchronize the power button function with your TV and / or cable box. When you do this, pressing the power button turns the soundbar and these two other devices on and off.

Voice assistants

Bose Smart Soundbar 300Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

With the Soundbar 300 you can choose Alexa or Google Assistant as your voice. A.I. You can change your mind at any time, but just like a Sonos smart speaker, you can't do both at the same time.

Regardless of which A.I. If you choose, the soundbar's microphones are great at picking up the wake-up words and commands.

The feature you choose determines which features you can use. Here you will find an overview of the advantages of the individual systems. One important consideration for those who want to use their music to control their music: the service you want to control must be supported by the Bose Music app as well as the voice assistant you choose. Otherwise it won't work.

Bose Smart Soundbar 300 appAlthough the Google Assistant works well with YouTube Music, you won't be able to bring up YouTube Music tracks on the soundbar 300 (or currently with Bose smart speakers).

Regardless of which A.I. If you choose, the soundbar's microphones are also great at picking up wake-up words and commands from across the room – no shouting required. A tap on the microphone button gives you complete privacy. I especially like the fact that the LED light strip responds to let you know your wake word has been heard. The Sonos Beam can also confirm wake-up words, but instead uses an audio chirp, which I find more intrusive.

Those who set up Alexa in the soundbar can use Bose's Voice4Video technology, which extends the control and control of Alexa to your TV and cable box – even if those devices are not directly compatible with Alexa. Once configured, you can ask Alexa to turn on the TV and even switch to a specific channel.

I found this feature to be a bit successful. Basic commands like “Alexa, turn on the TV” worked fine, but channel changes were found to be more inconsistent. When I asked Alexa to switch to channel 33, I sometimes saw "333" on the screen. At other times the channel request would be correct, but the channel change itself was not performed. And sometimes it just worked.

It is possible that these glitches are related to my particular TV and cable box combination. However, since I was using HDMI rather than optical, I would have expected more consistency.

Our opinion

The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 is an excellent choice for music and movies in small to medium-sized rooms with an expansive sound and some really innovative additional features.

Is there a better alternative?

If you're looking to build a whole house audio system, the $ 400 Sonos Beam is a better choice. It sounds great and its software platform remains the best in the business for those who want complete control over their music and speakers.

However, if you're really looking for a soundbar that can drastically improve the audio performance of your TV for movies and shows, and do an equally good job with your favorite music, the Bose Smart Soundbar 300 sounds better in my opinion.

How long it will take?

The Bose Smart Soundbar 300 comes with a one-year warranty. Bose has an excellent reputation for making quality products, and I trust the Soundbar 300 will last as long as you need it to be.

Should you buy it?

Yes. While the Bose Smart Soundbar 300 is expensive compared to many other TV speakers, its sound quality, customization, additional features, voice control, and expandability make it an investment you won't regret.

Editor's recommendations




17 Aug
Blog

Pantheone I Speaker Review: Sonos Smarts with Style

Pantheon loudspeaker rating 7

"The Pantheone I is an exceptional speaker for both your eyes and your ears."

  • Excellent audio quality

  • Connected: Bluetooth, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm and AirPlay

  • Unique design

  • Supports high definition audio

  • Easy to use and set up

  • Expensive

  • Imperfect app experience

When I asked the founder of Pantheone about his upcoming networked home speaker system, I saw a passion in him for creating something that many have tried and few have achieved: a home audio system that looks as good as it sounds. I have to take his side – most speaker systems are inherently ugly because they are nothing but functional. Most of the time, we just want to hide them (which is an important factor we consider when checking sound bars, for example).

The Pantheone I is not a speaker that anyone will try to hide. But does it sound like $ 2,200 and does it have the brain we expect in 2020? Let's go through it.

Unpack the giant

I feel bad for the delivery guy who pulled the 60 pound Pantheone box up a flight of stairs to my front door.

It was just as massive as I expected. The speaker itself was secure in foam in one box, in another box, wrapped in plastic, and held together with shipping tape and thick cardboard bumpers. I was kind of horrified at how much packaging was scattered around my living room. That is much. Pantheone won't score any points here on sustainability, but I'll say the product made it all the way to me with no flaws.

You can see the packaging carnage spread from my dining room to my living room. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The first thing you see when you open the inner box is a small zippered pocket that contains two white gloves. I am assuming that it is a "service with white gloves". I found the inclusion of these gloves cute and branded, but also pretty goofy and funny as I have never experienced a white gloved service that I actually had to attend. As silly as they are, I appreciate them as the Pantheone unit can fingerprint and the gloves that came with it were definitely helpful in mitigating this while I got them to their final location.

Aside from being wrapped in foam, the Pantheone comes in a silk-like bag that, while nice to the touch, feels a bit free. It's not that I plan to box this speaker up and take it with me everywhere.

The Pantheone is powered by a standard power cord, but is strangely short for a home speaker. If you don't have electrical outlets in your floor, four feet of cord won't be enough for most people to bring the device to a central location in the living room. We plebeians with only a few sockets per room will most likely need an extension cord. My black speaker also came with a white cord that stands out a lot more than black on my hardwood floors. I wish Pantheone had included both colors in the box to give me more flexibility.

The power connector and the physical on / off switch are located on the underside of the device. Since there is also a touch-sensitive power switch on the top of the device, I'm not entirely sure why this physical switch is needed at all. It might have something to do with the power converter that I'm sure is wrapped up here (since the cable doesn't have a transformer) but that's just my guess.

Physical controls

The Pantheone I is a smart speaker like a Sonos or Amazon Echo. Hence, you need to set up a few minutes to use it. Just like Sonos, this process is thankfully quick and painless. When you turn on the Pantheone, a pleasant voice informs you that it is waiting to pair and downloads the app to get it started. Once downloaded, the Pantheone app will immediately search for the speaker and guide you through a simple process to connect it to your home's WiFi. No more than 30 seconds later, everything is set up and ready to use.

Setup is thankfully quick and painless.

The top gives you basic music controls like volume, play / pause, and skip. However, since there is no screen, you'll have to rely on a second device to broadcast the speaker content (in the same way as Sonos). I rarely use these controls mounted above because you can do everything they can and more from your phone or computer.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Since the buttons don't physically click, a chime will sound every time you press a button to confirm your command. This can get annoying when adjusting the volume as it disrupts the sound of your music. Nitpicky, I know.

Easy on the eyes

A section of a review that deals with the look of a product is pretty unusual to us, but remember: this isn't just a speaker, it's art.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

I've shown the Pantheone to a number of friends and colleagues and received a fairly polarizing series of responses about its design. One of my associate editors called it hideous and refused to spend more than a few seconds looking at it. My wife likes it and thinks that if our house were not designed in a French country house style, but modern or modern, it would look fantastic. One of my co-workers said it looked like alien eggs. Another said it looked "majestic".

The upper speaker array contains a tweeter and midrange driver, while the lower one contains a subwoofer. The same arrangement is repeated on the other side. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

I think they are all correct. Art is meant to be subjective, and what appeals to me may not necessarily appeal to you. I think we can all agree that the Pantheone looks most unusual for a speaker. If you like the lines it draws and can see it in your home, that's all that matters.

App and integration

With Spotify labels all over the Pantheone box and manuals, it's clearly the streaming platform of choice for this speaker. Fortunately, the Spotify experience is fabulous too and is on par with the experience you would expect with Sonos. Regardless of which platform Spotify is open on, you can instantly see that music is being streamed to the Pantheone, and you also have full control of the Spotify platform. Hence, the Spotify experience with this speaker is the best.

Although several other services are supported, their integration is not necessarily as good. TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Apple Music, Tidal, and Napster are all directly supported, but I found that the Tidal experience wasn't that optimized. Unlike Sonos, Tidal doesn't seem to be fully integrated. While you can stream master tracks (which Pantheone supports) by logging into Tidal through the Pantheone app, the Pantheone won't show up as a supported source when using the Tidal app on your phone or computer.

Granted, Sonos doesn't seem as connected to Tidal as it is to Spotify, at least as far as the desktop app is concerned. My Sonos Move doesn't appear as a source in the desktop app, but it does appear in the mobile app. Pantheon does not appear either.

Review of the Pantheon speakers 8 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/pantheone-speaker-review-8-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7The start screen has plenty of room to grow. Up to 8 Pantheone devices can be connected. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Rating of the Pantheon loudspeaker 9 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/pantheone-speaker-review-9-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Easy access to multiple music sources. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Rating of the Pantheon loudspeaker 10 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/pantheone-speaker-review-10-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7The turntable spins while the music is playing, which is cute. Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The Pantheone app gives you access to all offers of a music streaming service. So, if you don't mind using Pantheone's user interface, you have no problem here. However, I have found that whenever you put your phone to sleep, the Pantheone app seems to forget the connection and has to spend a few seconds reconnecting each time. Music continues to play without interruption, but it is not a perfect user experience. In addition, you can only control the volume of the Pantheone I from your phone when the app is open (e.g. from the lock screen as you can when using the Spotify app).

The Pantheone I works with AirPlay, but there is a delay of more than a second when you select a new track, pause a track, or even adjust the volume on your phone. This feels like something that can be ironed out with a firmware update and I hope they do because it's annoying enough that I stopped using AirPlay with the Pantheone at all.

Software is usually the biggest hurdle for companies that even make great hardware to leap successfully. So I'm going to loosen up Pantheone a bit here, especially since this is the company's first product.

The Alexa integration works perfectly. When you speak to him, the lighted upper control buttons will turn dark blue to indicate your voice has been heard and will flicker when starting a command. It's sufficiently visible and better integrated than I've seen on most other Alexa-enabled devices.

There is currently no way to adjust the Pantheone's EQ values ​​to your personal preferences (except for Spotify on mobile devices, when there is a direct connection via a 3.5 mm jack). However, this feature will be available for the app at a later date.

Room-filling noise

If a giant $ 2,200 speaker didn't sound great, we'd have a problem. Fortunately, there is no problem here – the Pantheone produces extraordinary sound. The multi-level driver layout and two-sided design result in a truly wonderful audio projection that transmits rooms through and through with incredible fidelity. While other speakers I've tested require more than one unit to get a strong sense of immersive sound, the Pantheone achieves this from a single monolithic egg.

For a company's first product, the Pantheone is shocking, incredibly good.

Personally, I love the sound quality of professional studio monitors as opposed to the processed sound that can be achieved with more consumer-centric headphones. It is usually more neutral in quality and clean, with even emphasis across the frequency spectrum. With that in mind, the Pantheone is like a pair of fabulous over-ear studio monitors for your entire room. Every detail of every note is clear, beautifully rendered, and danced through your living space.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The highs are beautifully balanced with the mids, and the bass is strong but not overwhelming. High definition audio streams from Tidal highlight the effect. For example, in some songs where the bass is much more important, it will get a boost. In other cases, when it falls behind so as not to overwhelm the other channels. If you've ever wondered how a musician wanted their music to be heard and you trust Tidal to get all this information in their master tracks, then you know the Pantheone stays true to that sound.

If a giant $ 2,200 speaker didn't sound great, we'd have a problem. Fortunately there is no problem here.

Most impressively, the Pantheone maintains a balanced EQ regardless of volume. From soft background music to window-shaking maximum power, I never had the feeling that what I was hearing wasn't exactly perfect as the music was supposed to sound like. This level of control is unusual and extraordinary.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Basically there aren't any other speakers like the Pantheone I, but if we had to compare, we'd immediately look at Sonos, Bose, Amazon, and Bluesound as they are the only other big brands making connected home music solutions. You may also want to consider Phantom, although personally I have no previous experience with their product.

I took a Sonos Move and put it next to the Pantheone to hear the difference in sound quality. I did the same with a bluesound soundbar that I praised for its musical chops. Totally unfair, I know, but I was curious as the Move is considered a great speaker and I liked the bluesound bar.

Side by side, the Pantheone blows them both out of the water – as it should. Where there's a cloudy, cloudy mix where highs, mids, and lows cross on the Sonos, each one was rendered clearly and beautifully on the Pantheone. The bluesound soundbar also didn't achieve the same level of sparkling detail and balance and was much weaker in the lows. It was absolutely not a fair fight, but know that when you throw serious coins at the Pantheone, the price of the system isn't just for looks and connectivity: this thing can really sing.

Our opinion

The Pantheone is incredibly expensive, and that's its biggest flaw. It pains me that the vast majority of those who read this review will never personally experience the audio quality of this speaker because they will never see or hear one in person. Not only is it a beautifully designed speaker aesthetically, but also from an integrated as well as an auditory point of view. For a company's first product, the Pantheone is shocking, incredibly good. We hope the company can make additional products that are more accessible to the average person as it clearly has the capabilities to compete with Sonos' Goliath.

Is there a better alternative?

As I mentioned earlier, there really is no other product like the Pantheone I. There are expensive high-fidelity speakers like the Devialet Phantom that we have looked at in the past that are possibly the closest thing to a direct competitor (though I did haven't personally tested). Or, you can buy a Sonos 5 or the Bose Home Speaker 500, which are much cheaper than the Phantom or the Pantheone but pale compared to the audio quality. But Pantheone markets its speaker as a work of art in addition to a home speaker solution and stands alone in this area.

How long it will take?

The Pantheone I is incredibly well built and made of resin, not traditional plastic. Backed by regular firmware updates and a great 2 year warranty, I expect the Pantheone I to perform wonderfully for years to come.

Should you buy it?

If you can afford to save $ 2,200 on a home speaker solution and your décor matches the Pantheone's unique design, I would emphatically say yes. The Pantheone I is extremely expensive, but I'm confident that you can enjoy it while playing music as well as not playing it.

Editor's recommendations




18 Jun
Blog

Sonos Move Review: A Great Speaker for the Great Outdoors

sonos move review 8

"The Sonos Move can be used anywhere, but is just as happy at home. It may be the only speaker you need."

  • Outstanding build quality

  • Integration with Sonos systems

  • Sounds particularly good outdoors

  • User replaceable battery

  • The Sonos app does not work via Bluetooth

  • Big size, big price

Sonos has been the leading brand for wireless home audio since the company effectively launched the category almost 20 years ago. All this time, however, it has decidedly refused to support Bluetooth wireless connections on its devices.

Only Sonos knows all the reasons why the company has held back, but this chapter is now closed. The company's first truly portable (and Bluetooth-enabled) $ 399 Move is here. The only remaining question is whether the move is worthwhile given the significant investment.

Big but balanced

Hold the Sonos Move by the handle

Sonos products are known for their excellent build quality. Regardless of whether it's a Sonos One SL (formerly Play: 1) or a Sonos Sub, every speaker feels solid and solid. The Sonos Move goes one step further. It weighs 6.6 pounds, making it more than two pounds heavier than a Sonos One and almost twice as heavy as the Ultimate Ears Megablast, a portable speaker with many of the same features.

Thanks to the well-designed integrated handle, you can still carry it from place to place without fear of accidentally dropping it. The included charging station essentially disappears with the move in position, which is ideal and offers additional stability.

Thanks to the handle, you can move the Move from place to place without fear of dropping it.

Not that the move needs it. Despite a rounded base that wants to roll the Move to the side at any time, a low center of gravity and a very grippy rubber floor lets the Move lean at surprisingly precarious angles without falling over. Even if that were the case (I didn't intentionally drop or roll the move), Sonos assures that the speaker will continue to work properly, although no promises have been made to dent the black metal grill. And unlike so many other speakers built for the elements, the Move's understated design still looks great on a coffee table or in a bookcase.

In June 2020, Sonos announced that a new matt white color would be added to the Move's matt black debut. This brings the Move in line with other black and white products from Sonos such as Sonos One SL, Sonos Five and the new Sonos Arc soundbar.

let it Rain

This robustness extends to the Move's ability to deal with the inherently variable outdoor conditions – in fact, this is a large part of the speaker's appeal. With IP56 protection, the Move should be able to withstand deserts and beaches alike, and if you take it to the snowboard terrain park, it should also work well there.

The Sonos move under a tap

I didn't do any of that with the move. Instead, I had a small meeting on the terrace, placed it next to our cats' dusty litter box for 24 hours, and then ran it under a tap to clean it. You would never do that with a normal Sonos speaker, but the Move did it all effortlessly.

Patio power

The ability to survive in the face of water, dust, and occasionally spilled beer is one thing, but a portable speaker must sound like it was built for one thing: great audio. Indoors, the Move is cheap compared to Sonos One or Play: 1. It creates a slightly wider sound stage and the bass is more pronounced, but there is also a corresponding clouding of the mid-range. You would only notice something like this if you place a move right next to one of these other models and then compulsorily switch between them while playing everything from The Offspring to Adele. Of course not that I did.

Take the movement outside and only one thought comes to mind: This thing rocks.

Take the train outside and all other thoughts but one melt away: this thing rocks. Even with a volume of less than 50%, I ran the risk of attracting unwanted attention from neighbors several doors away. The expanded sound stage, which made itself felt in the interior, magically expands further outdoors. We have a pair of Klipsch AWR-650-SM landscape speakers in our garden that are powered by a Sonos amp. You sound fantastic. But if the Move had been available, we could have bought two of them, saved ourselves considerable dough, and found a much more flexible solution for outdoor music. For many people, a single move is more than enough speaker for even the wildest pool parties.

A better battery

I've said it before, but it needs to be repeated: Sonos' decision to make the Move rechargeable lithium-ion battery user replaceable deserves praise. Sonos claims that the cell lasts three years or 900 charges. You can then replace the battery with a new one. The battery is suitable for an alleged duration of 10 hours at medium volume. I think that's pretty accurate, but I had a different experience when the Move was in standby. It was supposed to stay that way for up to 120 hours, but I found it heard an audible tone when I canceled it with a 40% charge remaining that it had to be plugged in after just 12 hours.

On June 16, 2020, with the announcement of the new white color option, Sonos announced that the battery life of the Move would be increased to 11 hours by a software update.

The Move can be charged via USB-C if you don't have the charging station at hand. However, please note the following: Not every USB-C charger works. The move requires a charger that can output one of these three voltage / current combinations: 12 V / 3 A, 15 V / 3 A, 20 V / 2.25 A, and it is highly unlikely to do so with your phone supplied charger is compatible. You don't want to make this discovery in the middle of a road trip. The Move's front LED flashes angry orange to let you know that she's not happy.

Hey google, can you say bluetooth, wifi and airplay 2?

The Sonos Move offers many options: a portable Bluetooth speaker with a battery life of 10 hours, a Wi-Fi speaker with AirPlay 2 and a smart speaker with Alex or Google Assistant on board. The move makes everyone right. Switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes is as easy as pressing the dedicated mode button on the back of the speaker. Amazingly, Bluetooth sounds very similar to the quality of Wi-Fi, which proves that the biggest factor in the perceived sound quality of the speakers is not necessarily the source.

I still preferred to listen over Wi-Fi indoors, but frankly it's more than sufficient in places where Bluetooth is needed. Sonos claims that the Bluetooth wireless range is excellent on the go, and while this is true outside, it also had trouble staying connected to my phone indoors as I was in our multi-tier home, as in other BT products that I tested, say we didn't like being separated by more than one floor.

Sonos needs to find a way for the Sonos app to maintain operational control over the move in Bluetooth mode. It's not right to start a third-party app like Spotify, Apple Music or Tidal just because I'm not at home. I like the experience with the Sonos app and hope that one day it will be the only experience I need, regardless of the color of my wireless connection.

I had some difficulty installing the Google Assistant setup on the go, but I feel like I've already used GA for another Sonos product in my home. If you completely remove GA from the system and add it back in, everything will work properly. As soon as Google was operational, it ran perfectly and responded to all of my commands. "Hey Google, how do I make a mojito?" on the specific, "Hey Google, play Los Lobos in the living room", very quickly. The microphone array on the Move has so far proven to be more sensitive than that of the Sonos One. It picked up my orders in quiet speaking throughout the room and even whispered when it was only a few meters away.

Is it really trueplay?

The same microphone array is responsible for one of the more fascinating functions of the Move: Auto Trueplay or the ability to optimize your own EQ settings based on the location of the speaker. In last August's Sonos demo, a speaker moved the move from a wide-open living room to a tiny storage compartment, and in fact Auto Trueplay has adjusted to improve the sound.

I may not have made the move sound as extreme as I did in the demo, but I haven't noticed many EQ adjustments from place to place. I wondered if Auto Trueplay could only be as effective with its dependence on local acoustic feedback as Trueplay from a smartphone microphone outside the speaker. Unfortunately there is no way to test this. If you disable Auto Trueplay on the Move, you won't get manual Trueplay as an option.

Our opinion

At $ 399, the Sonos Move isn't as cheap as some would have liked for the company's first Bluetooth speaker. It lacks some Bluetooth gadgets like a speakerphone and Bluetooth stereo paring, and you can't use the Sonos app in Bluetooth mode. It only sounds a little better indoors than a Sonos One SL for $ 170.

With its ability to fill any garden or pool party with music, the easy switch between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and the practical integration of smart speakers, it is the ideal companion for some Sonos fans and possibly the only Sonos product that does so you need .

Is there a better alternative?

The number of portable, smart, weatherproof speakers that can work on both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi networks is gradually increasing. Many of them are cheaper than the Sonos Move for $ 399. Of these, the Bose portable home speaker for $ 349 is the closest in design and features. It's not quite as powerful as the Move, but it's a bit lighter and its handle makes it a better companion for longer hikes. Here's our head-to-head comparison of these two excellent portable devices. However, none of these competitors can connect to a Sonos system. This makes the Move unique for Sonos owners.

How long it will take?

All Sonos products come with a one-year warranty. However, this is not an indicator of longevity. Sonos speakers have always shown impressive build quality, and the company goes to great lengths to test its products for durability. We believe that the Sonos Move, with its user-replaceable battery and first-class construction, has an excellent lifespan.

Should you buy it

Yes. The Sonos Move delivers great portable sound in a package that survives almost anything you can throw at it.

Editor's recommendations




04 Jun
Blog

Sonos Arc Review: A Solid Soundbar For The Dolby Atmos Era

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos soundbar

"With Dolby Atmos and Voice A.I., the Sonos Arc is the Swiss Army knife for sound bars."

  • Excellent surround sound

  • Simple and easy setup

  • Decent Dolby Atmos from a single speaker

  • Choice of Alexa or Google Assistant

  • No HDMI inputs

  • Not ideal for all music genres

When Sonos launched its first soundbar, the Playbar for $ 699 in 2013, it received the praise it deserved. As an absolutely simple but somewhat expensive way to give your TV a massive audio upgrade, almost everyone succeeded except one front: Sonos' decision to equip the playbar with a single optical input meant that the playbar would work forever Get away from the growing world of surround formats like Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Atmos – something that reviewers at the time described as a disadvantage of an otherwise excellent product.

Seven years later, Sonos returned to the full-size home theater soundbar arena with the $ 799 Arc, a Dolby Atmos-enabled speaker that shows everything the company has learned since the Playbar debut. Did Sonos push the envelope far enough this time or did he just catch up? Let's take a look.

Beautiful design

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos soundbarSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

I have already said that the best designs in soundbars do not attract any attention at all. After all, your visual focus should be on your TV, not your soundbar.

Whether your primary aesthetic is the reserved Darth Vader or the reserved Stormtrooper, there's a Sonos Arc to suit your taste

However, if you don't draw your eye negatively, it doesn't mean that your soundbar should also be a boring plastic sheet. In a classic Sonos way, the Arc exudes subtle elegance when not partnering with your TV, and almost disappears when it's time to dim the lights and start the show.

I owe this chameleon-like performance to the matt black finish of our test device. It worked for me – but for the first time, Sonos also has a full-size soundbar that you can also buy in matte white. Whether your primary aesthetic is the reserved Darth Vader or the reserved Stormtrooper, there's a Sonos Arc to suit your taste.

The design of the one-piece wrap-around speaker grille, made up of hundreds of tiny holes, gives the Arc the same subtle monolithic look as the company's other latest products, such as Move, Sonos One, One SL, and the updated Sonos Five.

Sonos placed the Arc's touch controls at the top of the soundbar. This seems to be a more logical position than the more cumbersome controls on the Playbar. However, this placement means that if you push the arc fully under your TV, you will have little or no access to these controls. However, this may not matter, because with all Sonos products, you can fully control the speaker from your phone, tablet, or computer.

Just like the Playbar, you can place the Arc in front of your TV where you need at least 2.5 inches of space if you want it to sit just below the screen. It can also be mounted on the wall, but is prepared for a sticker shock: the optional steel bracket costs a whopping $ 80 – a full 10% of the price of the Arc itself.

Limited connectivity

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos soundbarSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sonos prides itself on its commitment to simplicity and the Arc embodies this through its extremely simple setup: a single HDMI ARC / eARC connector on the back of the speaker is all you need to connect it to your TV. Simply plug one end of the included HDMI cable into this connector, the other end into the HDMI ARC / eARC connector on your TV, plug in the power cord, and off you go.

The rest of the setup process is done in the Sonos app. It only takes a few minutes and includes Sonos' Trueplay tuning feature. With Trueplay, Sonos gains an understanding of the acoustics of your room. It can then optimize the Arc's EQ for better music and probably better Dolby Atmos. The problem is that TruePlay is only available for iOS and the microphone is required on an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Android users are out of luck.

Sonos points out that you can borrow an iOS device for TruePlay on your system at any time. However, this seems to be a cold consolation to those who have chosen not to go into Apple's well-kept, walled garden.

Sonos prides itself on its commitment to simplicity and the Arc couldn't be easier to set up and use.

Ironically, Sonos' desire to keep things simple has also caused some inconvenience. HDMI ARC / eARC is a great concept because it allows you to send digital audio and video to your TV while sending your digital audio back to your soundbar or A / V receiver. However, the Sonos Arc uses this connection for itself and only converts it into an audio output.

This is because, unlike almost every modern sound bar on the market, the Arc has no HDMI input. All of your source devices such as game consoles, cable boxes, streaming media devices or Blu-ray players must be connected directly to one of the other HDMI inputs on your TV. This leads to two potential problems.

First, in addition to the HDMI cable required for the Arc, you need to connect one HDMI cable per device to your TV, unless your source device is a stick-style device like a Fire TV Stick. Depending on your home theater installation, this can be difficult.

Second, only a few televisions are supplied with more than four HDMI inputs. Once you've connected the arc, there are only three. If three inputs are not enough, you will need an HDMI switch to convert one of these three into two or more additional connectors.

If you can get by with just three ports (or if your TV initially has more than four) and you don't mind laying a few more HDMI cables, don't think about it. On the other hand, if you were hoping to replace an A / V receiver with six or seven inputs with the Arc, you will need to do some homework before placing your order.

I should note that if your TV doesn't have HDMI ARC, you can use the included optical HDMI adapter, but you won't be able to receive Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD and therefore not Dolby Atmos. Dolby Digital 5.1 will still sound amazing, but it won't use the full range of the Arc.

Sensational surround sound

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos soundbarSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Like any other speaker Sonos makes, the Arc delivers a larger and richer sound than its compact body suggests. Bass – the main ingredient for home theater sound – is remarkably thundering for a sound bar. The uninitiated looks around the room for the subwoofer that is simply not there.

The bow's ability to reproduce dialogues is equally impressive. It is clear and precise even without activating the optional dialog enhancement mode. This is a testament to Sonos' understanding of what television is fun for. You can have the most impressive multi-channel sound system in the world. However, if you don't understand what the actors are saying due to the muddy dialogue, your viewing experience will be significantly affected.

Bass – the main ingredient for home theater sound – is remarkably thundering for a sound bar.

Thanks to its channel drivers with upward height and its phase-controlled loudspeaker arrangement, the Arc also creates an expansive sound stage, which makes it an ideal solution with a loudspeaker for much better TV audio.

Most users use the Arc with Dolby Audio in either 2-channel stereo or 5.1 audio, as these two formats represent the majority of the available streaming and broadcast content. The Arc does an excellent job with both and easily fills larger rooms with expansive, exciting sound.

Dolby Atmos for beginners

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos soundbarSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The same outstanding audio experience also applies to the Arc, Dolby Atmos heading function, but you need to soften your expectations a bit. The Arc uses a pair of upward-facing speakers to bring the treble of a Dolby Atmos soundtrack back into your viewing position. This is the same technique used by all Atmos-enabled sound bars and even some dedicated Atmos speakers.

How effective this system is depends on the geometry of your room. In my basement TV room with 7.5-foot ceilings, I was definitely aware of the heightened sense of 3D space, but it was more of a subtle effect than something that grabs your lapel. There is no visual indicator on the arc to let you know that you are listening to Dolby Atmos. If you are not sure, you will get a quick look at the app.

I tested the Arc's Atmos chops with current action-oriented favorites like Ford vs. Ferrari, Avengers: Endgame and John Wick, Chapter 3: Parabellum. No matter whether it is roaring racing cars, thundering spaceships or ricocheting balls, the Arc can help you to focus on the action.

A warning here: At the moment, the Arc only supports Dolby Atmos, not DTS: X. DTS: X offers Atmos a similarly impressive experience, but is not so well supported by Blu-rays or streaming services. If you still need it, you have to look elsewhere.

Add a sub and surround

I think the Sonos Arc is great on its own, but if you're looking for an even bigger and better sound, you can have it. Sonos allows you to expand the Arc's capabilities by adding a Sonos Sub for $ 699. You can use any matching pair of Sonos speakers as surround satellites – even a pair of Ikea Symfonisk bookshelf speakers for $ 99.

I recommend both upgrades. The Sub will bring the Arc's impressive bass from good to gigantic (and it's the only subwoofer compatible with the Arc), while a pair of surrounds will help the Arc fill in some of the sounds it doesn't quite bounce off can reproduce audio towards you. I've tried a number of Sonos One SLs – which was amazing – but I think any pair of Sonos speakers would give the Arc a helpful boost.

Music performance

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos soundbarSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Soundbars are primarily about delivering better TV audio, but the Arc is not just a soundbar. As a full-fledged Sonos speaker, you get all the advantages of the Sonos system: a brilliant mobile app that gives you complete control over your music sources, your speakers and your entire home if you want to switch to multiroom audio.

If you need your soundbar as the primary music source for double-duty, the Arc can do it. The only limitation is that since the Arc is set to give optimal results for TV audio, it doesn't have the same sound signature as other types of speakers or even other Sonos speakers. The same emphasis on higher frequencies and lower frequencies that provide such convincing film magic does not always go well with all music genres.

Vocal forward tracks from Adele, for example, are definitely improved. Billie Eilish's Bond theme, No Time To Die, is another example of a track that takes advantage of the Arc's theater-inspired acoustics. But jazz standards, classic compositions and even some straightforward pop and rock songs can feel a bit trapped due to a lack of definition in the midrange.

Atmos music

However, my reservation has one limitation: Dolby Atmos Music. Fortunately, Tidal added the ability to stream Dolby Atmos Music from its Apple TV 4K app the same week I spent my time with the Sonos Arc.

Dolby Atmos music on the bow is a joy. Tracks that have been mastered (or remastered) in Atmos Music can give you a completely new appreciation of music, depending on the song. A great example are the classic Riders On The Storm by The Doors. The rain and thunder, which have always felt overwhelming to me when listening to stereo, suddenly become an intimate and essential part of the music. Jim Morrison's already haunting lyrics and vocals get a trembling, ghostly echo after lines like "It's a killer on the go".

I don't know if these elements have always been part of the song or not, but with the combination of Atmos Music and Arc you can't ignore them. Not every Atmos Music title is equally fascinating. However, if you can afford the $ 20 monthly Tidal HiFi subscription level and have a compatible streaming device, I highly recommend it.

AirPlay 2 and voice assistants

Sonos Arc Dolby Atmos soundbarSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Sonos Arc doesn't have Bluetooth – a feature that almost every other soundbar offers – so you can't connect directly from your phone. Instead, you can use Apple's AirPlay 2 technology to connect from your Apple device over WiFi. As much as this frustrates Android users, in practice there is only one situation where there is a problem: playing music that only works on your Android device.

What the Arc offers that no other soundbar (apart from Sonos & # 39; own beam) can offer is the choice of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant as a voice assistant. I've had some issues setting up Google Assistant, but I'm going to attribute this to the beta software I'm using. Alexa worked perfectly.

Having a voice assistant in a soundbar is actually a pretty big deal. Aside from the obvious benefits of a smart speaker (playing music, controlling smart home devices, and getting answers to your questions), you can use various voice commands to turn the TV on and off, since the Arc is connected to your TV via HDMI or off adjust the volume. Your particular TV may support more commands, depending on the model and whether it's compatible with Google Assistant or Alexa.

Our opinion

The Sonos Arc for $ 799 is the home theater upgrade that Sonos fans have been waiting for. It offers great surround sound, a good, if subtle, Dolby Atmos experience, and all the benefits of a smart speaker and Sonos' unique multi-room audio system. Only the lack of HDMI inputs and the slightly degraded music quality prevent it from being a perfect soundbar for the price.

Is there a better alternative?

If you want an Atmos-enabled soundbar with a choice of voice assistants and the ultimate flexibility of Sonos' multiroom audio system, there is simply no second option at all costs.

The Sennheiser Ambeo is a more effective system with a loudspeaker for those who are looking for first-class atmosphere and music. Of course, it's huge and costs $ 2,500. That's even more than the Arc, a Sonos Sub and a pair of Sonos One SLs.

When you're ready to step into multiple speaker units, you can achieve a more compelling Dolby Atmos experience by spending more. Vizio's 5.1.4 system is available for $ 1,000, or you can buy the LG SN11RG for $ 1,700 for even more power. Both also have multiple HDMI inputs.

How long it will take?

Despite the fact that Sonos has recently discontinued support for some older devices, you can expect the Arc to last for years, if not decades. Sonos products are well built and the Arc is no exception.

Should you buy it

Yes. The Sonos Arc is a breeze for Sonos users. It costs $ 100 more than the playbar it replaces, but offers better sound, Dolby Atmos, AirPlay 2, voice assistants, and more. As long as you need to use your TV's HDMI inputs or an HDMI switcher to connect your video sources, the Arc will reward you with excellent home theater audio for less than $ 1,000.

Editor's recommendations