Sonos Beam Ultra vs Beam (Gen 2): Which Sonos soundbar is better for you?

Sonos is known for offering some of the best speakers and best soundbars on the market. With that in mind, we’re excited by the recent Beam Ultra launch.

Sonos promises that the Beam Ultra “represents a major step forward in size-defying sound”, but how does it measure up to the Beam (Gen 2)? Is it worth upgrading if you’re sporting the older soundbar?

We’ve compared the specs of the Sonos Beam Ultra to the Beam (Gen 2) and noted the key differences alongside their similarities below. Read on to see what’s new with the Beam Ultra and whether you think it’ll join our best soundbar guide. 

Price and Availability

The Sonos Beam Ultra is currently available for pre-order and will launch alongside the Sonos Ace Ultra at the end of September. The soundbar is available in a choice of two colours (Black and White) and has an RRP of £699.

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In comparison, the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) also comes in a choice between Black or White, but has a cheaper RRP of £499. Plus as it’s been around for a few years, you can also find the Beam (Gen 2) with a decent price cut too.

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Sonos Beam Ultra is fitted with nine drivers

While the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is equipped with a total of five drivers, the Beam Ultra boasts nine drivers. Sonos explains it has added front-facing drivers to make for a “more powerful and dynamic sound in the left, right and centre channels” while the new upward-firing drivers “add height as a third dimension of sound”. 

That’s not to say the Beam (Gen 2) doesn’t sound great. In fact, we concluded that considering its small size, the Beam (Gem 2) sounds “exceptionally good”. Although there are some limitations with its surround sound and bass performance, these can be improved by adding extra Sonos components into the mix. 

However, that’s where the Sonos Beam Ultra takes the lead, as Sonos explains there’s “no need” to pair separate front speakers with the soundbar as it “generates spacious, precise audio”. With that in mind, the Beam Ultra looks set to be a more complete device than the Beam (Gen 2) – though remember we haven’t reviewed the soundbar ourselves, so we can’t verify this just yet.

Sonos Beam Ultra is designed for mid-sized rooms

Sonos explains that the Beam Ultra is designed for mid-sized living rooms between 23 and 32.5 m2. In comparison, the Beam (Gen 2) is designed for rooms up to 250 square feet, which roughly equates to around 23m2 – putting it towards the smaller scale of the Beam Ultra.

That means if you have a larger living room, then you’ll benefit from the Beam Ultra while smaller rooms do better with the more compact Beam (Gen 2). 

Sonos Beam Ultra creates a 7.1.2 surround sound experience

Thanks to its architecture, the Beam Ultra promises to create a genuine 7.1.2 surround sound experience that’s made up of seven crisp ear-level channels, one deep bass and two height channels. The result, according to Sonos, is a detailed and spacious listening experience that’s made possible with Dolby Atmos support.

However, we should disclaim that Dolby Atmos experiences require Dolby Atmos-encoded content and a compatible HDMI eARC connection. 

The Beam (Gen 2) on the other hand creates a 5.1.2 surround sound and also supports Dolby Atmos content too.

Both weigh the same

Despite their prowess, both the Beam Ultra and Beam (Gen 2) weigh just 2.88kg. Both share a similar design too, however the Beam Ultra is slightly lower and 3.9-inches wider than the Gen 2. Plus, as it now sports upward-firing drivers, the Beam Ultra is equipped with an upper grille too.

Either way, both soundbars can either sit comfortably underneath a TV or can be wall mounted.

Early Verdict 

We’ll have to wait until we review the Sonos Beam Ultra to provide a conclusive verdict. However, with the inclusion of upward-firing and front-facing drivers, the Beam Ultra seems like a more complete soundbar that may not require any additional equipment. If you have a larger room and don’t want to splurge on more speakers, then the Sonos Beam Ultra looks like a better option than the Beam (Gen 2).

Having said that, the Beam (Gen 2) is a brilliant and more affordable way to improve your TV’s audio quality – especially if it’s in a smaller room.