I test Sonos soundbars for a living — which is the best one for you?
There's a Sonos for everyone
Sonos' makes some of the best soundbars that you can buy. From the uber-costly but monstrously powerful Arc Ultra to the budget-friendly Ray, there's a Sonos soundbar for almost every budget.
But which soundbar is the best for you, beyond even price? You might not need something as impressive as the large Arc Ultra, even if you can afford it, and you might need something beefier for your larger room than the Ray. Let's break it down.
For a mid-sized room, you'll want...
The Sonos Beam Gen 2
You don't need something massive like the Arc Ultra, and you don't need to spend the extra money. Instead, you should grab the Sonos Beam Gen 2, the middle child of the Sonos range.
You'll still get Dolby Atmos, and you can add in extra surround speakers if you want a more impressive surround experience. The Beam Gen 2 sounds amazing as well, with plenty of bassy wallop for all your movies and TV.
If you want a little extra impact for explosions and other bassy happenings on screen, you might want to grab a subwoofer. I'd suggest the Sonos Sub mini for your bassy fix – it's plenty powerful enough for your mid-sized space.
Buy the setup:
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Bedroom movies do very well with a...
The Sonos Ray
A bedroom doesn't need enormous amounts of Dolby Atmos sound — you want something that sounds good without taking up loads of space. The Sonos Ray fits the bill perfectly.
It sounds great and gives you much more cinematic sound than the speakers built into your TV. You could go a little further with the Beam Gen 2 if your bedroom is slightly larger, but you don't need it for what is likely an occasional TV.
You can always attach a subwoofer if you want some extra bass.
Buy it
You have a large room to fill, so you'll need...
The Sonos Arc Ultra
The Arc Ultra is Sonos' most powerful soundbar, perfect for large spaces. There are 9.1.4 channels of Dolby Atmos goodness here along with some extremely powerful internal amplifiers that go loud enough to shake windows three streets down.
Cranking the volume for large spaces doesn't lead to any amount of sound thinning, giving you the best experience possible. If you want something even bassier and better for the low stuff, you should add a Sonos sub 4 for some truly epic sound.
Buy the setup:
For beginner's Dolby Atmos, you should buy...
Sonos Beam Gen 2 and a pair of Era 100s
The Beam Gen 2 provides solid sound quality on its own, and even does a valiant job with surround sound. If you want even more channels without stretching the budget too much, however, there is a way – grab some Sonos Era 100s.
They act as physical surrounds, pumping sound all around you. It's a wonderful way of getting a bigger sound without taking up loads of space — although it does cost more in the long run.
Buy the setup:
If you want the ultimate Dolby Atmos experience, you should buy...
Sonos Arc Ultra, a subwoofer and a pair of Era 300s
The Sonos Arc Ultra already pumps out some massive Dolby Atmos sound, but there's always a way to make it even better. Case in (very expensive) point — adding in a pair of Era 300s and a massive subwoofer.
The Era 300s are already good at Spatial Audio on their own, so add them to the soundbar and you've got the Dolby Atmos envy of all but the most invested home theater buffs. The subwoofer brings even more low-end punch for the movies experience of a life time. If you can stomach the cost, of course.
Buy the setup:
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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.
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