Sonos Beam: The Ultimate Compact Smart Speaker for Your Home

The Sonos Beam is a highly anticipated addition to the Sonos family of smart speakers. As a compact and sleek device, it’s designed to provide an immersive audio experience while seamlessly integrating with your existing smart home ecosystem.

Design and Build Quality

The Sonos Beam boasts a slim and elegant design that will fit perfectly on any shelf or table. Measuring just 6.5 inches in length and weighing only 4.3 pounds, it’s incredibly compact without sacrificing sound quality. The device features a high-quality glass top and aluminum frame, giving it a premium feel.

Sound Quality

The Sonos Beam is powered by three Class-D amplifiers that drive six 2-inch drivers, producing an impressive 360-degree sound field. This means you’ll enjoy clear and balanced audio from any angle, making it perfect for living rooms or kitchens where speakers are often placed at an angle.

In terms of sound quality, the Sonos Beam delivers surprisingly rich and detailed audio, with a wide frequency response that spans 55Hz to 20kHz. Bass is well-balanced and controlled, while treble is crisp and clear. For a compact speaker, it’s truly impressive.

Smart Speaker Features

The Sonos Beam is more than just a smart speaker – it’s an intelligent hub for your home. With built-in support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, you can control the device with voice commands, ask questions, or access a vast range of skills and integrations.

One notable feature is the ability to pair multiple Sonos speakers together to create a multi-room audio setup. This allows you to seamlessly switch between rooms, adjust volume levels, and even use the Beam as a “wireless” subwoofer for larger spaces.

Integration with Other Smart Devices

The Sonos Beam integrates smoothly with other smart devices in your home, including lights, thermostats, security cameras, and more. This means you can control multiple aspects of your smart home ecosystem with just your voice or through the Sonos app.

Smart TV Integration

One unique feature of the Sonos Beam is its seamless integration with Smart TVs from various manufacturers. Using HDMI-ARC (Audio Return Channel), the device can automatically adjust audio settings to match your TV’s output, providing a hassle-free experience for movie nights and sports events.

Alexa and Google Assistant

The Sonos Beam supports both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, offering two distinct voice assistants to choose from. Both platforms provide access to thousands of skills and integrations, allowing you to control smart devices, play music, set alarms, and more.

While there’s no dedicated Siri support for the Sonos Beam (at least not yet), Apple users can still use AirPlay 2 to stream audio from their iPhones or iPads directly to the device.

Smart Home Hub

The Sonos Beam also functions as a smart home hub, allowing you to control multiple devices and scenes with ease. This feature is particularly useful for those who have invested in other smart home platforms like Philips Hue, Nest, or August.

Setup and App Experience

Setting up the Sonos Beam is relatively straightforward, with the Sonos app providing an intuitive interface for configuring speaker settings, updating software, and accessing features. The app also allows you to control multiple speakers at once, making it easy to manage your smart home ecosystem.

Battery Life (Optional)

The optional rechargeable battery provides up to 6 hours of battery life on a single charge, making the Sonos Beam perfect for use in different rooms or areas around the house.

Technical Specifications:

• Dimensions: 6.5 inches x 3.7 inches x 2.5 inches
• Weight: 4.3 pounds
• Drivers: Three Class-D amplifiers driving six 2-inch drivers
• Frequency Response: 55Hz to 20kHz
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (5.1), HDMI-ARC
• Smart Speaker Features: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, AirPlay 2
• Battery Life (Optional): Up to 6 hours
• Colors: White or Black

Conclusion

The Sonos Beam is a versatile and powerful smart speaker that’s perfect for anyone looking to upgrade their home audio experience. With its compact design, impressive sound quality, and seamless integration with other smart devices, it’s an excellent addition to any smart home setup.

While some users may prefer the larger Sonos One or Playbase models, the Beam is ideal for those seeking a more discreet speaker solution that won’t compromise on performance. At $399 (with Amazon Alexa) or $449 (with Google Assistant), the Sonos Beam offers exceptional value for its price.

Comparison to Competitors:

The Sonos Beam faces stiff competition from other smart speakers like the Amazon Echo, Google Home Max, and Apple HomePod. However, its compact design, improved sound quality, and seamless integration with multiple platforms set it apart from the pack.