By Willie Greer, Founder · Last updated June 14, 2026
Two soundbars sit at the heart of the Sonos lineup, and the gap between them is about $600. The Beam (Gen 2) is the compact, virtual-Atmos bar at roughly $499; the Arc Ultra is the 9.1.4 flagship at roughly $1,099. One quick note before we start, because the search term causes confusion: the original Sonos Arc from 2020 is being discontinued, so the current “Arc” you’d actually buy is the Arc Ultra (2024). That’s the matchup we’ll focus on. The short version — get the Beam for small rooms and tighter budgets, get the Arc Ultra for larger rooms where you want real, physical height effects — but the details decide it.
How we research these picks. We buy and live with soundbars at retail, never as manufacturer loaners. Where we haven’t bench-measured a specific unit, we rank it on the documented consensus of trusted reviewers (RTINGS, What Hi-Fi, TechRadar, Tom’s Guide) and verified long-term owners — labeled as such, never dressed up as our own measurements. Every spec and price below was verified against current listings.
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| ★ Best Premium | Best Value |
|---|---|
| Sonos Arc Ultra | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) |
 |  |
| 9.1.4 flagship with physical up-firing Atmos, Sound Motion bass, and Bluetooth — the best one-box Sonos for medium-to-large rooms. | Compact 5.0 bar with convincing virtual Atmos — the smart pick for small-to-medium rooms and tighter budgets. |
| Check Price | Check Price |
Quick comparison: Beam Gen 2 vs Arc Ultra
| Feature | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) | Sonos Arc Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $499 | $1,099 |
| Channels | 5.0 | 9.1.4 |
| Dolby Atmos | Virtual (no up-firing drivers) | Physical up-firing drivers |
| Drivers | 5 amplified + 3 passive radiators | 14 drivers, 15 Class-D amps |
| Width | 25.6 in (651 mm) | 46.4 in (1,178 mm) |
| HDMI | eARC/ARC (no passthrough) | eARC (no passthrough) |
| Optical input | Yes, via included adapter | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes (Bluetooth 5.3) |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| DTS | DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (no DTS:X) | DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (no DTS:X) |
| Trueplay tuning | iOS only | iOS + Android |
| Best TV / room | Up to ~50–55″, small–medium rooms | 55″+, medium–large rooms |
Sonos Beam (Gen 2): the compact value pick
At 25.6 inches wide, the Beam Gen 2 is built for small and medium rooms and tucks neatly under a 50-inch TV. It’s a 5.0 bar — five amplified drivers plus three passive radiators, no separate subwoofer — and it creates Dolby Atmos through psychoacoustic processing rather than physical up-firing speakers. What reviewers and long-term owners consistently find is that this virtual Atmos is genuinely convincing in smaller spaces, even if it can’t throw sound overhead the way a driver-based system does. Tom’s Guide has repeatedly called it one of the best-sounding bars for small TVs.
It also handles older TVs gracefully: Sonos includes an optical-to-HDMI adapter in the box, so a set without HDMI eARC still works. The main trade-offs owners note are modest standalone bass (it really wants a Sub Mini) and the fact that there are no up-firing drivers and no Bluetooth.
What We Like
- Best-in-class compact footprint — fits almost any setup
- Convincing virtual Atmos for small and medium rooms
- Ships with an optical adapter for older TVs
- Full Sonos ecosystem and easy expansion path
What We Don’t Like
- No physical up-firing drivers — height is simulated
- No Bluetooth audio streaming
- Modest bass until you add a Sub Mini
- Trueplay room tuning is iOS-only
The bottom line: for apartments, bedrooms, and smaller living rooms — or anyone who wants into the Sonos ecosystem for around $499 — the Beam Gen 2 is the smart-money choice, especially paired with a Sub Mini down the line.
- Enrich your entertainment experience with vibrant bass, crystal clear dialogue, and a panoramic soundstage.
- Experience a 3D surround sound effect with Dolby Atmos.
- Stream music, radio, podcasts, and audiobooks from all your favorite services when the TV is off.
Last update on 2026-07-08 at 20:45 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Sonos Arc Ultra: the flagship for bigger rooms
The Arc Ultra is a different class of device. It’s a 9.1.4 bar with 14 drivers and physical up-firing speakers, so its Atmos height effects are real, not simulated. Its headline feature is the new Sound Motion woofer — a compact transducer with four opposing motors that Sonos says delivers roughly double the bass of the original Arc without a bigger cabinet. Reviewers at What Hi-Fi and TechRadar broadly back that up, describing genuinely room-filling low end and a wide, layered soundstage from a single bar.
It’s also the most modern Sonos bar: it’s the first Sonos soundbar with Bluetooth (5.3), it adds Wi-Fi 6, and — notably — it finally brings Trueplay room tuning to Android, not just iOS. The catches are size and price. At 46.4 inches wide it needs a 55-inch-or-larger TV and a console to match, it has no optical input at all (HDMI eARC only), and it’s a $1,099 commitment.
What We Like
- Real, physical up-firing Atmos — true 9.1.4 height
- Sound Motion woofer delivers deep bass without a separate sub
- First Sonos bar with Bluetooth (5.3) streaming
- Android + iOS Trueplay and Wi-Fi 6 future-proofing
What We Don’t Like
- $1,099 — a serious premium over the Beam
- 46.4″ wide; needs a large TV and stand to suit it
- No optical input — HDMI eARC only
- No HDMI passthrough and no DTS:X
The bottom line: if your room and TV are big enough to do it justice, the Arc Ultra is the best one-box soundbar Sonos has ever made — physical Atmos and standalone bass that the Beam simply can’t match.
- All-new acoustic architecture with Sound Motion technology fills every inch of the room and precisely place sounds all...
- Unparalleled 9.1.4 spatial audio experience with Dolby Atmos
- Ultra-clear dialogue plus Speech Enhancement, powered by AI, detects the human voice to clarify every word
Last update on 2026-07-09 at 20:49 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Sound and Atmos: virtual vs physical height
This is the core of the decision. The Beam fakes height with clever processing; the Arc Ultra produces it with dedicated up-firing drivers that bounce sound off your ceiling. In a small room, owners and reviewers consistently report that the Beam’s virtual approach is convincing enough that most people won’t feel shortchanged. Move into a larger, more open space and the difference becomes obvious — the Arc Ultra plants effects above and around you, while the Beam’s processed height flattens out. The Arc Ultra also wins decisively on bass: the Sound Motion woofer gives it real low-end on its own, whereas the Beam needs a Sub Mini to feel full. If overhead immersion and physical bass are the point of the upgrade, that’s exactly where your extra $600 goes. For more on how Atmos actually works, see our explainer on HDMI ARC vs eARC and the bandwidth Atmos needs.
Connectivity and smart features
Both bars connect to the TV over a single HDMI eARC cable and run on the same excellent Sonos app with Alexa and Sonos Voice Control built in. Neither offers HDMI passthrough, so you connect your sources to the TV and run audio back to the bar — standard for Sonos. Two real differences stand out: the Arc Ultra adds Bluetooth 5.3 (a first for a Sonos bar) for direct phone streaming, while the Beam has none; and the Beam includes an optical adapter for older TVs, which the Arc Ultra cannot use at all. On DTS, there’s a common myth to clear up — both support DTS Digital Surround 5.1 (added by firmware back in 2021), but neither supports DTS:X or DTS-HD Master Audio.
Building a full system
Both bars expand the same way: add a wireless Sonos sub (Sub Mini or the full Sub 4) and a pair of Era 100 speakers as rear surrounds. Build a Beam Gen 2 up with a Sub Mini and Era 100 rears and you’re spending Arc Ultra money anyway — which raises a fair question. For pure bass depth and modular flexibility, the Beam-plus-sub route is compelling; for the cleanest single-bar sound and real up-firing height, the Arc Ultra usually wins. With the Arc Ultra, most reviewers suggest stepping up to the Sub 4 rather than the Sub Mini to match its higher output. For the rest of our soundbar coverage, see the best soundbars roundup.
What about the original Sonos Arc?
If you’re cross-shopping the 2020 Arc, note that it’s on the way out — Sonos has moved it to clearance as stock runs down, frequently at a steep discount. It’s a 5.0.2 bar with two up-firing tweeters, so it sits between the Beam and the Arc Ultra: it has physical height (which the Beam lacks) but not the Arc Ultra’s Sound Motion bass, extra channels, Bluetooth, or Android Trueplay. If you find one cheap and have a medium room, it’s a reasonable buy — but the Arc Ultra is materially better, and at MSRP it’s the one to get new.
Which Sonos soundbar should you buy?
| Choose the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if… | Choose the Sonos Arc Ultra if… |
|---|---|
| Your TV is 50″ or smaller | Your TV is 55″ or larger |
| Your room is small to medium | Your room is medium to large or open-plan |
| Your budget is around $500 | You’ll spend $1,099 for the best one-box sound |
| Your TV is older and optical-only | Physical up-firing Atmos is a priority |
| You’ll add a Sub Mini + rears over time | You want deep bass with no separate sub |
| You don’t need Bluetooth on the bar | You want Bluetooth and Android Trueplay |
Put simply: the Beam Gen 2 is the right soundbar for most apartments and small-to-medium living rooms, and it’s the better value. The Arc Ultra is the one to buy when the room is big enough to need real height and bass — and you’re willing to pay for the best single bar Sonos makes. If neither fits, our full best soundbar guide covers picks from other brands too.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sonos Arc Ultra worth it over the Beam Gen 2?
Yes, if you have a larger room and a 55-inch-or-bigger TV. The Arc Ultra adds physical up-firing Atmos, much deeper standalone bass from its Sound Motion woofer, Bluetooth 5.3, and Android Trueplay — none of which the Beam has. In a small room on a tight budget, though, the Beam Gen 2 delivers most of the experience for under half the price.
Does the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) support Dolby Atmos?
Yes, but it’s virtual Atmos. The Beam decodes Dolby Atmos over HDMI eARC and uses psychoacoustic processing to simulate height, since it has no up-firing drivers. Reviewers find it convincing in small and medium rooms, though it can’t match the physical height of the Arc Ultra’s dedicated up-firing speakers.
Can I add a subwoofer to the Beam Gen 2 or Arc Ultra?
Yes, both pair wirelessly with the Sonos Sub Mini or the full Sub 4, and both can add a pair of Era 100 speakers as wireless rear surrounds. For the Arc Ultra, most reviewers recommend the Sub 4 to match its higher output; the Beam pairs very naturally with the smaller Sub Mini.
What is the difference between the Sonos Arc and Arc Ultra?
The Arc Ultra (2024) replaces the original Arc (2020). It steps up from 5.0.2 to 9.1.4 channels, adds the Sound Motion woofer for roughly double the bass, includes Bluetooth 5.3 (a Sonos first), adds Android Trueplay, and moves to Wi-Fi 6. The original Arc is being discontinued and sells at clearance while stock lasts.
Does the Sonos Beam Gen 2 work with older TVs that only have optical?
Yes. The Beam Gen 2 ships with an optical-to-HDMI adapter, so a TV without HDMI eARC still works. The Arc Ultra has no optical input at all and requires HDMI eARC, which makes the Beam the better choice for older TVs.
Does the Sonos Arc Ultra have Bluetooth?
Yes — the Arc Ultra is the first Sonos soundbar with Bluetooth (version 5.3), so you can stream directly from a phone or tablet. The Beam Gen 2 has no Bluetooth and connects over Wi-Fi and HDMI only.
Do the Beam Gen 2 or Arc Ultra support DTS:X?
Neither supports DTS:X or DTS-HD Master Audio. Both do support DTS Digital Surround 5.1, added by a firmware update in 2021. For DTS:X content, set your player to output Dolby or LPCM instead.
Is the Sonos Beam Gen 2 good for a small room or apartment?
Yes — it’s one of the best compact soundbars for small-to-medium spaces. At 25.6 inches wide it fits under TVs up to about 50–55 inches, and it pairs especially well with a Sub Mini in apartments and smaller living rooms.
