An entry-level Dolby Atmos soundbar is, in theory, a great proposition. It means you can bring an immersive yet precise experience to movies at home, while not taking up your whole living room with AV kit. That’s not to mention their more affordable price tag compared to a multi-room speaker system is quite the boon.
There is a huge variety in the types of models you can choose, from small single bars to complete soundbar systems. And it is an example of each that we have before us today.
That will rightly lead you to ask: which model should I buy? Well, don’t worry too much, because we’ve compared both models side by side to help you decide which one is worthy of your home set-up.
Hisense AX5125H vs Sonos Beam Gen 2
As we mentioned, the Hisense AX5125H is the cheaper option of the two. It comes in at £249 / $350 (around AU$500), which is quite the bargain considering you get a main soundbar, a subwoofer and two small wireless surround speakers.
This makes it the most affordable soundbar package we have ever had in our test room.
The Sonos Beam Gen 2, despite being just a single soundbar, launched at £449 / $449 / AU$649. We have occasionally seen it drop down to around £349 / $399 / AU$700 during sales events, but it has stuck pretty close to its launch price since it came out.
That still means the Hisense model is the clear winner here, costing £200 / $100 (around AU$200) less than the Beam.
**Winner: Hisense AX5125H**
Hisense AX5125H vs Sonos Beam Gen 2: build
When it comes to design, the Beam is certainly the simpler of the two, with its all-in-one bar measuring 7 x 65 x 10cm (hwd).
It has quite a stylish yet compact design, sporting rounded ends with a perforated polycarbonate grille facing the listener. There are two colour finishes available – white and black.
On top of the Beam’s body are touch-sensitive buttons, LEDs, and far-field mics for voice control of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Hisense’s main soundbar is a fair bit longer, measuring 6 x 92 x 9cm (hwd), and is only available in black.
While the Hisense is longer than the Sonos, both main soundbars are compact enough to sit on most furniture and in front of most TVs without blocking their display, but not so small as to look insubstantial.
Hisense’s wireless subwoofer comes in at 29 x 21 x 30cm, and the surrounds measure 14 x 9 x 11cm each. Each bit of kit with the package model has a little more of a dull overall look than the Sonos, but nothing feels or looks cheap.
Unlike the Beam, there’s an LED display on the front of the Hisense soundbar, which is a pleasant surprise at this price and delivers information such as the input, sound preset and surround mode selected, as well as volume level.
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 does not come with a remote control, but it can be operated via the Sonos app and the TV remote.
With the AX5125H, there is no dedicated app to control the product. Instead, we get a remote that feels fairly basic and plasticky, as you would probably expect, but it does the job well enough. From here, you can turn on Bluetooth, change the output, adjust the volume, bass and treble levels, and dim the soundbar’s display.
Both soundbars are practical and easy to set up, but which one you prefer will be down to whether you are short on space or want more kit for your money. Hisense just takes it, however, for its handy LED display.
**Winner: Hisense AX5125H*
Hisense AX5125H vs Sonos Beam Gen 2: features
Under the hood of the Sonos, you will find one central tweeter and four elliptical mid-woofers, each powered by Class D amplifiers.
The 5.0 bar contrasts with Hisense’s 5.1.2-channel configuration. That consists of three front-firing channels and a driver in each surround for the ‘five’, one big driver in the sub for the ‘one’, and two up-firing drivers in the soundbar for the ‘two’.
At the back of the Sonos bar, you will find sockets for power, ethernet, and a single HDMI eARC as well as a connect/reset push button.
You will find more connectivity with the Hisense AX5125H, which offers a dedicated HDMI input. Passthrough is limited to 60Hz, so there’s no support for 4K/120Hz gaming signals, but any passthrough functionality at this level is a bonus, especially since the Beam does not have it.
Both soundbars support Dolby Atmos, but the Hisense AX5125H also supports DTS:X. That’s a big tick for movie fans looking for more options when it comes to surround sound technology.
The Sonos bar can be controlled by the Sonos app, which acts as a hub for the product. From here, you can access EQ controls and more advanced sound settings.
The app also offers room calibration to fine-tune the sound to your space, but it's worth noting that the Beam's calibration requires an iOS device – Android devices aren't compatible.
The Beam does not offer any separate sound modes, whereas the Hisense gives you a variety of presets to choose from: Movie, Music, Game, News and Sport. While it defaults to the AI setting, we settle on Movies for movies and TV shows, and Music for Music, after much testing.
For its offering as a complete system rather than a solo bar, as well as its DTS:X support, the Hisense model takes the crown for this category.
**Winner: Hisense AX5125H**
Hisense AX5125H vs Sonos Beam Gen 2: sound
Now for the juicy part: how do the two models compare when it comes to audio quality? Here, both the Hisense AX5125H and the Sonos Beam Gen 2 are quite different.
Hisense’s model produces an enveloping yet cohesive overall sound that delivers a more immersive soundstage than the Beam Gen 2, thanks to its separate satellite surrounds.
When watching Civil War in our test room, we note: “Bullets whizz from the front to the back of the room and even behind the listening position, helicopters hover at ceiling height, and distant explosions rumble menacingly.”
The bass delivered by the subwoofer is impressive considering the soundbar’s cost, with explosions and deep gunfire having a good impact and solidity.
There are frequencies at which the sub gets a little too excited, and it delivers a big thump that sticks out. This is made clear when watching The Batman, as our hero approaches the thugs in the subway tunnel, and one recurring bass note in the soundtrack is reproduced much louder than the others.
With the Sonos, although it is not as room-filling, counters with a more detailed and balanced overall sound that makes for a more authentic listening experience.
It is a particularly solid performer with voices, too, and we say in our review: “Whether it’s a chirping bird, a car or a voice, there’s remarkable consistency across the complete soundfield, and seamless handover between drivers, which we have to say doesn’t always happen when a Dolby Atmos soundbar has upward drivers to contend with.”
This is stronger than the Hisense’s performance in this area. We find with the AX5125H that while voices sound natural and pretty emotive, the busiest, bassiest sections cause them to become a touch muffled.
Unlike a lot of models at this level, both perform well with music, although the Hisense doesn’t quite match Sonos’ abilities.
The Sonos Beam’s strong vocal performance continues to shine with music, and keeps a good cohesion between the different frequencies.
When playing Tool’s Invincible with the Hisense, it manages to deliver some of the subtle warble in Maynard James Keenan’s vocals. But even at its lowest volume level, the subwoofer can’t resist interjecting slightly rudely at times and adding bass notes that stick out awkwardly.
It’s hard to pick out a clear winner here, as it really depends on what you are looking for. If you want a soundbar that offers clarity, detail and sophistication, then the Beam Gen 2 is a great pick. But if you are on the hunt for a genuinely room-filling, three-dimensional Atmos effect with a bassy sound to boot, then the Hisense model is the better choice.
**Winner: draw**
Hisense AX5125H vs Sonos Beam Gen 2
Both the Hisense AX5125H and the Sonos Beam Gen 2 are top five-star soundbars that will suit your home cinema setup if you are on the hunt for Dolby Atmos without a hefty price tag.
Sonos’ model delivers a more controlled overall performance with an excellent sense of precision and finesse that the Hisense system can't match.
But the AX5125H offers a more immersive soundstage with excellent Atmos presentation thanks to the extra surrounds and subwoofer. Plus, its more affordable price tag is a great choice for those on a budget.
We’re all tied up, folks.
**Overall winner: draw**
MORE:
These are the best Dolby Atmos soundbars right now
Check out our review of the Hisense AX5125H
And here are the best budget soundbars
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