Sonos Beam Ultra vs Beam (Gen 2): which Dolby Atmos soundbar is better?

Sonos has a new soundbar. The Beam Ultra follows the Award-winning Beam (Gen 2), and adds up-firing drivers, a redesigned centre channel and multiple levels of AI speech enhancement.

But with the Beam (Gen 2) remaining on sale, would you be better off opting for the tried-and-tested older model? Or spending more on the Ultra?

We're here to help you decide. We’ve put both soundbars through their paces in our world-class testing room, so you can see exactly how they compare and which would be right for you.

• Read our Sonos Beam Ultra review

Sonos Beam Ultra vs Beam (Gen 2): tech specs comparison

Sonos Beam Ultra vs Beam (Gen 2): price

Price is likely to be chief among buyers' considerations when eyeing up a new soundbar, so let's kick off with that.

The Sonos Beam Ultra launches at £699 / $699 / AU$1099 when it goes on sale at the end of September. That's £250 / $250 / AU$450 more than the Beam (Gen 2)'s launch price of £449 / $449 / AU$649.

However, the Beam (Gen 2) has been discounted plenty of times in the five years since it launched, and is likely to be again. In days gone by, it has fallen as low as £299, so if you're willing to wait, you could snap up a bargain.

** Winner: Sonos Beam (Gen 2) **

Sonos Beam Ultra vs Beam (Gen 2): design

There's not much to choose between the two 'bars in terms of looks. They both opt for a rectangle-with-curved-corners design, and a perforated grille on the front. The big difference? The Ultra has a perforated grille on the top as well, for the up-firing drivers.

The Beam (Gen 2) has no up-firing drivers, hence no top grille.

The Ultra also has a button on the lip which you press to activate Bluetooth. The Beam (Gen 2) lacks Bluetooth, and so doesn’t have this button.

Both models come in the same black and white finishes as most Sonos devices, which should fit most decors (as well as slot neatly into a Sonos set-up, as long as you're consistent with your choice of colour).

The Ultra is slightly shorter than the Gen 2, which means it's less likely to obscure the bottom part of the TV screen when placed on a cabinet. But at 75cm wide, it is almost 10cm wider than the Gen 2's 65.1cm. It's also very slightly deeper (10.5cm compared to 10cm). Both 'bars weigh the same 2.88kg.

** Winner: Sonos Beam Ultra **

Sonos Beam Ultra vs Beam (Gen 2): features

The big addition over the Beam (Gen 2) is the up-firing drivers, which should provide a more immersive Dolby Atmos experience. The Gen 2 relies on clever processing (AKA "virtualised Dolby Atmos") to provide height effects, and with superb results, as its string of What Hi-Fi? Awards attests.

The extra up-firing drivers give the Ultra a 7.1.2-channel configuration, compared to the Gen 2's 5.1.2.

However, despite the extra drivers, the Ultra still lacks DTS:X support (which is also missing from the Gen 2). This likely won't be a deal-breaker for most people, but it's a shame nonetheless.

Though like many of Sonos' more recent speakers, the Ultra does have Bluetooth, so you can play music on it direct from your phone or tablet. The Beam (Gen 2) lacks this feature.

The Ultra has a USB-C port too, which its predecessor lacks. Plug in the Line-In Adapter (which you have to buy separately) and you can hook up a range of audio sources like a CD player or turntable.

Also new are a redesigned centre channel and four levels of AI Speech Enhancement to help it deliver clearer dialogue (the Gen 2 only had one level).

The Ultra has a newer version of wi-fi (Wi-Fi 6 compared to the Gen 2's Wi-Fi 4), which makes sense, given that its predecessor came out in 2021.

Other than that, their feature sets are the same, with Trueplay, Night Sound and TV Audio Swap with the Sonos Ace (and newer Ace Ultra) headphones.

There is one other thing. On Sonos' comparison table, it says that the Beam Ultra is suitable for rooms up to 23–32.5 m² in size, while the Gen 2 is listed as "up to 250 sq ft" (around 23 m²). So thanks to the addition of the height channels, the Ultra is better suited to filling a slightly larger room with sound than the Gen 2.

** Winner: Sonos Beam Ultra **

Sonos Beam Ultra vs Beam (Gen 2): sound

So what do those up-firing drivers add to the Beam Ultra’s performance? A lot, is the short answer. Sounds are placed with greater precision, with some seeming to land above the listening position – impressive, especially for such a compact 'bar.

The extra drivers also add a tangible sense of height and width. "In No Time To Die, as an onslaught of helicopters moves in from above in pursuit of Bond, the overhead effects go much higher than our TV screen," we wrote in our Sonos Beam Ultra review. "Then, when an army of cars zoom across an open field, the sound extends to the corners of our test room and makes for an even more enveloping experience than the Beam Gen 2 can provide."

Bass, while not class-leading, is still impressive, with the rotation of helicopter blades lent a satisfyingly low-end thrum. Dialogue remains clear and distinct, even with multiple voices talking at once. But it's not as direct-sounding as the Beam (Gen 2), as it doesn't project sound as much into the room. That's the tradeoff of the more precise placement, and it's one we're happy to make.

It's also a very satisfying musical listen. "Listening to Divinize by Rosalia via Qobuz, her expressive vocals and the detail in the instrumentals make for an immediately engaging experience," we noted in our review. "The bass is refined and provides a strong foundation for the track. With the fluttering low-frequency notes delivered with a powerful kick at the beginning of each beat to drive the song forward."

Overall, the Ultra delivers a bigger, weightier, more expansive and more detailed performance than the Beam (Gen 2). Though seeing that it is quite a bit pricier, that's hardly surprising.

For a lot less cash, the Beam (Gen 2) still excels in the sound department, which is part of the reason why keeping it on sale is a wise decision.

"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 doesn’t always happen when a Dolby Atmos soundbar has upward drivers to contend with," we wrote in our Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review.

The soundstage is expansive, and offers "tangible motion, depth and space, which heightens the drama and sense of immersion", we added. It comprehensively outperforms every soundbar in its class, even five years after its launch. That doesn't happen too often.

** Winner: Sonos Beam Ultra **

Sonos Beam Ultra vs Beam (Gen 2): verdict

With more features – including Bluetooth and those all-important up-firing drivers – the Ultra is a real step up from the Beam (Gen 2). It sounds far weightier, more detailed and more precise, though it doesn't project as well into the room as the Gen 2. Still, it's an excellent performance that more than justifies the extra outlay.

But the Beam (Gen 2) remains on sale, which is very welcome indeed. If your room is smaller and/or your budget tighter, it's still a fine choice for anyone looking to upgrade their TV's sonic abilities.

** Winner: Sonos Beam Ultra **

MORE:

Read our Sonos Beam Ultra review

Our Sonos Beam (Gen 2) review

Another comparison: Sonos Beam Ultra vs Arc Ultra

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