The sonos beam is the best sonos soundbar as it offers a smaller design and was specially tuned by sound engineers. Plus, it allows for the expansion of a multi-room streaming system.
In the world of sonos soundbars, there are three popular options to choose from: the sonos playbar, sonos beam, and sonos playbase. Each soundbar has its strengths and features that make it unique. However, when it comes to the best sonos soundbar, the sonos beam takes the crown.
With its compact design and expert sound engineering, the sonos beam is a versatile option that can be easily integrated into any living space. Moreover, its ability to expand into a multi-room streaming system makes it the top choice for audio enthusiasts.

Credit: thehometheaterdiy.com
Features And Design Comparison
Discover the best sonos soundbar for your home theater setup with this features and design comparison of the sonos playbar, beam, and playbase. Find out which one offers the perfect balance of size, sound quality, and multi-room streaming capabilities.
Sonos Playbar
Description And Key Features:
- The sonos playbar is a premium soundbar that offers immersive sound and a sleek design.
- Key features of the playbar include nine amplified speakers for rich and powerful sound, the ability to wirelessly connect to other sonos speakers for a multi-room audio experience, and compatibility with various streaming services.
Design Overview:
- The playbar features a slim and simple design that seamlessly complements any tv setup.
- It can be placed on a tv stand or mounted on the wall to save space.
- The all-black design is elegant and blends well with any decor.
Pros And Cons:
Pros:
- Powerful and immersive sound quality.
- Ability to create a surround sound experience with other sonos speakers.
- Sleek and stylish design.
Cons:
- Limited connectivity options (only one optical audio input).
- Lack of hdmi connectivity.
Sonos Beam
Description And Key Features:
- The sonos beam is a compact soundbar that offers great sound quality and smart features.
- Key features of the beam include built-in voice control with amazon alexa, hdmi arc connectivity for easy setup with your tv, and the ability to stream music, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.
Design Overview:
- The beam has a smaller footprint compared to the playbar, making it suitable for smaller spaces.
- It features a minimalist design with a fabric grille that gives it a modern and stylish look.
- The beam can be placed on a tv stand or mounted on the wall.
Pros And Cons:
Pros:
- Compact size and sleek design.
- Built-in voice control with amazon alexa.
- Hdmi arc connectivity for seamless integration with your tv.
Cons:
- Less powerful sound compared to the playbar.
- Limited bass response due to its compact size.
Sonos Playbase
Description And Key Features:
- The sonos playbase is a soundbar that doubles as a tv stand, providing both immersive sound and a sturdy base for your tv.
- Key features of the playbase include a wide soundstage for cinematic audio, compatibility with popular streaming services, and the ability to connect wirelessly to other sonos speakers.
Design Overview:
- The playbase has a unique design that allows it to sit discreetly under your tv, effectively replacing your tv stand.
- It has a low-profile design with a sleek and minimalist look.
- The playbase is available in black or white, allowing you to choose the option that best matches your tv.
Pros And Cons:
Pros:
- Integrates seamlessly with your tv setup.
- Wide and immersive soundstage.
- Can support up to 77 pounds in weight.
Cons:
- Limited compatibility with larger tvs.
- Higher price compared to the playbar and beam.
The sonos playbar, beam, and playbase each have their own unique features and designs. The playbar offers powerful sound and a simple design, while the beam is compact and features built-in voice control. The playbase doubles as a tv stand and provides a wide soundstage.
Choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences to enhance your home theater experience.
Sound Quality Comparison
Discover which sonos soundbar reigns supreme in sound quality with this comparison of the sonos playbar, beam, and playbase. Find out which model delivers the best sound experience for your entertainment setup without compromising on style or functionality.
Sonos Playbar
The sonos playbar is a powerful soundbar that delivers exceptional sound performance and clarity. Here are some key points to consider:
- Sound performance and clarity: The playbar delivers rich, immersive sound with crystal-clear clarity. Whether you’re watching a movie or listening to music, you’ll experience every detail with precision.
- Bass quality and depth: With a built-in woofer, the playbar produces deep and impactful bass. You’ll feel the rumble of explosions and the thump of bass-heavy tracks.
- Surround sound capabilities: The playbar is designed to create a surround sound experience without the need for additional speakers. It uses advanced technology to simulate the effect of rear speakers, immersing you in a 3d audio environment.
Sonos Beam
The sonos beam is a compact soundbar that excels in sound performance and clarity. Here’s what you need to know:
- Sound performance and clarity: The beam delivers impressive sound quality, with clear vocals and detailed sound reproduction. It’s designed to enhance your tv’s audio and make dialogue more intelligible.
- Bass quality and depth: Despite its small size, the beam produces surprisingly robust bass. It fills the room with low-frequency sounds, adding depth to your audio experience.
- Surround sound capabilities: The beam can be paired with other sonos speakers to create a true surround sound setup. By adding rear speakers, you can enjoy a fully immersive audio experience.
Sonos Playbase
The sonos playbase is a unique soundbar that offers excellent sound performance and clarity. Here’s what sets it apart:
- Sound performance and clarity: The playbase delivers clear and detailed sound across all frequencies. Its wide soundstage ensures that every sound is spread out, creating a room-filling audio experience.
- Bass quality and depth: With a powerful built-in subwoofer, the playbase offers deep and punchy bass. You’ll feel the impact of every explosion and the thump of bass-heavy tracks.
- Surround sound capabilities: Similar to the playbar, the playbase can create a surround sound experience without additional speakers. It uses innovative technology to provide a wide and immersive soundstage.
Each sonos soundbar offers exceptional sound quality in its own unique way. The playbar provides immersive sound and a simulated surround sound experience, the beam offers impressive sound performance in a compact form factor, and the playbase delivers room-filling audio and powerful bass.
Choose the soundbar that best suits your space and audio preferences.
Connectivity And Compatibility Comparison
Comparing the connectivity and compatibility of sonos playbar, beam, and playbase, the sonos beam stands out as the top choice. Its compact design and tuning by sound engineers make it a versatile option, with the ability to expand into a multi-room streaming system.
Sonos Playbar
Connectivity Options:
- Optical audio input: The sonos playbar has a single optical audio input that allows you to connect it to your tv or media player. This provides a straightforward and reliable connection for high-quality audio.
- Wi-fi: The playbar also features built-in wi-fi connectivity, enabling you to easily connect it to your home network and stream music wirelessly.
Integration With Other Sonos Speakers:
- Multi-room audio: The sonos playbar can be seamlessly integrated with other sonos speakers, allowing you to create a multi-room audio setup. This means you can play the same music in multiple rooms or different music in different rooms, all controlled from a single app.
Smart Home Compatibility:
- Voice control: The sonos playbar is compatible with popular voice assistants, such as amazon alexa and google assistant. This enables you to control the soundbar using voice commands, such as playing music, adjusting volume, or even asking for weather updates.
Sonos Beam
Connectivity Options:
- Hdmi arc: The sonos beam comes equipped with an hdmi arc (audio return channel) port, which allows you to connect it directly to your tv. This simplifies the setup process and enables the soundbar to receive audio signals from the tv without the need for an additional cable.
- Optical audio adapter: If your tv doesn’t have an hdmi arc port, the beam also includes an optical audio adapter. You can connect this adapter to the tv’s optical audio output to establish the audio connection.
Integration With Other Sonos Speakers:
- Multi-room audio: Like the playbar, the sonos beam can be integrated with other sonos speakers to create a multi-room audio system. This means you can enjoy synchronized music throughout your home or have different audio playing in different rooms, all controlled from your smartphone or voice assistant.
Smart Home Compatibility:
- Voice control: The sonos beam is compatible with amazon alexa and google assistant, allowing you to control the soundbar with voice commands. You can easily play music, adjust the volume, or even ask questions using just your voice.
Sonos Playbase
Connectivity Options:
- Optical audio input: The sonos playbase features an optical audio input, allowing you to connect it to your tv using a single cable. This provides a simple and reliable connection for high-quality audio.
- Wi-fi: The playbase also includes built-in wi-fi, making it easy to connect it to your home network and stream music wirelessly.
Integration With Other Sonos Speakers:
- Multi-room audio: Similar to the playbar and the beam, the sonos playbase can be integrated with other sonos speakers to create a multi-room audio setup. This allows you to listen to the same music in multiple rooms or different music in different rooms, all controlled from the sonos app.
Smart Home Compatibility:
- Voice control: The sonos playbase is compatible with popular voice assistants, such as amazon alexa and google assistant. This means you can control the soundbar with voice commands, making it convenient to play music or adjust settings without using a remote.
Setup And Ease Of Use Comparison
The sonos playbar, beam, and playbase each offer a seamless setup and easy to use experience. With the playbar, you’ll enjoy a larger design, while the beam provides a more compact option. The playbase allows for a unique placement under your tv.
Ultimately, the best sonos soundbar will depend on your individual preferences and setup.
Sonos Playbar
Installation process:
- The sonos playbar is easy to set up, requiring only a few simple steps to connect it to your tv and home network.
- Start by placing the playbar near your tv and connecting it with an hdmi cable.
- Use the sonos app to guide you through the setup process, which includes connecting the playbar to your wi-fi network and syncing it with other sonos speakers if desired.
User-friendly interface:
- The sonos playbar features a user-friendly interface that allows you to control it easily.
- Use the sonos app to adjust the volume, change tracks, and access various music streaming services.
- The app is intuitive and straightforward, making it easy for even technologically inexperienced users to navigate.
Control options:
- In addition to the sonos app, the playbar can also be controlled using your tv remote, allowing for seamless integration into your existing setup.
- It supports popular tv remotes, making it convenient for users who prefer a physical remote control.
Sonos Beam
Installation process:
- The sonos beam offers a straightforward installation process that can be completed in a short amount of time.
- It comes with an hdmi cable, which you can use to connect the beam to your tv.
- Like other sonos products, the beam can be set up using the sonos app, guiding you through the necessary steps.
User-friendly interface:
- The sonos beam features a user-friendly interface, providing a seamless experience for users.
- Control your beam through the sonos app, which allows you to adjust settings, stream music, and control other sonos speakers in your home.
- The app is designed with simplicity in mind, making it easy for anyone to use.
Control options:
- Similar to the playbar, the sonos beam can also be controlled using your tv remote, making it convenient for users who prefer a physical remote.
- It supports popular tv remotes, eliminating the need for an extra remote to control your soundbar.
Sonos Playbase
Installation process:
- The sonos playbase offers a simple installation process that can be completed quickly and easily.
- Place the playbase under your tv and connect it to your tv using an optical cable.
- The sonos app will guide you through the setup process, helping you connect the playbase to your home network.
User-friendly interface:
- The sonos playbase features a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to control.
- Use the sonos app to adjust volume, change tracks, and access streaming services.
- The app is designed to be intuitive and simple, ensuring that users can navigate it effortlessly.
Control options:
- As with the other sonos soundbars, the playbase can also be controlled using your tv remote.
- It supports popular tv remotes, allowing for seamless integration into your existing setup and eliminating the need for an additional remote control.
Remember that if you need more detailed information about each soundbar or want to make a decision, you can check out the full blog post.
Price And Value For Money Comparison
Comparing the sonos playbar, beam, and playbase, the sonos beam emerges as the best soundbar due to its compact design and professional sound engineering. Additionally, it allows for easy expansion into a multi-room streaming system.
Sonos Playbar
Price Range And Value For Money:
- The sonos playbar is priced at approximately $699, making it the most expensive option among the three.
- However, it offers excellent value for money due to its high-quality sound and versatility.
- With nine individually amplified speakers, the playbar delivers immersive audio experience for movies, music, and tv shows.
- It comes with built-in wi-fi and supports streaming from various sources, including spotify, apple music, and more.
Additional Costs Or Accessories:
- To get the most out of the sonos playbar, you may consider adding additional accessories like a subwoofer (sonos sub) or rear speakers (sonos one sl).
- The sonos sub enhances the bass performance, providing a deeper and richer audio experience.
- Adding rear speakers creates a surround sound setup, elevating your home theater experience to another level.
- These accessories can be purchased separately, allowing you to customize your audio system according to your preferences and budget.
Long-Term Investment:
- Investing in the sonos playbar is a long-term investment due to its durability and future-proof features.
- Sonos regularly releases software updates, ensuring that your playbar remains up-to-date with the latest functionalities and improvements.
- The playbar’s timeless design and superior sound quality make it a sound investment that will serve you well for years to come.
Sonos Beam
Price Range And Value For Money:
- The sonos beam is priced at around $399, making it the most affordable option among the three sonos soundbars.
- Despite its smaller size, the beam offers impressive sound quality and a wide soundstage.
- It is a great option for smaller rooms or as an upgrade to your tv’s built-in speakers.
- The beam also features built-in voice control with amazon alexa or google assistant, adding convenience to your audio experience.
Additional Costs Or Accessories:
- Similar to the playbar, you can enhance the performance of the sonos beam by adding a subwoofer or rear speakers.
- The sonos sub and sonos one sl rear speakers are compatible with the beam and can be added to create a more immersive audio setup.
- These additional accessories can be purchased separately, allowing you to customize your audio system according to your preferences and budget.
Long-Term Investment:
- The sonos beam is a long-term investment due to its build quality, ongoing software updates, and compatibility with future sonos products.
- Sonos constantly improves its products through software updates, ensuring that your beam remains up-to-date with new features and services.
- The beam’s compact size and versatile placement options make it a flexible soundbar that can adapt to different setups and room configurations.
Sonos Playbase
Price Range And Value For Money:
- The sonos playbase is priced at approximately $699, putting it in the same price range as the playbar.
- It offers a unique design that serves as both a soundbar and a platform for your tv.
- The playbase delivers impressive sound quality and fills the room with rich and detailed audio.
Additional Costs Or Accessories:
- To enhance the bass performance, you can add a subwoofer (sonos sub) to the playbase.
- Additionally, adding rear speakers (sonos one sl) can create a surround sound setup for a more immersive experience.
- These accessories can be purchased separately, allowing you to customize your audio system based on your preferences and budget.
Long-Term Investment:
- Like the other sonos soundbars, the playbase is a long-term investment due to its durable build quality and consistent software updates.
- Sonos’s commitment to providing ongoing updates ensures that your playbase will continue to improve over time.
- The playbase’s versatility as a soundbar and tv platform makes it a convenient and future-proof option for your home entertainment system.
Remember, the sonos soundbar that is best for you depends on your specific needs and budget. Consider factors such as room size, desired audio performance, and additional features when making your decision.
Frequently Asked Questions Of Sonos Playbar Vs Beam Vs Playbase: Which Sonos Soundbar Is Best?
Which Is Better Sonos Beam Or Playbase?
Sonos beam is better than playbase because of its smaller design and special tuning by oscar-winning sound engineers. Additionally, you can expand the sonos beam to create a multi-room streaming system for a more immersive sound experience. On the other hand, playbase is a sound bar specifically for the tv, and while it still offers great sound quality, it lacks the flexibility and versatility of the sonos beam.
The beam also uses an hdmi arc port, which is the preferred choice for most setups, while the playbase uses an optical connection. Overall, if you’re looking for a soundbar that offers excellent sound quality, compact design, and the ability to expand into a multi-room system, the sonos beam is the better choice.
What Is The Difference Between Sonos Beam And Soundbar?
The main difference between sonos beam and a regular soundbar is their connectivity options. While both products provide high-quality sound for tvs, the sonos beam offers greater flexibility. The sonos playbar requires an optical connection to the tv, while the sonos beam uses an hdmi arc port, which is the preferred choice for most setups.
The beam also includes an optical adapter, allowing it to connect to tvs without an hdmi arc port. Additionally, the sonos beam has a more compact design compared to the playbar, making it suitable for smaller spaces. It has also been specially tuned by oscar-winning sound engineers for optimal sound quality.
Furthermore, the sonos beam can be expanded to create a multi-room streaming system, allowing you to enjoy in-depth sound throughout your home.
Is Sonos Playbase Still Good?
Yes, sonos playbase is still a good option for enhancing your tv sound. It provides great sound quality and is designed to be a soundbar for your television. However, it is worth noting that some users have reported difficulty in linking their tv to the playbase.
Despite this, it remains a popular choice for those looking to improve their tv audio experience.
Is Sonos Playbar Still Worth It?
Yes, the sonos playbar is still worth it. Despite being a soundbar for the tv, it delivers great sound quality. The sonos playbar offers an immersive audio experience, enhancing your overall entertainment experience. With its sleek design, it adds a stylish touch to your living room or home theater setup.
The sonos playbar is easy to set up and can be connected to other sonos speakers for a multi-room streaming system. It also features wireless connectivity, allowing you to stream music wirelessly from your smartphone or other devices. Whether you’re watching movies, playing games, or listening to music, the sonos playbar provides clear and powerful audio.
Overall, the sonos playbar is a reliable and high-quality soundbar option that is still worth considering for your home entertainment needs.
Conclusion
To determine if it really optimizes the sound or not. It’s also quite large and might not fit well in smaller spaces. On the other hand, the sonos playbar is a popular choice for its sleek design and powerful sound.
It connects to your tv via an optical cable and is easy to set up. However, the sonos beam offers a more compact option with similar sound quality. It has the added benefit of being compatible with amazon alexa and google assistant, allowing for voice control and smart home integration.
Ultimately, the best sonos soundbar for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences. Whether you prioritize size, connectivity options, or smart features, there is a sonos soundbar that will suit your preferences. Choose the one that aligns with your budget and audio requirements, and elevate your home entertainment experience to new heights.