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You can use used Sonos speakers as Beam surrounds if their exact models are compatible and the pair meets Sonos’s pairing rules. First set up the Beam in the Sonos app, add both surround speakers to the system as separate rooms, then open the Beam room’s Set up Surrounds flow. Speakers from other brands—and even some Sonos model combinations—won’t work as wireless Beam surrounds.
Check the Beam and speaker models first
Used status alone does not determine compatibility. Check the exact model names and confirm the proposed pair in Sonos’s current surround compatibility guidance. Its compatibility page includes a selector; use it to check your particular Beam rather than assuming every model on the general list works with every home theater product.
Sonos says two speakers of the same model can be used as surrounds—for example, two Sonos Ones. Some related models can also pair, such as One and One SL, but not every combination is allowed: One and Play:1 cannot be combined as a surround pair. Verify the exact pair instead of inferring compatibility from a similar model name.
The general guidance lists eligible families such as Era 100, Era 100 Pro, Era 100 SL, Five, One models, One SL, Play:1, Play:3, Play:5 (Gen 2), SYMFONISK models, and certain Amp/Connect:Amp configurations. This is not a universal compatibility guarantee for every Beam. The app or Sonos’s current selector should confirm your specific setup.
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- 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.
- Control with the Sonos app, your TV remote, Apple AirPlay 2, and your voice.
- Effortless setup with only two cables and smart Trueplay tuning.
Use the right Sonos app for your Beam
Beam (Gen 1) works with the latest Sonos app and S1 Controller. Beam (Gen 2) is not compatible with S1 Controller, so set it up with the current Sonos app. Sonos directs owners to use the iOS or Android app and follow its setup prompts. See Sonos’s Beam setup instructions.
Have the supplied HDMI cable and optical audio adapter available. The app guides you to the appropriate cable and TV connection for your equipment.
Rank #2
- 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.
- Control with the Sonos app, your TV remote, Apple AirPlay 2, and your voice.
- Effortless setup with only two cables and smart Trueplay tuning.
Add the used speakers as surrounds
Before bonding speakers to the Beam, add both to the Sonos system as separate rooms. If they are currently configured as a stereo pair, separate that pair first. Sonos’s instructions say the Beam and surround products must already be on the system as separate rooms.
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- Set up the Beam in the Sonos app and make sure it appears in the system.
- Add each compatible surround speaker to the same Sonos system as its own room. Separate an existing stereo pair before proceeding.
- In the app, open Settings, select the Beam’s room, and choose Set up Surrounds.
- Follow the in-app prompts to assign the two speakers as surrounds.
Sonos says products used as surrounds connect wirelessly to the home theater product. They should be in the same room, with line of sight, and positioned behind the listening position—one to the left and one to the right. See Sonos’s instructions for adding surround speakers.
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- Take your TV, music, and gaming to the next level with this compact smart soundbar and subwoofer.
- This set is ideal for smaller or medium-sized rooms and low to moderate volume levels.
- Use the Sonos app to easily set up your home theater system and sync with your existing TV remote.
- Sub Mini balances out the lowest frequencies so Beam sounds even better.
- When the TV is off, stream music and more over WiFi from hundreds of services using the Sonos app, your voice, and Apple AirPlay 2.
Check TV audio and surround format
Beam uses HDMI ARC for CEC and supported TV voice control. If the TV has no HDMI ARC port, you can connect its digital optical output using the included optical adapter; CEC and TV voice control are unavailable through optical. The cable connection affects these TV-control features, not the basic speaker-pairing steps.
Sonos home theater supports Dolby Digital 5.0/5.1 and DTS Digital Surround. DTS is unavailable for home theater products using S1 Controller. The TV and any external source, such as a console or cable box, must output a supported surround format. If TV audio does not behave as expected, check both the Beam’s ARC or optical connection and the audio-output setting on the TV or source. Sonos lists the connection and format details in its TV requirements for home theater products.
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- HEAR YOUR TV BETTER: Designed with simplicity in mind, the Bose TV Speaker is an all-in-one soundbar that clarifies speech and is a simple fix for better TV sound
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- ENHANCED DIALOGUE: This sound bar for smart tv is designed to specifically focus on clarifying and elevating vocals and pronunciation
- BLUETOOTH TV SPEAKER: Pair your device to this Bluetooth soundbar to wirelessly stream your favorite music and podcasts. Connect up to 3 devices through the inputs (HDMI, Optical in, and AUX in); the first powered on device will automatically connect
- SIMPLE SETUP: A single connection from this compact soundbar to the TV via an optical audio cable (included) or an HDMI cable (sold separately) has you up and running in minutes
Beam (Gen 2) can support Dolby Atmos through Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD when connected over HDMI ARC or eARC. This is a Gen 2 audio-format capability, not a prerequisite for adding compatible surrounds.
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Some standalone features are disabled while a speaker is assigned as a surround. Sonos lists AirPlay, Bluetooth playback, line-in, and subwoofer output among the unavailable functions. Consider those trade-offs when evaluating a used speaker that you might otherwise use independently.
Special cases: portable speakers and Connect:Amp
Portable Sonos speakers
Sonos has a narrower portable-surround setup: it requires Beam (Gen 2), Beam Ultra, Arc, or Arc Ultra with the microphone enabled, plus two matching supported portable speakers—both Sonos Play or both Move 2. Add them as separate rooms first and place them in the same room with line of sight. This specific path does not mean arbitrary Bluetooth or portable speakers can act as Beam surrounds. See Sonos’s portable-speaker surround instructions.
Connect:Amp
Connect:Amp can power rear surround speakers in a documented legacy configuration, but Sonos specifies wired-network connections between the home theater speaker, Connect:Amp, and network. Its subwoofer and line-in connections are disabled while it is used as surrounds. This is a different, more involved arrangement than pairing two self-powered Sonos speakers. Details are in Sonos’s Connect:Amp surround setup instructions.
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