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The Sonos Beam Ultra makes a persuasive case as a compact Dolby Atmos soundbar: Expert Reviews’ Jonathan Bray found strong bass, clear separation and convincing height effects for its size. But at its UK review price of £699, Bray judged it too expensive to recommend over the Beam Gen 2 for most people—and suggested that buyers seeking a broader presentation consider a larger bar.
What the Beam Ultra is—and what it replaces
In a review published on 25 September 2026, Jonathan Bray at Expert Reviews assessed the Beam Ultra as a compact soundbar for small and medium-sized rooms. It measures 750 × 105 × 65mm (width × depth × height), making it 100mm wider, 5mm deeper and 4mm shorter than the Beam Gen 2, according to the review.
Bray reports nine amplified drivers: two upfiring drivers for height effects, five tweeters for high and mid frequencies, and four woofers for bass. He describes the result as full 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos. By comparison, the Beam Gen 2 has five drivers and virtualized 5.1.2 Atmos. These specifications and channel descriptions are as reported in the review.
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#1 Best Overall
- 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.
How it sounds in the review
Bray says he used the Beam Ultra for a week with films, television, stereo and multichannel music, and compared it back-to-back with a Beam Gen 2 and his stereo hi-fi. These are his reported methods and listening impressions, not independent test results presented here.
Atmos films and music
In Bray’s listening, Atmos material produced strong bass, clear sound and a convincing sense of height and separation for a bar this compact. He found the Beam Gen 2 less spacious and less defined in comparison. Adding a pair of surrounds made effects feel more enveloping in his room, although it also increased the system’s total cost.
Stereo tracks and dialogue
Not every mix impressed him equally: Bray says some conventional stereo music sounded more compressed and hard-edged, with less bass, than music mixed for multichannel playback. The review also describes speech enhancement with four settings, from Off through Max. Bray reports that it helped make difficult dialogue easier to understand in his test without unduly changing the broader sound.
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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.
Connections, formats and wireless features
The Beam Ultra’s listed physical connections are limited to one eARC HDMI input, a figure-of-eight power connection and USB-C. The USB-C port can support Ethernet, optical audio or analogue 3.5mm audio through an adapter; Bray reports that adapters for these options cost £19–£39. The review does not identify a tested adapter brand.
Wireless and audio features named in the review include Wi-Fi 6, TruePlay room tuning, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth playback, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos and DTS Digital Surround.
Can you use Sonos speakers as rear surrounds?
Bray describes a Sonos 27 feature using location-aware Fabric that lets a matched pair of Sonos Play or Move 2 speakers act as rear channels, then be moved for standalone use elsewhere. The pair must be the same model; the review gives £568 as the reported cost of two Sonos Play speakers and £858 for two Move 2 speakers.
Rank #3
- 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.
Moving the speakers may not trigger automatic re-pairing. Bray says it may be necessary to power the speakers on or enable surrounds in the app. He also reports testing the pairing behavior with Move 2 speakers. The review mentions an announced Sonos voice assistant, but Bray could not test it because it was expected later in the year; the review does not establish that it is available.
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Beam Ultra vs Beam Gen 2, Samsung QS90H and Sonos Arc Ultra
The prices below are those cited in Bray’s UK review, not verified live offers. The review does not state comparable dimensions, driver counts or connection details for the Samsung or Arc Ultra, so those cells are marked accordingly rather than inferred.
| Soundbar | UK price cited in review | Size and driver / Atmos details reported | What the review says about presentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonos Beam Ultra | £699 | 750 × 105 × 65mm; nine amplified drivers; full 7.1.2 Atmos | Convincing height and separation for its size in Bray’s Atmos listening. |
| Sonos Beam Gen 2 | £250 less than the Beam Ultra in the review; exact price not stated | 100mm narrower, 5mm shallower and 4mm taller than the Ultra; five drivers; virtualized 5.1.2 Atmos | Bray found it less spacious and less defined than the Ultra. |
| Samsung QS90H | £799 | Not stated in the review | Named as a larger-bar alternative; comparative listening detail not stated. |
| Sonos Arc Ultra | Around £899 | Not stated in the review | Named as an alternative; comparative listening detail not stated. |
Bray’s trade-off is straightforward: the Beam Ultra’s compact size and Atmos effects are its appeal, but buyers who value a wider presentation may prefer a larger soundbar. His cited prices and recommendation reflect the UK review published on 25 September 2026, not a current market survey.
Rank #4
- 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
- WIDE, NATURAL SOUND: 2 angled full-range drivers deliver a more realistic, spatial audio experience for overall better TV sound from a small soundbar
- 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
Is the Sonos Beam Ultra worth £699?
Bray’s answer is that its performance is impressive but its price is the obstacle. The Ultra cost £250 more than the Beam Gen 2 in the review, and Bray did not think the upgrade justified replacing the older model as the best soundbar for most people. He wrote: “Had Sonos decided to price the Beam Ultra at a more reasonable level, then a recommendation would be easy to make because this is one hell of a compact soundbar.”
That makes the Ultra most compelling for someone who specifically wants a compact bar and values the height and separation Bray heard in Atmos material. If a wider presentation matters more, the review points readers toward the Samsung QS90H at £799 or Sonos Arc Ultra at around £899. Those are the review’s dated UK figures; prices can change.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
