The Sonos Beam Ultra is a new compact TV soundbar built around a nine-driver acoustic system and 7.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos processing. It also brings Sonos multiroom streaming, updated speech enhancement and Trueplay room correction to a cabinet measuring 75 cm wide.
Nine-driver design with dedicated height channels
The Beam Ultra sits above the smaller Beam (Gen 2) while remaining more compact than the Arc Ultra. Its redesigned acoustic layout contains nine drivers, four more than the Beam (Gen 2), comprising five tweeters and four low-profile woofers.
Two of the tweeters are angled upward to reflect sound from the ceiling and reproduce dedicated Dolby Atmos height information. Side-facing drivers are used to widen the presentation, while nine digital Class D amplifier channels power the individual drivers. Sonos does not state the amplifier output.
The soundbar supports Dolby Atmos through both Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD. Its wider home-cinema format support also includes Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, Multichannel PCM, Dolby Multichannel PCM and DTS Digital Surround. If the area above the soundbar is obstructed, simulated height processing can be activated to compensate digitally.
Speech enhancement, Night Sound and Trueplay
A new AI-based speech enhancement system offers four selectable levels through the Sonos app. It is intended to improve dialogue intelligibility when a soundtrack becomes busy or when background noise in the room makes voices more difficult to follow.
Night Sound provides another option for low-volume viewing by reducing the intensity of prominent effects while making quieter details easier to hear. Bass, treble and loudness controls are also available in the app.
Trueplay room correction can measure the listening environment and adjust the soundbar for its position and surrounding acoustics. On the Beam Ultra, setup is supported through compatible iOS and Android devices.
HDMI eARC and wireless streaming
The television connects through HDMI eARC, with HDMI-CEC allowing the Beam Ultra to switch on and off with the TV and respond to the television’s existing remote control. The TV must support Dolby Atmos over HDMI eARC to access the soundbar’s full Atmos functionality.
Wireless connectivity includes dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 and Apple AirPlay 2. The soundbar integrates with the wider Sonos platform for app control, internet radio, music services and synchronized multiroom playback. Supported audio files include FLAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF, AAC, MP3, WMA and Ogg Vorbis.
Amazon Alexa voice control is available through the built-in microphone, which can be disabled using a rear-mounted button. Siri control is supported through iOS and AirPlay. TV Audio Swap can also transfer television sound to compatible Sonos headphones for private listening.
Expandable surround system and installation options
Although the Beam Ultra operates as a self-contained soundbar, it can be expanded with compatible wireless Sonos speakers serving as rear surround channels. A compatible Sonos wireless subwoofer can also be added for a more complete home-cinema configuration.
The soundbar weighs 2.9 kg and has touch controls for playback and volume on its top panel. A dedicated wall bracket is offered separately. Optional accessories also include an HDMI-to-optical adapter and a USB-C adapter for Ethernet or an external music source.
The box contains the Beam Ultra, a two-meter power cable, a 1.5-meter HDMI cable and a setup guide. TV audio requires the HDMI connection, even though additional Sonos speakers and music streaming can operate wirelessly.
The Sonos Beam Ultra feels like the soundbar Sonos has been building toward for years. It keeps the compact, living-room-friendly footprint of the Beam concept, but pushes the experience much closer to what you would normally expect from a considerably larger system. With nine drivers, dedicated upward-firing channels and 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos processing, it promises a wider, taller and more enveloping presentation without turning the TV area into a maze of speakers and cables.
Just as importantly, Beam Ultra remains unmistakably Sonos. Setup is simple, Trueplay can adapt the sound to the room, HDMI eARC keeps everyday TV operation painless, and the extensive streaming and multiroom ecosystem makes it much more than a box that only comes alive when the television is switched on. Bluetooth 5.3, AirPlay 2 and the option to add wireless surrounds and a Sonos subwoofer also give it plenty of room to grow.
A traditional surround system with separate speakers can still deliver greater scale and more convincing discrete surround, but that somewhat misses the point. Beam Ultra is about getting a surprisingly serious home-cinema experience from one beautifully simple component.
For anyone who wants less hardware without settling for less excitement, the Sonos Beam Ultra could be one of the most interesting compact soundbars Sonos has made yet.
