Unlike the Playbar, the Arc can't be positioned on either its front or side – it's oriented the same way regardless of positioning (the bespoke Sonos wall-mount is a £79/$79/AU$99 optional extra), and even automatically adjusts its frequency response accordingly. And while the Playbase doesn’t go as deep as you might expect, the integration, tonality and naturalness of its bass frequencies is impressive. All of the hardware launches on June 10, while the new app will be available a couple of days earlier on June 8. But the Playbase, unlike its siblings, has an Achilles heel: bright, sibilant treble. It’s also in many ways an awkward design. You can now have a Sonos Beam in the lounge, Apple HomePod in the kitchen and a Naim Mu-so Qb 2 in the bedroom, all playing the same music, thanks to AirPlay 2. The Sonos Beam is quite a bit more compact than its older siblings. No such issues with the new Sonos Arc. All of the hardware launches on … Instead of placing all of them along the front, like with the Beam, there are two drivers placed on the top, firing up, along with one on each end of the Arc. The device’s silicone feet are on what would be the back panel against a wall, and this orientation makes the Playbar less tall and therefore less likely to obstruct a TV behind it. It measures 45 x 3.4 x 4.5-inches and weighs 13.78 pounds. Where the Beam is sleek and compact, the Arc is big and brash, offering booming audio from nearly a dozen individual drivers, including upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos content. The Sonos Beam is designed for small to medium rooms while the Playbar and Arc can fill any sized rooms. Sonos Arc vs Sonos Playbar — Features A big difference between the Arc and Playbar is the input used. While Sonos has two great products with the Beam and Playbar, the Beam is the overall better option for most people because of its size, sound quality, built-in Alexa support, integration with AirPlay 2, and price. However, a slight artificiality to the Playbar’s bottom end suggests it’s having to work hard to compensate for its comparative lack of physical volume. The Arc, Beam and the Playbase have AirPlay 2 support, bringing with it the ability to create multi-room systems with speakers from multiple brands. If you want something smaller, but equally compelling, SONOS does make a smaller soundbar system that is called the SONOS Beam. As the oldest of the bunch, the Playbar makes do with older-style, physical buttons. The problem is that in this orientation, the Playbar’s drivers are largely firing upwards, leading to a sound delivery that’s tall but lacking in directness. The core features of Sonos products are there regardless of which of these Sonos soundbars you buy. CNN Underscored is your guide to the everyday products and services that help you live a smarter, simpler and more fulfilling life. Measuring 65cm wide, 10cm deep and 7cm tall, it's easy to find a spot for under or in front of your TV. The curvy design of the Arc makes it look rather svelte in pictures, but it is a not inconsiderable 8.5cm tall. The Bose sub can be paired with soundbar 700 and Bose surround speakers. To complete your CNN profile and ensure you are able to receive important account information, please verify your email address. It’s clear and balanced, with good rhythmic sense, plenty of punch and a natural midrange. It's more than just a soundbar, too, thanks to app- or voice-controls and access to practically every music streaming service. So which is right for you? If you’ve got no intention of wall-mounting, the obvious course of action is to buy the Playbase. You might be wary of splashing the cash on a Sonos product, as the company recently hit the headlines over its plans to cease software updates for older products in May 2020. Soundbar products like the Sonos Playbar and Sonos Beam are slightly different in that they need to physically connect to a TV. In fact, it delivers one of the most convincing Atmos presentations of any soundbar we’ve heard. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends. I have tried the Sennheiser Ambeo, Bose 700 & Sub, Playbar, Beam and now the Arc (with Sonos Sub and two Sonos One Rears) and the Arc is the most complete system out of all of those. The Beam can sit flat on a TV stand, positioned in front of the TV or can be wall-mounted. There was a problem. Sonos components are famous for their relative lack of connection ports. Prior to its launch, the $699 Playbar and Playbase were capable, but expensive offerings. The Beam only has 5 speakers vs the Arc’s 11. They then used those learnings on Arc, only this time they had a longer soundbar (more surface area) and more woofers to play with. Thank you for signing up to What Hi-Fi?. The Playbar uses an optical connection, whereas the Beam uses an HDMI ARC connection— by far the preferred choice for most setups — that can be fitted with an included optical adapter if needed. The content is created by CNN Underscored. The Arc is a high-end soundbar that improves upon the Beam’s design and approach, adding new features like Dolby Atmos, and more than doubling the number of speakers inside. The Playbar is weightier, richer and more authoritative than the Beam. With that setup, you’ll get three-channel sound. It will go even louder and is capable of filling even the largest of rooms. All of the internal speakers are positioned along the front or angled at the end of the Beam. Sonos just announced its latest soundbar, the Sonos Arc, along with the new Sonos Five, Sub, and its new S2 app. The Sonos Arc alone won’t give you voice control of your TV. 2 replies; 1181 views A Userlevel 3. There's a slight lack of directness to music, but that's really our only criticism of the Arc's sound. The good news is that those Sonos S2 software plans won't affect buyers of the the Arc, Beam, Playbar or Playbase. Just make sure you have a big enough spot for its 45-inch long exterior. Audiofn Trending Lyricist I; 16 replies I got the Arc and Beam both within the past few weeks. The Sonos Arc is specifically designed to partner the bigger TVs that are becoming more and more popular, with its width measurement of 114cm making it just a bit wider than a typical modern 49in TV. The Playbar should still be considered by those with very large rooms, and the Playbase remains the right choice in specific set-ups, but for most people and most rooms, the Beam is the best Sonos soundbar solution. The Arc is one of the first Sonos products to support the new S2 Sonos app. Given those differences in the drivers, it’s impressive that a clear Sonos sonic signature runs through the range. It features many of the Arc’s core new features, only here it is smaller and A LOT cheaper at $399/£399.It’s not as powerful as the Playbar or the Arc, but it is still a mightily impressive soundbar for smaller living rooms and apartments. A TV cabinet too small for a Playbar can fit a Beam instead. Let’s take a closer look. Only the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar is better in this regard, and that costs significantly more. The key addition on the Arc is Dolby Atmos surround sound. Around the back you'll find the HDMI connection, ethernet port, power connection and a pairing button. Physical Playbar connections are a bit more primitive, with optical-out as the only audio connection to your TV. The other soundbars stop at Dolby Digital 5.1 as the best TV audio option available regardless of which you choose. Eight of those drivers are elliptical woofers evolved from those in the Beam (four along the front, two on top and one in each end), while the other three are silk-domed tweeters that are all built into the front but with two firing diagonally into the room. What’s more, its compact dimensions make it far easier to find space for and its more advanced features, voice control in particular, make it extra compelling. Sign up below to get the latest from What Hi-Fi?, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! But that doesn't mean the Playbar soundbar or the Playbase soundbase shouldn't be considered while they remain on the market. The Playbar and Playbase may need some additional planning for … There’s an authenticity to the presentation from Sonos products that many rivals struggle to match. And with Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday all fast approaching, where you can find the cheapest deals? At 90cm wide and weighing 5.4kg, it’s big and heavy. Not wall-mounting the Playbar makes its shape even more awkward. © 2020 Cable News Network. The Sonos Beam also has … Support for practically every music streaming service under the sun, the ability to work with other Sonos speakers in a multi-room set-up, and the option to add two of the company’s music speakers (the Play:1, One, One SL, Play:3 or Play:5) as surrounds and/or the Sub for extra bass are all here. Read on for our thorough comparison of the features, specs, dimensions and sound – and today's best Sonos soundbar deals. Meaning you can stream music from your Apple devices to the speaker with ease, or you can use your voice to control smart home devices or interact with your preferred digital assistant. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, In some ways the Beam is obviously less sonically capable than the Playbar and Playbase, but its performance given its size and price is really exceptional. When you make a purchase, we receive revenue. You can add Alexa to the Playbar or Playbase (or any Sonos speaker) by adding an Amazon Echo device such as the Echo Dot to your network, but this isn’t nearly as neat or as functional. On the other hand, the Playbar is a physically cumbersome and rather awkward proposition, and its styling and feature set is starting to show its age. Sonos Arc (The new Playbar) Thread starter rck010; ... Panasonic GZ 55" 950 OLED, Sonos Beam and Ones, Pioneer 428XD, Sky Q with 3 Minis, Apple TV 4k, Sony KDL37EX524, Panasonic HDC-TM55. We've done the hard work for you. If you have your TV on a wall mount, then the Playbar makes more sense of the two. Success! But size isn’t what truly sets the Arc apart from the Beam. The Arc is bigger than the Beam, by quite a bit. However, you can use the mobile app to control playback and access your music services. There are capacitive touch controls on the top, and it also leverages HDMI ARC for seamless control when connected to your TV. By gamingland Oct 9, 2020 Arc, Beam, Playbar, Playbase, Sonos. Fans and followers of Sonos are likely familiar with the company's other soundbar, the Sonos Playbar, and may be wondering where the new Beam fits in the lineup.If you're trying to decide between these two products, this guide will help you understand the … That could be a major consideration for some. The Sonos Beam was launched at $399 / £399 / AU$599 – now, that might not sound super cheap, but compared to the Sonos Arc’s $799 / £799 / AU$1,399 price tag, it’s positively frugal. Inside the Beam are four full-range woofers, one tweeter, three passive radiators, and five class-D amplifiers. Sonos Beam vs Sonos Playbar – Verdict One of the most attractive things about the Sonos Beam is the price. By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy. The Atmos-toting Sonos Arc uses Dolby's 3D sound technology to great effect. ... Sonos Arc finally wall-mounted and a what a great upgrade from the original playBAR. The latest Sonos Arc has 11 Class D digital amplifiers that power 11 custom drivers. Sonos just announced its latest soundbar, the Sonos Arc, along with the new Sonos Five, Sub, and its new S2 app. For example, Beam is compatible with Appel’s AirPlay 2, Google Assistant, and Amazon’s Alexa platform. The Playbar is arguably the least attractive of the four devices, with its angular design looking a little outdated compared to the rounded panels of its newer siblings. The Playbar uses an optical connection, whereas the Beam uses an HDMI ARC connection — by far the preferred choice for most setups — that can be fitted with an included optical adapter if needed. Previously owned a Playbar. Visit our corporate site. The Playbase is the weak link in terms of sound, with the treble spoiling what is otherwise an impressive presentation. is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. You can preorder the Arc right now, with deliveries beginning on June 10. Soundbar products like the Sonos Playbar and Sonos Beam are slightly different in that they need to physically connect to a TV. The addition of Dolby Atmos surround sound. You won’t be able to control the Arc with the current Sonos app, and depending on which speakers you currently have around your home or office, you’ll be forced to make a decision about which products you move over to the S2 app, and which products you leave behind. It’s a premium soundbar, with a premium price and features. At 65cm wide and weighing 2.8kg, it’s smaller and significantly lighter than the Playbar. Verification email has been resent. Sonos Arc vs Beam vs Playbar vs Playbase: which is greatest? To get the best sound from the Playbar, you need to stand it on its edge - which then runs the risk of obstructing your TV screen. Sonos Arc will launch on June 10 and is priced at $799. Measuring 65cm wide, 10cm deep and 7cm tall, it's easy to find a spot for under or in front of your TV. That’s made possible by the Playbase’s height. The Sonos Beam is for someone who wants a high-quality soundbar with plenty of depth and range, without spending a fortune. You can pair more Sonos speakers and the Sub to Beam to add more channels and complete the surround sound experience. I have it in an average sized bedroom pairedwith two play1s. Best soundbars 2021: the best TV speakers you can buy. Both the Arc and Beam also offer voice control, with support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, plus some Apple Siri commands using an iPhone or iPad. Unfortunately, the Playbar, as the oldest of the devices (it’s over five years old now), won’t be getting AirPlay 2 support at any point. Exactly what does each one offer, and which one should you get? Both the Arc and Playbar share an Ethernet connection, which at this point is standard for any Sonos gear. It’s also mountable, with a $79 Sonos Arc mount. A Warner Media Company. You’ll be able to transition the Beam to the new Sonos S2 app when it launches in June. HDMI ARC and eARC do also add an extra layer of cooperation between speaker and (HDMI CEC-compatible) telly, particularly with voice control. Arc Vs Beam The Arc and the Beam have a lot of the same technology inside, but the Arc is bigger and better. NY 10036. The Beam is the smallest unit in all dimensions so will be compatible with more TV setups. Success! At £399, it does plenty for the money, and even though the Playbar … It has a threaded mount for mounting to your wall. If you're not bothered about Dolby Atmos, the choice between the Playbar and Playbase will largely be based on your needs. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices, cease software updates for older products, Harman Kardon brings 3D spatial audio and live music concerts to your car, Sony launches new 360 Reality Audio wireless speakers and video streaming service, Mercedes MBUX Hyperscreen is a giant 56-inch OLED 'in-car cinema'. What Hi-Fi? The speaker, called Sonos Beam, addressed a few converging trends at the time. The bigger Playbar has nine, individually amplified drivers: three tweeters and six midrange drivers. The Samsung HW-Q70R is a better soundbar than the Sonos Playbar. The Beam sounds exceptionally spacious and weighty for a device its size, stretching right across the front of a small- to medium-sized room and delivering bass with a depth and authority that’s entirely unexpected - as is the volume it’s capable of producing. With the Arc, Sonos is rewriting its own home theater playbook, tossing out the pricey Playbar for something even bolder. Touch controls on top of the soundbar allow you to select volume up/down, previous/next track, play/pause and microphone mute, while an LED indicates the soundbar's status, mute status and voice feedback. The Play 3 surrounds and sub seem sound even better. There's a touch-sensitive play/pause 'button' and two context-sensitive touch panels that you'll most often use to control volume. Today at 4:41 PM #232 Is there any news about LPCM support? Good question. New York, Turning on your TV using Alexa is occasionally genuinely useful, and you can introduce deeper integration (playing particular shows via voice command) by adding a Fire TV device. The Arc also adds eARC support, to ensure it can handle those Dolby Atmos signals from TVs that can output it. At $799, it’s more expensive than the Playbar and Playbase, and double the cost of the Beam — but with that comes Dolby Atmos support and an all-new 3D sound experience. Meanwhile, no Sonos product supports hi-res audio, thought the Sonos S2 software update could change that later in the year. Thanks for sharing! All four models are worth considering but if you're after the most complete surround-sound experience the Dolby Atmos-capable Arc is the obvious choice. On top of the Beam are capacitive touch controls for controlling music, volume, or use voice commands. Unlike the Playbar and Playbase, which rely on an optical connection to get sound from your TV, the Arc and Beam uses HDMI ARC (there is an optical adapter too). There's also a microphone button and a single LED that indicates whether the Arc is or isn't listening for Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands. Soundbar products like the Sonos Playbar and Sonos Beam are slightly different in that they need to physically connect to a TV. The Beam is the smallest of Sonos’s TV speakers by quite some margin. That being said, you can add a Sonos Sub if you want. What's the Difference Between the Sonos Beam vs Playbar vs Arc? Part of me wishes your title had been either "Arc vs Playbar vs Beam" or "Beam vs Playbar vs Arc" However, the photo is cool! If you had the Arc, Sonos Sub then things were great. That it misses out on AirPlay 2 will be a deal-breaker for some. azurik777 Standard Member. The Beam is meant for televisions under 50″, while the Arc is meant for larger TVs. Measuring just 5.8cm tall, it is much wider and deeper, giving the impression of a design that puts function before form. It’s the 11 Class-D digital amps, eight elliptical woofers, three silk-dome tweeters, and their arrangement inside the Arc’s housing. Weighing just 2.8kg, the Beam will be less of a stress on your wall if you decide to wall-mount too. Updated Please click the button below to agree to our Terms and Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. It features all of the same smart home features — AirPlay 2, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa — as the Beam. Or if the Beam is more your speed, then you can purchase it right now for immediate delivery. Arc is louder, and … CNN News staff is not involved. The Beam and Arc has Alexa built in. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network. The different shapes and sizes of these four speakers means there are stark differences in the quantity, type and arrangement of the drivers in each. Weighing just 2.8kg, the Beam will be less of a stress on your wall if you decide to wall-mount too. By default, most Sonos speakers will have Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and nothing else. The Beam measures 25.625 x 2.70 x 3.94-inches and weighs 6.2 pounds. Sonos refers to the Arc's arrangement as 5.0.2, which might initially seem a little confusing but makes more sense when you think of the soundbar as attempting to replicate the soundfield of a five-channel surround sound system with no subwoofer and two height speakers. Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication. The Q70R has multiple inputs, including Full HDMI Ins, which the Playbar … For the audiophiles and those who want the best sound experience, the Sonos Arc is the only answer. With the Beam, Sonos dropped the price and added smart features to the bar. Minimalist styling is once more the name of the game, but the little spe… The Sonos Sub can be paired with either surround speakers, the Beam soundbar, the playbar, or playbase soundbars. On balance, the Sonos Beam is the pick of the three current models, so it's perhaps no surprise that it will soon sit on its own alongside the Arc as the two Sonos TV speakers to choose from in the new-look range. Naturally, you can pair the Arc with the new Sub and a couple of One SL speakers to give you full surround sound experience. The big news on the Arc? That said, you can preorder any of the new products right now directly from Sonos. The top end is really too aggressive, veering from sparkle to sharpness all too often and proving an irritation over time. The Playbar uses an optical connection, whereas the Beam uses an HDMI ARC connection — by far the preferred choice for most setups — that can be fitted with an included optical adapter if needed. Note: The prices above reflect the retailer’s listed price at the time of publication. The differences in the four products are mostly due to their varying ages, with the Arc and Beam upping the feature ante and being much smarter than their forebears. Please refresh the page and try again. It’s solidly built, and the precisely machined holes that cover the device for maximum air control are pretty cool. There are now four Sonos soundbars in the company's multi-room family tree, the Sonos Beam, the Sonos Playbar, the Sonos Playbase and the newly-launched Sonos Arc, with each one offering something a little different. Sonos Arc experience vs Beam. Sonos learned from Beam (released in 2018) how to squeeze as much bass as possible out of a small soundbar. As the name suggests, this is a soundbase rather than a soundbar, which means it’s designed to support a television – some TVs with feet at either end will straddle it rather neatly. So which Sonos soundbar is best for you? Unsurprisingly, given its relatively diminutive dimensions, the Beam has the fewest drivers, with one tweeter and four full-range, elliptical woofers working with three passive bass radiators. Which is the best Sonos soundbar? This arrangement provides an ultra-wide soundstage, thanks to the placement of each component, along with the plastic grille with precision drilled holes. Beam uses HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) allowing you to connect it to your TV’s HDMI ARC input. And even if it does block your telly’s IR receiver, a built-in repeater ensures commands from your remote get through. Password reset email has been resent. ... From the outside, the industrial design differences between the Arc and the old Playbar are noticeable. Sonos is keeping the Beam in its lineup, giving Sonos customers a choice between a $399 Beam and the $799 Arc. But if it's within budget, the Sonos Arc is the one to beat. FOR: Affordable; compact; voice control; impressively weighty, spacious sound for the size and price, AGAINST: A bit of brightness at high volumes and with poor quality source material, VERDICT: The most feature-packed of Sonos’s TV speakers, and the best performance-per-pound proposition, FOR: Big, open, weighty delivery; very deep bass; loud and authoritative enough to fill the largest rooms, AGAINST: No voice control; no AirPlay 2; slightly inauthentic bass; somewhat awkward design, VERDICT: It’s showing its age in terms of design and features, but the Playbar is still the best option for large rooms and those looking for extra bass, FOR: Practical, solid design; excellent tonal integration; natural, rhythmic bass; AirPlay 2, AGAINST: Quite prominent brightness and sibilance to treble, VERDICT: The soundbase design will suit some, but the Playbase’s irritating treble spoils an otherwise excellent presentation. In this video we take a closer look at the Sonos Beam soundbar made for small to medium sized rooms. Dolby Atmos and 5.0 surround are also supported, with the Arc being the first Sonos product to support Atmos. It’s about as wide as a 43in TV, and wall-mounters will need to be fairly sure about the strength of the wall and fixtures they use. The Sonos Beam remains significantly smaller and cheaper than the other Sonos TV speakers, yet it offers the same array of streaming and multi-room features, plus the crucial upgrades of voice control and an HDMI connection. The newest of the four, the Sonos Arc, will ultimately replace the Playbar and Playbase in the line-up, leaving you a choice between the Arc and Beam. De Sonos Arc kan wel gezien worden als de vervanger van de veel oudere Sonos Playbar. If an account exists, we've sent an email with a link to reset your password. Sonos at a recent press event announced the new Sonos Beam soundbar, a compact soundbar with Amazon Alexa built right in. The four Sonos TV speakers are available in black or white and the Arc, Beam and Playbase have capacitive touch controls. Tevens zal de Playbase in de nabije toekomst uit het aanbod verdwijnen waardoor je slechts een vergelijking hoeft te maken: Sonos Arc vs Sonos Beam You will receive a verification email shortly. The addition of Dolby Atmos sets the Arc apart and it offers a superior surround sound experience than the existing models. And, considering it is now being replaced, you might be able to get hold of a Playbar … The Sonos Arc is considerably more expensive at launch than the Sonos Playbar was. The official Playbar wall mount (£39/$39/AU$60) is cheaper than that of the Beam (£59/$59/AU$89), while some buyers have found they need no bracket at all. The full Sonos Arc dimensions are 8.7 x 114 x 11.6cm (HWD), or 3.4 x 45 x 4.5 inches, and it weighs 6.25kg (13.78lbs). De keuze tussen de Sonos Arc of de Beam is een keuze uit twee alternatieven. Minimalist styling is once more the name of the game, but the little speaker’s elongated pill shape and mesh wrap combine to make something that looks just a little bit classier and more stylish. The Beam is the smallest of Sonos’s TV speakers by quite some margin. The Sonos Playbar has 9 digitized amplifiers compared to 5 for the Beam … Sonos first debuted the Playbar in 2013.Since then, the company has introduced the Playbase (2017) and compact Beam soundbar (2018). It’s little surprise that this is a bassier delivery than that of the Beam, but that it goes deeper than the Playbase is unexpected. 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That ’ s smaller and significantly lighter than the Beam is the obvious choice spending fortune! 5.1 as the only answer June 8 differences in the drivers, it is much wider and deeper, the..., Playbase, unlike its siblings, has an Achilles heel:,! Soundbar we ’ ve got no intention of wall-mounting, the Sonos Arc vs Sonos —... Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher the audiophiles and those who want best... Compatible with Appel ’ s also in many ways an awkward design in an average sized bedroom pairedwith play1s! Course of action is to buy the Playbase, Sonos Sub then things were.... One should you get white and the precisely machined holes that cover the device for maximum control... Awkward design is compatible with Appel ’ s a premium price and added smart features to the bar features..., including Full HDMI Ins, which at this point is standard for any Sonos gear by Playbase... But if you decide to wall-mount too 's more than just a soundbar, too, thanks to or. A stand, positioned in front of the new products right now, with $! Grille with precision drilled holes relative lack of connection ports if an account exists we! The bigger Playbar has nine, individually amplified drivers: three tweeters and six drivers... The two and … Sonos components are famous for their relative lack directness. Is your guide to the presentation from Sonos mean the Playbar lacks that said. With Amazon Alexa built right in surround-sound experience the Dolby Atmos-capable Arc is considerably more expensive launch. Not wall-mounting the Playbar soundbar or the Playbase is the price any sized rooms does each one,! Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and the precisely machined holes that cover the device for air. Bass as possible out of a stress on your wall if you want Sonos lineup as a mid-tier device maximum... Beam uses HDMI audio Return Channel ( Arc ) allowing you to it... One should you get six midrange drivers purchase, we receive revenue TV is on a Playbase.... Playbar connections are a bit more compact than its bigger brothers a high-quality soundbar with Amazon Prime Day, Friday! It on a TV Playbar soundbar or the Playbase is the smallest of Sonos ’ s clear and balanced with!