During the opening chase in Baby Driver, for instance, I might hear automobiles whizzing by my ears, the roar of highly effective engines and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion’s “Bellbottoms” filling my household room. That similar scene on the unique Beam sounded high quality, however there was no sense of enveloping encompass sound. The second-generation mannequin simply seemed like a richer expertise, as if cotton balls had been faraway from my ears.

The similar was true whereas revisiting 2015’s (significantly underrated) The Man from U.N.C.L.E., or the epic car-turned-motorcycle chase in MIssion Impossible: Rogue Nation. The new Beam is a tiny speaker meant to make a meal of bombastic motion sequences, and it does so with out distorting or breaking a sweat. Sonos additionally targeted on making dialog clearer too, one thing I appreciated when conversations had been taking place amid these enormous set items.

Mostly, although, I used to be impressed by what Sonos was in a position to do with such a small system. You can discover soundbars and wi-fi encompass sound methods for lower than $450, and lots of will ship larger sound. But Sonos affords issues different methods do not. For one, it is easy to arrange: You simply plug it into the suitable ports and step by the method on Sonos’s app. With competing merchandise, you might also have to seek out spots to carry rear audio system, which nonetheless have to plug into energy. As nice as the brand new Beam sounds, although, it is no match for the Atmos capabilities of the Arc. But for half the worth, I would not anticipate it to.

When it involves synchronized audio all through your property, Sonos continues to be the related speaker firm to beat. There’s no simpler option to program music for home events (and out of doors shindigs with the transportable Roam and Move audio system). The second-gen Beam is a stable addition to the household relating to music, although it is much less of a direct improve in comparison with motion pictures. It’ll assist Dolby Atmos on Amazon Music later this yr, however that service presently would not have an enormous variety of Atmos tracks. Sonos is not saying when it will assist Atmos on Apple Music, however there’s technically nothing stopping that from taking place down the road.

The new Beam sounded high quality whereas taking part in again a few of my favourite albums, like Bjork’s Homogenic and Janelle Monae’s The Electric Lady, with an honest sense of presence and a few thumping low-end. But it did not sound dramatically completely different prefer it did with motion motion pictures. Amazon Music’s Ultra HD mixture of Marvin Gayes’ “What’s Going On” sounded very crisp and clear, however I’ll be extra excited about listening to what the Atmos model of that music feels like finally. On my Echo Studio, that Atmos combine nearly feels like Gaye is performing a stay live performance proper in entrance of you.

And talking of Echo gadgets, the Beam’s Alexa integration nonetheless works nicely. Its far-field microphones can hear me from the opposite aspect of my giant household room, and it helps the entire similar instructions as Amazon’s personal gadgets. It might simply change an Echo in the identical room, however you may also simply mute the microphone and maintain your Amazon account unlinked should you don’t wish to have it listening in.

The Sonos Beam excels at being a easy and compact soundbar that’ll offer you a big soundstage for motion pictures. But I’d suggest sitting again and interested by what’s actually necessary to you. Do you care extra about having a clear TV setup with out many wires? Or would you like a soundbar system with extra practical encompass sound? (Actual rears, a subwoofer and upward-firing Atmos audio system.) If so, you have additionally received nice choices like Vizio’s M-series 5.1.2 for round $500.

You might finally construct a Sonos encompass sound system across the Beam by including two One audio system as rears, in addition to the corporate’s wi-fi subwoofer. But these two items of {hardware} alone would run you one other $1,150 (or you may purchase them all bundled together for $1,499). If you are going that route, you may as nicely bounce straight to the $899 Arc to have the absolute best Sonos system.

The second-generation Sonos Beam isn’t an enormous leap forward of the unique, however it’s nonetheless a greater soundbar general due to the addition of Atmos. If you already personal a Beam, you don’t have to run out and seize one. But it’s a stable sub-$500 soundbar if you wish to take your film watching up a notch.

Note: Sonos is a former sponsor of my film podcast, The Filmcast, however that hasn’t stopped me from being essential of the corporate.