Best Sonos Soundbars (2026): Beam Ultra, Arc Ultra, Beam Gen 2 and Ray Compared

Sonos sells four soundbars in the US right now: the new Beam Ultra, the flagship Arc Ultra, the Beam (Gen 2) and the entry-level Ray. They span $219 to $1,099, and the gap between them is not only size. They differ in whether they decode Dolby Atmos at all, how they connect to your TV, which subwoofers and rear speakers they can pair with, and how much of the room they are designed to fill. This guide picks the right one for each kind of buyer, using Sonos's own specifications and the buyer ratings published on sonos.com.

How this list was put together: this is a research-based roundup. We did not test these soundbars hands-on. Specifications come from each official Sonos product page, the ratings are the review snapshots shown on sonos.com, and prices were checked on November 4, 2026. Prices change, so confirm them at checkout.

Quick picks

• Best for most living rooms: Beam Ultra, $699. True Dolby Atmos with up-firing drivers in a compact bar.
• Best for big rooms and big TVs: Arc Ultra, $1,099. The most drivers and the widest bar Sonos makes.
• Best value Atmos: Beam (Gen 2), $499. Virtual Atmos height in a small bar, with the optical adapter included.
• Best budget and small spaces: Ray, $219. Optical only and no Atmos, but very compact and cheap.

Side-by-side specs

Best for most living rooms: Sonos Beam Ultra ($699)

The Beam Ultra is the newest bar in the range, and Sonos positions it as a "powerful compact soundbar for TVs up to 65"." The key difference from the older Beam is real height channels. Sonos lists 9 class-D amplifiers, 5 tweeters (two of them firing upward), and 4 woofers, and describes the output as true 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos. The older Beam creates height virtually; the Beam Ultra has physical drivers pointed at the ceiling.

It also gets the newer feature set. Speech enhancement uses Sonos's AI Speech Enhancement with four levels, Night Sound reduces loud effects late at night, and Trueplay room tuning works from both iOS and Android devices. WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 are on board, plus AirPlay 2 and Sonos Voice Control, with a microphone switch to disconnect the mics. A USB-C port accepts line-in or Ethernet adapters.

One feature stands out on the product page: you can use a pair of Sonos Play or Move 2 portable speakers as rear surrounds and carry them off as portable speakers when the movie ends. Sonos also sells Beam Ultra sets with a Sub Mini and two Era 100 rears.

Things to know: the optical adapter is sold separately, and Sonos notes it is not compatible with CCFL TVs from 2004 to 2012. The 4.9/5 rating comes from only 86 reviews so far, a much smaller sample than the other bars.

Best for: most living rooms with a TV up to about 65 inches where you want real Atmos height without a very wide bar.

Best for big rooms: Sonos Arc Ultra ($1,099)

The Arc Ultra is Sonos's flagship. Sonos describes it as 9.1.4 Dolby Atmos from 14 drivers driven by 15 amplifiers, including 9 tweeters (two up-firing), 6 midwoofers and Sonos's Sound Motion woofer, which the company says delivers deeper bass from a slim bar. It shares the Beam Ultra's AI Speech Enhancement with four levels.

It is a big bar: 1,178 mm wide and 5.9 kg, so check your TV stand or wall space first. At 4.9/5 from 1,244 sonos.com reviews it has both a top score and a solid sample size. Sonos uses 43% recycled plastic and 100% recycled aluminum in its build.

The Arc Ultra is also the most expandable bar. Sonos's own recommended pairing is a Sub plus two Era 300 rears, and the Sub 4 page says two subwoofers can be paired with Arc Ultra.

Best for: larger rooms, TVs of 65 inches and up, and buyers who plan to build a full system around the bar.

Best value Atmos: Sonos Beam (Gen 2) ($499)

The Beam (Gen 2) costs $200 less than the Beam Ultra. It decodes Dolby Atmos but creates height with phantom channels rather than up-firing drivers. Sonos says a 40% faster chip creates "two new audio paths for a virtual surround sound experience." Inside are 5 amplifiers, 1 tweeter, 4 elliptical midwoofers and 3 passive radiators.

It connects over HDMI eARC, and unlike the Beam Ultra, the optical adapter is included in the box. Networking is 2.4 GHz WiFi plus Ethernet, it has an IR receiver for TV remotes, and it supports Sonos Voice Control. Trueplay tuning on the Beam requires a compatible iOS device. Sonos sells a wall mount for $49.

It holds 4.5/5 from 2,741 reviews, the largest sample of the four.

Best for: buyers who want Atmos support and HDMI eARC at a lower price, or have an older TV that only has optical out.

Best budget pick: Sonos Ray ($219)

The Ray is the simplest and cheapest Sonos soundbar. It connects by optical cable only, so there is no HDMI and no Dolby Atmos. Supported formats are Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround. Inside are 4 amplifiers, 2 tweeters, 2 midwoofers and a bass reflex system, in a 557 mm bar that weighs 1.9 kg and fits in shallow shelves.

Voice control needs a separate voice-enabled device, and Trueplay requires iOS. A Ray wall mount is $39. The rating is 4.3/5 from 1,017 reviews, the lowest of the four, which fits its entry-level hardware.

Best for: bedrooms, small apartments, and smaller TVs where clearer dialogue matters more than surround sound.

Features they share

All four bars run on the Sonos app and join the same multi-room system as other Sonos speakers. Night Sound and speech enhancement are available across the range, though the Ultra bars get the newer AI version with four levels. Arc Ultra, Beam and Ray support TV Audio Swap to Sonos Ace headphones and TrueCinema, which Sonos says maps your room and renders virtual surround sound in the headphones.

Every bar can grow into a system. Sonos sells Ray, Beam and Beam Ultra sets with the Sub Mini, and the Sub 4 page lists Arc Ultra, Beam and Ray among its compatible soundbars. For full set prices and which rear speakers to pick, see our guide to building a Sonos surround sound system. If you are considering Era 100s as rears, our Sonos Era 100 review covers that speaker in depth.

How to choose

Start with your TV connection. If your TV has HDMI eARC or ARC, any bar except Ray will use it. If you only have optical out, Ray or Beam (Gen 2) with its included adapter are the easiest picks.

Then decide on Atmos. If you watch a lot of Atmos content on streaming services, the Beam Ultra or Arc Ultra give you physical up-firing drivers. The Beam (Gen 2) does height virtually, and the Ray does not do Atmos at all.

Match the bar to your room. A 1,178 mm Arc Ultra under a 50-inch TV is overkill and may overhang the stand. The Beam Ultra at 750 mm is designed for TVs up to 65 inches. The Ray at 557 mm suits small consoles.

Think about the whole system budget. A $699 Beam Ultra plus Sub Mini and two Era 100s costs $1,556 as a set, so plan the endgame before you buy the bar.

Buying from Sonos

Sonos.com offers free shipping and a 30-day return window, price matching, and optional Extend protection plans. Our Sonos shopping guide explains the return process, the warranty, Certified Refurbished stock and the Upgrade Program in detail.

Bottom line

The Beam Ultra is the best fit for most people: true Atmos height and the newest features in a bar sized for typical TVs. Step up to the Arc Ultra for large rooms and the biggest upgrade path. Choose the Beam (Gen 2) for Atmos on a tighter budget, and the Ray when you just want clearer TV sound in a small room.

References

1. Sonos. "Beam Ultra" product page and tech specs. https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/beam-ultra (accessed November 4, 2026).
2. Sonos. "Arc Ultra" product page and tech specs. https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/arc-ultra (accessed November 4, 2026).
3. Sonos. "Beam (Gen 2)" product page and tech specs. https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/beam (accessed November 4, 2026).
4. Sonos. "Ray" product page and tech specs. https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/ray (accessed November 4, 2026).
5. Sonos. "Sub 4" product page. https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/sub-4 (accessed November 4, 2026).
6. Sonos. "Home Theater" sets. https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/home-theater (accessed November 4, 2026).