Sonos Beam Ultra

Name: Sonos — Beam Ultra, 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos soundbar (black)
Brand: Sonos
SKU: B0H8YSW9K1

7.1.2 Dolby Atmos soundbar (black)

Ideal for: Compact cinema sound for the living room.

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A compact, matte soundbar that sits under your TV, with 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos, HDMI eARC, Wi-Fi 6 and AirPlay 2.

Audio formatDolby Atmos 7.1.2, 2 upward-firing tweeters
Speakers5 tweeters, 4 woofers, 9 Class-D amplifiers
Dimensions65 × 750 × 105 mm (H × W × D), 2.88 kg
ConnectivityHDMI eARC, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, AirPlay 2
FinishMatte black

Avoid ifSkip it if your TV has no HDMI eARC port, if you want rear speakers or a subwoofer included from day one, or if you are on a tight budget: the Beam Ultra is meant to be compact, not a full home cinema system.

Close-up top view of the black Sonos Beam Ultra soundbar

Why this model

The Sonos Beam Ultra is a compact 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos soundbar for people who want real cinema sound under the TV without crowding the living room. It is 750 mm wide and 65 mm tall, in a matte black finish that disappears below the screen.

In this review we look at what matters: design, everyday use, key specs and who it is (and is not) right for. If you are torn between the Beam Gen 2 and the Arc Ultra, you will find pointers to help you decide.

Design: a matte bar that disappears under the TV

The Beam Ultra stays very low: 65 mm tall, 750 mm wide and 105 mm deep, at 2.88 kg. Sonos offers it in black or white with a matte finish, and it sits under the TV or mounts on the wall with the Beam Ultra Wall Mount, sold separately.

Controls are capacitive touch, with a Bluetooth pairing button and a switch that cuts power to the microphones. LEDs show connection, microphone activity and mute status. According to Sonos, the plastic is 48% recycled.

Everyday use: TV, music and settings

You connect it to your TV over HDMI eARC with the 1.5 m HDMI cable in the box. According to Sonos, this connection unlocks Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD and some other formats also need eARC). It also connects over Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, and supports AirPlay 2 on iOS 11.4 and later.

For tuning, Sonos offers four-level AI Speech Enhancement, Night Sound, an adjustable EQ and Trueplay to adapt the sound to your room. Voice control uses Sonos Voice Control, with availability varying by country and language.

Key specifications

According to Sonos, the Beam Ultra has nine Class-D digital amplifiers, five tweeters (two of them upward-firing for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Atmos Music) and four low-profile woofers. It supports Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS Digital Surround, with some formats requiring eARC.

It measures 65 × 750 × 105 mm and weighs 2.88 kg, with Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.3 and a USB-C port for line-in or Ethernet through optional adapters. It is not compatible with CCFL-backlit TVs made between 2004 and 2012.

Who it is for, and who should skip it

It suits you if you want to upgrade your TV sound with a single discreet device that looks good in a living room, and if you like streaming music from the same bar. It can also grow with a wider Sonos setup.

Skip it if your TV lacks HDMI eARC, if you want proper rear speakers or a subwoofer included from the start, or if you prefer a system without an app or Wi-Fi. For a large living room, look at the Sonos Arc Ultra instead.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Sonos Beam Ultra good for a small TV or small living room?

That is exactly its purpose: the Beam Ultra is 750 mm wide and 65 mm tall and fits under the TV. According to Sonos, it delivers 7.1.2 Dolby Atmos sound in this compact format.

Does the Sonos Beam Ultra do Dolby Atmos with any TV?

Your TV needs an HDMI eARC port to get Dolby Atmos and some formats such as Dolby TrueHD, according to Sonos. It is not compatible with CCFL-backlit TVs made between 2004 and 2012.

Can you listen to music on the Sonos Beam Ultra?

Yes, it connects over Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 and supports AirPlay 2. It also handles Dolby Atmos Music thanks to its two upward-firing tweeters.

Can the Sonos Beam Ultra be wall-mounted?

Yes, with the Beam Ultra Wall Mount, sold separately. Otherwise it simply sits under the TV.

What is a good alternative to the Sonos Beam Ultra for a bigger living room?

For a large room, the Sonos Arc Ultra is the bigger sibling to consider. The Beam Ultra remains the compact choice for a medium living room or a narrow TV unit.