Sonos Beam Ultra, compact Dolby Atmos 5.1.2 soundbar (virtual 7.1.2) with 9 speakers

The Sonos Beam Ultra takes up the philosophy that made the Beam range successful: offering a relatively compact soundbar, easy to integrate in front of a television, but capable of delivering a much fuller sound than its dimensions might suggest. With a width of 75 cm, a height of 6.5 cm and a depth of 10.5 cm for 2.88 kg, the newcomer, available in matte black or matte white finishes, is slightly thinner in height to fit perfectly under the TV screen, while widening a little to optimize the soundstage. Beneath this apparent simplicity, implemented via a capacitive touch interface on the top, Sonos has however completely reworked the acoustic architecture. No more simple software tuning from the previous generation, the Beam Ultra, now powered by a Quad Core processor, starts from scratch and now incorporates nine Class D digital amplifiers paired with nine speakers.

 

 

Sonos Beam Ultra, true speakers for Dolby Atmos One of the major changes concerns the reproduction of vertical effects. The soundbar now adopts a virtual 7.1.2 configuration with real physical speakers tasked with reproducing overhead information by reflection off the ceiling, abandoning the virtualization of Gen 2. It combines four [abc]midrange[/abc]-[abc]woofers[/abc] with a rectangular profile (for more punchy bass) with five [abc]tweeters[/abc]: a central one for dialogue, two side-mounted ones housed in waveguides to widen the soundstage, and two upward-firing ones for Atmos channels (also in directional waveguides). If counted correctly, the Sonos Beam Ultra therefore offers a 5.1.2 configuration. Important detail: if the bar is installed in a closed cabinet offering less than 10 cm of clearance above it, a simulated Height mode (Overhead Sound) automatically takes over. On the audio decoding side, [abc]Dolby Atmos[/abc] (including Dolby Atmos Music), [abc]Dolby TrueHD[/abc], multichannel [abc]PCM[/abc] as well as [abc]DTS[/abc] Digital Surround are supported via the [abc]HDMI[/abc] [abc]eARC[/abc] connection.

 

 

Sonos Beam Ultra: artificial intelligence, vocal clarity and Trueplay Sonos is also tackling the recurring issue of muffled dialogue in modern mixes with the AI Speech Enhancement function. The redesigned center channel uses artificial intelligence to identify and isolate human voices from the rest of the soundtrack, with four adjustable intensity levels. This feature works in combination with the brand’s classic Night Sound mode. Another technical element, the famous Trueplay calibration (which adapts the sound to the room’s acoustics), is included. The Beam Ultra relies on its own network of built-in microphones for this (far-field type, which can be completely disabled via a physical switch on the rear to ensure privacy, cf. photo on the right below), making the process independent of the smartphone microphone.

 

  

Sonos Beam Ultra: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 and multiroom expandability Wireless connectivity takes a leap forward with the move to [abc]Wi-Fi[/abc] 6 (for greater stability on busy networks) and the welcome addition of [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] 5.3. Also notable is the appearance of a [abc]USB[/abc]-C port accepting an (optional) adapter to connect an analog source or an [abc]Ethernet[/abc] cable. As always, the Beam Ultra can evolve into a true wireless Home Cinema system by pairing it with surround speakers (Sonos Era 100 or 300) and a subwoofer (Sonos Sub Mini or Sonos Sub Gen 4).

 

 

The TV Audio Swap function also makes its appearance, allowing the sound from the television to be instantly switched to the Sonos Ace headphones. Only one amusing exception noted by the brand: the bar is not compatible with antique TVs using CCFL backlighting (manufactured between 2004 and 2012).

Finally, the brand highlights an environmental commitment with the use of 24% recycled plastics and standby power consumption reduced by 25%.

 

Availability announced for September 29. Pre-orders are already open for the Sonos Beam Ultra. Indicative price: 699 euros.

 

Reminder of the key specifications of the Sonos Beam Ultra:

• Type: soundbar

• System: 7.1.2

• Amplification: 9 Class D amplifiers

• Speakers: 5 [abc]tweeters[/abc] (1 central, 2 side, 2 vertical) and 4 rectangular [abc]midrange[/abc]-[abc]woofers[/abc]

• Decoders: [abc]Dolby Atmos[/abc], [abc]Dolby TrueHD[/abc], [abc]Dolby Digital Plus[/abc], [abc]DTS[/abc] Digital Surround, multichannel PCM

• Connectivity: [abc]Wi-Fi[/abc] 6, [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] 5.3, [abc]AirPlay 2[/abc]

• Processor: Quad Core 4xA55 at 1.9 GHz

• Ports: 1 [abc]HDMI[/abc] [abc]eARC[/abc]/[abc]ARC[/abc] output (optical adapter sold separately), 1 [abc]USB[/abc]-C port (Line/Ethernet input adapter sold separately)

• Controls: capacitive touch interface, physical microphone disable switch, Bluetooth button

• Features: AI Speech Enhancement, Night Sound, Trueplay calibration (iOS and Android via built-in microphones), TV Audio Swap

• Voice assistants: Sonos Voice Control

• Finishes: Matte Black or Matte White

• Eco-design: 24% recycled plastics, plastic-free packaging (FSC)

• Dimensions (W x H x D): 750 x 65 x 105 mm

• Weight: 2.88 kg