Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Twitch
    Game on Aus
    • News

      Best Console Digital Deals of the Week 24/6/2022

      June 23, 2022

      PlayStation has released it’s Mid-Year Sale offerings along with a few great choices for deals to be picked up on…

      Sentinels vs Skorpions to clash in World of Tanks ANZ Premier League Finals

      June 23, 2022

      [This press release has been provided by Wargaming PR and is presented by the GOA team for your information] The…

      Fall Guys is finally available on all platforms…and it’s free!

      June 22, 2022

      The wildly chaotic, battle royale-like party game, Fall Guys, has finally launched on all platforms. Up until today, Fall Guys…

      Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands finally comes to Steam this week

      June 22, 2022

      Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands may have launched on most platforms back in March, however Epic Games had exclusivity of the title…

      Top 5 games to play on Xbox Game Pass right now

      June 21, 2022

      IT’S no surprise out there the value and huge selection of games on Xbox’s popular platform of Game Pass that…

      View All
    • Reviews

      The Quarry – The Review

      June 24, 2022

      OK readers, I have a secret to tell. And I might lose some of your respect after I tell you.…

      Necesse screenshot

      Necesse – the perfect blend of two iconic indie games

      June 23, 2022

      I really don’t know how to open this other than: more people need to be playing Necesse ASAP, it’s my…

      More D&D Monsters! A review of Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters Of The Multiverse

      June 22, 2022

      THERE are a lot of sourcebooks for Dungeons & Dragons out there. D&D 5e (the current edition) has something like…

      SteelSeries Aerox 9 Wireless Gaming Mouse Review

      June 19, 2022

      DESPITE never being the hugest fan of MMO/MOBA games, largely due to my lack of patience and willingness to invest…

      Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Portable Wireless Charger reviewed

      June 17, 2022

      POWERBANKS are a pretty straightforward piece of kit at this point – there’s a battery, in a case, and you…

      View All
    • Podcasts
      game on aus logo

      Predators Beware!

      June 23, 2022

      Stormie’s not well this week so Pete and Jim carry on! The lads chat how many lootboxes you need in…

      Episode 245 Hero Card

      Episode 245: Summer Games Fest!

      June 17, 2022

      Catch up with all the news from a weekend of announcement at Summer Games Fest! Pete, Stormie and Jim talk highlights and lowlights along with games that are just too big!

      Episode 244: Diablows?

      June 9, 2022

      Pete has some things to get off his chest about Diablo Immortal and new Pokemon while Stormie and Jim nod…

      GOA Pod 243

      Episode 243: Happy Birthday Solitaire!

      June 2, 2022

      The gang talk about their cozy Bloody Good Game Of The Week thanks to Aussie Broadband, licensing music for games…

      GOA Pod 242

      Episode 242: The Richie Benaud Episode Number

      May 26, 2022

      Two… two four two. Yes, episode 242 is here and like the late, great Richie, it’s marvellous. Pete and Jim…

      View All
    • Categories
      • BY PLATFORM
        • Playstation
        • Xbox
        • Nintendo
        • PC
        • Mobile
        • VR
        • Retro
      • BY GENRE
        • Action
        • Action-Adventure
        • Adventure
        • Battle Royale
        • Fighting
        • FPS
        • Horror Games
        • RPG
        • Simulation
        • Sports
        • MMORPG
        • MOBA
        • Party Game
        • Platformer
        • Puzzle
        • Strategy
        • Survival
        • Indie
      • GOA ESSENTIALS
        • Esports
        • Conventions
        • Tabletop
        • Hardware
        • Furniture
        • Funny
        • Streaming
        • Win
        • Podcast
        • Video
    • More
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
    Game on Aus
    Home » Sonos Beam Gen 2 reviewed
    NEWS

    Sonos Beam Gen 2 reviewed

    Royce WilsonBy Royce WilsonOctober 7, 2021
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Sound bars are a popular addition to any decent home entertainment setup, and Sonos have made a well-deserved name for themselves in that space with their products.

    Their latest product is the Sonos Beam Gen 2 – the updated version of the Sonos Beam soundbar – and measures 651mm wide by 100mm deep and 69mm high. It’s available in either white or black – much like the two next-gen consoles you’re likely to be pairing it with, incidentally – and can either sit on the TV unit or be screwed into a wall, depending how you want to set it up.

    The Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar packs a lot of punch and function into its relatively small size.

    Despite is small(ish) size, the sound quality from the Beam Gen 2 is excellent – it’s clear, it’s sharp, and it’s loud (if you turn the volume up), and its design manages to be understated and stylish at the same time, so it doesn’t look out of place wherever it is located; I have a black TV and reviewed the white Beam Gen 2 and didn’t find the contrast noticeable at all.

    The Beam integrated flawlessly with my Samsung TV, connecting via an HDMI 2.1 eARC port, and once it was set up I could even control it using the TV’s remote (so adjusting volume up or down on the TV remote controlled the soundbar volume).

    There are touch controls on the unit itself and they work, but most people aren’t going to want to be getting off the couch or out of the comfy chair to use them – which is why the Sonos app and TV remote integration is doubly welcome.

    From a gaming perspective it really is very impressive, able to clearly reproduce sounds over a range of levels and still provide effective quasi-surround sound via Dolby Atmos. From Far Cry 6 to Deathloop to Ghost of Tsushima to Yakuza: Like A Dragon, everything sounded superb through the Beam Gen 2 – the sound was great, the dialogue was clear, there wasn’t any distortion,  and the unit provided a soundscape much larger than its size belied.

    The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a really good addition to a console gaming setup, with excellent sound from both Xbox and PlayStation games.

    The same results came from watching streaming TV, and even as a “listening to Spotify while reading a book in the lounge” experience it was really good too –While the Sonos Beam Gen 2 doesn’t have ultra-deep bass, I found it was more than adequate for a great gaming and viewing experience in my lounge and had no complaints about what it offered in that department.

    The bass and treble levels can be adjusted via the app and to further add to the usefulness, the Beam Gen 2 can also be integrated with Amazon Alexa or Google Home as a smart speaker via Wi-Fi too – a role it performs very well, especially since it supports voice activation and command too. for those with Apple devices, the Beam Gen 2 is also AirPlay compatible as well, and it can be hard-wired into a router via an Ethernet cable if you’d prefer that over a wireless connection.

    There is an option to add a subwoofer and remote speakers for a true surround sound experience, but I honestly thought the base unit itself did an excellent job and most surround-sound gaming is done with a headset anyway, so didn’t feel my gaming experience was compromised by using the base unit alone.

    The Beam Gen 2 works just as well for streaming TV and movie content too, providing excellent sound.

    One area where the multi-speaker setup might be appealing would be for a multi-speaker setup in different rooms of the house – for example, playing music in the lounge and dining room during a party.

    The Sonos Beam Gen 2 might not quite be big enough for a serious cinephile looking for something to recreate a full theatre experience at home, but for an enthusiast gamer or someone with a small-medium lounge, it’s going to fit the bill extremely nicely indeed.

    There’s just one caveat: There’s no dedicated “Off” button on the unit itself, short of unplugging it from the power cord. Most of the time it’s not an issue at all, since it integrates well with smart TVs, but it might be an issue on older TVs if trying to use headphones as well.

    The Sonos Beam Gen 2 delivers great sound in a stylish, uncluttered package and while it’s not cheap (RRP: AUD$699), it packs a lot of punch and comes well recommended as a result.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleFortnitemares Is Back!
    Next Article EPOS H3 Hybrid gaming headset: The best of both worlds

    Related Posts

    HORROR GAMES June 24, 2022

    The Quarry – The Review

    OK readers, I have a secret to tell. And I might lose some of your respect after I tell you.…

    Necesse screenshot
    REVIEW June 23, 2022

    Necesse – the perfect blend of two iconic indie games

    I really don’t know how to open this other than: more people need to be playing Necesse ASAP, it’s my…

    Subscribe

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    Ads
    Advertisement
    Categories
    • ACTION
    • ACTION-ADVENTURE
    • ADVENTURE
    • BATTLE ROYALE
    • CLOUD GAMING
    • CONVENTIONS
    • ESPORTS
    • FEATURE
    • FIGHTING
    • FPS
    • FUNNY
    • FURNITURE
    • GOA
    • HARDWARE
    • HORROR GAMES
    • INDIE
    • MMORPG
    • MOBA
    • MOBILE
    • NEWS
    • NINTENDO
    • Open-World
    • OPINION
    • PARTY GAME
    • PC
    • PLATFORMER
    • PLAYSTATION
    • PODCAST
    • PREVIEW
    • PUZZLE
    • RACING
    • RETRO
    • REVIEW
    • RPG
    • SIMULATION
    • SPORTS
    • STRATEGY
    • STREAMING
    • SURVIVAL
    • TABLETOP GAMING
    • TECH
    • VIDEO
    • VR
    • XBOX
    Related Article
    FEATURE

    Raven’s Top JPRGs to Play until Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth

    June 26, 2022Rachael ArmstongBy Rachael Armstong

    JUST over a week ago, the next chapter of the Final Fantasy VII: Remake series of games was shown off. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth…

    HORROR GAMES

    The Quarry – The Review

    June 24, 2022Nick HollidayBy Nick Holliday

    OK readers, I have a secret to tell. And I might lose some of your respect after I tell you. Here it is… …I…

    FEATURE

    10 of the best games published by Devolver Digital

    June 24, 2022ArlentricBy Arlentric

    I found myself genuinely surprised in the early hours after Devolver Digital’s recent showcase, as I searched my way through their immense portfolio of…

    Game on Australia Logo

    Game On Aus is an Australian games publication working across written, video and podcast, and supported by an ever-growing community of content creators and fans!

    Copyright GameOnAus 2022. Privacy Policy

    CONTENT
    • News
    • Gaming Reviews
    • Podcast
    • Tech
    • Indie
    ABOUT GOA
    • About Us
    • Contact

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.