The catch
Sonos Beam Ultra
Adapters are an added cost. Sonos excludes CCFL-backlit TVs made in 2004 to 2012, and blocked clearance above the bar changes how height sound is produced.
Side by side
Sonos Beam Ultra vs Beam Gen 2: Gen 2 takes less shelf, Beam Ultra adds a turntable route
Quick verdict
A direct turntable route through an optional adapter is what the Beam Ultra adds, and the Gen 2 is 3.9 inches narrower. The Ultra is the choice for that wired music input, Bluetooth playback or Android quick tuning. The Gen 2 stays in the running if TV and Wi-Fi music already cover your routine, and since it already supports headphones and portable surround, those features alone do not justify upgrading. The Ultra needs a compatible TV, and having less than four inches above it calls for simulated overhead sound.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
A turntable and rear speakers can end up fighting over the same Sonos socket
Say your record player is plugged into an Era 100 that you later want behind the sofa for films. Once that speaker is assigned as a surround, it loses its line-in. With Beam Gen 2, the tidy plan of using the same equipment for both jobs falls apart at setup. Beam Ultra can take the record player at the bar itself, through an optional Sonos Line-In or Combo Adapter. Then the Era pair can stay as surrounds and does not have to be the turntable input. Remember the correct audio cable and, if the turntable needs one, a phono preamp. Should you already have a separate Port, Five or another suitable input that will stay available, this particular reason to upgrade mostly goes away.
Where this comes from
Beam Ultra line-in together with the documented Era 100 surround-role restriction. The workflow conclusion is conditional. It does not claim that both sources play at once or that an adapter takes the place of phono amplification.
The catch
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
It has no direct analog line-in and no Bluetooth music playback. Trueplay requires a compatible iPhone or iPad.
Sonos Beam Ultra
- Why pick it
- Your record player has to plug into a line-in on the bar, using the optional Sonos adapter, a cable and any phono preamp it requires.
- You are on Android and want quick tuning, or you need Bluetooth music. Check the TV’s compatibility and the four-inch top-clearance guidance.
- The catch
- Adapters are an added cost. Sonos excludes CCFL-backlit TVs made in 2004 to 2012, and blocked clearance above the bar changes how height sound is produced.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- Why pick it
- The 25.63-inch cabinet is what you need, and you already have a suitable route for each music source.
- Compatible Sonos headphones or portable surrounds are mostly what you want, and the Gen 2 supports them as well once set up.
- The catch
- It has no direct analog line-in and no Bluetooth music playback. Trueplay requires a compatible iPhone or iPad.
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What this page compares
Beam Ultra against Beam Gen 2 for records, a low-mounted TV and shared Sonos speakers. Before upgrading, look at the adapter, the tuning and the limits on surround roles.
Each is a current compact Sonos TV bar with optional expansion. The question that matters is whether new inputs, physical height drivers or Android tuning handle a job the smaller Beam cannot.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Otherwise your turntable input would sit on an Era 100 rear
With the required adapter, Ultra can take the input right at the bar. An Era 100 used as a surround loses its line-in.
- Sonos Beam Ultra
- Better fit
- Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- Caution
Your usable TV surface is 28 inches across
Ultra measures 29.53 inches across and Gen 2 measures 25.63, not counting connections and placement clearances.
- Sonos Beam Ultra
- Not suitable
- Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- Better fit
Android is all you have for repeating Trueplay
Quick tuning works on Ultra when its product microphones are enabled. Gen 2 calls for compatible iOS.
- Sonos Beam Ultra
- Better fit
- Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- Not suitable
All you want is to add matching Move 2 portable surrounds
This works on both, subject to the same microphone, matching-pair and role-switching requirements.
- Sonos Beam Ultra
- Good
- Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- Good
In practice
Differences you will notice
A turntable and rear speakers can end up fighting over the same Sonos socket
Say your record player is plugged into an Era 100 that you later want behind the sofa for films. Once that speaker is assigned as a surround, it loses its line-in. With Beam Gen 2, the tidy plan of using the same equipment for both jobs falls apart at setup. Beam Ultra can take the record player at the bar itself, through an optional Sonos Line-In or Combo Adapter. Then the Era pair can stay as surrounds and does not have to be the turntable input. Remember the correct audio cable and, if the turntable needs one, a phono preamp. Should you already have a separate Port, Five or another suitable input that will stay available, this particular reason to upgrade mostly goes away.
How we worked this out
Beam Ultra line-in together with the documented Era 100 surround-role restriction. The workflow conclusion is conditional. It does not claim that both sources play at once or that an adapter takes the place of phono amplification.
A lower cabinet is no guarantee that the height-driver upgrade will fit
Ultra stands 0.12 inch lower than Gen 2, but its upward-firing tweeters bring in a second measurement. Sonos specifies four inches of space above the bar and tells owners to switch to simulated overhead sound when that space is not there. A renter with a fixed, low-mounted TV does not automatically get the intended upward sound path by moving up from Gen 2. Buy Ultra for its other changes if those matter to you, but do not pay for height drivers alone if you plan to cover them. Gen 2 is also 3.9 inches narrower. Keep every bar out of an enclosed cabinet and follow the placement instructions, even when a simulated mode is available.
How we worked this out
Width is 29.53 minus 25.63 = 3.90 inches. Cabinet height is 2.68 minus 2.56 = 0.12 inch. The Beam Ultra guide specifies simulated overhead when top space is below four inches. No estimate of audible performance is given.
In an Android household, retuning after a room change needs no borrowed phone
When the sofa gets moved for guests or the TV room changes layout often, room tuning is something you repeat and not a one-time badge. Sonos recommends retuning after a move or a configuration change. Ultra provides quick tuning through Android, using its own microphones. Gen 2 needs a compatible iPhone or iPad for Trueplay, so an Android-only household must find another device each time it wants to repeat the process. The microphone switch on Ultra has to be on for quick tuning, and voice services can be left off separately. If the room seldom changes and a compatible iPhone is easy to get hold of, the practical advantage shrinks a lot.
How we worked this out
Retuning guidance and the different devices supported for tuning, set against recurring furniture or system changes. Quick tuning and advanced tuning are different procedures and are not assumed to sound the same.
Taking a rear speaker into the kitchen affects both bars in the same way
Buying two Move 2 speakers can look like a thrifty way to cover family music and evening surround sound. Both Beam models support a matching portable pair, but carrying one of them away sends both speakers back to standalone use. So whoever takes music into the kitchen also changes the film setup in the living room. The system also needs the soundbar microphone enabled and line-of-sight to the portable pair. Upgrade to Ultra for its inputs or tuning if they help you. The upgrade does not avoid that shared handoff. A pair set aside for TV use is the more predictable arrangement when different people want music and films at the same time.
How we worked this out
Both models appear in Sonos portable-surround support. Taking one away puts both back in standalone mode. What this means for the household handoff is conditional, and nothing is claimed about how long playback is interrupted.
Plug in your numbers
Is there room for the soundbar under your TV?
Measure the clear space under your TV. Count only the devices you will plug into the soundbar. Leave out the ones already connected to the TV. The numbers below are placeholders until you enter yours.
Sonos Beam Ultra
Fails these checksWith 0 separate HDMI source inputs, it cannot take the 1 device you want to plug into the bar.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Fails these checksWith 0 separate HDMI source inputs, it cannot take the 1 device you want to plug into the bar.
Measure the top of an open shelf. This check does not cover enclosed cubbies. Detachable speakers count toward the docked width. Leave extra depth for cables and the TV stand. This checks size and port count only. Dolby Atmos, 4K/120Hz passthrough and the audio formats your TV supports are outside it.
Option A
Sonos, BMULTUS1BLK
Sonos Beam Ultra
Your record player has to plug into a line-in on the bar, using the optional Sonos adapter, a cable and any phono preamp it requires.
- Best for
- Your record player has to plug into a line-in on the bar, using the optional Sonos adapter, a cable and any phono preamp it requires.
Facts we checked
- Record-player connection: Sonos Line-In or Combo Adapter plus appropriate cable and any required phono preamp
- Space and overhead path: 29.53 × 2.56 × 4.13 inches. Simulated overhead mode below four inches of top clearance
- Room tuning with Android: Quick Trueplay on supported Android or iOS, product microphones enabled
- Portable rear speakers: Two matching Sonos Play or two Move 2, microphone enabled
Option B
Sonos, Beam Gen 2
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
The 25.63-inch cabinet is what you need, and you already have a suitable route for each music source.
- Best for
- The 25.63-inch cabinet is what you need, and you already have a suitable route for each music source.
Facts we checked
- Record-player connection: No line-in on the bar. Another supported Sonos input device is required
- Space and overhead path: 25.63 × 2.68 × 3.94 inches. Virtual height presentation
- Room tuning with Android: Trueplay requires compatible iOS
- Portable rear speakers: The same portable-surround models are supported
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Sonos Beam Ultra | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record-player connection | Sonos Line-In or Combo Adapter plus appropriate cable and any required phono preamp | No line-in on the bar. Another supported Sonos input device is required | A direct input can head off a clash between permanent surrounds and the turntable connection. |
| Space and overhead path | 29.53 × 2.56 × 4.13 inches. Simulated overhead mode below four inches of top clearance | 25.63 × 2.68 × 3.94 inches. Virtual height presentation | The newer bar is slightly lower but wider, and its height drivers need a usable path above them. |
| Room tuning with Android | Quick Trueplay on supported Android or iOS, product microphones enabled | Trueplay requires compatible iOS | On Ultra, retuning after changing the room is easier, with no need to borrow another phone. |
| Portable rear speakers | Two matching Sonos Play or two Move 2, microphone enabled | The same portable-surround models are supported | Those portable speakers as surrounds are not reason enough to buy a new bar. |
| TV headphones | TV Audio Swap with configured compatible Sonos headphones, bought separately | Also supports TV Audio Swap with compatible Sonos headphones | You can listen privately to the TV without upgrading to Ultra. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Sonos Beam Ultra
- A phono preamp is not replaced by a USB-C socket. Surrounds and headphones, both optional, remain separate purchases.
With Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- Another supported Sonos input device is needed for a turntable. In the surround role, an Era 100 loses its line-in.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
The connection you are missing is a direct wired input for a turntable
Go with Sonos Beam Ultra. Ultra provides that route through optional adapters, along with the proper preamp.
Your TV and music path works as it is, and width is tight
Go with Sonos Beam (Gen 2). Gen 2 keeps the expansion features both share, in a narrower cabinet.
Decision guide
Before you buy
Records should play through the TV system as well, and you do not want to lose that input when the music speakers turn into film-night surrounds.
What this page can’t tell you
- Nothing from a listening test establishes a winner on dialogue, bass or room size. Quick tuning is not claimed to match advanced tuning. Portable surrounds and compatible headphones cost extra and are optional.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the soundbars we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonos Beam Ultra |
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| Sonos Beam (Gen 2) |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Sonos Beam Ultra
Your record player has to plug into a line-in on the bar, using the optional Sonos adapter, a cable and any phono preamp it requires.
You are on Android and want quick tuning, or you need Bluetooth music. Check the TV’s compatibility and the four-inch top-clearance guidance.
See price & reviews on AmazonSonos Beam (Gen 2)
The 25.63-inch cabinet is what you need, and you already have a suitable route for each music source.
Compatible Sonos headphones or portable surrounds are mostly what you want, and the Gen 2 supports them as well once set up.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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