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Sonos Beam (Gen 2) — Dolby Atmos · HDMI eARC · Compact
Sonos

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Dolby Atmos · HDMI eARC · Compact

86
/ 100
From $499
VS
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) wins by 1
Sony HT-A5000 — $999
Sony

Sony HT-A5000

$999

85
/ 100
From $999
Specdex verdict

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) lands at 86 and Sony HT-A5000 at 85. That puts Sonos Beam (Gen 2) ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if…

  • ✓Atmos in a compact bar
  • ✓Trueplay room correction
  • ✓Expandable with Sub + rears

Pick Sony HT-A5000 if…

  • ✓Dolby Atmos on most
  • ✓One-box simplicity
  • ✓eARC passthrough
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Design

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Compared on the design sub-score

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) leads on design (92 vs 84).

Ease of use

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Compared on the ease of use sub-score

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) leads on ease (90 vs 86).

Sound

Tie

Compared on the sound sub-score

Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.

Value for money

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) more score per dollar ($499 vs $999).

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) 86
vs
85 Sony HT-A5000

Score breakdown

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
86
sound 86
features 88
design 92
ease 90
Sony HT-A5000
85
sound 85
features 83
design 84
ease 86

Specs side-by-side

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus Sony HT-A5000 — full spec comparison
Spec Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Sony HT-A5000
Channels
5.0 (virtual Atmos)
—
Connectivity
eARC HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.0
—

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Pros
  • +Atmos in a compact bar
  • +Trueplay room correction
  • +Expandable with Sub + rears
Cons
  • −No upward drivers (virtual Atmos)
  • −No DTS
  • −App glitches

Sony HT-A5000

Pros
  • +Dolby Atmos on most
  • +One-box simplicity
  • +eARC passthrough
Cons
  • −Rear surrounds sold separately on some
  • −App quality varies
  • −Cabinet depth needs space

FAQ: Sonos Beam (Gen 2) vs Sony HT-A5000

Which is better, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Sony HT-A5000? +

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) scores 86 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is Sonos Beam (Gen 2) worth the price? +

At $499, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in design.

Is Sony HT-A5000 worth the price? +

At $999, Sony HT-A5000 delivers a Specdex score of 85 — strongest in ease.

Does Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Sony HT-A5000 last longer? +

Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.

Which is better for design, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Sony HT-A5000? +

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) — leads on design (92 vs 84). Compared on the design sub-score.

Which is better for ease of use, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Sony HT-A5000? +

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) — leads on ease (90 vs 86). Compared on the ease of use sub-score.