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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 6
Yamaha YAS-209 — $349
Yamaha

Yamaha YAS-209

$349

80
/ 100
From $349
Specdex verdict

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

In our weighted Specdex score, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) lands at 86 and Yamaha YAS-209 at 80. That puts Sonos Beam (Gen 2) ahead by 6 points — a decisive 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 Yamaha YAS-209 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

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Compared on the sound sub-score

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) leads on sound (86 vs 80).

Value for money

Yamaha YAS-209

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

Yamaha YAS-209 more score per dollar ($349 vs $499).

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) 86
vs
80 Yamaha YAS-209

Score breakdown

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
86
sound 86
features 88
design 92
ease 90
Yamaha YAS-209
80
sound 80
features 78
design 84
ease 86

Specs side-by-side

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus Yamaha YAS-209 — full spec comparison
Spec Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Yamaha YAS-209
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

Yamaha YAS-209

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 Yamaha YAS-209

Which is better, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Yamaha YAS-209? +

Sonos Beam (Gen 2) scores 86 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 6. 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 Yamaha YAS-209 worth the price? +

At $349, Yamaha YAS-209 delivers a Specdex score of 80 — strongest in ease.

Does Sonos Beam (Gen 2) or Yamaha YAS-209 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 Yamaha YAS-209? +

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 Yamaha YAS-209? +

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