Sony
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9
$1399
89
/ 100
From $1,399
VS
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 wins by 3
Sonos
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Dolby Atmos · HDMI eARC · Compact
86
/ 100
From $499
Specdex verdict
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 lands at 89 and Sonos Beam (Gen 2) at 86. That puts Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 if…
- ✓Dolby Atmos on most
- ✓One-box simplicity
- ✓eARC passthrough
Pick Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if…
- ✓Atmos in a compact bar
- ✓Trueplay room correction
- ✓Expandable with Sub + rears
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 89
vs 86 Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Score breakdown
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9
89 sound 89
features 87
design 84
ease 86
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
86 sound 86
features 88
design 92
ease 90
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 | Sonos Beam (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | — | 5.0 (virtual Atmos) |
| Connectivity | — | eARC HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.0 |
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9
Pros
- +Dolby Atmos on most
- +One-box simplicity
- +eARC passthrough
Cons
- −Rear surrounds sold separately on some
- −App quality varies
- −Cabinet depth needs space
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
FAQ: Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 vs Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
Which is better, Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 or Sonos Beam (Gen 2)? +
Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 scores 89 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 worth the price? +
At $1,399, Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 delivers a Specdex score of 89 — strongest in sound.
Is Sonos Beam (Gen 2) worth the price? +
At $499, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) delivers a Specdex score of 86 — strongest in design.
Does Sony BRAVIA Theater Bar 9 or Sonos Beam (Gen 2) 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.