Latest
Tina Peters turns down job with California county’s registrar of votersOn first listen, the Sonos Beam Ultra sounds greatJurors in Lindsay Clancy trial deadlocked but judge asks them to keep tryingNonprofit wants to launch 80,000-year mission to Alpha Centauri in 2029 (video)The Diamond Moon and Other Astronomical Events To See in September 2026OpenAI Is About to Release Its First AI Model With ‘Critical’ Cyber AbilitiesAbortion rights group launches $250K mail campaign targeting Susan CollinsTina Peters turns down job with California county’s registrar of votersOn first listen, the Sonos Beam Ultra sounds greatJurors in Lindsay Clancy trial deadlocked but judge asks them to keep tryingNonprofit wants to launch 80,000-year mission to Alpha Centauri in 2029 (video)The Diamond Moon and Other Astronomical Events To See in September 2026OpenAI Is About to Release Its First AI Model With ‘Critical’ Cyber AbilitiesAbortion rights group launches $250K mail campaign targeting Susan Collins
← Signal: Tech & AI

Sonos Debuts Beam Ultra Soundbar at $699 Price Point

Confirmed1 source · Sep 1, 2026

The new 7.1.2 soundbar with Dolby Atmos and side- and top-firing drivers launches September 29th.

Sonos Debuts Beam Ultra Soundbar at $699 Price Point
Image via The Verge

What happened

Sonos announced the Beam Ultra soundbar at $699, along with Ace Ultra headphones at $449, at an open house event. The Beam Ultra features a 7.1.2 configuration with directional audio capabilities and enhanced bass and vocal clarity compared to its predecessor, the Beam Gen 2. In press demos, the soundbar showed capability with Atmos content and could be wirelessly paired with additional Sonos speakers for expanded surround sound. The Beam Ultra launches September 29th with preorders available at Best Buy, B&H Photo, Sonos, and Amazon.

Context

The Beam Ultra positions itself between the $499 Beam Gen 2 and the $1,099 Arc Ultra in Sonos's soundbar lineup, offering Atmos support without requiring a near-$1,000 investment. Unlike the Beam Gen 2, which virtualizes spatial audio, the Beam Ultra's side- and top-firing drivers enable genuine directional audio. The soundbar's ability to pair with portable speakers as rear channels may appeal to users with limited space who prefer not to permanently mount satellite speakers. The product's real-world performance in typical home environments remains to be evaluated, as the press demos occurred in controlled, professional conditions with room acoustics optimized for the product.