Sony HT-A3000 vs Sonos Beam Gen 2: which Dolby Atmos soundbar is best for you?

Sony HT-A3000 vs Sonos Beam Gen 2: which Dolby Atmos soundbar is best for you?

Sony HT-A3000

Sound format support: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, PCM
Streaming: Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast
Voice control: Google Assistant, Alexa
Dimensions (hwd): 6.4 x 95 x 13cm

Sony's budget soundbar isn't as compelling as the more expensive models in the same range, but still offers plenty of bang for buck. You get a display, plenty of audio formats, and decent – if unremarkable – sonic performance.

For

• Clear dialogue
• Solid dynamics
• On-screen menu system

Against

• Sound projection lacks impact
• Height channels are weak

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Sound format support: Dolby Atmos, PCM 
Streaming: Apple AirPlay 2
Voice control: Google Assistant, Alexa
Dimensions (hwd): 7 x 65 x 10cm

The Beam Gen 2 is smaller and lighter than the HT-A3000, yet packs a more impactful, immersive sound. It also has multiroom skills up the wazoo, plenty of features, a fantastic app and in-built voice assistants. For most people, this is a no-brainer.

For

• Effective handling of Dolby Atmos
• Warm, refined sound
• Streaming smarts

Against

• No additional HDMI ports
• Doesn’t support DTS:X