Sonos offers a variety of premium speakers, like the Sonos Beam and Playbase. If you’re planning to buy Sonos Beam or Playbase and aren’t sure which one is best for you. Then, your confusion ends with this in-depth comparison of Sonos Beam VS Playbase I have shared below.
Sonos Beam and Playbar are the two speakers that are designed specially to be used with TV. It doesn’t mean that you can’t connect them with any other device, you can. After reading this, you’ll get to know which speaker is best for you and be able to make your choice.
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Sonos Beam VS Playbase
If you have plenty of time and want to know it quickly, see the comparison table to know all the features and specifications of both Sonos Beam and Playbase.
| Model | Beam | Playbase |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 6.2lbs | 18.85lbs |
| Dimension | 25.6 x 2.6 x 4.0 inches | 28.35 x 2.28 x 14.96 inches |
| Microphones | 5 | No |
| Drivers | 1 tweeter and 4 woofers | 3 tweeters, 6 mid-range, 1 woofer |
| Speakers | 5 | 10 |
| Amplifiers | 5 Class-D digital amplifiers | 10 Class-D amplifiers |
| Voice Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Wifi | Yes | Yes |
| Sonos App Support | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Ethernet, WiFi, Optical cable, Airplay, HDMI ARC | Ethernet, WiFi, Optical cable, Airplay |
| Wall Mountable | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
| USB Input | NO | NO |
| Audio Input | Optical | Optical |
| Airplay 2 | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI Port | 1 | No |
| Subwoofer | No | No |
| Dolby Digital | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $499 | $600 |
Sonos Beam vs Sonos Playbase: Full Detailed Comparison
Below here I’ve shared a fully detailed overview of the comparison between Sonos Beam and Playbase.
Design and Build Quality
Sonos Playbase has a larger surface area with a minimum height, and you can place it in tighter places or under your TV. While Beam is more compact and a bit thicker than the Playbase, you can hang it on a wall or take it anywhere according to your needs. Both Playbase and Beam come with a strong body and are available in black and white colors.
Sound Quality
When we tested both of these Sonos products, we found that Playbase creates a deep bass effect as it comes with 10 amplifier drivers. It doesn’t mean that Sonos Beam is not much behind, when we tested Sonos Beam, it also showed great results. Both of them have crystal-clear sound quality, which helps to hear every single word.
After listening to both Sonos Beam and Playbase we can say that Playbase is the clear winner in this race as it provides a very good sound experience compared to Sono Beam.
Subwoofer
Both Sonos Playbase and Beam don’t have any built-in or external subwoofers. If you want to connect a subwoofer you have to purchase a compatible subwoofer separately from the market.
Connectivity options
When we talk about connection options, Sonos Beam wins this race because of its multiple connection options. Sonos Beam supports HDMI ARC connections, which help you connect Sonos Beam to your TV effortlessly and give you HD sound quality.
Whereas Sonos Playbase supports only digital optical connections, which doesn’t give a high-quality sound experience as compared to HDMI ARC.
Voice Control
Sonos Beam supports hands-free voice control with built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so there is no need to purchase an external voice control device.
Whereas in Sonos Playbase, you’ll not get built-in Alexa, but you can still use Siri with Apple AirPlay 2. You can control both Sonos Beam and Playbase with the Sonos App.
So, when we talk about better voice control, Sonos Beam won this race with Sonos Playbase. If you’re in search of hands-free voice control, go for Sonos Beam.
Which one is better Sonos Beam or Playbase?
After comparing everything between Sonos Beam and Playbase, I can say Sonos Beam is better in terms of controls, connection, design, etc. However Sonos Playbase’s sound quality is better, but Beam is not much behind in it, there are just some minor differences, and there are also other aspects to keep in mind while buying a product.
So, we can say that if you’re confused but want to buy one of Sonos Beam and Playbase, just go with Sonos Beam. Also, here are screenshots of Google reviews of both Sonos Beam and Playbase that might be helpful for you to understand which is better.
Conclusion
In the above article, we have compared Sonos Beam with Sonos Playbase, including their design and build quality, sound quality, controls, connections, and other features. After comparing every aspect, we conclude that Sonos Beam is a better choice compared to Sonos Playbase.
So, I hope after reading this comparison guide, your mind is now clear and you know which product is better for you.
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