SONOS BEAM

Great sound — both in movies and over AirPlay — and a wealth of smart features in a compact package

ADECADE AGO, this test would have been purely about sound quality but now smart network features play a significant role too. So the balance comes down to those two factors, and price. The Sonos Beam is a very solid and relatively affordable option, cleverly using its speakers to simulate surround sound in Atmos mode, and producing a very impressive movie experience as well as being very capable with music playback. If a subwoofer isn’t practical due to space constraints, the Yamaha and Denon also perform admirably, though lack some virtual surround features. Honourable mention also to the Roku which is a sprightly upgrade to your TV speakers for not much cash.

The LG is sonically excellent, with a wireless subwoofer and rears included which most don’t, and a comprehensive selection of physical and wireless connectivity options as well as up–to–the– minute support for Atmos and DTS:X. It’s much more expensive than the others however, and takes up more space in your home.