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Hello everyone,

(ROOM 1 - living room, in the pictures)

I would like some advice on Sonos Beam vs. Sonos Arc.

I already have a setup consisting of Beam 2, mini-sub, and 2x One SL, which I am very satisfied with, for my 3-meter by 5-meter living room.

I've found a discount for the Sonos Arc at around $722 - brand new.
I bought the Beam at a price at which I could probably sell it for about $323 - brand new, purchased a year ago.

My question is, for the price difference between the two, and my 15-square-meter room, will there be differences that justify the upgrade?

Has anyone else faced the same dilemma?

Mainly, the system is used for:
- TV, Twitch, YouTube
- Music
- Movies

I have heard negative opinions about the Arc regarding both dialogue clarity and midrange sounds. I've also seen many comments suggesting that the price difference between the two isn't worth it for such a small room. I should mention that it's important for me to keep the volume reasonable when listening to music or watching movies; I respect my neighbors and quiet hours.

The point is, as much as I want and expect a significant difference for the price difference, and for the Arc to bring more value, I am no longer sure about this after reading the reviews.

I don’t want to regret buying the new Arc to replace the Beam.

Thank you!

given the space I’m looking at in the photo I can’t imagine an Arc would add much value. I would think the Arc would need to be cranked up a bit more to get working well. In that space perhaps not an option?

The Arc is amazing and well worth it. But as @Silverthorn rightly says, in that space it won’t be necessary as such, especially as you already have the sub-mini doing a lot of the heavy lifting for the bass. It depends if you want to get real Dolby Atmos instead of simulated which the Beam has, and whether you might want to future proof your kit while it’s on offer. 
The room with my Arc in is 4m x 6m and I wouldn’t have any other soundbar (I also have the Sub rather than the sub mini). But it will also be a bit more booming than your Beam, so your neighbour consideration is a serious one. 
Hard one to call…!

 

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