Hi @Neven,

This would depend on the size of room you’re looking to have the soundbar in, as we recommend the Beam for smaller rooms and TVs (below 55’) and the Arc for larger rooms and TVs (55’+). Most of the time, this would come down to preference, as everyone hears things differently.

Our home theater products have a Speech Enhancement feature which helps make dialogue easier to hear. It’s not enabled by default, but can give a boost if you notice dialogue clarity is lacking.

One of the best things I can recommend is you find a local retailer that has demo models available and give them a listen. While this wont be the same as listening to the soundbar in your own home, you can get a feel for their audio coverage and loudness. 

I hope this helps!

My room is big, and the sitting distance from TV is 15 feet. Currently listening to Playbar and thinking of upgrading.I have a full 5.1 setup but at the end of a day, dialogue is the most important when watching TV, shows and movies. I believe both (Beam2 and Arc) will project the voices better because their speakers are not angled like Playbar’s but I am seeing that some describe midrange of Beam Gen 2 much louder and clearer than Arc’s. 

thank you for chiming in

Neven

For that size room, I would definitely go with the Arc.  It’s what it was designed for.  Never had any issues with clarity or loudness, but that’s a subjective opinion.  I also have a Beam, but it’s Gen 1 and used in a smaller room.  Works great for what it’s supposed to do, but it does not sound as ‘full’ to me and would not sound great in a larger room.  That’s personal opinion again, and I can’t say I’ve even bothered to try it out.

Hi @Neven 

I agree with @melvimbe that the Arc is the better choice for you here due to the size of your room.

Also, since you’re using the Playbar currently, the Arc would be a better replacement as it is the successor to the Playbar.

Thank you! I see it like this. One lucky buyer will get my Playbar (mint condition), I will use the trade in program and snatch an Arc. My only gripe is My TVs does not have the earc so I will utilize the supplied hdmi to optical cable. 

Thank you

Neven

Yes, I see. Since I dont have earc capable TV for now, maybe I could hold off switching to the arc. But, what the heart wants, wants :-) 

In order to minimize the cost of the Arc I was considering selling the playbar and the Sub and replace it with the Arc. But, I don’t think it would be the wisest idea, right? 

Neven

Hi @Neven,

Yeah, I would hold off on selling both the Playbar and the Sub. If you were to remove the Sub, you may think the overall sound is worse due to missing the dedicated bass channel the Sub provides.

Since you’re waiting for a TV that has eARC support, you wont have to upgrade to the Arc right away and can keep saving towards it. You can also make use of our upgrade programme when you’re buying the Arc to receive a discount. If you haven’t used it already with the Playbar, you should have a 15% voucher to use.

I hope this information helps!

Hi @Jamie A 

Thank you!. I sure will use the upgrade programme. I also think that Playbar is superb, it holds up against many competitors. I do look forward to upgrade to arc. I can not wait to hear my Nintendo switch in surround. Only change I would maybe make is grab a pair of Sonos one gen2 and sell my Play 3’s to get some funds for it. Although, the 3’s serve me perfect for years and I am afraid i’ll regret it.

Neven