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Beam ultra and surrounds

  • October 5, 2026
  • 8 replies
  • 34 views

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Just an update concerning the new Beam Ultra. 
 

This was a replacement for a playbar with a sub gen 1and 2 play 1’s as surrounds. 
 

The beam sees and connects to the sub but after many resets, a long AI conversation and then eventually getting connected to a human, it turns out play 1’s as surrounds are not compatible with the beam ultra. 
 

that’s a real pity but something to be aware of. 
 

David 

8 replies

Airgetlam
  • October 5, 2026

Certainly something to be aware of, but has already been said in many places. 
 

From the FAQ on the sales page:

Which Sonos speakers work as surrounds with Beam Ultra?

A matching pair of the following speakers will work as surrounds: Sonos Play, Move 2, Era 300, Era 100, Sonos One (including Sonos One SL), Sonos Five, and SYMFONISK (Gen 2) speakers. You can also use Amp to power in-wall, in-ceiling or other passive speakers as surrounds.


kdowling
  • October 5, 2026

You can also see what speakers can be used as surrounds for which soundbars on the support page:

Surround sound guidelines and limitations


Mr. T
  • October 5, 2026

The writing was on the wall for the Play:1s when they were listed as being non-compatible surrounds with Arc Ultra, even although some users managed to add them as surrounds on release, before a subsequent firmware/app update stopped them from being officially added.

However, some 3rd party apps still allow bonding of Play:1s to any Sonos soundbar, so worth investigating if you do still want to use them as surrounds.


Stanley_4
  • Grand Maestro
  • October 5, 2026

I gave up my Play 1 surrounds along with my original Arc as I had no place for them here, grandkids are more than happy to have them, selling was also an option.

As replacement surrounds for my Arc Ultra I have to strongly recommend the 300s, they are amazing. If the 300s won't work for you (I couldn't fit them in my space) the 100s are a good option and an improvement over the Play 1s. I haven't tried the new option to use some of the portables as surrunds but comparing my 100 and Play as Room speakers I wouldn't hesitate to suggest the Play option either.


Airgetlam
  • October 5, 2026

When is the last time Sonos sold the PLAY:1? Surely it’s been quite a few years, and I have several, using S2, just none used as surrounds for Sonos’s newest soundbar. 


Stanley_4
  • Grand Maestro
  • October 5, 2026

Arg post eaten by a forum glitch, not typing it again but from my clipboard:

 

October 2017

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonos

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play:1

 

 


Stanley_4
  • Grand Maestro
  • October 5, 2026

Can't even edit it to say finally after four "Gone Wrong" errors

So try 1


Airgetlam
  • October 5, 2026

Figured it had been a while. The PLAY:1 was supplanted by the Sonos One, which was eventually supplanted by the Era 100. 

I get the frustration, but not checking first seems unusual. I certainly wouldn’t expect the newest Sonos device to necessarily talk to one of the oldest Sonos devices. At least not enough to look into it, first.