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wbowlin
Contributor I
November 3, 2021
Answered

Play 3 vs. Beam

I currently have a play 3 in my bedroom and it’s great for music.  I’m going to upgrade the sound on my TV so I’ve considered buying a Beam.  How is the Beam compared to the Play 3 for music? 

If I buy a beam I will move the Play 3 to another room.  Will the sound quality for music on the Beam be comparable to the Play 3?  If not I’ll just buy a lower cost sound bar for the TV and keep the Play 3 for music.

Thanks

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      AjTrek1
      AjTrek1Answer
      November 3, 2021

      The Beam is designed first for TV but can also be used for music.  The Play 3 was designed for music specifically and later with the advent of the Playbar, Playbase and Arc could be used as a surround speaker X 2.

      That said most retailers have at least a 15 day return policy (Sonos is even longer). You could audition the speaker for yourself and decide if it meets your standards for music. To be honest I prefer a nice stereo pair for music or in this case a speaker whose sole function is for music in the first instance.

      However, I still believe you need to be the final judge vs mine or anyone’s opinion.

       

      Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
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      3 replies

      AjTrek1
      AjTrek1Answer
      November 3, 2021

      The Beam is designed first for TV but can also be used for music.  The Play 3 was designed for music specifically and later with the advent of the Playbar, Playbase and Arc could be used as a surround speaker X 2.

      That said most retailers have at least a 15 day return policy (Sonos is even longer). You could audition the speaker for yourself and decide if it meets your standards for music. To be honest I prefer a nice stereo pair for music or in this case a speaker whose sole function is for music in the first instance.

      However, I still believe you need to be the final judge vs mine or anyone’s opinion.

       

      Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
        GuitarSuperstar
        Lead Maestro
        November 3, 2021

        Whether or not the Beam is better than the Play:3 for music depends on the listener. But most people would say the Beam is an improvement over the Play:3. The Beam will play music in stereo creating a wider soundstage than a single Play:3. The Beam (Gen 2) will also support Dolby Atmos music from Amazon Music with a future update. And the Beam is just a great overall sound bar for TV audio.

        "Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
          Stanley_4
          Stanley_4
          Grand Maestro
          November 4, 2021

          I’d say the Beam is better for music than the Play 3, I ended up with a spare Beam after getting an Arc and am using it as a music only speaker and I’m very happy with it.

          If I had a larger space I’d have gone with a pair of One SLs but the Beam sits perfectly on the top of a cabinet and is almost unnoticeable.

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