Question

Three Sonos Ones vs Beam

  • 3 December 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 609 views

This is great forum and I've been reading all day about what to get and think I'm starting to get closer, but still need help. Right now I own a single Sonos One. I use it in my kitchen (which blends into my living room and dining room) and it does a great job in filling the house with music. Now I want MORE! I already own a soundbar with sub for my TV (the VIZIO SB3821-C6 38-Inch 2.1 Channel Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer) in my living room. We use this solely for watching TV and it does a pretty decent job.

I was thinking about getting the Beam and swapping it out with the VIZIO soundbar, simply for a new soundbar BUT ALSO to get even MORE music in the space (it would be more focused in the living room but could also blend with the Sonos One in the kitchen). My first question is: should I do this? Is the Beam going to be a major sound upgrade from my current sound bar? Is the Beam, playing music in a shared space with my kitchen Sonos One, going to sound even more impressive?

If the answer to those questions is no, then do I get two more Sonos Ones, pair them up as stereo and place them in the living room, just for music purposes? Could I get two more Sonos Ones, pair them up as stereo and place the third behind my couch in the living room and create a 3.1. surround sound type deal?

I'm pretty stuck. Beam (when I already own a soundbar), or 1-2 more Sonos Ones for a stereo in my living room +1 in my shared kitchen space? I've been stuck on this all weekend. Thanks.

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1 reply

Userlevel 7
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For music I'd go with a pair of Play 1 or Sonos One and a Sub as the first choice, a pair of Play 5 as a second choice. I truly love my 5s but there are so many recommendations of the 1/One and Sub pairing I can't disagree. Pair them in Stereo or 2.1 with the Sub and then Group with your other speakers.

I have used a third mono speaker or a stereo pair (Play 1) to help fill a room and it sounds pretty good and reduces the volume hot-spot around the stereo pair a fair amount. For party mode they are fantastic, for sitting and listening opinion varies but if you dial them down a bit in volume you get a sound field that I like quite well.

You may want to look at a pair of Sonos Ones and possibly a Sub at the front and a pair of Play 1s at the rear (cheaper option than Ones) paired together and then grouped.

The Beam is a small room solution, bigger rooms or for more sound look to the Bar or Base but they are older tech.

Now if you want really huge sound get the new Sonos Amp and a set of great stand-alone speakers for the soundbar replacement. I'd do the same but "Santa" keeps waving the family checkbook under my nose.