Sonos Beam - Smart TV Sound Bar with Amazon Alexa Built-in - Black

This is my first experience with a Sonos product and I have to say I'm torn on trying to power through getting used to it, or returning it. Here's why...Likes:- No audio pro by any means, but I can tell that what this device produces is well worth the cost.- Very sleek looking and I'm sure would fit in well in many environments- Alexa is responsive enough- Easy set up (basic set up at least), definitely easy for tech novices- Can play audio/videos on your phone without interrupting audio coming from speakerDislikes:- Cuts out time to time - quite disappointing as a I have fast and reliable internet, no devices between the speaker and the router (inches apart)- User interface is mediocre at best - Why can't I search through my Spotify library (on my Sonos app) by artist??? So frustrating having to scroll through songs (not by song title [which would make things a little easier], but by when they were downloaded!!!) - For example, if you couldn't remember the exact title of the song thats on your mind... you would either have to search aimlessly through the long list of songs on Sonos, or open up your Spotify app seperately, find the song, then go back to Sonos and search for it there. - If I'm making a playlist, I like to go through artist by artist and pluck songs from them because I know which artists I would consider for the playlist. But with this system you have to go through endless songs you know you wouldn't consider.- If you want Alexa to do more for your TV, I'm sorry, but it won't without hurtin your wallet a little more - Alexa is able to turn my TV off/on, adjust the volume, do calculations, manage my calender, and many more... But it is unable to do one crucial task.... - You'll be required to purchase an Amazon Fire Stick (or other approved device) if you want Alexa to open an app (e.g. Netflix) and control said app on your smart TV, if your smart TV isn't already compatible. - So, if by any chance you're looking to buy a TV as well, either buy an Alexa compatible one, or ditch the Smart TV route and spend that extra money on a strict TV and buy a Fire Stick... Use me as an example, if I were to buy a Fire Stick, it would essentially mean the 'Smart' part of my Samsung TV is useless as it would be replaced by the Fire Stick. - In summary to this point, I primarily hoped to use the Alexa to control my music and manipulate my Smart TV. It is only able to do one given my current equipment.Now, I will keep tinkering with this device. But the unfriendly Sonos user interface, and the lack of use for Alexa infuriates me at times.I know that there is a strong chance I may be missing a thing or two regarding the device's usability. So, I am completely open to any advice, tips or tricks if you guys have em!

Are you interested in the special features of a SONOS product, like speech enhancement or volume control for night listening? Beware! This isn't going to be easy.SONOS needs to warn prospective buyers of these facts:There is no manual, nothing in the box but "Go get the SONOS App". Period.There is no real manual on the SONOS site either. Their introductory video does not include how to operate basic features which they advertise (and maybe the reason you bought it). You will be dependent on help from other users, Google searches, unless you are a trained computer nerd, or under the age of 18. Not good for tech-fearing seniors!!)If you do not have Apple products with up-do-date IOS (operating system) you will not get full functionality. (See below)The App requires the latest operating system and cannot even install the product without that. It may take you an hour or more to update and survive the update.If you are a senior with hearing problems, or anyone having trouble with TV or movie dialogue, you may be considering the Sonos Beam which promises to help increase voice audio and decrease sudden loud sounds. Get set for a struggle, because SONOS makes it really hard to find those features, and they won't tell you how to access them.THE UGLY DETAILSFirst problem: the power cord does not connect well to the unit. The plug falls out easily if you move the Beam (which you will do to plug in your HDMI cable). Each time the plug falls out, it takes the unit up to 3 minutes to set itself up again. Other manufacturers KNOW how to make a power cord that stays plugged in. Dumb design.Second problem: SONOS does not provide a manual with the unit, and there is no comprehensive manual online. Some features remain a mystery and take a Google search to find out what the heck is going on - from other users.SONOS does provide a setup video online. That video ends without telling you how to choose the "Night setting" (volume balancing) or the speech enhancement feature (the reason I bought it). You are on your own there.If you search their site, you will find reference to "Now Playing" on your Iphone, and a way to control those features there. Providing you have an Iphone, and the phone must have the latest operating system, there is no hint on where to find "Now Playing". By the way, if you choose the "Night Setting" on your Iphone, that also kills off any tone warning you have for new messages coming in on your Iphone or Ipad. So you have crippled your phone to set a TV soundbar. Plus, there is no return message, or light on the unit, to let you know of success, that the settings on the SONOS unit have been changed. Nothing indicates what state or mode the unit is in, or whether it keeps those settings next time you turn it on.If you search the Customer questions database on the SONOS site, several times, you may finally find the mystery solved by a user (not the company): buried deep in the SONOS App, choose "Room", then your TV, and then you will see a "moon" symbol for night, and a box that turns out to be speech enhancement. Nowhere does Sonos tell me how to access the features I bought it for, and that they advertise successfully.Third: installation nightmares. Because there is no manual, and there are no hardware switches for features, you are entirely dependent on downloading the Sonos App. If you do not have an Iphone or IPAD, certain features will be crippled. For example, Iphone users can do a scan of the room ("Truetone") to set the features for that room. Android, PC, forget it. You don't get that.The Sonos App ONLY works if you have the latest operating system (at least on Mac products). We wanted to use an IPAD for the controller. But to do that we had to (a) download the latest Mac OS for our computer (thus losing all sorts of saved settings, takes about half an hour) - so we could update to the latest OS for our IPAD (another hassle, just to attach a sound bar to our TV) - and then update Itunes (not an option, you have to do that) - and then download the Sonos App. Total installation time, especially if you are not a computer nerd, about two hours, with lots of frustration.Fourth problem: you must have a working WiFi network in your home, and you need to know the pasword for it. From what I can see, if you just have a TV and no WiFi network, you cannot use this product.Five: the company demands a lot of personal information from you (not an option, you can't continue without providing it). They demand your email address, and send a message which you need to open to install the product. It isn't clear what our privacy protection is, or what they will do with the information or my email address. Good luck, - hope they don't sell it to a marketting company or the Russians.Six: You must also agree to a very complicated user agreement which filled at least 10 screens of our IPAD. We would have had to sit down at the kitchen table for about half an hour to read it. If you don't agree, then I guess you have to ship the unit back. It won't work unless you give in. Nobody reads all that legal crap, so we agree, without knowing what we agreed to. This matters if you are going to use Alexa, because the speakers will be listening to you in your home.Seven: during the setup, the Sonos App tells us not to worry about error messages that will show up on the screen during setup. They promise later in the installation they will tell you how to avoid such messages when using your TV. But that never happens. I arrived at "Finished" without ever being offered such a process. So now when we raise or lower the volume, a box saying "Not Available!" comes on the screen, and stays there for about 8 seconds, while you are watching a movie, or trying to see your game on TV. No hint how to get rid of that. Nothing on the SONOS web site about that either.Eight: Your TV has to be pretty new-ish to get the full voice-control to work. Specifically, your TV must have an HDMI port saying "ARC" on it. I could not find one on our Samsung Smart TV (8 years old). I tried to Google my Samsung model to confirm no ARC input port, but Samsung is a jumble of info and doesn't say. There is no easy way to search and find out if your TV model has ARC. SONOS doesn't help with that either.If you don't have ARC port, then SONOS does provide you with a little cable to convert HDMI to an optical connection. Our TV has that. But nothing in their advertising warns me that some of the voice control available through Alexa will NOT work when using an optical connection.Bottom line: if you have an older TV (no ARC port) you will get less than they advertised.Nine: the SONOS advertising says it comes with Alexa. Not really. As far as I can see, it is Alexa-able, but there is no Alexa with it. You have to sign up for Alexa through Amazon, and then go through another set up procedure. That is not explained in the advertising, and I found that misleading.Did I mention the plug will fall out if you breath on it?

Sinceramente estoy algo decepcionado, compré Sonos Beam para mi Sala, la calidad del sonido es excelente, no me puedo quejar, sin embargo el volumen máximo es muy bajo a lo que uno podría encontrar por una bocina de tamaño y precio similar BOSE o HARMAN. Realicé varias pruebas de conexión para ver si era un problema de la entrada de audio conectándola por el cable de audio óptico, vía HDMI y reproducción directa desde mi celular con alexa y la app de SONOS pero el resultado fue el mismo.En internet se pueden encontrar multiples quejas sobre el volumen en la página de SONOS, me arrepiento de no haber consultado primero. No digo que la bocina es mala, simplemente es para un espacio mucho mas pequeño como una recamara pequeña, por este precio puedes comprarte alguna mucho mejor.

Sonos beam sounds so right, not too loud, clear vocals, only downside the remote connection pairing is such a mess. Otherwise total kickass small speaker for the family room

If you're looking for class leading sound bar with airplay and smart features this is it. It has perfect sound and well balanced. The output clarity is tremendous. Nothing to beat sonos. The minimalistic design is fantastic and its clutter free. I've been using for more than 3 years and so far its perfect.