The Sonos Beam Shadow Edition and the Sonos Beam look very similar at a glance, but they do have a couple of differences. While they are both entry-level smart soundbars released by Sonos in 2018, the Shadow Edition is sold by membership stores at around 100 USD cheaper than the
Tuned by award-winning sound engineers and equipped with Amazon Alexa, the Sonos Beam is the audio giant's most compact and affordable soundbar to date.
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Sonos Beam Shadow Edition vs Sonos Beam Comparison Chart
| Model | ||
 | | |
| Price | Check Price at Costco.com | Check Price at Amazon |
| Wall Mountable | Yes (mount is sold separately) | Yes (mount is sold separately) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 25.6″ x 2.6″ x 4.0″ | 25.6″ x 2.6″ x 4.0″ |
| Weight | 6.2 lbs | 6.2 lbs |
| Speakers | 5 | 5 |
| Microphones | 5 | 5 |
| Audio Decoder | Dolby Digital, PCM Stereo | Dolby Digital, PCM Stereo |
| Built-in Voice Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Apple AirPlay 2 | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Control | No | No |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Audio Input | Optical (through an adapter for the HDMI ARC) | Optical (through an adapter for the HDMI ARC) |
| HDMI Port | 1 | 1 |
| Audio Return Channel | Yes | No |
| USB input | No | No |
| Year of Release | 2018 | 2018 |
| Colors | Black, White | Gray |
Design
The
Both the
Where they differ is the color and the finish. Gray is the only color option for the
Setup and Control
They have the same set-up process and controls–touch, voice, and app controls—but the Shadow Edition comes with a longer power cord
Both the
While they don’t come with a physical remote control, your Sonos speakers can be synced with your TV’s remote control or you can easily use the app to manage your TV and soundbar. Both the Beam Shadow Edition and the Beam have responsive touch-capacitive controls at the top of their panels for basic controls as well. For those with an Apple ecosystem, they can also be connected to AirPlay 2.
Tuned by award-winning sound engineers and equipped with Amazon Alexa, the Sonos Beam is the audio giant's most compact and affordable soundbar to date.
Both Beam editions are equipped with built-in voice assistants so you won’t have to purchase a smart home assistant separately to be able to use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. These smart soundbars are equipped with five far-field microphones so your preferred smart assistant can detect your voice even when music is playing.
Since they both have WiFi connectivity, you can easily stream music straight from your device. Setting up either the Beam Shadow Edition or the regular Beam with other Sonos wireless speakers for a fuller surround sound is also made easy by the Sonos app.
Features
Both the Beam Shadow Edition and the Beam come with the Sonos’ Trueplay technology, Speech Enhancement feature, and customizable EQ settings
When it comes to Sonos’ essential features, the Shadow Edition and the Beam have no difference. They are both equipped with Sonos’ signature technologies such as adjustable EQ, Trueplay tuning, and Speech Enhancement feature. Once you finish setting up your Sonos soundbar, you can further fine-tune the audio quality to suit your room size and your favorite viewing spot through Sonos’ Trueplay tuning. This Trueplay feature detects the sound bouncing off of your walls and furniture through the microphone of your iOS device and optimizes your audio for a quality that’s bespoke to your room and your favorite spot.
Through the Sonos app, you can also adjust the equalizer settings of the Beam Shadow Edition and the Beam to suit your audio quality preference. They also boast a Speech Enhancement feature in the app. This gives better vocal clarity when the decoded sound is softer, such as when the characters in what you’re watching are whispering to each other or when the background sound becomes too loud.
Sound Quality
Both the
While both are compact wireless speakers, the Beam Shadow Edition and the Beam deliver high-quality audio that significantly improves viewing experience. Once you start watching TV or a movie with a soundbar, it’s hard to go back to just their built-in speakers. There’s no difference between the speaker drivers found in either the Shadow Edition or the regular Beam model.
They both have three passive radiators for better bass, four full-range woofers, one tweeter, and five Class D amplifiers. Where the Beam shines is in vocal clarity, but when it comes to sound effects such as explosions that require deeper bass, you may find either smart soundbars wanting. Once the budget allows, you can pair either Beam with a Sonos Sub for better lows. With that said, they still sound great for their price and offer that crisp audio quality that Sonos hs been known for.
Verdict
As they offer the same internal drivers, the Beam Shadow Edition offers better value for your money
Tuned by award-winning sound engineers and equipped with Amazon Alexa, the Sonos Beam is the audio giant's most compact and affordable soundbar to date.
The Sonos Beam Shadow Edition is equipped with similar internals as its standard Sonos Beam sibling. Unlike the Beam that comes in black and white, the Shadow Edition is only available in gray.
As the only difference between the Sonos Beam Shadow Edition and the Sonos Beam is their color, finish, and a longer power cord, the Shadow Edition simply offers better bang for your buck. For Costco or Sam’s Club members, the
If you want your soundbar to either be black or white though and don’t mind paying the extra dollars, perhaps the