Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 vs Sonos Beam (Gen 2): which of these mid-range soundbars delivers?

Sony adds a wireless soundbar to its range in the hope of toppling a longstanding favourite

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The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) has been fending off pretenders to its mid-range soundbar crown for four years now. Its latest challenger comes in the form of the Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6. Often similarly priced, but with some key differences that set them apart one from the other, each of these soundbars has probably cropped up during your research if you are in the market for a Dolby Atmos soundbar to upgrade your TV's sound.

So, which one should you buy? We have reviewed both models and tested them side by side. Below, we compare the two based on their price, design, features, and performance, so you can be sure which one suits your needs best. We have reviewed hundreds of soundbars - for many people, these are the only two you need to consider

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 vs Sonos Beam (Gen 2): price

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is officially priced at £449, but unless you're in a real hurry to own one and money is no object, you shouldn't need to spend that much on one.

Discounts come along fairly frequently, and in the UK, we have seen it drop to £400 or less on a pretty regular basis. It has even fallen as low as £300 before, but that's fairly rare. The Sony Theatre Bar 6 made its debut only this year, so discounts are less likely than on the four-year-old Sonos. Most places are still asking for £449 for the system.

Given the fact that it is often available with a meaningful discount that makes it even more affordable than the Sony, we have to give this round to the Sonos.

WINNER: Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Sony Bravia Theatre Bar 6 vs Sonos Beam (Gen 2): design

There's only so much you can do design-wise with something that is essentially just an elongated rectangle, but there are fundamental differences between these two products.