Sonos Beam review: Smaller, smarter but still stunning sound

Sonos might not be primarily known for TV sound: it is famous for its internet-connected speakers, which can stream music from just about anywhere in lush audio. But that works just as well when stuck under your television, bringing great sound and all the same smarts to your films and shows. It came first with the Playbar, a long rectangle of speakers that was the first Sonos speaker to plug into your TV; that was followed by the Playbase, which sat under the television rather than in front of it. Now Sonos has brought the Beam, which takes the best of everything it has done so far and shrinks it down. Until now, bringing Sonos into your living room meant some big – literally – compromises. The Playbar and Playbase are both very large, meaning that small TVs or living rooms can make them look out of place.