Neither Sonos Beam Gen 1 nor Vizio SB3821 were recommended by experts this month
On 8 Jan 2025 (1 year ago) we went through 93 Sound Bar expert endorsements , however neither Sonos Beam Gen 1 nor Vizio SB3821 were included in any of those recommendations. Since neither Sound Bar received a single endorsement, as far as expert recommendations go, it's technically a tie. We do, however, recommend taking a look at Sonos Arc Ultra or other critically acclaimed Sound Bars of this month.
For reference, Sonos Arc Ultra received 6 endorsements this month, from TechRadar (24 Dec 2024), Tom's Guide (22 Nov 2024) PCMag (25 Nov 2024) and 3 others.
| Rank | Change | Price | Sound Bar | Rtings.com  | TechRadar  | Tom's Guide  | PCMag  | What Hi-Fi  | TechHive  | World Wide Stereo  | WIRED  | SoundGuys  | Digital Trends  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | Check price |  Sonos Arc Ultra | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 8 | - | 2 |
| N/A | N/A | $304 |  Sonos Beam Gen 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| N/A | N/A | $130 |  Vizio SB3821 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
| - | - |
Curious to see this month's entire Sound Bars ranking? It's here
As can be seen below, in Jan 2025 neither Sonos Beam Gen 1 nor Vizio SB3821 were recommended by key experts who publish Sound Bars recommendations.
| Rank | Change | Price | Sound Bar | Rtings.com | TechRadar | Tom's Guide | PCMag | What Hi-Fi | TechHive | World Wide Stereo | WIRED | SoundGuys | Digital Trends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | - | Check price | Sonos Arc Ultra | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 8 | - | 2 |
| 2 | - | $483 |  Sonos Beam Gen 2 The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a compact and stylish soundbar that delivers excellent audio quality for both music and movies, with versatile connectivity options and compatibility with Dolby Atmos, making it a recommended choice for Sonos fans and those seeking high-quality audio enjoyment. | 6 | - | - | 7 | 4 | 4 | 10 | - | 2 | - |
| 3 | - | $1298 |  Samsung HW-Q990C The Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar is highly praised for its exceptional sound quality, immersive experience, and extensive connectivity options, making it a top choice for enhancing TV audio and creating a cinematic home theater experience. | - | - | - | 6 | - | 5 | - | 6 | - | 1 |
| 4 | - | $1498 |  Samsung HW-Q990D | 1 | 4 | - | - | 7 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Show all rows | |||||||||||||
Expert reviews [27]
Total expert reviews: 27
- with a score: 18
- without a score: 9
| Highest score by What Hi-Fi | 100 |
| Average score based on 27 reviews | 88 |
| Lowest score by Rtings.com | 79 |
Score distribution:
| 80-100 | |
| 60-80 | |
| 40-60 | |
| 20-40 | |
| 0-20 |
No expert reviews linked yet for Vizio SB3821.
From Seller:
- The Smart compact soundbar for your TV, music, and more.
- Play everything that matters to you with Beam. Control it with your voice, remote, the Sonos app, and more.
- Specially tuned by Oscar-winning sound engineers to emphasize the sound of the human voice. One tweeter creates a crisp and clear dialogue
- Read more
From Seller:
- Enjoy 100 dB of room filling, crystal clear sound with less than 1 percent total harmonic distortion
- Wireless subwoofer adds rich bass from anywhere in the room
- Built in Bluetooth lets you lose the wires and listen to your music with a tap of a finger with built in Bluetooth. Sound pressure level - 100 dB. Sound bar frequency - 50 hertz - 19 hertz
- Read more
Sonos Beam Lowdown: All you need to know in under 5 minutes
Review by Smart Home Sounds Ltd.
Popular! 79K views!
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Info
Weight
6.2 lbs
5.8 lbs
7.21 lbs (subwoofer)
Dimensions
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8.3 x 9.1 x 8.3 inches (subwoofer)
Frequency Response
What is the frequency response of the sound bar?
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Speaker composition
What is the cabinet of the speaker made out of?
PVC
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Speaker Design
Number of drivers in the speaker
Two-Way
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Tweeter composition
What is the tweeter made out of?
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Other
Subwoofer composition
What is the subwoofer made out of?
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Other
Separate subwoofer included
Does the soundbar comes with a separate subwoofer?
Bluetooth Capability
Does the speaker support wireless connection?
Supported connections
What type of connections does the speaker support?
HDMI input, digital audio input (optical)
bluetooth
Hi-resolution audio
Does the speaker support hi-resolution audio playback?
Rechargeable battery
Does the speaker have a built in rechargeable battery?
FM Radio capability
Does the speaker have an FM radio?
Built-in microphone
Does the speaker have a built-in microphone?
Wi-fi enabled
Is the speaker capable of connecting to wi-fi?
App/Smartphone controlled
Is the speaker can be controlled by an app or a smartphone?
ENERGY STAR certified
Is the speaker energy star certified?
Chromecast built-in
Does the speaker have a built-in Chromecast playback?
Airplay capability
Does the speaker support Airplay technology?
IR Remote Learning
Can the speaker be controlled with an external (universal) remote?
Included Accessories
What are the accessories included with the speaker?
Optical audio adapter
Sound Bar, Wireless Subwoofer, Remote, RCA to 3.5mm Stereo Audio Cable, Digital Coaxial Cable (RCA), Digital Optical Cable (Toslink), Wall Mounts, Quick Start Guide, Sound Bar Power Cable