You can use used Sonos speakers as Beam surrounds if their exact models are supported and the pair is allowed. First set up the Beam in the Sonos app, add each candidate speaker to the system as a separate room, then open the Beam room’s Set up Surrounds flow. A used speaker from another brand cannot be added as a wireless Sonos surround.
Check the Beam and speaker models first
Identify whether your Beam is Gen 1 or Gen 2, then check the exact model names of both used speakers against Sonos’s surround compatibility guidance. Compatibility depends on the models and their pairing, not simply on whether the speakers are made by Sonos or are used.
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- Sonos says two speakers of the same model can be used together as surrounds; two Sonos Ones are one example.
- Some related-model combinations are supported, such as One with One SL.
- One and Play:1 cannot be combined as a surround pair. Do not assume other different-model pairs work just because each model appears in a general list.
Sonos’s current guidance covers several speaker families, including One models, One SL, Play:1, Play:3, Play:5 (Gen 2), Era models, Five, SYMFONISK models, and certain Amp or Connect:Amp setups. Its compatibility selector is product-specific, so confirm your exact Beam and speaker combination there before buying or configuring a pair.
Set up the Beam in the right Sonos app
Use the Sonos app for iOS or Android and follow its setup prompts. Beam (Gen 2) does not work with S1 Controller; Beam (Gen 1) works with the current Sonos app and S1 Controller. Sonos’s Beam setup instructions guide you through connecting the soundbar to the TV using the supplied HDMI cable or, where needed, the optical adapter.
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- Control with the Sonos app, your TV remote, Apple AirPlay 2, and your voice.
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Add the speakers, then bond them as surrounds
The Beam and both surround speakers must already be on your Sonos system as separate rooms. If the candidates are currently configured as a stereo pair, separate that pair before continuing. Then use this sequence in the Sonos app:
- Add each compatible surround speaker to the Sonos system as its own room, following the app’s prompts.
- Open Settings and select the room containing the Beam.
- Choose Set up Surrounds and follow the in-app instructions to assign the two speakers.
Sonos says the surrounds connect wirelessly to the home theater product. For the full app flow, see Sonos’s instructions for adding surround speakers.
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- Enrich your entertainment experience with vibrant bass, crystal clear dialogue, and a panoramic soundstage.
- Experience a 3D surround sound effect with Dolby Atmos.
- Stream music, radio, podcasts, and audiobooks from all your favorite services when the TV is off.
- Control with the Sonos app, your TV remote, Apple AirPlay 2, and your voice.
- Effortless setup with only two cables and smart Trueplay tuning.
Place the surrounds for the listening position
Place one speaker behind and to the left of the main listening position and the other behind and to the right. Sonos recommends keeping them in the same room as the Beam, with line of sight to it. The speakers connect wirelessly to the home theater product, but they still need power and a suitable position in the room.
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Beam uses HDMI ARC for TV control features such as CEC and supported voice control. If the TV has no HDMI ARC port, the Beam can use its digital optical output with the included optical adapter; CEC and TV voice control are not available over that optical connection. Follow the Beam setup flow for the appropriate port and cable.
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- Sub Mini balances out the lowest frequencies so Beam sounds even better.
- When the TV is off, stream music and more over WiFi from hundreds of services using the Sonos app, your voice, and Apple AirPlay 2.
Sonos home theater supports Dolby Digital 5.0/5.1 and DTS Digital Surround, though DTS is unavailable on home theater products using S1 Controller. The TV and any external source, such as a console or cable box, must output a supported surround format. Beam (Gen 2) also supports Dolby Atmos through Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby TrueHD over HDMI ARC or eARC; Atmos is a Gen 2-specific capability, not a prerequisite for setting up surrounds. See Sonos’s TV and audio requirements.
Know what changes when a speaker becomes a surround
Some features available when a speaker is used on its own are disabled while it is assigned as a surround. Sonos lists AirPlay, Bluetooth playback, line-in, and subwoofer output among the limitations. If preserving one of those functions matters, check the compatibility guidance and consider whether that speaker should remain a separate room instead.
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Special cases: portable speakers and Connect:Amp
Portable Sonos speakers
The portable-surround option is limited to particular combinations: Beam (Gen 2), Beam Ultra, Arc, or Arc Ultra with the microphone enabled, plus two matching supported portable speakers—both Sonos Play or both Move 2. Add them as separate rooms first and place them in the same room with line of sight. This does not make arbitrary Bluetooth speakers compatible as Beam surrounds. See Sonos’s portable-surround instructions.
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Sonos documents Connect:Amp as an option for powering rear surround speakers, but it is an advanced legacy arrangement with specific wired-network requirements among the home theater speaker, Connect:Amp, and network. Its subwoofer and line-in connections are disabled while it is used as surrounds. It is not the default route for a pair of self-powered Sonos speakers.
Quick Recap
Troubleshoot setup or missing surround audio
- The surround option is missing: Confirm the speakers have been added to the system as separate rooms, are not still a stereo pair, and are compatible with the Beam.
- The pair will not bond: Recheck the exact model combination in Sonos’s compatibility guidance rather than assuming two individually supported speakers can be mixed.
- Setup completes but TV sound is not surround: Verify the Beam’s ARC or optical connection and check that the TV and external source are set to output a supported surround format.
- You are using Beam Gen 2 with S1 Controller: Switch to the current Sonos app; Gen 2 is not compatible with S1.
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