Compare Ultimea Nova S50 Soundbar vs Sonos Beam (Gen 1)

TruePlay and room correction are repeatedly described as useful room-tuning features, but several reviewers note that the best calibration is limited to Apple/iOS devices.

AirPlay 2 support is consistently treated as a major platform advantage, especially for Apple users and multi-room playback.

The app is praised as intuitive and simple in several reviews, but setup retries, harder-to-find settings, and slow speaker reassignment make reliability more mixed.

Reviews agree the Nova S50 handles Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital signals properly for a budget bar, but several reviewers stress that it delivers virtual rather than true Atmos because the 2.1 layout lacks real height drivers.

Format support is a clear limitation: reviewers mention Dolby Digital, Stereo PCM, and later DTS compatibility, but repeatedly flag missing DTS/Atmos support for the original Beam.

Backwards compatibility is mostly handled through the optical adapter path for older TVs that lack HDMI ARC.

Bluetooth support is a major omission: multiple reviews explicitly state that the Beam lacks Bluetooth and relies on Wi-Fi, AirPlay, or the Sonos app.

At its best, the Nova S50 stays surprisingly composed for such a tiny soundbar, but the overall presentation can fall apart on more demanding material when bass blooms or treble turns sharp.

The Beam is repeatedly described as balanced and cohesive, with a sound presentation that feels larger and more polished than its compact size suggests.

Top touch controls are viewed positively, with reviewers describing them as useful, familiar, and easy to use for quick playback or volume changes.

The ultra-slim, very compact footprint is one of the product's biggest advantages and makes it easy to place under smaller TVs. Some reviewers still felt the plastics and finish looked cheap up close.

Reviewers strongly agree that the Beam is compact, understated, and attractive enough to fit into small rooms and modern TV setups.

Build quality is generally strong, with reviewers calling the Beam well made, robust, and carefully designed despite some fabric-grille caveats.

Fine ambient cues and basic definition are acceptable for casual TV use, but treble nuance and low-level texture are limited, especially with music and complex movie mixes.

Detail retrieval is a strength in TV effects and music, though one comparison says the Gen 1 can skim over some complex sounds versus Gen 2.

Dialogue is generally clearer than TV speakers and can sound nicely centered, but clarity is inconsistent. Some reviews heard haziness, clipping, or dialogue getting masked by effects and bassier passages.

Dialogue clarity is one of the Beam’s strongest areas, supported by a dedicated center channel and speech enhancement features.

This is mixed across sources. Some reviewers reported clipping, crackle, and pinched treble even around medium levels, while others found the bar unexpectedly clean and controlled near maximum volume.

Most reviewers report little distortion at high volume, though PCMag heard bass distortion at maximum volume and another reviewer advised avoiding maximum output.

The original Beam lacks Dolby Atmos, and multiple reviewers call that the key feature gap versus newer or competing soundbars.

Nearly every reviewer was surprised by how much output the Nova S50 can produce for its size. It has enough headroom for small and medium rooms, though hard-hitting content exposes its limits.

The Beam earns praise for scale, dynamics, detail, and punch, especially considering its size and price.

The three sound presets and bass adjustment add useful flexibility, but the tuning is uneven. Most reviewers preferred Movie mode, while Music and sometimes Game mode were described as much less convincing.

EQ customization is useful but basic, generally limited to bass, treble, balance, Loudness, Night Sound, and Speech Enhancement rather than full frequency control.

Frequency balance is the core weakness. Bass can sound bloated or crackly, treble can turn thin or pinched, and the bar usually sounds most tolerable only after conservative bass settings and the right preset.

Frequency balance is broadly positive, with reviewers praising clear, balanced mids and highs while noting limited deep bass.

Google Assistant support is a genuine advantage, although reviewers note users must choose between Google Assistant and Alexa rather than run both at once.

eARC and ARC are consistently praised. They make setup easy, allow TV-linked power and volume control, and are one of the strongest convenience features on this model.

HDMI ARC is a major usability win, enabling TV audio, remote control, and some voice-based TV commands when the TV supports it.

The Nova S50 fits neatly into cramped living rooms, bedrooms, and apartment setups, and it clearly upgrades TV sound. Buyers building a more serious cinema system will still outgrow it quickly.

Home theater integration is strong through Sonos Sub and rear-speaker expansion, but the full surround setup becomes expensive.

The passive wired subwoofer is simple to connect and avoids wireless syncing headaches, but the cable limits placement freedom and can make the setup feel less tidy.

The Beam connects well with other Sonos speakers for surround or multi-room use, often without speaker wire.

Reviewers mention ARC and dialog-sync tools for keeping audio, picture, remote, and voice timing aligned.

Loudness is a standout strength. Reviewers repeatedly said the Nova S50 plays much louder than its tiny size suggests and can fill a small or medium room more easily than expected.

Maximum volume is strong for a compact bar and enough for most living rooms, though some reviewers say it cannot match larger soundbars or party speakers.

Low-volume listening is not flawless. One full review specifically noted pinched treble even at low levels, suggesting the bar can sound edgy before volume is pushed.

Low-volume features such as Night Sound and Speech Enhancement are useful, but one reviewer questioned whether very low-volume listening is a meaningful upgrade.

The microphone array is consistently described as capable for voice commands and assistant use, with multiple reviews noting good pickup across rooms or over playback.

Multi-speaker pairing is a Sonos strength, especially for adding rears or filling a home with music, though some source-dependent surround effects are subtle.

The bar includes usable side-mounted controls, which help for quick adjustments. Still, most reviewers interacted with it primarily through the remote rather than the buttons on the unit.

On-device controls are minimal but useful, with touch controls for volume, playback, track skipping, and microphone mute.

Optical input is included and meaningfully broadens compatibility with older TVs and sources. Reviews did not report a clear sound-quality advantage over HDMI, but the connection itself is a useful fallback.

Optical support is available through an adapter, which helps older TVs even though HDMI ARC is the preferred connection.

Privacy controls are basic but present: reviewers repeatedly note that the Beam’s microphones can be muted.

Remote usability is better than expected for the price, with tactile or ergonomic buttons and straightforward source switching. The only notable complaint was that one reviewer found the play and pause behavior confusing or nonfunctional.

Remote usability is mostly good because existing TV remotes can control volume, but the Beam does not include its own dedicated remote.

Setup simplicity is a clear strength. Multiple reviewers said the system took only a minute or two to connect and start using, especially over HDMI eARC or ARC.

Setup is usually easy through HDMI ARC and the Sonos app, but non-ARC TVs and some individual app setup flows caused friction.

Smart assistant integration is a headline feature, with Alexa and Google Assistant built in and Siri/AirPlay paths for Apple users, but not all assistants can run simultaneously.

Smart functionality is minimal. Beyond Bluetooth, basic EQ modes, and simple status controls, the reviews describe no app ecosystem, no Wi-Fi platform, and no advanced voice or streaming features.

Smart features are broad, spanning voice assistants, streaming services, app control, smart-home control, and Sonos multi-room behavior.

Virtual height effects exceed expectations for the price, and some content produces a convincing sense of sound lifting and moving around the room. Even so, reviewers repeatedly note that this is not true height-channel Atmos.

Soundstage height is present in a limited non-Atmos sense, with reviewers hearing a taller presentation but not true overhead effects.

Spotify control is supported through Alexa, Sonos, or the Spotify app, though one reviewer noted playlist discovery limits.

The front LEDs clearly show source, volume, and mute status and can be useful in everyday use. They are not perfect, though, because brightness and the auto-mute behavior can be mildly annoying.

Status indicators are simple but useful, with LED feedback for power, connection, microphone, and voice status.

Stereo placement is better than expected for a tiny 2.1 system, with some convincing left-right motion and centered vocals or dialogue. It still cannot match the precision of larger multi-speaker soundbars.

Stereo imaging and width are standout strengths for the size, with reviewers noting smooth pans, wide left-right projection, and a broad soundstage.

The included passive subwoofer adds real punch and helps the Nova S50 sound bigger than it looks. Its tuning is not especially tight, however, and several reviewers said bass can become too heavy, boomy, or crackly.

The Beam supports adding a Sonos Sub, but it ships without one and several reviewers wanted more low-end rumble from the bar alone.

Virtual surround is one of the Nova S50's most impressive traits for the money. Several reviewers found the effect surprisingly immersive, though it remains a simulation rather than genuine multi-channel surround.

Standalone surround is spacious but not true surround; adding Sonos rears can improve immersion substantially.

Value is the strongest consensus positive. Across reviews, the Nova S50 is repeatedly framed as an unusually cheap, worthwhile upgrade over TV speakers, especially for buyers who prioritize size and price first.

Value is widely positive for a compact smart Sonos soundbar, although the cost rises sharply when adding Sub and rear speakers.

Video passthrough support is weak because the Beam uses a single ARC-style connection and expects source devices to connect through the TV.

Voice assistant responsiveness is usually good, with reviewers reporting effective Alexa or assistant control for music, volume, and smart-home tasks.

Voices and vocals are serviceable for casual use, but not refined. Higher voices and sibilants can sound thin, harsh, or slightly muffled depending on the content and EQ mode.

Voice and vocal clarity are praised for both TV speech and music vocals, aided by the center tweeter and speech features.

Voice recognition is generally strong thanks to far-field microphones, but one review notes Alexa did not hear every command.

Its very small, lightweight build makes it easy to place on tight stands, fit into bedrooms, and move around compact setups. Convenience of size is one of the product's biggest advantages.

Weight and size convenience are strong advantages; reviewers repeatedly stress that the Beam is small, light, and easy to place.

Wi-Fi streaming reliability is mostly strong, with reviewers praising networked streaming and one review explicitly reporting no dropouts or interruptions.

Wired connectivity is generous for such a cheap soundbar. Reviewers repeatedly highlighted HDMI eARC or ARC, optical, AUX, USB, and the subwoofer connection as practical strengths.

Wired input is functional for TV use through HDMI ARC, optical adapter, and Ethernet, but limited by the absence of aux, Bluetooth, and multiple HDMI inputs.