Sonos Beam (Gen 2) vs Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) (#4) vs Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 (#5, best budget): in our Soundbars scoring the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) totals 8/10 and the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 6.7/10. At $479.99 versus $179.99, the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 costs $300 less.
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TopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| Sonos Beam (Gen 2) | Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $479.99 | $179.99 |
| Channels | 5.0ch (virtualized Dolby Atmos, no discrete height channels) | 2.1ch (soundbar + wireless subwoofer) |
| Dolby Atmos | Virtualized only (software-processed, no upward-firing drivers) | No (DTS Virtual:X virtual surround only) |
| Subwoofer | Not included (Sub Mini / Sub sold separately) | Included (wireless) |
| HDMI eARC | Yes | No (HDMI ARC only) |
| Wireless Streaming | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 (no Bluetooth) | Bluetooth only |
| Voice Assistant | Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control built-in | None built-in |
| Width | 25.6 inches | 36 inches |
How they differ in real use
Built from our best soundbars scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 made our Top 5 Soundbars, at #4 and #5 (best budget). RTINGS' pick among Sonos options for smaller rooms: a compact 25.6-inch bar with virtualized Atmos and Trueplay room correction that sounds spacious for its size. It falls behind the MagniFi Mini AX here mainly on bass — there's no included subwoofer and no discrete height drivers, so overhead effects are entirely software-processed. RTINGS' long-standing entry point into real soundbar sound: a wireless subwoofer and DTS Virtual:X surround processing for well under $200. It's ranked last because it has no true Dolby Atmos decoding, only standard HDMI ARC rather than eARC, and the lowest rated max output of any system here — but for a first upgrade from TV speakers, it remains a clear step up.
We score soundbars on Sound Quality (35%), Surround/Atmos Performance (25%), Connectivity & Smart Features (15%), Ease of Setup (10%) and Value (15%). On that basis the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) totals 8 out of 10 and the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 6.7. The widest gap is Sound Quality, where the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) scores 8.5 against 6.5 for the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 — overall audio fidelity and clarity. Surround/Atmos Performance also separates them: 7 for the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus 5 for the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8. The Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 claws back ground on Value.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Channels — 5.0ch (virtualized Dolby Atmos, no discrete height channels) on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus 2.1ch (soundbar + wireless subwoofer) on the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8; Dolby Atmos — Virtualized only (software-processed, no upward-firing drivers) on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus No (DTS Virtual:X virtual surround only) on the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8; Subwoofer — Not included (Sub Mini / Sub sold separately) on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus Included (wireless) on the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8; HDMI eARC — Yes on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus No (HDMI ARC only) on the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8; Wireless Streaming — Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 (no Bluetooth) on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus Bluetooth only on the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8; Voice Assistant — Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control built-in on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus None built-in on the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8.
Pricing as of July 10, 2026: $479.99 for the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and $179.99 for the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8, a $300 difference in the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8's favor. Owners praise the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) for compact 25.6-inch width fits smaller TVs and shelves where larger bars won't and virtualized Dolby Atmos and Trueplay room-correction tuning sound impressively spacious for its size; the most common complaint is no discrete height channels — Atmos is entirely software-virtualized, so overhead effects are less precise than the Samsung or Arc Ultra. Owners praise the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 for included wireless subwoofer adds real bass a TV's internal speakers can't reproduce, for well under $200 and DTS Virtual:X widens the soundstage more convincingly than most soundbars in its price range; the most common complaint is no true Dolby Atmos decoding — height effects rely entirely on DTS Virtual:X's virtual processing, not discrete channels.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
- Compact 25.6-inch width fits smaller TVs and shelves where larger bars won't
- Virtualized Dolby Atmos and Trueplay room-correction tuning sound impressively spacious for its size
- Shares the same simple Sonos app setup and multi-room ecosystem as the Arc Ultra at a fraction of the price
- Doubles as a capable stand-alone speaker for music streaming
- No discrete height channels — Atmos is entirely software-virtualized, so overhead effects are less precise than the Samsung or Arc Ultra
- No subwoofer included, and bass output is the weakest of the three Atmos-capable bars on this list
- Wi-Fi only, no Bluetooth — the same connectivity limitation as the rest of the Sonos lineup
Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8
- Included wireless subwoofer adds real bass a TV's internal speakers can't reproduce, for well under $200
- DTS Virtual:X widens the soundstage more convincingly than most soundbars in its price range
- Simple one-cable HDMI ARC or optical setup with no app required
- Bluetooth streaming for music from a phone or tablet
- No true Dolby Atmos decoding — height effects rely entirely on DTS Virtual:X's virtual processing, not discrete channels
- Standard HDMI ARC rather than eARC limits pass-through of the highest-bitrate audio formats
- Vizio's stated 96dB max output is the lowest of any soundbar in this list, so it can run out of headroom in larger rooms
Which should you buy?
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is the better fit for small to mid-size rooms and secondary TVs and sonos multi-room households on a tighter budget — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Sound Quality and Surround/Atmos Performance. The Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 is the better fit for first-time soundbar buyers and small bedrooms, dorms, and apartments, and the stronger choice if Value matters more to you than the overall score. If the $300 saving matters more than Sound Quality, the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 is the better value. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is a poor fit for large living rooms needing to fill space with bass; the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 is a poor fit for buyers wanting true Dolby Atmos height channels.
Choose the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) if
- Small to mid-size rooms and secondary TVs
- Sonos multi-room households on a tighter budget
- Buyers who also want a good-sounding music speaker
Skip it if
- Large living rooms needing to fill space with bass
- Buyers wanting discrete height channels
Choose the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 if
- First-time soundbar buyers
- Small bedrooms, dorms, and apartments
- Anyone replacing built-in TV speakers on a strict budget
Skip it if
- Buyers wanting true Dolby Atmos height channels
- Large or open-concept living rooms
Common questions
Is the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) better than the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8?
In our Soundbars ranking the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) scores higher overall, 8 to 6.7, with the biggest advantage in Sound Quality. The Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8 is stronger on Value, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
How much more does the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) cost than the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8?
$300 more as of July 10, 2026: $479.99 for the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) against $179.99 for the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure. What the extra buys is mostly Sound Quality — 8.5 versus 6.5 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8?
The headline spec difference is Channels: 5.0ch (virtualized Dolby Atmos, no discrete height channels) on the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) versus 2.1ch (soundbar + wireless subwoofer) on the Vizio V-Series 2.1 Soundbar V21x-J8. In use, the gap that matters most is Sound Quality (8.5 vs 6.5 in our scoring): overall audio fidelity and clarity.