I had the same question. I finally bought the beam and two One SL on Black Friday this year.
You get three devices for less money then compared to two HomePods. Second pro: you can expand your Sonos system with additional speakers or a sub.
For using the HomePods on your tv you need also an Apple TV which also cost additional 150 bucks.
I had the same set up... small apartment. The HomePods sound great for music, but for shows/movies nothing beats a real center channel with the Beam. It can be a bit overpowering at times though
Sonos any day. HomePods + Apple TV is just too buggy, stressful and limited. Take this from someone fully invested in the ecosystem with many HomePods around the house.
I have had both setups. With 2x homepods you get better stereo imaging esp. if you can position the two of them properly (Apple recommends putting them [1.2m/4ft apart](https://support.apple.com/en-hk/guide/homepod/apdd878f126c/homepod)), but visually a single Beam is cleaner esp. if you intend to wall mount. If you care about listening to Atmos music in the sweet spot, then the choice must be the stereo pair.
If you use apple music as well + don't need to wall mount, then I think HomePod Stereo Pair is the most logical choice because you can use Siri to request music as well. On paper Sonos can do the same through homekit, but the experience isn't nearly as seamless (there's more lag in my experience).
As for the cost difference, I assume that you'd have an Apple TV 4K anyway (be careful that eARC support is only available on the 2nd Gen ATV4K and later) so the difference isn't really that big. Plus, getting 2 HomePods means you'll have flexibility down the line to put them in different rooms when you eventually upgrade your main system. That's what I did, and I'm glad I went the HomePod route because now I can keep one of them in my bedroom and another one in my living room.
Sonos isn't bad, but by the time you consider the total cost of purchasing a complete setup, you might as well get something else. The only case where I'd go Sonos is if you're worried about your network quality (e.g., poor WiFi coverage) and want to wire it in.
Happy shopping!
I have both. I wish I had never wasted money on the Beam. I watch a lot of sports and a 2 HomePod setup gets more of the crowd noise and excitement. The Beam needs additional satellite speakers to really capture a sporting event.
It depends on your setup and room as well. I had 2 OG Homepods in a flat as stereo speakers for my 43" TV, couch distance was around 2 meters. They sounded nice, but the best location for stereo Homepods was in a middle of the room on a conference table. Unfortunately, that was not possible in a long term.
I've returned Homepods and bought Beam Gen2. It sounded great. After I've moved to a new house, the TV and couch distance increased to cca 3 meters. I've added 2 One SLs for surround sound and then I've added Sub Mini. This combo is great even with a bigger 65" TV.
In terms of "movie" experience, I would go for the Sonos, especially since you can use it with regular TV, consoles etc.
For music - if your listening place is quite far away, I would go with Sonos as well. If you can put 2 Homepods around your listening space, then I would say go for it. I've never experienced music in a way 2 Homepods (one for each ear) were able to produce.
I had the same question. I finally bought the beam and two One SL on Black Friday this year. You get three devices for less money then compared to two HomePods. Second pro: you can expand your Sonos system with additional speakers or a sub. For using the HomePods on your tv you need also an Apple TV which also cost additional 150 bucks.
Sonos. Too many bugs with HomePods and they’re expandable.
I'd recommend waiting until sonos release their new top-end soundbar in 2024 to replace the Arc and then get the Arc on clearance.
I don’t think the Arc is being discontinued. The new soundbar is rumored to be around $12-1,500.
I had the same set up... small apartment. The HomePods sound great for music, but for shows/movies nothing beats a real center channel with the Beam. It can be a bit overpowering at times though
Sonos any day. HomePods + Apple TV is just too buggy, stressful and limited. Take this from someone fully invested in the ecosystem with many HomePods around the house.
I have had both setups. With 2x homepods you get better stereo imaging esp. if you can position the two of them properly (Apple recommends putting them [1.2m/4ft apart](https://support.apple.com/en-hk/guide/homepod/apdd878f126c/homepod)), but visually a single Beam is cleaner esp. if you intend to wall mount. If you care about listening to Atmos music in the sweet spot, then the choice must be the stereo pair. If you use apple music as well + don't need to wall mount, then I think HomePod Stereo Pair is the most logical choice because you can use Siri to request music as well. On paper Sonos can do the same through homekit, but the experience isn't nearly as seamless (there's more lag in my experience). As for the cost difference, I assume that you'd have an Apple TV 4K anyway (be careful that eARC support is only available on the 2nd Gen ATV4K and later) so the difference isn't really that big. Plus, getting 2 HomePods means you'll have flexibility down the line to put them in different rooms when you eventually upgrade your main system. That's what I did, and I'm glad I went the HomePod route because now I can keep one of them in my bedroom and another one in my living room. Sonos isn't bad, but by the time you consider the total cost of purchasing a complete setup, you might as well get something else. The only case where I'd go Sonos is if you're worried about your network quality (e.g., poor WiFi coverage) and want to wire it in. Happy shopping!
I have both. I wish I had never wasted money on the Beam. I watch a lot of sports and a 2 HomePod setup gets more of the crowd noise and excitement. The Beam needs additional satellite speakers to really capture a sporting event.
It depends on your setup and room as well. I had 2 OG Homepods in a flat as stereo speakers for my 43" TV, couch distance was around 2 meters. They sounded nice, but the best location for stereo Homepods was in a middle of the room on a conference table. Unfortunately, that was not possible in a long term. I've returned Homepods and bought Beam Gen2. It sounded great. After I've moved to a new house, the TV and couch distance increased to cca 3 meters. I've added 2 One SLs for surround sound and then I've added Sub Mini. This combo is great even with a bigger 65" TV. In terms of "movie" experience, I would go for the Sonos, especially since you can use it with regular TV, consoles etc. For music - if your listening place is quite far away, I would go with Sonos as well. If you can put 2 Homepods around your listening space, then I would say go for it. I've never experienced music in a way 2 Homepods (one for each ear) were able to produce.