When it launched in 2018, the original Sonos Beam cost just $399 and sounded much bigger than a bar its size had any right to, so it was no surprise it became the default compact soundbar for so many living rooms. By 2021, the second-generation Beam added Dolby Atmos, even though not a single speaker was aimed toward the ceiling, and Sonos has relied on processing to conjure its overhead effects ever since.
