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Sonos Ray

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26 Verified Hands-On Reviews

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Expert reviews [26]

77
Total expert reviews: 26
  • with a score: 19
  • without a score: 7
Highest score by The Guardian
100
Average score based on 26 reviews
77
Lowest score by PCMag
60

Score distribution:

80-100
60-80
40-60
20-40
0-20
70
SONOS RAY REVIEW: A STARTER SOUNDBAR SORT OF STUCK IN THE PAST
The Sonos Ray is an affordable soundbar designed to improve TV audio and introduce users to the Sonos multiroom audio platform. While it delivers impressive sound for its size, its reliance on an older-style optical input and limited compatibility with remotes may be frustrating for some users.
+ pros
  • Impressive sound for a compact soundbar.
  • Excellent dialogue clarity.
  • Seamless integration into Sonos' whole-home speaker ecosystem.
  • Capable starter soundbar for those committed to Sonos' ecosystem.
  • Performs at a level above most entry-level soundbars, especially when listening to music.
- cons
  • Limited input options due to lack of HDMI connectivity.
  • Inconvenient control with IR remotes only.
  • No Bluetooth connectivity.
  • Lacks immersive Dolby Atmos surround sound.
  • May not work with all TV remotes.
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Expert consensus

The Sonos Ray soundbar is a high-quality and affordable option with excellent clarity and crispness in sound, Wi-Fi connectivity, multi-room setup capabilities, and compatibility with most TVs and wireless streaming devices.

The Sonos Ray soundbar is a high-quality and affordable option for those who prioritize Wi-Fi connectivity and multi-room setup capabilities. It offers excellent clarity and crispness in its sound, particularly in the mid and high-end frequencies, making it a great choice for watching TV shows and movies.

The soundbar has a well-rounded bass, but it may not be as strong as a soundbar with a separate subwoofer. The Sonos Ray is highly compatible with most TVs and can be connected to a TV through an optical digital connection. It can also be used to wirelessly stream music from smartphones, tablets, or PCs over Wi-Fi or Apple AirPlay 2.

The soundbar is ideal for those who want a sleek and compact soundbar that can easily blend into their home decor. Overall, customers are generally satisfied with the product, and the Sonos Ray ranks #6 out of 182 in the Sound Bars category according to expert opinions and customer reviews.

Sound quality

The Sonos Ray soundbar offers excellent clarity and crispness in its sound, particularly in the mid and high-end frequencies, making it a great choice for watching TV shows and movies, with clear dialogue and a wide soundstage, and is suitable for a larger room with high ceilings, but may lack width in the sound for some people.

The Sonos Ray soundbar offers excellent clarity and crispness in its sound, particularly in the mid and high-end frequencies, making it a great choice for watching TV shows and movies. It has a well-rounded bass, but it may not be as strong as a soundbar with a separate subwoofer. The soundstage of the Sonos Ray is not as wide as some of the manufacturer's other models, but it still performs well for its size and price.

The Sonos Ray soundbar has excellent sound quality when it comes to music playback, with clear vocals, good detail, and a balanced sound profile. It can also deliver an improvement over TV speakers when watching movies and TV shows, with clear dialogue and a wide soundstage. The Sonos Ray is suitable for a larger room with high ceilings, but it may lack width in the sound for some people.

However, the Ray will provide a much more immersive setup when paired with multiple Sonos speakers. The Ray supports Trueplay, which allows you to fine-tune its sound for the room it's in, making it suitable for a larger room with high ceilings.

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Connectivity

The Sonos Ray soundbar lacks Bluetooth connectivity but offers Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless playback and can be added to an existing Sonos multi-room setup, making it a great option for those who prioritize Wi-Fi connectivity and multi-room setup capabilities.

The Sonos Ray does not offer Bluetooth connectivity, but it has Wi-Fi connectivity that allows for wireless playback from smartphones, tablets, and PCs. It can also be added to an existing Sonos multi-room setup and supports Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. The soundbar only uses an optical digital connection to connect to a TV, and there is no HDMI ARC port or 3.

5mm jack. The Sonos Ray is best used when connected directly through the optical audio connector. Overall, the Sonos Ray is a great option for those who prioritize Wi-Fi connectivity and multi-room setup capabilities.

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Compatibility

The Sonos Ray soundbar is highly compatible with most TVs and offers a range of connectivity options for streaming music, but does not support Bluetooth or Google Cast and does not have a built-in microphone for voice assistants.

The Sonos Ray soundbar is highly compatible with most TVs, according to TechRadar. It can be connected to a TV through an optical digital connection and can also be used to wirelessly stream music from smartphones, tablets, or PCs over Wi-Fi or Apple AirPlay 2. The soundbar is compatible with dozens of music streaming services through the Sonos app, including Spotify, Tidal, and Sonos Radio.

However, it does not support Bluetooth or Google Cast. The Sonos Ray does not have a built-in microphone, so it does not support voice assistants natively. However, it can be paired with a third-party Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device to control it with your voice. Overall, the Sonos Ray is a highly compatible soundbar that offers a range of connectivity options for streaming music and connecting to TVs.

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Design

The Sonos Ray soundbar has a modern and compact design with touch-sensitive controls, a perforated polycarbonate grille, and a non-parallel shape that fits well into modern or contemporary home decor styles.

The Sonos Ray soundbar has a compact and modern design with a mildly trapezoid shape, rounded edges, and a perforated polycarbonate grille. It is available in black or white matte finishes, making it easy to fit into different home decor styles. The soundbar is mostly made of plastic with some metal used in its construction.

It features touch-sensitive controls on the top instead of physical controls, giving it a streamlined look and feel. The Ray's non-parallel sides make it look quite sophisticated in an understated sort of way. The speakers are all forward-facing, which means you can tuck the Ray into a media stand and not have to worry about the sound bouncing off of nearby surfaces.

The Sonos Ray's design fits well into a modern or contemporary home decor style. It is ideal for those who want a sleek and compact soundbar that can easily blend into their home decor.

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Features

The Sonos Ray is a sleek soundbar that can be controlled using a compatible Sonos Voice speaker or third-party device, offers bass and treble adjustments, and supports over 100 music streaming services.

The Sonos Ray is a soundbar that does not have built-in voice control but can be controlled using a compatible Sonos Voice speaker or a third-party device like Amazon Echo. It does not have virtual surround sound technology but uses left and right stereo drivers to simulate a phantom center.

The soundbar offers bass and treble adjustments, level sliders for manual adjustments, and a speech enhancement mode to clarify dialogue. Unique features include Sonos Trueplay, support for over 100 music streaming services, touch-sensitive buttons, and a sleek design. The setup process is easy, and the soundbar can tailor its sound to the specific room using Sonos Trueplay.

The Sonos Ray is suitable for those who want a soundbar with a premium build quality, easy setup, and support for multiple music streaming services.

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Brand reputation

The Sonos Ray is a sleek and affordable soundbar that offers excellent sound quality and interoperability with the wider Sonos ecosystem, making it a popular choice among customers.

Sonos is a well-respected audio brand known for its high-quality, multi-room speaker systems, and the Sonos Ray maintains the company's core identity of interoperability. The Ray is the company's most affordable soundbar to date, offering excellent sound quality, a sleek design, and compatibility with the wider Sonos ecosystem.

While the soundbar only supports optical input, it has clear audio performance and works well in small spaces. The Sonos Ray generally comes with a one-year warranty from the manufacturer, and the company is known for offering excellent customer support and committing to supporting its products for at least five years after the product's end of sale date.

Overall, customers are generally satisfied with the product, and the Sonos Ray ranks #6 out of 182 in the Sound Bars category according to expert opinions and customer reviews. The wider Sonos experience that’s so successful is all present in the Sonos Ray, which further adds to customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The Sonos Ray is ideal for those who want a high-quality soundbar that is compatible with the wider Sonos ecosystem and works well in small spaces.

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Position in ranking

We maintain a monthly ranking that sums up expert recommendations for all sound bars.

Rank Change Price Sound Bar
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Tom's Guide
PCMag
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World Wide Stereo
WIRED
SoundGuys
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