Sonos Ray Review

Overview

The Sonos Ray, released in 2022, is the company's entry-level soundbar designed to offer a straightforward and effective audio upgrade over standard television speakers. As a compact 2.0 channel bar, it positions itself not as a powerhouse for cinematic explosions, but as a specialist for dialogue clarity and overall balanced sound for everyday TV, music, and gaming. It prioritizes ease of use, a small footprint, and seamless integration into the broader Sonos multi-room audio ecosystem, making it an accessible starting point for those new to the brand.

If you're upgrading from built-in TV speakers, the Sonos Ray offers a significant improvement in sound quality, especially for dialogue. It's a great choice for those who value clarity over booming bass.

Key Features

The Sonos Ray packs several of the company's signature audio technologies into its compact frame. While not aiming to compete with high-end home theater systems, its standout features are thoughtfully targeted at improving the daily listening experience.

Crisp and Clear Dialogue

One of the Ray's primary selling points is its focus on vocal clarity. Sonos states the soundbar was fine-tuned with the help of award-winning Hollywood sound engineers to ensure viewers can always follow the story. Internally, its custom acoustics are designed to harmonize high and mid-range frequencies, which is where the human voice primarily resides. In the Sonos app, a "Speech Enhancement" feature can be toggled on to further boost dialogue, making it a powerful tool for anyone who struggles to discern conversations over background music or sound effects in movies and shows.

Intelligent, Room-Adaptive Sound

The Ray includes Sonos’s proprietary Trueplay tuning technology. This feature uses the microphone on a compatible iOS device to analyze the unique acoustic properties of your room—from its size and shape to the furniture within it. It then automatically calibrates the soundbar’s output to ensure the audio sounds as it should, regardless of placement. This removes the guesswork from audio setup and optimizes performance for your specific listening environment. Advanced processing and split waveguides that project sound from wall to wall also contribute to creating a soundstage that feels wider than the small bar itself.

The Trueplay room tuning feature, which optimizes the sound for your space, requires a supported Apple iOS device. This feature is not available for Android users.

Compact and Functional Design

The Sonos Ray is intentionally designed to be unobtrusive. Its compact dimensions allow it to be placed on a small media console or even tucked inside a shelf without blocking the TV screen. Crucially, all the acoustic components—the drivers and waveguides—are forward-facing. This design choice minimizes sound interference from nearby surfaces, meaning that even if the Ray is placed within a cabinet, its audio performance remains clear and direct. It’s a thoughtful detail that reflects its intended use in a variety of non-ideal placements.

Specifications

The Sonos Ray connects via an optical cable, not HDMI. This means it doesn't support features like eARC for higher-resolution audio formats. Check that your TV has an optical audio output before purchasing.

Be aware that the Sonos Ray lacks an HDMI port. This means it relies solely on an optical audio connection, which may not be ideal for newer TVs or those seeking advanced audio formats. Confirm your TV has an optical output available.

Design & Build

With a sleek, understated look available in both black and white, the Ray is designed to blend into its environment rather than dominate it. Measuring just under 22 inches wide and less than 3 inches tall, its low profile ensures it won't obstruct the bottom of most TV screens. The build is primarily a durable plastic with a perforated grille on the front. As noted, the key design feature is the forward-firing orientation of all its acoustic drivers, a practical choice that makes it versatile for placement in various home entertainment setups, including enclosed shelves.

Who It's For

The Sonos Ray is ideally suited for anyone seeking a simple, set-it-and-forget-it audio upgrade for a small to medium-sized room. Its primary audience includes apartment dwellers, those looking for better sound for a bedroom or office TV, and anyone frustrated with muffled dialogue from their television's speakers. Its "zero-stress setup"—requiring only a power cable and a single optical cable to the TV—makes it perfect for users who are not home theater hobbyists.

Furthermore, it serves as an excellent and relatively affordable entry point into the Sonos ecosystem. A user can start with just the Ray and later expand their system by adding a Sonos Sub Mini for enhanced bass or a pair of Sonos Era 100 speakers as wireless rear surrounds to create a more immersive setup. It is not, however, for the movie enthusiast seeking the powerful, rumbling bass and immersive height channels provided by Dolby Atmos, as the Ray supports neither.

Consider the Ray as a starting point for a larger Sonos system. You can add a Sub Mini later for improved bass or a pair of Era 100s as rear speakers to create a true surround sound setup.

The Sonos Ray is an excellent choice for a secondary TV in a bedroom or office where space is limited and primary focus is on clear dialogue and a simple audio upgrade, rather than a full home theater experience.

Pros

• Clear and accurate vocal reproduction, perfect for dialogue-heavy content
• Compact and understated design fits easily into most media consoles
• Extremely simple setup using a single optical cable and the Sonos app
• Integrates seamlessly with the wider Sonos multi-room audio ecosystem
• Trueplay room correction adapts sound to your specific space (iOS only)

Cons

• Lacks the deep low-bass needed for impactful movies and music
• No HDMI port, which limits connectivity and high-resolution audio support
• Does not support immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos
• Downmixes 5.1 surround sound signals to 2.0 stereo
• Room tuning feature (Trueplay) requires an Apple iOS device

For the best dialogue clarity, be sure to enable the 'Speech Enhancement' feature in the Sonos app. This is especially useful for late-night viewing or for shows with complex audio mixes.

FAQ

No, the Sonos Ray does not support Dolby Atmos. It is a 2.0 channel stereo soundbar that is designed to provide clear stereo sound. It can receive and play 5.1 surround sound formats like Dolby Digital and DTS, but it downmixes them to stereo.

The Sonos Ray connects to your television using a single optical audio cable. The soundbar does not feature an HDMI port, so you must ensure your TV has an available optical output.

Yes. As part of the modular Sonos ecosystem, you can wirelessly connect a Sonos Sub (or Sub Mini) to the Ray for significantly improved bass performance. You can also add a pair of compatible Sonos speakers, such as the Era 100 or One SL, to act as rear surround speakers for a more immersive experience.

No, the Sonos Ray does not have a built-in microphone and therefore does not have native support for voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. However, if you own another voice-enabled device on the same network (such as a Sonos One, Amazon Echo, or Google Nest), you can use it to control playback on the Ray.

Trueplay is a Sonos feature that uses the microphone on an Apple iOS device (iPhone or iPad) to measure how sound reflects off the walls and furniture in your room. It then fine-tunes the Sonos Ray to make sure it sounds its best. While not required, it is highly recommended to get the most accurate sound in your specific space.

Related Reads

• Sonos brand page

Pros

• Clear and accurate vocal reproduction.
• Compact design fits easily into media consoles.
• Simple setup with just a power and optical cable.
• Integrates with the Sonos multi-room ecosystem.
• Room correction (Trueplay) available for iOS users.

Cons

• Lacks deep low-bass.
• No HDMI port, relies on optical only.
• Does not support Dolby Atmos.
• Downmixes 5.1 surround sound to stereo.
• Room tuning feature requires an iOS device.

Verdict

Based on its specifications, the Sonos Ray is a thoughtfully designed entry-level soundbar targeting a specific need: clear audio, especially dialogue, in a compact form factor. Its strengths are its simplicity, vocal clarity, and integration with the wider Sonos ecosystem. However, potential buyers should be aware of its limitations, namely the lack of HDMI connectivity, no built-in Dolby Atmos support, and a bass response that will likely underwhelm for action movies without the addition of a separate subwoofer.