Introduction

Weighing in at only 1.95 kg (4.29 lb) and measuring 559x71x95 mm (22×2.79×3.74 in.), the Ray is Sonos’ most compact soundbar to date. As such, it is best suited for smaller TVs (48 in. or less) and rooms of up to 20 square meters. It’s also an interesting choice for placing under a monitor. In most cases, it will fit perfectly and won’t look bulky even when placed under a 24-inch monitor, but there’s also that its sonic performance can be adapted to work well in the nearfield. Aside from being the smallest, it’s also the company’s least expensive soundbar, coming in at $279/€299.

I have to admit I’m somewhat confused by Sonos’ marketing for the Ray. When the company gave me an early sneak peek of their newest soundbar a couple of weeks ahead of its launch, they referred to it as an exceptionally compact soundbar suited for TVs and computers. After the product was officially launched, their website listed it as a “small HD gaming soundbar.” I’m not entirely sure when (or why) they decided to market it to gamers. I don’t see the Ray’s appeal for an average gamer, who likely won’t care about its exceptional multiroom capabilities, but will notice that it doesn’t come with a subwoofer or an elaborate RGB lighting system.

One other detail that raises eyebrows is the Ray’s lack of an HDMI ARC input. This is a controversial decision by Sonos, and that’s putting it mildly. In the aforementioned meeting with the company, their head of product development told me that they wanted to make sure the Ray is compatible with as many TVs as possible, which is why they only equipped it with an optical (TOSLINK) audio input. Sure, it’s almost impossible to find a TV without an optical audio output, while some older models don’t offer HDMI ARC, but I find their argument weak. They could have implemented an HDMI ARC input and bundled an HDMI-to-optical converter with the Ray; after all, this is exactly what they do with their Beam Gen 2 soundbar (reviewed here).

Let’s not forget that HDMI ARC also brings the HDMI Consumer Electronics Control (HDMI-CEC) feature, which allows us to control the volume of the soundbar and turn it on and off with the TV by using the TV’s remote control. The good news is that Sonos has done what it can to translate the convenience of HDMI-CEC to the Ray’s optical input, which is one aspects we’ll dissect in this review, along with everything else you need to know about the most compact and affordable soundbar Sonos currently offers.

Specifications

• Type: compact soundbar & multiroom speaker
• Drivers: 2x midwoofers & 2x tweeters w/ 4x Class-D amplifiers
• Network Connectivity: Ethernet (10/100 Mbps), Wi-Fi (802.11n, 2.4 GHz only), AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect
• Inputs: optical (TOSLINK)
• Microphones: no
• Format Support: Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital 5.1, and DTS Digital Surround
• Extra Features: Speech Enhancement, Night Sound, EQ, and Sonos multiroom
• Dimensions: 559x71x95 mm (22×2.79×3.74 in.)
• Weight: 1.95 kg (4.29 lb)
• Colors: black, white
• Warranty: 2 years