If you’re shopping for a new soundbar and don’t want to spend more than $300, Sonos has a lot to say. The new Sonos Ray is a bar with a compact design and enormous quality for its category. It is also Sonos most affordable sound bara brand that has always been characterized by its refined sound, as we could already see with the outstanding Sonos Arc.
We have been testing the latest from Sonos for several weeks and here we bring you our Sonos Ray review. A bar to complement the TV that has had to make sacrifices to lower its price, but where the result is far from what most manufacturers usually offer.
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Sonos Ray technical specifications
The Sonos Ray is a bar that has four class-D amplifiers, two midwoofers and two tweeters to offer a sound 3.0. Physically it is similar to the Sonos Beam Gen 2, but the main difference is that in this bar we do not have Dolby Atmos or HDMI eARC sound. Sonos bets on optical input and rely on technologies like TruePlay or Bass Reflex System for sound.
At the level of connectivity, the Wifi It will be the
A compact design with high-level finishes
The Sonos Ray is a compact soundbar, about 56 centimeters long, about 9.5 centimeters wide and 7 centimeters high. The corners are rounded and in general, it is somewhat narrower than the Sonos Beam, which to date was the most compact model of the brand. Sonos has done a very good job of compacting this soundbar, something that it is appreciated when we must place it in the living room in front of the television.
On an aesthetic level, Sonos repeats with its traditional plastic grille that covers the entire front and is riddled with mini holes that completely hide the interior. Our test unit is the matte black one, but it’s also available in white. In these mini holes it is common for some dust to remain, but unless we get closer it will not be noticeable.
The finishes are excellent despite being in front of its cheapest device. The sense of continuity and robustness is very present and we believe that it combines very well in all types of spaces. The stability is also ideal, having some small stops in the lower area that make the sound bar stay completely still and vibration-free.
The upper area is completely smooth, in matte black. where it only attracts attention three touch buttons. With them we can stop the music, with a touch, raise or lower the volume and skip the song or play it again with a gesture of sliding to the right or left.
Apart from these controls, the only differentiating elements are the symmetrical Sonos logo and four warning LEDs that indicate the status of the bar. In general, the use of the bar and its configuration is suitable for all audiences, all the controls being very logical and without requiring great knowledge to start it up.
Lacking Dolby Atmos, the lack of HDMI eARC isn’t sorely lacking, but it’s a major cutback from more expensive soundbars.
In the rear area we will have to connect at least two cables, being able to use a third one if we also take advantage of the Ethernet socket. The Sonos Ray does not have Bluetooth, basing all use on WiFi 802.11/b/g/n. Since we are using it at home, it seems to us a logical and quite common solution.
The first cable is the power cable and the second is the optical cable. Unlike other products of higher categories, the Sonos Ray does not come with HDMI eARC. The company’s arguments are several, but mainly the economic reason weighs. Not being in front of a bar compatible with Dolby Atmos or Dolby TrueHD, Sonos considers that HDMI is not necessary. Finally, there is a compatibility issue. Sonos wants this soundbar to be used alongside televisions of all kinds, even older ones. In these, the optical input is very common, but the HDMI is not.
User experience: easy to configure and with adjustments to your height
Setting up the Sonos Ray doesn’t take much. We will connect it to the current and we will have to configure it through the mobile. To do this we will have to download the Sonos App S2 application, available on Android and iOS, but also for desktop on Windows and Mac. Through this application is where we will insert the password of the WiFi network that the device will use. It will predictably ask us for a software update and for us to tell it where the bar will be. After a few simple steps that do not last more than a few minutes, we will have the sound bar ready to play music through the different streaming services or to connect it to the TV through the optical cable.
Another feature that we miss on this soundbar is the microphones. Sonos has recently introduced its own voice assistant, but we’ll need a product like a Sonos Roam to make it work. This is not the case.
Yes we do have an infrared receiver port. This has a clear utility and that is to be able to use the tv remote to control the volume. To activate this option we must synchronize the command from the application. The link is not very difficult, although we have noticed some latency in the response. Personally, we prefer the control from the mobilewhich does work excellently.
From the Sonos app we have some additional settings. One of them is the night sound mode, where the volumes are balanced so that all the sound can be appreciated even if the volume is low. That is, louder sounds are reduced and quieter sounds are increased. Particularly I have found it very well applied, very useful when we watch an episode of a series at night and we don’t want the screams or explosions to wake up the neighbors.
Another option is dialogue mode, where more emphasis is placed on the voice and background tones are faded. It’s interesting for clearer vocals, but I think the Sonos Ray already does a good enough job on the ground without needing this feature.
There is no lack of settings to synchronize the dialogues or a simple equalizer to regulate bass and treble. It is missing that Sonos adds a more detailed customization of the frequencies or to be able to apply musical styles.
The Sonos Ray is multi-room compatible. This is that we can add some Sonos One speakers or some Sonos SUB to enhance the sound. However, we believe that this configuration significantly increases the price. If we plan to add some additional subwoofers, perhaps as a base I would opt for a more complete sound bar like the Beam.
No bar in this range has such a well-defined sound
We arrive at the most important section and where Sonos usually shines the most: the sound quality. During these weeks we have tested the bar in many situations and with all kinds of music, from the different streaming services. We have also taken advantage of the bar to enjoy recent series such as ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ or ‘Stranger Things 4’.
At the time of its presentation I had the opportunity to listen to it and the result was very clear and defined. That feeling has been maintained once I have been able to listen to those songs with which I am most accustomed and I have come to try them on sound devices of all levels. The Sonos Ray is capable of transmitting with the precision of much more expensive devices on most frequencies..
Its great strength is the dialogues and the voices, which have an excellent representation and fidelity, but I was especially surprised by the depth of the bass, despite not having a built-in subwoofer. I had many doubts about the effectiveness of its passive bass reflection system, but the truth is that they are very successful. It is not the most powerful sound bar, but it is common to see that many sound bars produce a strong bass, but too artificial. As if to gain “claw” they had to distort the music. Sonos offers a very good balance.
On the contrary, Sonos perhaps lacks brightness. The result is striking and, for example, the voices are super clear, but it gives the feeling that these marked tones may not be as realistic. Here we understand that it is a matter of taste and we can always play with the equalizer to adapt it. Personally, with the voices there are such fine tones that I see the dialogue mode as excessive.
The Sonos Ray is made up of four Class D digital amplifiers, two elliptical midwoofers and two tweeters for high frequencies. We have a 3.0 sound system, with a center channel and two side channels.
Despite being such a small and compact bar, the Sonos Ray can easily fill a large room or a small living room with sound. It is surprising that such a compact product can offer such a sound. Not only because of the power, where it does have strong rivals, but in creating a convincing soundstage.
The criticism that we can also make is when it comes to generating an enveloping effect. It is true that we do not have Dolby Atmos nor is it intended for it, but we would have liked to find a less directed and broader sounddespite the fact that technically it has personalized guides for it.
The Sonos Ray supports Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround signals, but not formats such as DTS: X or Dolby Atmos, so we will have to take it into account if we wanted to take advantage of our television for it.
Sonos Ray, Xataka’s opinion
Sonos has taken a step with the Sonos Ray to offer a sound bar at a very reasonable price, compared to what is usual in its catalog. For it they have had to make significant concessions, but have managed to keep their refined sound.
For 299 euros we have one of the best 3.0 sound bars on the market. Its rivals may argue that they have HDMI, that they offer greater volume or that they incorporate an external subwoofer. Despite being Sonos’ cheapest soundbar, this one is still considerably expensive. play in your favor a much more compact design than its sound anticipatesexquisite reproduction and clarity in the voices unthinkable in this price range.
To configure the Sonos Ray, you inevitably have to go through its ecosystem, through the mobile application. This may be a point that generates rejection for many users, but the truth is that it works like a charm and is really easy to use. Another issue is the lack of connections. We understand that Sonos has opted for the optical input, but HDMI is undoubtedly the way to go in any complement to the television.
If you are looking for a HiFi experience for cinema, this Sonos Ray may fall short and not be immersive enough. But if you want to complement the sound of your television with an economical and compact sound bar, this Sonos Ray is among the ones that offer the best results in its range. A level of fidelity very difficult to find for less than 300 euros.
This product has been released for review by Sonos. Can inquire our policy of relationships with enterprises.
