Sonos Ray: The new smallest soundbar from the US hi-fi expert

Sonos expands its range of soundbars. With the introduction of the Sonos Ray, the Sonos Beam has to cede its rank as the smallest soundbar of the US manufacturer so far.

Better than any TV sound

All good things come in threes – that’s certainly what Sonos thought when the Sonos Ray was created on the drawing board. After all, the compact soundbar, along with the Sonos Beam and Sonos Arc, makes the trio perfect. As with the Sonos Beam, the hi-fi expert promises a lot of sound from a small case. Even sound experts from Hollywood are said to have helped with the conception of the optimal stereo sound. In view of the compact dimensions, it also seems to be almost a miracle to arrange the individual components optimally. How is it that Sonos relies on an even smaller soundbar?

The reason for this is surely that the company wants to appeal to the mass market. Modern TVs may be characterized by a wonderfully flat design, which sometimes comes across as razor-thin. Unfortunately, the sound that comes out of the TV’s speakers is just as flat. Here, a soundbar is the optimal solution. Unlike a surround system or large floor-standing speakers, it hardly takes up any space. However, modern soundbars can also take up quite a bit of space. One example is the Sonos Arc, which measures 1.14 meters in width. The Sonos Ray is less than half as wide.

There’s room for everyone

At 55.9 cm x 7.1 cm x 9.5 cm, the Sonos Ray should fit in pretty much any standard TV setup. Thanks to a practical wall mount (49 euros surcharge), you have the choice of whether the soundbar should stand directly in front of the TV or hang on the wall below it.

Unlike the Sonos Beam, however, the Sonos Ray does not offer virtual surround sound. Instead, it offers stereo sound that is output directly to the front. Accordingly, the chic soundbar is most definitely suitable as an alternative to conventional PC speakers on the desk.

Well-known Sonos quality

If you take a look at the features, Sonos fans will once again be pleased. Besides a practical LED, WiFi and AirPlay 2 are also on board. The soundbar does not offer an HDMI port. That might annoy all those who want to use HDMI-ARC. On the other hand, the manufacturer promises a lot in terms of sound.

Whether dialogues or explosions – the mini soundbar should be able to score in all disciplines. If you take a look behind the noble wire mesh, this sounds quite surprising. After all, in addition to four digital class D amplifiers, two midrange speakers and two tweeters are at work here. Only a listening test will show whether Sonos can tease a real miracle sound out of the small speaker with the help of a few technical tricks.

Surround system is possible

Of course, the Sonos Ray also offers the Multiroom feature, which probably no other HiFi company has made as popular as Sonos. For example, the small soundbar can be transformed into a real home theater with a subwoofer and four other small Sonos speakers. Connectivity is once again a priority in the app for Android and iOS. Here, you benefit from the familiar setting options.

Price and availability

The new Sonos Ray is now available in stores. The US hi-fi manufacturer charges an MSRP of 299 euros for its new, most affordable soundbar, optionally in black or white. Thus, it is once again significantly cheaper than the Sonos Beam, which is currently available at an MSRP of about 499 Euros.