This is Ray, the affordable sound bar from Sonos
The speakers that are usually integrated with televisions are usually not of a very bright quality. Sonos knows this, and this model is focused precisely on those users who are going to get a sound bar for the first time. Sonos’ idea with the Ray was to make a product affordable and suitable for many pockets. Hence, Sonos Ray has certain cuts in some technologies to lower the price.
Regarding the sound, the Ray has two tweeters for high frequencies, as we saw in the first renders that were leaked a month ago. The midwoofers are located in the center and guarantee solid bass. According to Sonos, since all of its acoustic elements face forward, the Ray is designed to offer good sound performance regardless of where the bar is placedeven when tucked into a piece of furniture.
As with other Sonos models like the Beam and Arc, the Ray can also be combined with other brand speakers to make a more complete multi-device sound experience. However, with the Ray being an affordable and entry-level model, very few users will take advantage of this feature. For example, we could improve the soundbar’s bass by pairing it with a Sonos Sub, but the latter costs nearly three times as much as the Sonos Ray.
What has allowed to lower the price of the Sonos Ray?
Sonos has put a lot of work into creating this entry-level soundbar to their catalogue, and to do so, the Ray has had to give up some features that are available in other brand products.
The main difference between the Sonos Ray and other more expensive Sonos soundbars is in connectivity. Ray does not have HDMI and therefore does not have HDMI-CEC. Therefore, this model conforms to the classical optical input. However, Wi-Fi connectivity is maintained, and we can send all kinds of content to the bar using a device that is compatible with the AirPlay standard.
There’s also no microphone, which means there’s no Alexa compatibility and no compatibility with the new Sonos Voice Control voice assistant.
Price and availability
Sonos Ray is out next June 7th and it can now be booked directly on the official Sonos website. It is available in both white and black and its price is €299a price quite in line with what we usually see in sound bars from other manufacturers with similar characteristics, at the same time that it is a great alternative to the Sonos Beam.
