In depth
At a glance
The Sonos Ray makes a compact television speaker part of a larger music system. Its network playback and room tuning are more distinctive than its cinema features: this is an optical-connected bar without Atmos or a separate bass speaker.
It suits a television that needs clearer everyday sound and a room where a large enclosure would be awkward. Before buying, check the TV’s optical output and remote control, because the missing HDMI connection affects more than the list of supported formats.
The Ray places all four active drivers at the front, with ports helping the small enclosure produce bass. It has no separate center driver. RTINGS treats the standalone arrangement as stereo, even though Sonos’s comparison material describes it as 3.0.12 A channel label should not obscure the physical system being bought.
RTINGS found clear, detailed voices and limited low bass.1 That balance fits news, conversation and quieter television more naturally than action films that depend on deep impact. A small bar can make speech easier to follow without filling the room with cinema-scale sound.
What Hi-Fi? also found dialogue clear, but heard a narrower, less warm presentation than the Beam Gen 2.2 Its review was revised after a July 2022 firmware update reduced an early bass-resonance problem. The later listening still noted occasional artificial-sounding background effects with some streaming and broadcast material, but not Blu-ray playback.2 Those observations belong to that testing period, rather than proving a fault on current software.
The television supplies audio through its optical output, leaving HDMI sockets available for source devices. Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround are supported. There is no Atmos or DTS:X decoding, and the standalone bar folds conventional surround material into its front stereo presentation.1
This arrangement is suitable for a TV with optical output, but it is less flexible at a computer desk. A monitor or console without optical output cannot simply be plugged into the Ray through HDMI, USB or an analog cable. Check the actual connection path before choosing it for gaming.
Volume control uses the Ray’s infrared receiver instead of HDMI control. Program an infrared-capable TV remote in the Sonos app; a remote that only sends radio commands cannot directly control that receiver. The app and the bar’s touch controls remain alternatives, but the household’s normal remote is worth checking first.
Speech Enhancement gives voices greater emphasis. Night Sound narrows the difference between quiet passages and sudden loud effects, which is useful when the television must remain unobtrusive. Try the two independently rather than assuming both should always be enabled.
There are no built-in microphones for direct voice control.2 Everyday operation can use the TV remote, touch surface or app. The current Ray product page also supports TV Audio Swap to compatible Sonos headphones, providing a private-listening option within that system.
Initial setup requires the Sonos app, a Sonos account and a network connection before TV audio will play. The Ray cannot join an S1-only system. Although its TV cable is straightforward, it is not the best match for someone who wants an entirely app-free soundbar.
Trueplay uses a compatible iOS device to measure the room and adjust the speaker. Android users can set up and operate the Ray, but this model does not offer the newer quick-tuning method that works on Android.
Access to a suitable iPhone or iPad therefore matters if room tuning is part of the attraction. Without it, placement and manual tone controls remain available. Complete any move or speaker additions before tuning so that the calibration reflects the final arrangement.
Music is the Ray’s strongest reason to look beyond basic TV-speaker duties. It can play through Sonos services when the screen is off, receive AirPlay 2 audio and join compatible speakers in other rooms. That can be more useful than an extra cinema processing mode for a space used throughout the day.
The current US product page and Sonos network support table specify a 2.4 GHz router connection. Ethernet offers a wired alternative. There is no Bluetooth music input,1 so casual phone playback depends on a supported network route rather than ordinary Bluetooth pairing.
A compatible subwoofer addresses the bass limits of the small bar, while rear speakers place effects behind the listener. Neither is included. Decide whether the Ray’s optical-only front end still suits the complete system before committing to several additional components.
The current Ray compatibility list includes Era 100 and several older Sonos speakers, but does not list Era 300.3 Use a supported matched pair and assign it as surrounds in the app. Grouping two rooms for music does not turn those speakers into discrete television surrounds.
The compact, tapered enclosure is easier to fit into a media unit than a long soundbar with upward-facing drivers. Its front-facing acoustic layout helps, but the installation guide still calls for space around the bar and access to the touch controls. Place it near the front of a shelf and keep the TV’s remote sensor clear.
The current product page gives slightly smaller measurements than the launch sheet and guide, which list 559 × 71 × 95 mm. Allow a little room beyond the larger figures when planning a tight opening; this research does not establish a hardware revision behind the discrepancy.
An optical cable and power lead are included. Wall mounting needs the separate compatible bracket. Sonos provides a one-year US warranty for manufacturing defects under its terms.
The Beam Gen 2 adds HDMI eARC and Atmos processing in a wider, 651 mm enclosure while retaining Sonos music and expansion. It is the more useful choice when the TV and sources can use those formats, or when HDMI-based control is a priority. Its height effects are still virtual rather than produced by upward-facing drivers.4
The original Bose TV Speaker provides HDMI ARC, Bluetooth and an analog input. Those connections can make it easier to use as a straightforward television and phone speaker. It lacks the Ray’s network-music system and Trueplay calibration, so the better fit depends on whether local connections or Sonos integration matter more.
The Ray is a sensible small-room television speaker when clear dialogue and Sonos music are the priorities. Its appeal is strongest as a compact part of a network system. Choose something else if HDMI control, easy Bluetooth playback or immersive film formats are central to the purchase.
This is a research-based review. The Fasit has not physically tested this product.
Independent sources cited in this article.
Black standalone Ray; method 1.1 update March 2023. June 2023 changes revised prose rather than test results.
Original listening review, first published August 2022 and body updated March 2025, including reported post-update bass retesting.
Current Ray selection in Sonos’s rear-speaker compatibility menu.
Beam Gen 2 driver arrangement and virtual height processing; alternative-product scope only.