The Sonos Ray Soundbar promises blockbuster sound in a sleek, compact design. Priced at £229, this soundbar aims to enhance your audio experience, whether you’re watching movies, gaming, or streaming music.
With a 4.4 out of 5 rating from 229 reviews, the Sonos Ray Soundbar has garnered attention for its impressive sound quality and ease of use. Let’s delve into what makes this soundbar a popular choice among users.
I recently added the Sonos Ray to our secondary TV setup, and I was pleasantly surprised by the sound quality. Despite its compact size, the soundbar delivers rich, clear audio that enhances our viewing experience. The setup was straightforward, and it integrated seamlessly with our existing Sonos ecosystem.
Although the Sonos Ray lacks HDMI and remote control functionality, the optical input works perfectly with our smart TV. The soundbar’s vocal clarity and bass extension are impressive for its size, making it a great budget-friendly option for secondary setups.
Immersive Sound Quality
The Sonos Ray Soundbar excels in delivering an immersive sound experience that truly transforms your living room into a mini-theatre. With its custom anti-distortion technology, it ensures that every note and sound effect is crystal clear, offering a richer, more balanced audio output. The expertly engineered woofers handle mid-range frequencies effortlessly, while the two tweeters provide exceptional clarity for high frequencies. Whether you’re watching a blockbuster movie, playing a high-intensity game, or streaming your favourite music, the soundbar’s quality is consistently impressive.
Compact and Sleek Design
Aesthetics and functionality go hand-in-hand with the Sonos Ray Soundbar. Its compact and sleek design allows it to fit seamlessly into any living space without taking up much room. The soundbar can be easily tucked into your TV setup or even mounted on the wall, thanks to its face-forward acoustics that minimise interference from nearby surfaces. This adaptability makes it an excellent choice for both small apartments and larger living rooms, ensuring that it not only sounds great but also looks great.
Easy Setup and Integration
Setting up the Sonos Ray Soundbar is a breeze, taking only a few minutes from unboxing to full functionality. The soundbar comes with a straightforward setup process that even tech novices can handle with ease. Once connected, it integrates smoothly with any Sonos WiFi speaker, allowing you to create a comprehensive sound system for your entire home. This feature is particularly useful for those who wish to listen to different songs in different rooms or synchronise the sound throughout the house.
Versatile Connectivity Options
The Sonos Ray Soundbar offers a variety of connectivity options to suit your needs. It supports WiFi music streaming, Apple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect, making it incredibly versatile. When the TV is off, you can still enjoy music, radio, podcasts, and audiobooks from all your favourite services over WiFi using the Sonos app. This wide range of connectivity options ensures that you can easily switch between different types of media without any hassle.
Superior Build Quality
As expected from a brand like Sonos, the build quality of the Ray Soundbar is top-notch. It has a premium feel that is evident as soon as you unbox it. The materials used are durable and high-quality, ensuring that the soundbar will last for years to come. The attention to detail in its construction also contributes to its excellent sound performance, making it a reliable addition to any home entertainment setup.
User-Friendly App
The Sonos app is an integral part of the Ray Soundbar experience, providing a user-friendly interface for managing your sound system. The app allows you to control various settings, stream music from different services, and even fine-tune the audio to your liking. It also supports voice assistants, making it easier to control the soundbar with simple voice commands. The app’s intuitive design ensures that you can get the most out of your Sonos Ray Soundbar with minimal effort.
Adaptable to Various Room Sizes
One of the standout features of the Sonos Ray Soundbar is its adaptability to different room sizes. Whether you’re placing it in a small bedroom or a large living room, the soundbar performs exceptionally well. For smaller rooms, it provides ample sound clarity and range, while in larger rooms, it can be paired with additional Sonos speakers to create a more immersive experience. This flexibility makes it a versatile choice for any home.
Impressive Bass Performance
Despite its compact size, the Sonos Ray Soundbar delivers a surprisingly powerful bass performance. While it may not match the output of a dedicated subwoofer, it still provides enough bass to enhance your overall listening experience. The bass extension is notably low, adding depth to movies and music alike. For those who crave even more bass, the soundbar can be paired with a Sonos subwoofer, but for most users, its built-in bass capabilities will be more than sufficient.
Clear Vocals and Dialogue
One of the key aspects that make the Sonos Ray Soundbar stand out is its ability to deliver clear vocals and dialogue. This is particularly beneficial for movie enthusiasts and gamers who need to hear every word without straining. The soundbar’s mid and high frequencies are finely tuned to ensure that voices come through with impeccable clarity, making it easier to follow along with your favorite shows and games.
Potential Connectivity Issues
While the Sonos Ray Soundbar excels in many areas, it’s worth noting that some users have reported connectivity issues, particularly with WiFi performance. In certain cases, the soundbar may lose WiFi connectivity, indicated by a flashing white LED. This can be a minor inconvenience, especially if you rely heavily on WiFi for streaming. However, these issues can often be resolved with a full reset of your mesh WiFi system or by connecting the soundbar directly via an optical cable.
Pros:
- Immersive soundscape for movies, music, and gaming.
- Compact and sleek design with easy setup.
- Seamlessly integrates with other Sonos WiFi speakers.
Cons:
- Lacks HDMI connectivity.
- Limited bass without additional subwoofer.
- Compatibility issues with some LG remote controls.
Read also:
- Sonos Beam Gen 2: Is this the best Soundbar for your TV?
- Echo Show 15 Review: Smart Home Display Excellence
- Sonos Ace Headphones Review… Are they any good?
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Sonos Ray Soundbar is an excellent value for its price. It offers premium sound quality in a compact design, making it a fantastic addition to any small or medium-sized room.
While it may have some connectivity limitations, its overall performance and ease of use make it a worthwhile investment. If you’re looking to elevate your audio experience without breaking the bank, the Sonos Ray is a solid choice.
Questions & Answers:
Question: Does the Sonos Ray Soundbar have HDMI connectivity?
Answer: No, the Sonos Ray Soundbar only supports optical input for connectivity.
Question: Can the Sonos Ray Soundbar be mounted on the wall?
Answer: Yes, the Sonos Ray Soundbar can be mounted on the wall, but you may need to purchase a separate mounting bracket.
Question: Is the Sonos Ray Soundbar compatible with Apple AirPlay?
Answer: Yes, the Sonos Ray Soundbar is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2.
