Sonos announces entry-level $279 Ray soundbar, which will be available on June 7th

Sonos officially introduced its Sonos Ray soundbar this afternoon. When it goes on sale on June 7th, the company’s new entry-level soundbar will cost a slightly higher-than-speculated $279, matching the specs and design first revealed. (Perhaps Sonos, like the rest of us, is experiencing inflation.) With the $449 Beam and $899 Arc above it, the Ray is still the most cheap Sonos soundbar available.

The Ray is being promoted as the perfect soundbar for first-time purchasers looking to replace their TV’s mediocre built-in speakers. It can output Dolby Digital audio but not Atmos, and it links to TVs through an optical cable. HDMI and eARC will be reserved for Sonos’ more expensive Beam and Arc models. Gamers should be advised that soundbars with an optical connection can occasionally have a little audio delay. However, However believe Sonos believes that anyone with an Xbox Series X or PS5 connected to their TV will choose the Beam or Arc.

High frequencies are handled by two tweeters on the Ray. The soundbar also incorporates split waveguides on the left and right sides to route sound “from wall to wall,” as seen in our original render. Two midwoofers in the centre “ensure faithful playback of mid-range frequencies and solid bass,” according to the manufacturer. The Ray, according to Sonos, is engineered to function well sonically no matter where it’s put, including when it’s tucked into a media stand, because its acoustic features are all forward-facing.

Sonos claims the Ray stands out from similarly priced competitors because to its full integration with the company’s multiroom audio platform, despite the lack of HDMI connectivity and hence HDMI-CEC. Other features like TruePlay tuning, according to product manager Scott Fink, are important differentiators for the Ray. Because the Ray lacks built-in microphones, you can only use TruePlay with supported phones to improve its sound. Sonos’ other home theatre systems share software features like speech enhancement and night mode with the new soundbar.

The Ray, like the Beam and Arc, may be upgraded to a fuller surround system by employing pairs of Sonos One SL speakers for the rears. It can also be used with the Sonos Sub, however you doubt many people will spend $749 on a subwoofer for a soundbar that costs $279. Unfortunately, the reported, more cheap Sub Mini was not included in today’s Sonos announcements.

The Sonos Ray would be able to be vertically placed and act as rear surrounds for Sonos’ existing soundbars, according to The Verge. During its media briefings, however, the business made no mention of this function. Fink replied he had nothing to say about rumours when asked if the functionality was still on the way. (Internal Sonos materials released by The report confirmed the Ray’s design, features, and release date, suggesting that the vertical mounting functionality was cancelled at the last minute.)

The Sonos Ray will be available in the United States, Canada, and a number of other countries on June 7th.

Sonos is also offering new colours for its portable Sonos Roam Bluetooth speaker, in addition to the new soundbar. The Roam is now available in orange/red, green, and blue colours for the same $179 pricing as before.