Sonos Ray: the new sound bar boasts size, but it is also (fairly) affordable

We already had the Sonos Beam and the even more ambitious Sonos Arc, but this firm now introduces a more affordable sound bar called Sonos Ray. This sound bar maintains the commitment to a more immersive sound, but in a more compact design.

There are also news for voice control functions and for the portable speaker called Sonos Roam, which will now have editions in three additional colors.

Sonos Ray Tech Sheet

More compact, but with a “brutal” sound

We are facing a sound bar that stands out for its smaller size, but Sonos assures that even so the Sonos Ray has “a brutal sound its size”.

From Xataka we have had the opportunity to test it briefly during its presentation and our first impressions are that the result lives up to what was promised.

The Sonos Ray features custom waveguides to project sound throughout the room. The bass reflex systemindicates the company, creates balanced bass, and for its creation it has collaborated with the Sonos Soundboard organization that brings together professionals from the world of music and cinema.

This soundbar has a voice enhancement feature for clarity, and you also have the option to activate the night sound mode which reduces the intensity of louder sounds.

Dispose of Wi-Fi connectivity so you can use it directly with our music streaming services. At the back we find, for example, an optical input, and at the top are the touch controls.

There are a few sacrifices in this new sound bar: no built-in microphones, Dolby Atmos support, or HDMI connectivitybut in return it offers a striking option.

Thus, it is possible to configure two Sonos Ray as rear speakers in a surround system in which the Sonos Arc or Sonos Beam are the protagonists. The bar can be mounted vertically for that purpose.

the sound bar no need own remote control: You can use the one on the TV to control its functions easily through the IR receiver at the bottom of the product.

Voice control and new colors for the Sonos Roam

The firm has also announced its new voice control system, designed with a clear focus on privacy and that will allow you to control music playback. To activate it, just say “Hey Sonos”.

This system will work with any Sonos speaker with that mount (must have Sonos S2 chip), and the audio processing will be done on the device itself: There is no connection to external servers, and no audio clips or transcripts are sent or stored.

The platform is compatible with Sonos Radio, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer and Pandora, but no mention of Spotify or YouTube Music among those options, although it is revealed that other services will be compatible in the future.

The voice used by Sonos in the United States it is also that of actor Giancarlo Esposito —known for his roles in ‘Breaking Bad’ or ‘Better Call Saul’—. Other voices will join the service as the experience expands to other regions, both a female voice and in other languages.

At the moment the service – which is launched on June 1 as a firmware update – will be available in english, and more French will be added before the end of the year. Sonos has not confirmed when the Spanish will arrive.

Along with the new sound bar, Sonos has announced the availability of portable speakers Sonos Roam in three new colors: “Olive”, “Wave” and “Sunset”.

Sonos Ray price and availability

The new Sonos Ray soundbar will be available worldwide starting June 7, and will retail for €299.

The Sonos Roam in its new three colors is available today with a list price of €199.