Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- Clear and detailed audio, enhancing dialogue clarity significantly over TV speakers
- Compact size and aesthetic design make it suitable for smaller TVs (around 40-50 inches) and rooms, with flexible placement options
- Integrates seamlessly into the Sonos ecosystem, offering user-friendly operation and a cohesive app for control and setup
- Versatile connectivity through Wi-Fi and Apple Airplay 2, enabling wireless music streaming and integration with other Sonos speakers
Product Considerations
- Limited bass performance, potentially requiring a separate subwoofer for a more immersive experience
- Only connects to TVs via an optical port, lacking HDMI ARC and the ability to support higher quality audio formats
- Absence of Bluetooth connectivity, limiting its versatility for direct connections with devices
- Soundstage is narrower compared to wider soundbars, which may not provide as immersive a listening experience, although it does output in stereo
- The use of an optical connection means users have to go through an additional setup process so that their TV's remote can adjust the volume on it
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Sonos Beam Gen 2: Offers a more affordable entry point into the Sonos ecosystem, sacrificing some features of the Beam Gen 2—such as Dolby Atmos and HDMI connectivity
- Vs Roku Streambar Pro: Has similar audio performance but fewer connectivity options
Takeaway: The Sonos Ray is a compact and stylish soundbar that noticeably upgrades the sound quality of the TV, especially for dialogue. Its integration with the Sonos ecosystem makes it a great choice for those looking to expand their multi-room audio setup.
What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.
All
Ray (Immersive Set)
reviews
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An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
Description
Level up your viewing and listening experiences with immersive surround sound powered by this compact soundbar, subwoofer, and pair of rear satellite speakers.
Release Timeline
Manufacturer Site
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- Sonos emphasizes ease of setup, offering a streamlined process through its app that integrates with various streaming services and guides users in optimizing sound for their space.
- Sonos ecosystem allows for scalable audio solutions, from a single speaker to a multi-room setup with wireless surround sound and a subwoofer, all controlled through a central app.
- They've created a simplified home cinema approach with the "Beam (Gen 2)" which balances high-end cinematic immersion with user-friendly home integration.
Select products
Select product comparisons
Ray
- Positioning: Entry-level soundbar, designed for affordability and compactness.
- Description: Offers impressive sound quality in a compact form, making it ideal for small to medium-sized rooms. Features custom acoustics that balance high and mid-range frequencies, unlike the Beam and Arc which provide more advanced spatial audio capabilities. This makes it a great choice for budget-conscious users who want to enhance their TV audio without the need for HDMI connectivity.
Beam (Gen 2)
- Positioning: Mid-range soundbar, offering a balance of performance and price.
- Description: Delivers powerful sound with Dolby Atmos support, providing a virtual surround sound experience. Includes a faster processor and more audio paths than the Ray, making it suitable for larger rooms and users who want a more immersive audio experience.
Arc
- Positioning: High-end soundbar, designed for premium home theater experiences.
- Description: Offers a cinematic audio experience with Dolby Atmos and eleven internal speakers, including dedicated height channels for a multidimensional soundstage. It surpasses the Beam with its ability to fill oversized rooms with rich, detailed sound.
Arc Ultra
- Positioning: Flagship soundbar, featuring the most advanced audio technology.
- Description: The pinnacle of Sonos soundbars, featuring Sound Motion technology and 14 drivers for an exceptional audio experience. It offers double the bass output of the Arc and includes Bluetooth connectivity, setting it apart from other models.
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Avg. Product Price
$1,001-$2,500
Used For Sale
0
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
84
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
16
Founding Year
2002
Our take on the brand
Sonos pioneered multi-room wireless audio with their proprietary SonosNet mesh network, which ensures synchronized streaming across multiple speakers without relying on traditional Wi-Fi. Their products feature Trueplay technology that automatically tunes speakers to room acoustics, while supporting multiple voice assistants and streaming services across their platform-agnostic ecosystem.
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What competes at this price?
Sennheiser
Ambeo Plus
1799
/
Released
2022
Enjoy unique, immersive sound in one single device. A breathtaking cinematic experience designed to give you goosebumps: Movie nights will never be the same again. Just plug in, set it up and enjoy a whole movie theater at home.
Sennheiser pioneered the world's first open-back headphones with the HD 414 in 1968, which became the bestselling full-size headphone of all time, and later developed the HD 25, evolving from 1980s broadcast use to become the industry standard in DJ booths worldwide. The brand is known for unique engineering approaches, such as integrating high-voltage amplifiers directly into earcups with Carrara marble chassis in the HE 1, developing proprietary ring-radiator transducers and absorber technology to eliminate resonances, and creating the long-running MD 421 microphone that has remained in production since 1960.
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Good build quality and a quality finish all round
- Sleek and stylish design that isn't cheap
- Impressive and wide soundstage can fill a large open-plan space
- Full-featured immersive 7.1.4 soundbar with 9 class D amplifiers and 9 speakers
- Sennheiser Smart Control app is intuitive, easy to use, and responsive, making setup straightforward
Product Considerations
- HDMI 2.0 certification means it can't support 4K/120Hz gaming
- Side and rear spatial effects are largely absent
- Ambio mode, while creating a broader soundstage, sometimes compromises detail, precision, and dialogue clarity
- Alone lacks low-bass without a dedicated subwoofer
- There are no satellite speakers available to pair
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs. Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Max: The Plus is smaller, more compact, and more attainable in size and price, but the Max offers more bass and impactful performance
- Vs. Sonos Arc: The Ambio Plus offers Bluetooth connectivity and the flexibility to use a third-party subwoofer, while the Arc's main selling point is the Sonos ecosystem
- Vs. Yamaha A7000: The Ambeo Plus offers a better experience with Atmos content and better separation for a more detailed music performance, while the A7000 has slightly better dialogue and 2 HDMI 2.1 ports
Takeaway: The Ambeo Plus is a good choice for those seeking an immersive sound experience in a more compact form factor, especially for movies and music. Its versatile features and ease of use make it a solid upgrade to any home entertainment setup.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Sennheiser pioneered the world's first open-back headphones with the HD 414 in 1968, which became the bestselling full-size headphone of all time, and later developed the HD 25, evolving from 1980s broadcast use to become the industry standard in DJ booths worldwide. The brand is known for unique engineering approaches, such as integrating high-voltage amplifiers directly into earcups with Carrara marble chassis in the HE 1, developing proprietary ring-radiator transducers and absorber technology to eliminate resonances, and creating the long-running MD 421 microphone that has remained in production since 1960.
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