Sonos Ray seems to be like a price range TV soundbar, and it acts like one, too. However secretly, or not so secretly, I feel Sonos has larger plans for this new gadget. By itself, the $279 Sonos Ray is fairly modest. It is restricted to connecting to a TV with solely an optical cable, and it would not have any microphones for direct voice management. What it does supply is an entry level right into a whole-home music system.
The bigger Sonos ecosystem has a speaker match for any room. There's Sonos 5 for spectacular, party-level sound. There's additionally Sonos One for music within the bed room or workplace. The Sonos app connects all of its audio system collectively, together with soundbars like Ray and Arc, and might play the identical tune throughout all of them on the similar time. I feel the corporate is pushing into extra budget-conscious merchandise to get customers hooked to upsell them later to this whole-home music life-style.
This is not a nefarious plan to promote audio system. The truth is, I feel Sonos in all probability does the perfect job at controlling audio system throughout a house. So if somebody buys a Ray to boost their TV's sound and finally ends up with a couple of extra Sonos audio system round the home, they will anticipate a terrific product expertise. However as a standalone primary soundbar, Sonos Ray is just tremendous. It does its job with out loads of fanfare or fuss.
TL;DR
Professionals:
- Small footprint for tight areas
- AirPlay 2 and Spotify Join assist
Cons:
- Connection to TV through optical cable solely
Purchase at Sonos.
Sonos Ray Soundbar Specs
Contained in the small soundbar are 4 Class D digital amplifiers, two tweeters and two high-efficiency midwoofers. The speaker helps stereo pulse-code modulation (PCM), Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Digital Encompass audio codecs. Once more, the speaker itself is just a little boring with no actual surprises on the entire.
The audio high quality is actually larger than its bodily dimension, however that is widespread for Sonos, which has managed to construct glorious audio system for greater than a decade. The bodily dimension of the Ray is neat. photos would not do it justice: It is small. If there's an attribute concerning the Ray to make you take into account it over a soundbar from Vizio or LG, it is in all probability its compact dimension. It ought to get as loud as you will ever want it to, however it may well nonetheless be put onto loads of small cabinets inside leisure facilities.
By means of the Sonos cellular app, you possibly can modify the EQ of Ray, activate Speech Enhancement, Evening Sound and tune the speaker's sound particularly for its placement within the room with True Play. (For these not acquainted, Evening Sound reduces the depth of loud sounds, and Speech Enhancement boosts voice frequencies.) Plus you possibly can ship audio from an iPhone to Ray with AirPlay 2 assist.
Sonos Ray's use of an optical cable to hook up with a TV is the defining function of this product. It is without end caught as an honest soundbar and nothing extra as audio over HDMI evolves. For now, the Ray ought to join to almost all TVs with that single optical cable. It may do 5.1 encompass sound, however as TVs and expertise march on, it should ultimately fade from common entry. That is one more reason why it ought to primarily be considered a soundbar for a secondary TV that does not have all the newest options.
Sonos Ray Motion pictures and Music
I've used all of the soundbars Sonos has ever launched and up till now, Sonos Beam (Gen 2) with Dolby Atmos assist and a dynamic sound was the perfect choose as a blanket advice. It may be paired with a Sonos Sub and wi-fi rear audio system to ship sturdy audio efficiency, nevertheless it's not as costly or bodily huge because the Arc.
The Ray soundbar at $279 might be the proper entry level for much more individuals who solely need an upgraded audio expertise over a TV's built-in audio system. Ray can nonetheless be paired with the Sub or wi-fi rear audio system if you wish to go down that path later, however largely it excels at bringing fuller sound to films and enhancing on-screen dialogue.
Watching the James Bond film No Time To Die, I used to be impressed with Ray's skill to offer automobile chases and explosions a much bigger presence. The general film sound was particularly pleasant underneath a quantity degree of round 45 p.c. Elevating the quantity into the 75 p.c vary confirmed off the speaker's restrict for maintaining sound balanced. Positive, it may well get loud, however the midrange frequencies had been muddier and all the pieces was much less distinct as the quantity elevated.
Throughout completely different reveals and flicks, I did not discover something particular about Ray's stereo separation. The audio mixing was noticeable, nonetheless, whereas watching the film Child Driver, when sound unfold a lot wider than its quick speaker size.
Even when the optical cable is not an element, I nonetheless do not advocate the Ray for giant, cavernous dwelling rooms. It really works higher for bedrooms and smaller dwelling areas. Utilizing it in that context possible will not demand bumping the quantity over 50 p.c, that means a few of the sound points will not be encountered fairly often.
To my ears, Ray has an identical sound profile whereas listening to music because the Symfonisk Image Body from Sonos and Ikea. Each merchandise have extra bass presence than anticipated however cannot get near the identical lasting resonance because the Sonos 5 does, for instance. Each audio system finally really feel just a little hole. The Sonos Ray is, once more, a really appropriate music speaker for a bed room or small lounge the place quantity would not should be pushed as exhausting as it will in bigger areas.
Ought to You Purchase Sonos Ray?
So long as you are going in with clear eyes about what Sonos Ray is and what it is for, it is a terrific alternative for an entry degree soundbar. There are cheaper audio bars on the market that sound simply pretty much as good, however they're in all probability loads larger and may not have all of the Wi-Fi connectivity in tow.
The Sonos Ray is a soundbar that may match almost wherever. It does loads in a small area and brings fairly first rate sound to films and TV reveals. The Ray's skill to faucet into Sonos' Wi-Fi music ecosystem is its enormous profit. It means that you can stream audio from dozens of companies straight on the speaker when it isn't getting used with a TV.
Very like Apple, Sonos would not make low-cost merchandise—it makes merchandise with pared-down options for much less cash. That is what the Ray is. And so long as that is what you are anticipating, you have to be thrilled with the expertise.
Purchase at Sonos for $279.
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