Sonos made a cheap soundbar, but at what cost?

By Alex Choros

Last updated 12 May 2022

Sonos today announced its most affordable soundbar to date - the Ray - which will retail for $399 in Australia. While $399 is still a step above what you'd pay for an entry-level soundbar, it's comparatively affordable for a Sonos product. The 2nd generation Sonos Beam retails for $699, while the high-end Sonos Arc goes for $1,499.

The Ray is pitched as people's first Sonos product, and designed more so for TVs that are 55-inch or smaller. Sonos does however say that those already in the ecosystem may consider it as a soundbar for a second TV, for example.

To keep the price down, the Sonos Ray is a simpler product than the manufacturer's higher end models. All of its speakers are forward-facing (there are no side-firing speakers inside), it doesn't support Dolby Atmos, it connects via optical rather than HDMI, and it doesn't support Alexa and Google Assistant. You still get AirPlay 2 for Apple devices, however.

Despite the stripped-down approach, the Sonos Ray still performed admirably in a brief ears-on session. The soundstage was wider than expected for a soundbar that only has front-facing speakers, and voices came through clearly. The Sonos Ray was also able to deliver impressive bass performance, even at lower sub-bass frequencies. We're hoping to have a more in-depth review of the Sonos Ray in the coming weeks.

As part of the Sonos ecosystem, the Ray can be paired with any existing Sonos speakers and used in a multiroom audio setup that can hook into over 80 music services. You can also group it up with two Sonos Ones (or Play:1s) and a Sonos Sub for 5.1 audio on your TV. Of course, a Sonos Sub retails for $1,099, so isn't exactly the most natural pairing for the Sonos Ray. Rear-speakers can be added independently of a Sub.

Locally, the Sonos Ray will be available from June 8.

In addition to the Ray, Sonos had a bit more news. Firstly, the portable Sonos Roam will be available in three new colours: olive, sunset, and wave. Green, orange, and blue, respectively. They will still cost $299, and are identical to the black or white units that launched last year. These will be available from June 17 in Australia.

Secondly, Sonos has made its own voice assistant for its speakers, voice by Giancarlo Esposito of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fame. The voice assistant - triggered by saying Hey Sonos - is specifically designed for music playback and grouping speakers. Sonos says it's focusing on speed, accuracy, and privacy. With regards to the latter, Sonos says all processing will be done locally, with no voice recordings sent to a server.

Initially, Sonos Voice will work with Sonos Radio, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and Pandora. Sonos Voice will launch in the US on June 1. Sonos has yet to confirm when Sonos Voice will be available in Australia.

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