{"id":532011,"date":"2022-12-28T14:00:41","date_gmt":"2022-12-28T11:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/"},"modified":"2022-12-28T14:00:41","modified_gmt":"2022-12-28T11:00:41","slug":"great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/","title":{"rendered":"#Great Starter Soundbar With Some Shortcomings"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a348a681ac33\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a348a681ac33\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#%E2%80%9CGreat_Starter_Soundbar_With_Some_Shortcomings%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Great Starter Soundbar With Some Shortcomings&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#Heres_What_We_Like\" >Here&#8217;s What We Like<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#And_What_We_Dont\" >And What We Don&#8217;t<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#Build_and_Design\" >Build and Design<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#Connectivity\" >Connectivity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#Setup_and_Calibration\" >Setup and Calibration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#Controls_and_the_Sonos_App\" >Controls and the Sonos App<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#Audio_Performance_TV_Movies_and_Gaming\" >Audio Performance: TV, Movies, and Gaming<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#Audio_Performance_Music\" >Audio Performance: Music<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#Should_You_Buy_the_Sonos_Ray\" >Should You Buy the Sonos Ray?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#Heres_What_We_Like-2\" >Here\u2019s What We Like<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/great-starter-soundbar-with-some-shortcomings\/#And_What_We_Dont-2\" >And What We Don&#8217;t<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CGreat_Starter_Soundbar_With_Some_Shortcomings%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Great Starter Soundbar With Some Shortcomings&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<div class=\"single-review-card\">\n<div class=\"review-card-heading\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div class=\"rating\" style=\"width: 30%;\">Rating:<br \/>\n<strong>7\/10<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong class=\"more-info-hover\" data-nosnippet=\"\">?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong class=\"rating-info\" data-nosnippet=\"\"><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1 &#8211; Does not work<\/li>\n<li>2 &#8211; Barely functional<\/li>\n<li>3 &#8211; Severely lacking in most areas<\/li>\n<li>4 &#8211; Functions, but has numerous issues<\/li>\n<li>5 &#8211; Fine yet leaves a lot to be desired<\/li>\n<li>6 &#8211; Good enough to buy on sale<\/li>\n<li>7 &#8211; Great and worth purchasing<\/li>\n<li>8 &#8211; Fantastic, <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>roaching best-in-class<\/li>\n<li>9 &#8211; Best-in-class<\/li>\n<li>10 &#8211; Borderline perfection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/strong>\n<\/div>\n<p>Price: <strong>$279<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-855835\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/sonos-ray-with-packaging.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Sonos Ray with Packaging\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Hannah Stryker \/ How-To Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While Sonos typically focuses on higher-end products and price tags, it has been moving more toward the realm of the affordable as of late. Following this trend, the company introduced the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Sonos-Essential-Soundbar-Music-Video\/dp\/B0B2KPPQK1?tag=lsmedia-13507-20\">Sonos Ray<\/a> soundbar, a pared-down alternative to its more expensive models.<\/p>\n<p>While the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/93156\/sonos-arc-review-a-flexible-upgradeable-soundbar-with-captivating-sound\/\">Sonos Arc<\/a> sits at the top of the soundbar chain and the Sonos Beam (Gen 2) occupies the middle, the Ray still boasts plenty of the features that make Sonos unique at a lower price. Namely, it features the same multiroom audio features as its larger siblings, as well as Sonos\u2019 key TruePlay feature.<\/p>\n<p>That said, the company made some curious cuts to the Ray, presumably to keep it within a specific price point. Namely, Sonos neglected to add an HDMI connectivity option, relying solely on an optical cable to connect to your TV. While this isn\u2019t quite a dealbreaker, it does narrow down the group of people this is an ideal product for.<\/p>\n<div class=\"review-card-body-inline fullwidth\">\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_What_We_Like\"><\/span>Here&#8217;s What We Like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Sounds much bigger than it looks<\/li>\n<li>Great vocal and speech clarity<\/li>\n<li>Sonos multiroom connectivity<\/li>\n<li>Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2 support<\/li>\n<li>Easy to set up and use<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_What_We_Dont\"><\/span>And What We Don&#8217;t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>No HDMI connectivity<\/li>\n<li>Limited remote support<\/li>\n<li>No built-in mic for voice commands<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"reviews-blurb\">How-To Geek&#8217;s expert reviewers go hands-on with each product we review. We put every piece of hardware through hours of testing in the real world and run them through benchmarks in our lab. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product and never aggregate other people\u2019s reviews. Read more &gt;&gt;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_and_Design\"><\/span>Build and Design<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-855831\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/led-indicator-light-on-sonos-ray.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"LED indicator light on Sonos Ray\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Hannah Stryker \/ How-To Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"greybox_callout\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Dimensions:<\/strong> 2.79 x 22 x 3.74in (71 x 559 x 95mm)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Weight:<\/strong> 4.29lbs (1.95kg)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Colors:<\/strong> Black, White<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>You can tell just by looking at the Ray that it\u2019s a Sonos product. It has a similar look to the company\u2019s larger soundbars, though, in the case of the Ray, it\u2019s far narrower.<\/p>\n<p>At 22 inches wide, the Sonos Ray fits perfectly with <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/762824\/best-55-inch-tv\/\">TVs in the 55-inch range and smaller, as was the TV I tested it with. If your TV has a 65-inch screen or better, the Ray may look on the small size underneath the screen. That said, the compact size has its benefits.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to the tapered shape and forward-firing design, the Sonos Ray can fit in places many other soundbars won\u2019t. Because of the lack of upward-firing speakers for Dolby Atmos or virtual surround sound, you don\u2019t need to worry too much about what\u2019s around the Ray, just what\u2019s in front of it.<\/p>\n<p>The Ray has the same minimalist styling as other Sonos soundbars, and it also has the same capacitive touch controls on the top panel. These can be overly sensitive, registering presses even when you dust the speaker. Fortunately, you can disable the controls if you don\u2019t intend to use them.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Connectivity\"><\/span>Connectivity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-855828\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/back-ports-on-sonos-ray.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Back Ports on Sonos Ray\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Hannah Stryker \/ How-To Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"greybox_callout\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Audio in:<\/strong> 1x optical digital<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wi-Fi:<\/strong> 2.4 GHz 802.11\/b\/g\/n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ethernet:<\/strong> 10\/100 port<\/li>\n<li><strong>Remote connectivity:<\/strong> IR receiver<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>As I mentioned at the top of the article, one of the most confusing cuts on the Ray is the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/778339\/what-is-hdmi\/\">HDMI port. These are included in budget soundbars all the time, so it\u2019s an odd decision, to say the least.<\/p>\n<p>The only way to connect your TV to the soundbar is by using the optical digital audio input on the rear of the soundbar. The vast majority of modern TVs have optical audio outputs, so this should work for you. Aside from that, the only physical connection you\u2019ll find on the Ray is the optional Ethernet connection.<\/p>\n<p>At the very least, it would have been nice to see Sonos add a 3.5mm auxiliary input. No, this isn\u2019t the way Sonos does things, as even the portable Sonos Roam doesn\u2019t feature an aux-in jack. Still, it would have been nice as a backup.<\/p>\n<p>While the Ray is a 2.0 soundbar, it is compatible with Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround. That said, that\u2019s all you get when it comes to surround formats, with the only other supported <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> being stereo PCM audio.<\/p>\n<p>You won\u2019t find support for Dolby Atmos or other technologies. This makes sense, as even if you add speakers, the Ray still wouldn\u2019t support Atmos. It just makes it plainly visible how limited the Ray is in comparison with other Sonos soundbars.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Setup_and_Calibration\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_2\">Setup and Calibration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-855832\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/rear-plug-on-sonos-ray.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Rear plug on Sonos Ray\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Hannah Stryker \/ How-To Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>To set up the Ray, you\u2019ll need to download the Sonos app (available for <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/sonos\/id1488977981?at=1010l392g&amp;ct=htg855824\">iPhone and iPad<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.sonos.acr2&amp;hl=en_US&amp;gl=US\">Android<\/a>). If the Ray is your first Sonos product, you\u2019ll need to create an account. Otherwise, just sign in.<\/p>\n<p>Even if the Ray is your first Sonos product, setup is easy. The app will usually notice that you\u2019ve plugged in a new Sonos product nearby. Otherwise, just select the \u201cAdd Product\u201d option and follow the prompts. From here, it will register the soundbar, update it, and let you select which room you\u2019ll be using the Ray in or add it to your whole home audio system.<\/p>\n<p>From here, you can start using the soundbar, but there\u2019s an extra step you should take if you can. While it sacrificed some other features, the Ray does feature <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fsupport.sonos.com%2Fen-us%2Farticle%2Ftune-your-sonos-speakers-with-trueplay&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">TruePlay<\/a>, a key feature of Sonos products. This feature uses the built-in microphone on your iPhone or iPad to measure your room acoustics and tune the soundbar accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, this feature is only available on Apple devices, presumably because the microphones are close to identical, whereas supporting Android would mean considerably more mics. That said, TruePlay is a game changer and, in my case, provided a noticeable difference in the Ray.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Controls_and_the_Sonos_App\"><\/span>Controls and the Sonos App<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-855829\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/close-up-of-play-button-on-sonos-ray.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Close up of play button on Sonos Ray\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Hannah Stryker \/ How-To Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As you\u2019ll likely be aware of if you\u2019ve ever used another Sonos soundbar or speaker, there is no remote included with the Ray. Instead, you control the volume using your TV remote.<\/p>\n<p>With other Sonos soundbars, they\u2019re meant to be connected via HDMI. This lets them use <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/207186\/how-to-enable-hdmi-cec-on-your-tv-and-why-you-should\/\">HDMI-CEC from your TV. In this case, because you\u2019re connected via optical cable, this isn\u2019t possible. Instead, the Ray features a built-in infrared (IR) sensor to work with your TV remote.<\/p>\n<p>In my case, using a Vizio TV, my remote worked perfectly. Picking up my Apple TV remote to adjust the volume also worked fine, even though I never set up the Apple TV remote with the Sonos Ray. That said, not everyone\u2019s experience will be as seamless as mine.<\/p>\n<p>If your TV uses an RF remote or some other type of remote other than IR, it simply won\u2019t work with the Ray. You\u2019ll be stuck either controlling the volume with the capacitive touch buttons on the device itself or using the Sonos app.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, the Sonos app does more than just control volume. There\u2019s a simple onboard EQ you can adjust, as well as Speech Enhancement and Night modes to make voices easier to hear at night.<\/p>\n<p>One final omission worth pointing out is that, unlike the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/93156\/sonos-arc-review-a-flexible-upgradeable-soundbar-with-captivating-sound\/\">Sonos Arc<\/a> or the Sonos Beam, the Ray doesn\u2019t feature a built-in microphone. This is a plus for privacy reasons, but it also means you can\u2019t use voice commands to adjust the volume, which would be handy if your TV remote isn\u2019t supported.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_Performance_TV_Movies_and_Gaming\"><\/span>Audio Performance: TV, Movies, and Gaming<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-855838\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/sonos-ray-set-up-cables.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Sonos Ray set up with cables\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Kris Wouk \/ How-To Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"greybox_callout\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Amplifiers:<\/strong> four Class-D digital amplifiers<\/li>\n<li><strong>Drivers:<\/strong> 2x woofers, 2x tweeters<\/li>\n<li><strong>Home theater audio formats:<\/strong> Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Digital Surround<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Ray sounds both much bigger than it looks and much bigger than I expected. After testing the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/841636\/sonos-beam-gen-2-review\/\">second-generation Sonos Beam, I\u2019d assumed that this would sound smaller. With both soundbars playing stereo content, the Ray doesn\u2019t sound dramatically smaller than the Beam.<\/p>\n<p>The sound in the Ray comes courtesy of four class D amplifiers, powering a pair of midrange woofers and a pair of tweeters. Sonos equipped the tweeters with waveguides, which literally direct the sound around the room. This is the main reason for the surprising width of sound here.<\/p>\n<p>As mentioned above, out of the box, you\u2019re not getting surround sound with the Ray. You can add a pair of rear speakers like the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Sonos-One-SL-Microphone-Free-Speaker\/dp\/B07XQKCNRJ?tag=lsmedia-13507-20\">Sonos One SL<\/a> and the Sonos Sub Mini and have quite a nice surround setup, but that adds considerable cost. For this review, I tested the Ray by itself, without rear speakers or a subwoofer.<\/p>\n<p>Even if your TV has better-than-average built-in speakers, the Ray is all but guaranteed to sound better. There are two reasons for this: one is the stereo width, and the other is speech intelligibility.<\/p>\n<p>Watching <em>First Blood<\/em>, which I remembered as a notoriously mumbly movie at times, I found certain dialog much easier to understand. This was with the Ray\u2019s default settings. The Sonos app also lets you enable the Speech Enhancement feature to make dialog even more intelligible.<\/p>\n<p>To test gaming performance, I ran a few races in <em>Forza Horizon 5<\/em>. Again, the Ray only provided stereo audio, but the game sounded much more bombastic than it would on any TV\u2019s built-in speakers.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audio_Performance_Music\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_5\">Audio Performance: Music<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-855839\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/sonos-ray-under-tv.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Sonos Ray under TV\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Kris Wouk \/ How-To Geek<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Listening to music, it\u2019s clear that the Ray doesn\u2019t have the same volume that the Beam does. At the same time, the sonic differences between the two may just give the Ray an edge when it comes to listening to music. The fact that it doesn\u2019t try to turn stereo music tracks into virtual surround is also a major advantage.<\/p>\n<p>One of the first tracks I listened to was the Rolling Stones\u2019 \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5R3xFy85fVE\">Sweet Virginia<\/a>,\u201d as I\u2019d listened to the song a day or two before on my usual listening setup. The Ray doesn\u2019t sound quite as nice, but it didn\u2019t sound as narrow by comparison as I\u2019d expected. There was great detail on the acoustic guitars, and the Ray handled the natural room reverb well.<\/p>\n<p>To test the low end more, I turned to \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gU7tX5YJghc\">Soon<\/a>\u201d by My Bloody Valentine, mainly because of the song\u2019s drum loop. The low thump of the kick stands out, even without a subwoofer. This is a song that obscures details in favor of the whole, and the Ray does a good job of delivering that huge stereo sound in a soundbar.<\/p>\n<p>Listening to RJD2\u2019s \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iutg_PAbU_k\">Games You Can Win (Instrumental)<\/a>,\u201d I was again surprised at the stereo width. The bells on this track showcase the soundstage, sounding more like the music is coming from a pair of speakers than a single soundbar. The bass in the song\u2019s massive synth sounded surprisingly deep, considering the lack of a subwoofer.<\/p>\n<p>One thing I noticed, and perhaps this was due in part to the TruePlay tuning, but the Ray benefits from being at ear level. Standing up and walking into a different room with music playing, that stereo width fell apart pretty quickly. That said, the sweet spot is fairly big.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_You_Buy_the_Sonos_Ray\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_6\">Should You Buy the Sonos Ray?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The lack of an HDMI port will be the make-or-break point for many people. That said, if you\u2019re happy using the optical output on your TV (which it very likely has), the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Sonos-Essential-Soundbar-Music-Video\/dp\/B0B2KPPQK1?tag=lsmedia-13507-20\">Sonos Ray<\/a> still has plenty going for it. Yes, it\u2019s small, but it sounds bigger than it is, and the size helps it fit places other soundbars can\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>The Ray is perfectly passable as a living room soundbar, but for more immersive sound, you\u2019ll want to add surround speakers and a subwoofer. On the other hand, the Ray is a perfect companion to a bedroom TV, as most people don\u2019t need or want a full surround setup here.<\/p>\n<p>One benefit of the relatively simple design of the Sonos Ray is that it works better for music than many soundbars I\u2019ve tried. That, combined with the usual Sonos connectivity, makes the Ray a handy and affordable entryway into the Sonos ecosystem.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single-review-card border\">\n<div class=\"review-card-body\">\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_What_We_Like-2\"><\/span>Here\u2019s What We Like<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Sounds much bigger than it looks<\/li>\n<li>Great vocal and speech clarity<\/li>\n<li>Sonos multiroom connectivity<\/li>\n<li>Wi-Fi and AirPlay 2 support<\/li>\n<li>Easy to set up and use<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_What_We_Dont-2\"><\/span>And What We Don&#8217;t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>No HDMI connectivity<\/li>\n<li>Limited remote support<\/li>\n<li>No built-in mic for voice commands<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/855824\/sonos-ray-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Great Starter Soundbar With Some Shortcomings&#8221; Rating: 7\/10 ? 1 &#8211; Does not work 2 &#8211; Barely functional 3 &#8211; Severely lacking in most areas 4 &#8211; Functions, but has numerous issues 5 &#8211; Fine yet leaves a lot to be desired 6 &#8211; Good enough to buy on sale 7 &#8211; Great and worth&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":532012,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/sonos-ray-with-packaging.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-532011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=532011"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532011\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/532012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=532011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=532011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=532011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}