Sonos Ray 3.1 + Sub Mini Black

The Sonos Ray is Sonos' smallest soundbar. It fits well in my smaller living room. And despite its size, the bar delivers a powerful sound. It just doesn't have an HDMI connection.

Fits well under the TV My living room is not very large, so a large soundbar with subwoofer and rear speakers quickly takes up too much space. That is why the Sonos Ray is ideal for me due to its compact size. The bar is barely noticeable under my 55-inch television and wouldn't look out of place on the TV cabinet.

Powerful sound Despite the size of the soundbar, it delivers a powerful sound. Especially when I compare it with the speakers of my television, this soundbar is a very pleasant improvement. I now enjoy movies, series, television programs and music much more. Especially in combination with 2x a Sonos One, I listen to a high sound quality.

Connected quickly There is no HDMI connection on this soundbar, only an optical connection. Fortunately, this is not a problem for me, since my television has both inputs. Connecting is easy because an optical cable is included. A remote control is not included, but I don't mind. I use the remote control of my television to control the bar.

The Sonos Ray shines in the category where it belongs, and only there. If you are still using TV internal speakers in the year 2022, you are almost crazy considering they are design wise more often than not at all. The Ray is an upgrade for people who, however, do not have a lot of budget for this or prefer to remain minimalist due to the presence of neighbors or their own preference, with little bass.

The Sonos Ray is excellent for making conversations from movies or series sound optimal. It also sounds clear for music (at least, below 70% volume). However, if you are looking for cinema experience or want to do extensions at all (a bit of the norm in a Sonos ecosystem) then you better look towards the Beam (gen2), which has much better bass and supports HDMI arc or Codecs such as Dolby Atmos, for only 150 euros more. Even better is the Arc, of course, but it immediately costs 800.

Personally, I have the Arc, 2x Ones for rears and a subwoofer from Sonos gen 3. That's why I chose the Ray because I already have an extensive home cinema system and experience. This Ray went on our bedroom television and was expanded with the Symfonisks from Ikea (2 for the price of 1 Sonos One, which are of course better). The whole is an affordable, very clear but not overly powerful soundstage. It sounds good up to 60%, then it is too loud in dB anyway, but you encounter the limitations of the soundbar. However, that absolutely does not have to be the case and your neighbors will also hear it at 60%. It's perfect for a second TV or people who want to invest the minimal investment in a basic need to no longer use the internals. I wouldn't take it for expanding, even if a cheaper Sonos mini-Sub comes out. Even then Beam is preferable. This is in every way a budget model for those who want enough quality but don't have the budget for more.

Sonos Ray is the smallest soundbar in their range, but a true powerhouse in terms of sound! The sound of the TV is well amplified so that movies and TV programs come into their own. But where the Sonos also excels is that this soundbar reproduces music. Finally without the TV on you can listen to your favorite radio stations, podcast or playlist. Keep an eye on! Sonos Ray does not use Bluetooth connectivity to connect your smartphone or iPad; this is done via streaming over Wi-Fi (Hi-Fi over Wi-Fi)