![]() All of this was well-balanced, with only a moment or two in which I had to ride the volume between action and dialogue. I found myself almost rooting for the little bar as it stretched its tiny form to offer pulpy machine gun fire and searing explosions from the first battle scene, all the way to the sizzling crunch of the Arc reactor’s lightning bolts in the climax. A full rewatch of Iron Man was a delight. That’s not to say the Ray can’t punch up your favorite action movies. Each line of dialogue, each shuffle of paper, and other minutia of the circa-2000s office were relayed with depth and clarity as the bar seemed to savor the finer details. This isn’t a slight mind you-a lot of cheap and small soundbars tend to focus more on bombastic fervor than the subtle moments, where a lot of us spend most of our TV time. I’ll get to its musical skills shortly, but when it comes to TV content the Ray is at its best elevating common fare, from your local newscast to sitcoms like The Office. That makes the bar particularly appealing to those living in tight quarters, where the Ray will flourish best. This helps the overall profile sound more balanced and organic between registers, but you definitely lose the impact of the very lowest frequencies. Unlike other mini-bars like the Magnifi Mini and so many ultra-slim bars, the Ray doesn’t lean on a subwoofer to fill out its lower frequencies. The Ray also puts out relatively full midbass, which is a good thing because that’s about as far into the bass register as it goes. The sound is great for TV shows, but the Ray also does well with action movies. There’s notable clarity up high, a rich and full midrange, and a soundstage that can pop up a few feet beyond its tiny metrics when called upon. It’s all the more impressive when you consider the vast amount of DSP (digital signal processing), compression, and acoustic expansion the system requires to pump out sound beyond its size. The first thing you’ll likely notice is just how smooth and natural the Ray’s sound signature is, while still keeping details present. I had a similar experience with the Roam, both of which seem to use every millimeter of their sonic enclosures to squeeze out rich, musical, and (in the Ray’s case), cinematic sound. With the Ray, I could tell from the quick few chimes of the audio logo during setup that I was in for a fun time. Sometimes you just know immediately that a sound system is going to outperform your expectations. While this design touch is part of a larger sonic puzzle that helps the Ray sound much bigger than it has a right to, it does mean the bar could creep up and block part of the screen for low-profile TVs. The one caveat to the Ray’s miniature status is its height the bar expands from back to front like a crescendo, rising at the grille to 2.79 inches, a shade higher than the Beam. Simplicity and minimalism are calling cards of the Sonos aesthetic. You can read more about TV remote compatibility on the Sonos website. Since the bar does not support HDMI ARC connection and relies on an IR signal for TV remote programming, this could complicate usability for some. One thing you'll note is there's no remote control in the box. In a small cardboard compartment you’ll find the charging cable, a digital Optical cable in matching colors, and instructions that begin and end with the Sonos app. Unwrapping the system within reveals a matte, monochromatic bar (in white or black) that’s as much wireless speaker as soundbar, reminiscent of the early Wi-Fi streaming days when products like the B&W Zeppelin ruled the roost. ![]() ![]() The Sonos Ray arrives in a strikingly small box. Audio formats: Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS digital surround.Other features: IR receiver, Trueplay (iOS only), Speech Enhancement, Night Sound.Smart features: Requires smart speaker for voice assistant or Sonos Voice Control.Wired connection: Ethernet, digital Optical input. ![]() Wireless connection: Wi-Fi, Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, Sonos ecosystem.Amplification: Four Class-D digital amplifiers.Speakers/drivers: Two full-range woofers, two tweeters, bass reflex system.Height x Width x Depth: 2.79 x 22 x 3.74 inches.The Ray looks small but stout on your TV console, with a flex toward the grille for acoustic efficiency. ![]()
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