LG · 2025
S95AR
Soundbar
From
$1,200
Image pending
Sonos Ray
Sonos's smallest and cheapest soundbar: optical-only, stereo-based and very good with dialogue, but short on bass and features.
Where to buy
List $279
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The verdict
Reviewers rate it as one of the better budget soundbars for clear speech, with a tidy design that can sit inside a TV cabinet. Rivals at a similar price often offer a subwoofer, HDMI or Atmos, so it is best for buyers who value Sonos multiroom and simplicity. If you want HDMI eARC or Atmos, look at the Beam or Arc Ultra instead.
The Ray is the entry point to the Sonos soundbar range, a compact bar with four forward-facing drivers that connects to the TV by optical cable only. It supports Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround but has no HDMI and no Dolby Atmos. It adds Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Trueplay tuning and Speech Enhancement, and can later be grown into a surround system with rear speakers. It suits small rooms and TVs up to about 55 inches. The main caveats are modest bass, a narrow soundfield and no Bluetooth.
Strengths
- Reviewers praise clear, forward dialogue, helped by a Speech Enhancement setting.
- Very compact, with all drivers facing forward so it can sit inside a TV cabinet.
- Full Sonos music features over Wi-Fi, including AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, plus Trueplay room tuning.
- Can be expanded later with rear speakers or a subwoofer for a surround system.
- Simple one-cable setup with an optical cable included, and it learns the TV remote by infrared.
Weak spots
- No HDMI at all, so no eARC, no Dolby Atmos and no lossless formats.
- Bass is limited and the soundfield is narrow compared with larger bars.
- No Bluetooth, and no built-in voice assistant.
- Rivals at a similar price often add a subwoofer or HDMI, so it can look expensive for its feature set.
Great for
- Small rooms and TVs up to about 55 inches
- Sonos or AirPlay 2 households that want a simple, tidy bar
- People mainly after clearer speech from TV shows
Skip if
- Anyone who wants Dolby Atmos or HDMI eARC
- Buyers who want strong bass without adding a subwoofer
Full specifications
From the manufacturer unless noted. Shown for this model.
Sound
- ChannelsWritten as bar.sub.height, or total channels. 5.1.2 means five main channels, a subwoofer and two overhead “height” channels.
- 2.0 (four forward-facing drivers)
- Subwoofer included
- No
- Rear speakers included
- No
- Room correction
- Trueplay (supported iOS device required)
- Dialogue enhancementA setting that lifts voices above music and effects, useful if dialogue is hard to follow.
- Speech Enhancement, Night Sound
Connections
Size & placement
- Bar width
- 557 mm
- Bar heightIf a soundbar sits in front of a low TV stand, its height can block the bottom of the picture or the remote sensor.
- 70 mm
- Bar depth
- 93 mm
- Bar weight
- 1.9 kg
- Wall mountable
- Yes
Primary source: sonos.com
Setup notes
- Connects to the TV by optical only; the TV must have an optical audio output.
- Supported formats are stereo PCM, Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround; Sonos notes this is not an indication of a licensed decoder.
- If the TV sends only PCM over optical, you may need to switch its digital output to compressed to get 5.1 sources, per Trusted Reviews.
- Works with an infrared TV remote for volume control.
What reviewers found
Summaries in our own words. Follow the link to read each review in full.
Still sees it as one of the better budget bars for clear voices and a detailed top end, but notes limited low bass, a somewhat clinical tone and a narrow soundstage. Points out the optical-only connection and lack of Bluetooth.
Read the originalFinds the sound balanced and confident with good speech clarity, and likes the compact size and Sonos app. Says the soundstage is not very wide, there is no HDMI, and the launch price felt ambitious against rivals.
Read the originalCalls it a neat choice for smaller rooms or secondary TVs, with clean TV sound, a decent amount of bass for its size and a wide stage. Mentions fiddly remote setup and that optical limits it to standard Dolby Digital and DTS.
Read the original
Questions
Does the Sonos Ray have HDMI or eARC?
No. Its only TV connection is an optical input, and an optical cable is in the box. That means no eARC and no Dolby Atmos.
Does the Sonos Ray support Bluetooth?
No. What Hi-Fi? lists Bluetooth as not supported. It streams over Wi-Fi with AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and the Sonos app.
Can I add speakers to the Ray later?
Yes. Sonos sells sets that pair it with rear speakers or a subwoofer, so it can grow into a surround system.
What size TV suits the Sonos Ray?
Reviewers describe it as best for small to mid-size TVs, with Trusted Reviews putting the limit at around 55 inches.
More soundbars
Sources for this page
Last reviewed Nov 9, 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.