Digital Trends85est.
The Sonos Ray is a compact and affordable soundbar that delivers impressive audio performance for its size, serving as an excellent entry point into the Sonos ecosystem.
Sonos Ray
13 expert reviews#5 in soundbarsChecked 1 Nov 2026
Quick answer
The Sonos Ray has a critic score of 79 out of 100 from 13 professional reviews, and 10 of them recommend it. It ranks #5 of 5 soundbars we score. Critics praise its sound quality and portability. The most common complaint is missing features.
Reviews checked 1 Nov 2026
Image: SonosSmall rooms
Our verdict
13 professional reviewers tested the Sonos Ray, and 10 recommend it. Critics praise its sound quality and portability. The most common complaint: missing features.
The catch: No HDMI and no Dolby Atmos.
Critic agreement: High
Scores run from 70 to 85
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What do critics say about the Sonos Ray?
The Guardian85est.
The Sonos Ray is a highly recommended, compact soundbar that delivers impressive audio quality for its price point.
Engadget85est.
The Sonos Ray is a highly capable entry-level soundbar that significantly improves upon standard TV audio with clear dialogue and balanced sound, though it lacks some advanced features like HDMI and voice control.
CNET83
The Sonos Ray is a compact, budget-friendly soundbar that delivers impressive audio quality for its size, particularly for music.
MusicTech80
The Sonos Ray is a compact, affordable entry point into the Sonos ecosystem that delivers excellent dialogue clarity, though it is limited by its lack of HDMI and reliance on an optical connection.
SlashGear80
The Sonos Ray is an excellent, easy-to-install entry point into the Sonos ecosystem that significantly improves TV audio, though it lacks advanced features like Dolby Atmos and is best suited for smaller rooms.
Tech Advisor80
The Sonos Ray is a well-designed, compact soundbar that delivers excellent audio clarity for its price point.
T380
The Sonos Ray is a well-built, compact soundbar that integrates perfectly into the Sonos ecosystem, but it is held back by a lack of HDMI connectivity and a price point that makes it struggle against more capable competitors.
TechRadar80
The Sonos Ray is a fantastic, compact soundbar that significantly improves TV audio and excels at music playback, though it is held back by the lack of HDMI connectivity and limited positional sound.
Good Housekeeping UK79est.
The Sonos Ray is a solid, compact entry-level soundbar that offers a significant audio upgrade over standard TV speakers, though it lacks modern connectivity like HDMI and Dolby Atmos support.
RTINGS74est.
The Sonos Ray is a compact soundbar that offers decent performance for small spaces, but it lacks features like HDMI ARC/eARC and deep bass, making it a hard sell compared to more versatile competitors.
Homes and Gardens70
The Sonos Ray is a capable, compact soundbar that significantly improves upon standard TV audio, especially for dialogue and small spaces.
How-To Geek70
The Sonos Ray is a capable, compact soundbar that offers impressive audio performance for its size and easy integration into the Sonos ecosystem, but it is held back by the lack of HDMI connectivity and limited remote compatibility.
Scores are converted to 0–100. "est." means the outlet gave no number, so we estimated one from its verdict. How we score
What critics praise most
Sound quality9 of 13
Portability9 of 13
Design8 of 13
What critics dislike most
Missing features13 of 13
Alternatives
Not sure about the Sonos Ray?
Image: Samsung
Image: Sonos
Image: Bose
Image: SonosCommon questions
Is the Sonos Ray worth it?
Most critics think so: 10 of 13 recommend it. No HDMI and no Dolby Atmos.
What do critics dislike about the Sonos Ray?
Missing features (13 of 13 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Sonos Ray?
The Samsung HW-Q990F (critic score 92), full surround system.