When it come to wireless speaker unit , Sonos systematically lands on best - of lists for performance and dependableness , includingour own best speakers leaning .

Sonoshas been around for more than two decade . While the fellowship in the beginning cement its reputation with its Wi - Fi - connected hi - fi speakers , it has also fork out into subwoofers and , yes , soundbarsso that you’re able to invest in some sweet , room - make full sound for your television receiver . When it comes to the company ’s soundbars , two of the most pop pick are theSonos Beam ( Gen 2)and the company ’s most affordable soundbar , theSonos Ray .

Though they look exchangeable , and they ’re both part of the Sonos ecosystem of multiroom speaker system , there are some significant differences . If you take help decide between them , we ’ve liken both models , weigh in on fundamental criteria like design , sound quality , and cost , to help you square off which of the two Sonos devices is best for you , your needs , and your budget .

Design

The secondly - genSonos Beamis available in sinister and white finishes and measurement 25.6 in wide , 2.7 column inch improbable , and 3.9 inches from front to back , and weighs 6.2 Ezra Loomis Pound . Swapping the fabric grille of theprevious Beam generationfor the tougher plastic covering found on theSonos Arc , the Beam is equipped with four oval-shaped midwoofers , three passive radiator , and a individual center tweeter . These are individually power by five course - D A .

TheSonos Rayalso comes in black and white and is understandably the smaller soundbar of the two , measuring 22 inches broad , 2.79 inches tall , and 3.74 inches from front to back , and weighing 4.29 pound . A fictile grille cover the intact front of the soundbar , with flared edges add a sharp but stylish look to the chassis . In term of driver , the Ray features two high - efficiency midwoofers , two tweeter , and four class - D amps to power everything .

The Beam and the Ray can be controlled with the Sonos app , but each soundbar also features a set of top - mount touch controls for playback , volume , and get across skipping . Both the Beam and Ray are comparatively compact and can be placed on a media console or wall - mounted with optional brackets .

The Ray is slenderly more versatile in term of position : It ’s a bit smaller and it can be border on all side of meat by cabinetry , whereas the Beam needs its incline opened to the elbow room for the best sound calibre .

We ’d argue that the second - gen Beam is the more attractive of the two speaker thanks to its curved , wrap - around grille , but there ’s no question that the Ray is the more conciliatory option . You ca n’t go haywire with either selection , which makes this class a draw .

victor : Tie

Connections and controls

In term of actual inputs , theSonos BeamandSonos Rayare standardized , except for one major category : the audio connection between the soundbar and your TV .

The Sonos Beam ( Gen 2 ) has an AC power port , an Ethernet port , a Join push button , andan HDMI ARC / eARC port . The Ray has the same power and Ethernet connection and a Join button , but or else of HDMI ARC / eARC , the Ray is fit with adigital optical connectedness .

HDMI ARC / eARC is the current gold standard for home field of operations audio , arrive at it the best choice for future - proofing . The Ray ’s digital optic connexion , by contrast , does n’t supportDolby Atmos(more on that later on ) , but it ’s more than able of handling up to 5.1 surroundings sound .

inquisitively , the Beam comes with an adapter in case your old television set only hold optic , but the Ray does n’t come with an HDMI - to - optical adapter for newer television that might miss an optical production .

Both speakers support Wi - Fi and Apple AirPlay 2 , however the Beam is compatible with both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi - Fi striation , whereas the Ray only does 2.4GHz . In practical terms though , this does n’t make much difference .

Both the Sonos Beam and Ray can be controlled with the Sonos app and your boob tube remote . And while they are comparable in many ways , one of the standout control differences is that the Ray does n’t have a construct - in mic , which mean it does n’t support the Google Assistant , Alexa , or Sonos Voice keep in line that the Beam does . That ’s not necessarily a immense deal if you add at least one voice - enabled Sonos utterer to your setup , like a twain of Sonos Ones as part of a surroundings form or even an Echo or Google Home machine , which will take voice dominance to the Ray frame-up — but it does impart monetary value and some extra complexity .

Given its more universal wired connection and its handy voice control options , we ’re kick in this one to the Beam .

Winner : Sonos Beam

Setup

set up up any Sonos componentis a comparatively straightforward labor that only want the Sonos S2 app ( foriOSandAndroiddevices ) , power , and a Wi - Fi connection . However , if this is the first Sonos loudspeaker system you ’ve ever purchase , you ’ll be tax with create a free Sonos account before setting up your soundbar .

Similar to other Sonos hardware , once you ’ve downloaded the app , reassert your credentials , and plugged in either your Beam or Ray , the Sonos app will automatically begin search for new gadget on your abode internet . Once your soundbar is plugged into your TV , you ’ll also be ask to programme your TV remote to work with the soundbar ( with book of instructions leave in the app ) .

Over the years , Sonos has always work a small more efficiently with iOS devices , and if you ’re setting up your Beam or Ray with an iPhone or iPad , you ’ll be ableto use Sonos Trueplayto calibrate the soundbar free-base on its listening surround ( Trueplay is n’t available for Android gadget ) .

Sound quality

From the ground up , the Sonos Beam is engineered to deliver a bigger and more immersive home - theatre - style sound . Like the Sonos Arc andArc Ultra , it ’s compatible with Dolby Atmos , the most popular 3D immersive surround audio format .

Keep in mind that , unlike the Arc , which is fit out with top - displace number one wood , the Beam ’s chief number one wood array focuses more on ear - horizontal surface environment mind . To achieve Atmos ’ signature height core , it uses channel virtualization — an approaching that sometimes yields less impressive results . But if the goal is to own a thickset soundbar that can still redeem some of the puncher of an Atmos soundtrack or song , the Sonos Beam checks that box .

Beyond the Atmos accolades , though , the Beam sound unbelievable — even without a dedicatedsubwoofer . The low-spirited conclusion is bold but not overbearing , and the mids and highs come up through sharp and light . finally , the full soundstage is n’t as wide as the form of coverage you ’ll get with bigger bars like the Arc Ultra , but for around $ 500 less , the Beam is certainly a much more cost - favorable alternative to a traditional surround system .

So how exactly does theSonos Raystack up against the Beam ? Well , as the want of inactive radiators , fewer drivers , and few amplifiers may suggest , the Ray is the softer - hit soundbar of the two . In fact , price - wise , the Ray really belongs more in an entree - levelsoundbar categoryrather than the mid - sized tier of the Beam .

Sure , the Ray is smaller , but while it ’s only outfitted with a digital visual connection , it ’s not aweaksoundbar . Like all Sonos talker , the Ray bring forth auditory sensation that is far larger and more immersive than its size of it and price suggest . And while bass , mids , and three-fold are all a scrap rock-bottom when compared to the Beam , the Ray ’s sound is still rock - hearty and on - par with something likeSonos ’ One lineup .

When buying a Sonos product , you ’re also investing in a world of expanding upon options . Whether you want to add extra speakers to a second room or require to group two loudspeaker and a subwoofer with your Beam or Ray to make a full surround system , how you prefer to tot components is entirely up to you .

If your budget allows it , we ’d actually commend add theSonos Sub Minito your Sonos Ray to up your bass plot in your life room .

Price

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 retails for $ 499 and includes a one - year limited warranty . The Sonos Ray sells for $ 279 and also comes with a one - twelvemonth guarantee .

Throughout the year , you may discover that both soundbars drop in price , and if you ’re concerned in wad multiple Sonos detail together , the company deal the Beam and Ray as part of several different speaker packages .

Winner : Sonos Ray

The verdict

For only $ 220 more than the Sonos Ray , the Sonos Beam is the heavy and better Sonos soundbar , hands down , and is make to fork over a more robust dwelling - theatre experience for small- to medium - sized rooms . If you could stomach the extra cost , this is your pick .

This is n’t to say that the Sonos Ray is a bad soundbar . In fact , if you ’re work with a special amount of space and simply want to bypass the sleazy output of your TV verbalizer , the Sonos Ray is one of the best entry - level soundbars on the food market .

But alas , one soundbar must take home the grand plunder .