Uploaded July 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
You might be contemplating your first soundbar from Sonos. Which is it? The $449 Beam Gen 2 which is capable of Dolby Atmos? Or the cheaper new entry level $279 Sonos Ray which uses an optical jack for input from your TV?
I rate the Beam Gen 2 and Ray objectively with frequency response charts to tell the exact picture. No emotions involved. No subjective opinions. Hear for yourself with binaural recording of both sound bars playing Dolby digital content.
If you found my work useful and would like to support it, please visit my Patreon link to contribute to my coffee fund! : patreon.com/peterpee.
Now, only if you really find value! Even if you don’t contribute, I am happy to share my experience with all you viewers on my channel here!
Amazon Affiliate Links
The Sonos Beam - Now Atmos capable for Gen 2!
Sonos Beam Gen 1 (Black) - amzn.to/2VqJw7q
Sonos Beam Gen 1 (White) - amzn.to/3oc9uHW
Sonos Beam Gen 2 (Black) - amzn.to/3KsRvsf
Sonos Beam Gen 2 (White) - amzn.to/3xfjMiu
Budget friendly Sonos Soundbar - Sonos Ray
Sonos Ray in Black: amzn.to/3QnaDdf
Sonos Ray in White: amzn.to/3qdz8za
The entry level but most versatile Speaker from Sonos - ONE!
Sonos One Gen 2 (Black) - amzn.to/37ulDkT
Sonos One SL (Black) - amzn.to/3lyKglb
Sonos One Gen 2 (White) - amzn.to/3ltHnCp
Sonos One SL (White) - amzn.to/3oeYwkT
Sonos Portable speakers - Big Move, Small Roam
Sonos Move (Black) - amzn.to/3mtABOc
Sonos Move (White) - amzn.to/37om6oJ
Sonos Roam (Black) - amzn.to/3rbkwRy
Sonos Roam (White) - amzn.to/3NVVKPb
Best Sonos speaker for music - Sonos Fives
Sonos Five (Black) - amzn.to/2HYDuHO
Sonos Five (White) - amzn.to/3fXHg0B
The premium Atmos capable sound bar for larger rooms and TVs - Sonos Arc
Sonos Arc (Black) - amzn.to/3mHdSOE
Sonos Arc (White) - amzn.to/36v6BMm
Most Valuable Player - The Subwoofer which you can pair to almost every other Sonos speaker!
Sonos Sub Gen 3 (Black) - amzn.to/3g9OTS1
Sonos Sub Gen 3 (White) - amzn.to/3mtWz3P
OTHERS
Sonos Boost - amzn.to/3lpY3dP
Sonos Port - amzn.to/3fZABmL
Sonos Amp - amzn.to/2JynVqL
0:00 Introduction
0:20 Sonos Ray Rating
1:00 Sonos Beam Gen 2 Rating
1:49 Sonos Ray vs Beam Gen 2 Rating
2:34 Price consideration
4:13 Sonos Ray Optical input
4:45 Placement Considerations
4:57 Sonos Beam Gen 2 HDMI eARC input
7:27 Frequency Response - Sonos Ray
8:45 Frequency Response - Sonos Beam Gen 2
12:47 Soundstage comparison
14:19 Sonos Ray - Clip 1
15:25 Sonos Beam Gen 2 - Clip 1
16:29 Sonos Ray - Clip 2
18:19 Sonos Beam Gen 2 - Clip 2
You might be contemplating your first soundbar from Sonos. Which is it? The $449 Beam Gen 2 which is capable of Dolby Atmos? Or the cheaper new entry level $279 Sonos Ray which uses an optical jack for input from your TV?
I rate the Beam Gen 2 and Ray objectively with frequency response charts to tell the exact picture. No emotions involved. No subjective opinions. Hear for yourself with binaural recording of both sound bars playing Dolby digital content.
If you found my work useful and would like to support it, please visit my Patreon link to contribute to my coffee fund! : patreon.com/peterpee.
Now, only if you really find value! Even if you don’t contribute, I am happy to share my experience with all you viewers on my channel here!
Amazon Affiliate Links
The Sonos Beam - Now Atmos capable for Gen 2!
Sonos Beam Gen 1 (Black) - amzn.to/2VqJw7q
Sonos Beam Gen 1 (White) - amzn.to/3oc9uHW
Sonos Beam Gen 2 (Black) - amzn.to/3KsRvsf
Sonos Beam Gen 2 (White) - amzn.to/3xfjMiu
Budget friendly Sonos Soundbar - Sonos Ray
Sonos Ray in Black: amzn.to/3QnaDdf
Sonos Ray in White: amzn.to/3qdz8za
The entry level but most versatile Speaker from Sonos - ONE!
Sonos One Gen 2 (Black) - amzn.to/37ulDkT
Sonos One SL (Black) - amzn.to/3lyKglb
Sonos One Gen 2 (White) - amzn.to/3ltHnCp
Sonos One SL (White) - amzn.to/3oeYwkT
Sonos Portable speakers - Big Move, Small Roam
Sonos Move (Black) - amzn.to/3mtABOc
Sonos Move (White) - amzn.to/37om6oJ
Sonos Roam (Black) - amzn.to/3rbkwRy
Sonos Roam (White) - amzn.to/3NVVKPb
Best Sonos speaker for music - Sonos Fives
Sonos Five (Black) - amzn.to/2HYDuHO
Sonos Five (White) - amzn.to/3fXHg0B
The premium Atmos capable sound bar for larger rooms and TVs - Sonos Arc
Sonos Arc (Black) - amzn.to/3mHdSOE
Sonos Arc (White) - amzn.to/36v6BMm
Most Valuable Player - The Subwoofer which you can pair to almost every other Sonos speaker!
Sonos Sub Gen 3 (Black) - amzn.to/3g9OTS1
Sonos Sub Gen 3 (White) - amzn.to/3mtWz3P
OTHERS
Sonos Boost - amzn.to/3lpY3dP
Sonos Port - amzn.to/3fZABmL
Sonos Amp - amzn.to/2JynVqL
0:00 Introduction
0:20 Sonos Ray Rating
1:00 Sonos Beam Gen 2 Rating
1:49 Sonos Ray vs Beam Gen 2 Rating
2:34 Price consideration
4:13 Sonos Ray Optical input
4:45 Placement Considerations
4:57 Sonos Beam Gen 2 HDMI eARC input
7:27 Frequency Response - Sonos Ray
8:45 Frequency Response - Sonos Beam Gen 2
12:47 Soundstage comparison
14:19 Sonos Ray - Clip 1
15:25 Sonos Beam Gen 2 - Clip 1
16:29 Sonos Ray - Clip 2
18:19 Sonos Beam Gen 2 - Clip 2
