More Sonos Ray images leaked, apparently confirming lack of HDMI eARC

(Image credit: SnoopyTech (via Twitter))

Yesterday, we brought you a new name in soundbars, the Sonos Ray – aka the much-rumoured new budget soundbar from Sonos. Now (and despite the fact that Sonos has so far declined to confirm its existence) the rumour mill is churning at full force.

Take Twitter user, SnoopyTech, who has shared several "official images" of what they claim is the new Sonos Ray. As with all unverified leaks and rumours, it is sensible to take these images with a healthy dose of your preferred seasoning. That said, if the photos prove genuine, there's plenty of information to be gleaned here.

Sonos Ray Official Images Thread: pic.twitter.com/h6oGdw2haxMay 5, 2022

The Ray seems to be available in Sonos' traditional black and white colourways and, similar to the Sonos Arc and Sonos Beam Gen 2, sports a grille across the entire front plate, to house its drivers.

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As first spotted by The Verge, photos of the back of the soundbar reveal a connect button, power, optical, and Ethernet – but crucially, no HDMI eARC port, meaning it will plug into your TV using the optical connection.

The back of the Ray also has what appear to be mounting holes, thus supporting previous rumours that Sonos has fashioned this soundbar to be oriented both horizontally and vertically. As with the Beam Gen 2 and the Arc, the Ray will likely be able to form part of a multi-channel surround system through the addition of rear speakers, but will probably also function as a surround speaker when orientated vertically and used in conjunction with an Arc or Beam.

Sonos Ray detail leaked — (Image credit: SnoopyTech (via Twitter))

This would also confirm assumptions that the Ray will be able to support Dolby Digital 5.1 but not Dolby Atmos.

Sonos is expected to announce the Sonos Ray in the coming weeks for a price of $249 (around £198, AU$345) with a release date slated for early June.

In other news, Sonos is planning to introduce its own voice assistant to rival Alexa and Siri in the near future, although the Ray does not seem to sport its own microphones for voice control natively.

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Becky has been a full-time staff writer at What Hi-Fi? since March 2019. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, she freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 20-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance is of course tethered to a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo, This is Cabaret and The Stage. When not writing, she dances, spins in the air, drinks coffee, watches football or surfs in Cornwall with her other half – a football writer whose talent knows no bounds.