Sonos debuts its cheapest soundbar offering ever in the form of Sonos Ray. It also launched its very own voice control service poised to take on Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 16: Displays and signage are seen during the Interscope Coachella Party on April 16, 2022 in Palm Springs, California.
Sonos Ray: Entry-Level Soundbar
As per a news story by Engadget, Sonos speakers are generally known to be an expensive option. Its wide range of products even had a price increase in 2021, making them more costly.
However, it appears that Sonos is also trying to dip its toes into the more affordable market — albeit offering most of its products with hefty pricing.
For instance, Sonos debuted its Roam speaker, which cost $179. The audio firm went on to release a variant of the portable speaker that ditched its microphone, making it cheaper to the tune of $159. The latter ended up being the most-affordable Sonos offering ever.
But the entry-level Sonos has been limited to its portable speaker. On the other hand, its home theater products still boasted premium and unaffordable prices.
In fact, the cheapest of them all, before launching Sonos Ray, is the Beam soundbar, but its price tag of $449 is nowhere from the affordable range.
Sonos Cheapest Soundbar: What To Expect
This time around, Sonos formally introduces its new cheapest soundbar, Ray, lowering the starting price to $279.
Sonos Ray, the entry-level soundbar debuts with its very own voice control. Is it an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant competitor?
But of course, the affordable price tag of the all-new Sonos soundbar comes with tons of compromises. To be fair, it still provides a better experience than what built-in TV speakers deliver.
According to a recent report by Tom's Guide, Ray dropped the Dolby Atmos support that other Sonos home theater speakers readily offer. It still decodes other counterparts, such as DTS Digital Surround, Dolby Digital, and Stereo PCM, which delivers an immersive sound experience even at home.
Plus, it also lacks a microphone. Thus, it is missing the new Sonos Voice Control, along with popular options like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Despite all these compromises, Engadget highlighted that the Ray soundbar brings a well-balanced sound. It still works as an impressive replacement for built-in TV speakers for binge-watching and music sessions.
Read Also: Is Google Assistant Secretly Spying on Conversations? Safety and Security Features Revealed
Sonos Voice Control: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa Competitor?
On top of everything, Sonos also introduced its own voice control service, as per the latest report by The Verge.
Sonos Voice Control is rolling out to its voice-enabled speakers starting June 1, at least in the United States, but it is reaching France in late 2022.
It supports controls like sending audio to speakers and adjusting the volume to various audio apps, such as Deezer, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and its own Sonos Radio. Sonos left behind Spotify, but it still works with basic commands like pause and stop.
It is worth noting that Sonos Voice Control primarily focuses on music commands, unlike full-blown options like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
Related Article: Sonos to Release a New Soundbar This June - How Much Will It Be?
