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Sonos
Sonos Ray
- Native integration
- Local control
- Wi-Fi
- Ethernet
Prices verified October 2026
Our verdict
The cheapest Sonos soundbar: optical input only, no HDMI, no microphone and no voice control, so it relies on the Sonos app and AirPlay 2. That is fine for a bedroom or small TV where you want clear dialogue and the option to add Sonos speakers later. Amazon UK was £159.97 against £199 direct at the time of checking.
What can Home Assistant control on the Sonos Ray?
| Control | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Media player | Media player | Playback, volume, grouping, play_media and TTS announcements; supports Sonos favourites as sources. |
| Bass / Treble | Number | EQ levels exposed for every Sonos device. |
| Loudness / Crossfade / Touch controls / Status light | Switch | Per-speaker toggles available on all devices. |
| Alarms | Switch | One switch per Sonos alarm; leave about a second between rapid updates or the speaker can drop offline until a power cycle. |
| Night Sound / Speech Enhancement | Switch | Home-theatre toggles for late-night TV; useful as a bedtime automation. |
| Audio input format | Sensor | Shows the incoming format (e.g. Dolby Atmos), handy for scene triggers. |
Sonos integrates natively in Home Assistant over the LAN (local push, per the HA docs), with no cloud account needed for control. Media player entities handle playback, volume, grouping and announcements. Prerequisite: UPnP enabled in the Sonos app, and HA must reach the speakers on TCP port 1400 or it falls back to slow polling.
Specs
| size | 70 x 557 x 93 mm, 1.9 kg |
|---|---|
| input | Optical (cable included), no HDMI |
| voice | None built in |
| airplay | AirPlay 2 |
| ethernet | 10/100 port |
How does the Sonos Ray compare?
| Product | From | Protocol | Local control | Integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonos Ray (this product) | £159.97 | Wi-Fi, Ethernet | Yes | Native |
| Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) | £79.99 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Cloud | HACS |
| Amazon Echo Pop | £61.9 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Cloud | HACS |
| Amazon Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) | £99.99 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Cloud | HACS |
Frequently asked questions
- Does the Sonos Ray work with Home Assistant locally?
- Yes. The Sonos Ray is controlled locally in Home Assistant through a built-in Home Assistant core integration (sonos), so it keeps working if your internet connection or the Sonos cloud goes down. Control and state updates stay on your own network.
- Which protocol does the Sonos Ray use, and do I need a hub?
- The Sonos Ray uses Wi-Fi. To pair it with Home Assistant you need no hub — it joins your Wi-Fi network directly. Sonos's own hub is not required when you integrate through a built-in Home Assistant core integration (sonos).
- How much does the Sonos Ray cost in the UK?
- The lowest price we have listed for the Sonos Ray is £159.97 at Amazon UK, with other UK retailers at up to £199. Prices were last checked in October 2026 and change often, so confirm on the retailer's page before buying.
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Sonos
Sonos Ray
£159.97 at Amazon UK