Sonos
Sonos Ray
$279
80
/ 100
From $279
VS
Sonos Arc Ultra wins by 12
Sonos
Sonos Arc Ultra
9.1.4 Atmos · Sound Motion woofers · eARC
92
/ 100
From $999
Specdex verdict
Sonos Arc Ultra takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Sonos Ray lands at 80 and Sonos Arc Ultra at 92. That puts Sonos Arc Ultra ahead by 12 points — a decisive margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Sonos Ray if…
- ✓Dolby Atmos on most
- ✓One-box simplicity
- ✓eARC passthrough
Pick Sonos Arc Ultra if…
- ✓Massive bass without a sub
- ✓9.1.4 channel processing
- ✓Easy TrueCinema tuning
Sonos Ray 80
vs 92 Sonos Arc Ultra
Score breakdown
Sonos Ray
80 sound 80
features 78
design 84
ease 86
Sonos Arc Ultra
92 sound 94
features 90
design 92
ease 90
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Sonos Ray | Sonos Arc Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | — | 9.1.4 |
| Drivers | — | 14 + Sound Motion woofers |
| Connectivity | — | eARC HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, BT 5.0 |
| Atmos | — | Dolby Atmos |
Sonos Ray
Pros
- +Dolby Atmos on most
- +One-box simplicity
- +eARC passthrough
Cons
- −Rear surrounds sold separately on some
- −App quality varies
- −Cabinet depth needs space
Sonos Arc Ultra
Pros
- +Massive bass without a sub
- +9.1.4 channel processing
- +Easy TrueCinema tuning
Cons
- −No DTS:X
- −App glitches
- −Expensive
FAQ: Sonos Ray vs Sonos Arc Ultra
Which is better, Sonos Ray or Sonos Arc Ultra? +
Sonos Arc Ultra scores 92 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 12. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Sonos Ray worth the price? +
At $279, Sonos Ray delivers a Specdex score of 80 — strongest in ease.
Is Sonos Arc Ultra worth the price? +
At $999, Sonos Arc Ultra delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in sound.
Does Sonos Ray or Sonos Arc Ultra last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.