Sonos sells five soundbars right now, and the one that fits your room is settled by two things you can measure before you spend anything: the audio port on the back of your TV, and the width of the shelf the bar will sit on. The Sonos Ray at $219 takes optical only and does not decode Dolby Atmos. Everything above it connects over HDMI eARC and does.
Every price and figure below comes from Sonos product pages, checked 16 September 2026.
Your TV’s audio port rules out half the lineup
Ray plugs into your TV’s optical port with the cable in the box, then syncs to your existing infrared remote for volume. Sonos states plainly that the TV or PC must have an optical output.
That one requirement decides more purchases than the price gap does. A lot of recent sets dropped optical, and on those TVs Ray has nowhere to plug in.
Beam (Gen 2) and Arc both ship with an HDMI cable plus a Sonos optical audio adapter, so they cover either kind of TV out of the box. Beam Ultra uses the same HDMI eARC port, but Sonos sells its optical adapter separately.
Video: Audio Advice
Five bars, side by side
| Model | Price | Dolby Atmos | Drivers | TV connection | Width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray | $219 | No, stereo and Dolby Digital | 4 (2 tweeters, 2 midwoofers) | Optical only | 21.93 in |
| Beam (Gen 2) | $499 | Yes, phantom height channels | 5 (1 tweeter, 4 midwoofers) | HDMI eARC, optical adapter included | 25.63 in |
| Beam Ultra | $699, pre-order | Yes, 7.1.2 | 9, two upward-firing tweeters | HDMI eARC, adapter sold separately | 29.53 in |
| Arc | $899, marked Last Chance | Yes, upward-firing drivers | 11 (3 tweeters, 8 woofers) | HDMI eARC, optical adapter included | 44.96 in |
| Arc Ultra | $1,099 | Yes, 9.1.4 | 14, including Sound Motion woofer | HDMI eARC | 46.38 in |
Measure the console before you pick a price
Width trips people up more than sound quality does. Arc Ultra runs 46.38 inches across, which hangs off the ends of plenty of stands built for a 55-inch TV.
For a bedroom or a small apartment living room with an optical-equipped TV, Ray is the honest answer at $219. Sonos files it under everyday and background viewing.
For a normal living room with a TV of 65 inches or under, Beam (Gen 2) at $499 is the value pick. Its Atmos comes from processing that creates phantom height channels rather than drivers aimed at your ceiling, so the overhead effect is suggested instead of physically bounced.
Beam Ultra at $699 is the upgrade that fixes exactly that, with two upward-firing tweeters in a directional horn. Same 65-inch TV bracket, 4 inches wider on the shelf.
Open-plan rooms and TVs past 65 inches are where Arc Ultra earns the $1,099. Nine tweeters, six midwoofers and the flat Sound Motion woofer give it 9.1.4 Atmos, and Sonos aims it at serious cinephile viewing.
The original Arc is being cleared out
Sonos still lists Arc at $899 under a Last Chance label while Arc Ultra sits $200 above it. Arc uses 11 amplifiers against Arc Ultra’s 15, and it is 1.4 inches narrower.
Discounted well below $899 it is still a genuine Atmos bar with real upward-firing drivers. At full list, the gap to Arc Ultra is small enough that the newer bar wins.
Every one of these joins your WiFi and shows up in the Sonos app, which makes them easy to fold into a wider smart home system. If you want the streaming box and the speaker in one purchase instead, a Roku Streambar handles both jobs, though it locks your audio to Roku’s platform. The same limit applies to Roku wireless speakers, which only pair with Roku hardware, while Sonos rears work with any bar in this table.
Sonos soundbar questions
Does the Sonos Ray support Dolby Atmos?
No. Sonos lists Ray’s home theater formats as stereo PCM, Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround. Atmos starts at Beam (Gen 2).
Can I use a Sonos soundbar if my TV has no optical port?
Yes, as long as the TV has an HDMI ARC or eARC port. Beam, Beam Ultra, Arc and Arc Ultra all connect that way with the included HDMI cable. Only Ray depends on optical.
Which Sonos soundbar is best for a 65-inch TV?
Sonos rates both Beam (Gen 2) and Beam Ultra for TVs up to 65 inches. Beam is the $499 option, Beam Ultra adds upward-firing tweeters and 7.1.2 Atmos for $699.
