Sonos Pack Ray + 2x Era 100 SL white

Three elements, a complete setup: this pack combines the Ray soundbar with two Era 100 SL speakers to turn a simple TV into a surround home theater system. The Ray handles the essentials—dialogue and the front soundstage—while the Era 100 SL speakers deliver side and rear effects. The system immerses the listener at the heart of movies, series, video games, and music thanks to surround sound.

A soundbar designed for small spaces

At 56 centimeters wide, the Ray slips under most TVs or into TV stand niches without blocking the picture. It is 10 cm shorter than the Beam Gen 2, which allows it to be placed in front of any TV or slid into a TV stand niche. Its 7.1 cm height profile remains discreet, even though some competing models are even slimmer.

The build uses a matte polymer chassis, black or white, which absorbs light reflections from the screen. The front is fully covered with a honeycomb polycarbonate grille, a design taken directly from the Sonos Arc and Sonos Beam Gen 2. Touch controls on the top let you adjust the volume, pause, or skip a track without hunting for a remote.

Four amplifiers for intelligible dialogue

The Ray’s sound architecture is based on four Class D digital amplifiers powering two tweeters and two mid-bass drivers. The tweeters use special waveguides that direct sound to the front and to the sides, making dialogue seem to come directly from the screen. The low-velocity bass-reflex port system, developed specifically for this model, limits distortion in the low frequencies.

Dialogue stands out with clarity and precision, avoiding the boxed-in character often heard with other entry-level soundbars. The Speech Enhancement function, accessible from the app, boosts vocal frequencies when music or sound effects start to overpower them. This feature has been refined with the help of Hollywood award-winning sound engineers. For late-night viewing, Night Sound mode softens loud sound effects while preserving speech intelligibility.

The Ray supports Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround formats via its optical input. It does not support Dolby Atmos, which rules out height effects found on some higher-end soundbars. For the vast majority of TV programs and streaming platforms, this limitation remains theoretical.

Era 100 SL: Era 100 sound without a microphone

The main difference between the Era 100 and the Era 100 SL lies in the removal of the built-in microphones. The “SL” label stands for “Speechless”: the Era 100 SL does not offer voice control. In return, the price is lower and the issue of permanent microphones disappears for those who prefer to avoid this type of sensor at home.

Acoustically, the two models are identical. The Era 100 SL retains the same acoustic architecture and the same specifications as the standard Era 100. Each speaker features three Class D amplifiers, two angled tweeters to create stereo separation, and a mid-woofer that covers the midrange and bass. The size remains compact: 18 cm high, 12 cm wide, and 13 cm deep, roughly the footprint of a large decorative candle.

When rear speakers are paired with a Sonos soundbar that already has voice control (such as Arc or Beam), paying again for microphones and voice assistants can seem unnecessary. Opting for the SL version therefore makes perfect sense in a surround configuration.

Surround setup: how the three elements work together

Once connected to the Ray via the Sonos app, the two Era 100 SL speakers become the left and right surround speakers. In Sonos terminology, “pairing” refers to stereo configuration, while adding surround speakers to a soundbar is called “bonding.” The process takes just a few minutes in the app.

Sonos recommends placing each surround speaker about 3 meters from the listening position, to the sides and slightly behind, angled toward the listener. A height of about 60 cm above ear level when seated enhances the sense of immersion. Dedicated wall mounts and floor stands are available to ease positioning.

In action movies, soundtracks gain in dynamics, action scenes hit harder, and the overall sound becomes fuller compared to setups using Sonos One or One SL speakers as surrounds. The Era 100 SL speakers deliver more present bass than their predecessors, reinforcing rumble and ambient effects without necessarily adding a subwoofer.

For music listening, the app offers two modes. “Ambient” mode uses the surrounds to provide subtle background reinforcement. “Full” mode turns the whole system into an extended stereo setup where the Ray and the Era 100 SL speakers all play at full capacity. When the surrounds are set to Full mode for music, the Ray and the left/right Era 100 speakers output a full-volume stereo signal.

Trueplay: calibration that adapts sound to the room

Trueplay technology analyzes the room’s sound reflections—walls, furniture, rugs—and adjusts the equalization of each speaker to compensate for acoustic anomalies. The software uses a 16-band parametric equalizer built into Sonos products. The user moves an iPhone or iPad around the listening area while the system plays test tones.

Important point for Android users: the Era 100 SL cannot use Quick Trueplay, which relies on the speaker’s internal microphones. Trueplay remains available only for iOS users with a compatible device. The Ray, which is also microphone-free, follows the same logic. Without access to an iOS device, automatic calibration is not possible, although manual EQ adjustment via the app remains available.

Connectivity: optical as the only link to the TV

The Ray connects to the TV via an optical cable included in the box. This simplified setup avoids using up an HDMI port on the TV. However, the lack of HDMI eARC means the TV remote cannot control the soundbar volume via the CEC protocol. The absence of an HDMI eARC port eliminates communication with the TV and therefore prevents the TV remote from controlling the soundbar’s volume.

The Ray partially compensates for this limitation with its infrared receiver. It can learn the volume commands from the TV remote, provided the latter uses infrared and not Bluetooth or RF. An Ethernet port also allows for a wired network connection for those who prefer to avoid Wi‑Fi.

The Era 100 SL speakers feature Wi‑Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and AirPlay 2 compatibility. A physical audio input is available via an optional USB‑C adapter (sold separately), allowing you to connect a turntable or another analog device.

Upgradability to a more complete system

For more bass, a Sonos Sub can be added, and for a more immersive installation, various speakers can serve as surrounds. The Ray + Era 100 SL pack thus forms a 5.0 base that can be upgraded to 5.1 by adding a Sub or Sub Mini. The speakers also work in multiroom mode: from the home office to the kitchen, adding speakers to each room creates a multiroom setup that follows you as you move around.

The Era 100 SL speakers can be detached from the home theater system and used elsewhere in the house as standalone speakers or as a stereo pair. This flexibility allows you to reconfigure the setup according to your needs at any given time.

Sonos Ray Soundbar

Amplification and audio

• Four Class D digital amplifiers
• Home theater audio formats: PCM stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Digital Surround
• AirPlay 2 compatible
• Touch controls

Acoustic system

• 4 integrated speakers:
  • 2 central tweeters for precise treble
  • 2 mid-woofers for rich midrange and deep bass
• Bass-reflex ported system

Audio features

• Voice enhancement mode
• Customizable equalization
• Night mode
• Trueplay: room acoustic calibration (iOS only)

Connectivity

• 1 digital optical input
• 1 RJ45 port
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n
• Infrared (IR) receiver for TV remote synchronization

Physical characteristics

• Power supply: 100-240 V, 50-60 Hz, automatic switching
• M5 threaded mounting support
• Matte finish
• Dimensions (H × W × D): 71 × 559 × 95 mm
• Weight: 1.95 kg

Box contents

• Sonos Ray
• Power cable (2 m)
• Optical cable (1.5 m)
• Quick start guide, legal and warranty information

Era 100 SL Wireless Speakers

Key features

• Clear, detailed stereo sound with deep bass
• No built-in microphone (privacy protection)
• Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and Apple AirPlay 2
• Trueplay for automatic room-based sound calibration (iOS required)
• Compatible with Sonos multiroom and stereo system with another Era 100 SL
• Jack input to connect vinyl turntables or other audio sources (adapter sold separately)
• Humidity resistant
• Compact design and matte finish
• Recycled materials and FSC packaging

Audio

• Amplifiers: 3 tuned Class D digital amplifiers
• Tweeters: 2 side tweeters with custom waveguides for crystal-clear treble
• Woofer: 1 mid-woofer for deep bass and natural vocals
• Customizable equalization via the Sonos app
  • Bass, treble, Loudness
• Trueplay: automatic sound adjustment according to room acoustics

Connectivity

• Wi-Fi: 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac / ax Dual Band (2.4 / 5 GHz)
• Bluetooth: 5.3 for direct streaming from any compatible device
• Apple AirPlay 2 for streaming from iPhone, iPad, Mac and control via Siri
• Jack input via optional adapter to connect vinyl turntables or audio devices
• Sonos multiroom compatible and stereo pairing with two Era 100 SL speakers

Hardware and performance

• Processor: Quad Core 4 x A55 at 1.4 GHz
• RAM: 1 GB DDR4
• Storage: 4 GB eMMC
• Digital amplifiers: Class D

Dimensions and weight

• Height: 182.5 mm
• Width: 120 mm
• Depth: 130.5 mm
• Weight: 1.95 kg
• Finishes: Black or White, matte

Power and accessories

• Included power cable: 2 m
• Internal power supply: 100–240 V, 50 / 60 Hz
• Optional adapters for jack or Ethernet input
• Stand or accessories sold separately

Control and interface

• Touch controls: play / pause, volume, track change, group / ungroup
• Sonos app: centralized control, multiroom streaming, and audio settings
• Direct control via compatible apps (Spotify, TIDAL, etc.)
• LED indicators: connection status and mute mode

Environmental responsibility

• Post-consumer recycled plastics
• Optimized power consumption thanks to software efficiency
• 100% recyclable FSC packaging

Box contents

• 2x Sonos Era 100 SL
• 2 m power cable
• Quick start guide
• Legal and warranty information