The catch
Sonos Ray
HDMI-CEC control doesn’t travel over optical, and a remote that only does Bluetooth isn’t automatically compatible.
Side by side
Sonos Ray vs Sony HT-S2000: Sony adds Bluetooth and compatible HDMI TV control, Ray suits a narrower shelf
Quick verdict
Ray is the pick for Sonos network music or a narrower shelf installation, provided your TV has optical output, its IR remote works with Ray or you accept Sonos controls, and you can complete network setup. HT-S2000 is the pick for Bluetooth music and compatible HDMI-CEC TV control, provided its wider body and rear ventilation fit and you can use BRAVIA Connect for setup. Ray still needs space around it on a shelf. Neither takes a console directly through a separate HDMI input.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Which TV remote you have can flip the decision
Ray gets its sound over an optical cable, which brings no HDMI control with it. Should your usual TV remote send only Bluetooth or RF commands, don’t count on it adjusting Ray. An IR-capable configuration or Sonos controls may fix that, though you have to be willing to live with a separate control routine. Sony, by comparison, can link power and volume through HDMI-CEC if the TV supports it and the settings are enabled. That edge vanishes when your television can’t offer a compatible connection, or when infrared control that works with Ray already suits you.
Where this comes from
Sonos’s remote requirements treat infrared as different from Bluetooth and RF. Sony documents the control settings, with a warning that it can’t guarantee operation with other manufacturers.
The catch
Sony HT-S2000
A wider placement area and unobstructed rear ventilation are needed for the 31.5-inch body.
Sonos Ray
- Why pick it
- Sonos network music or the narrower bar is what you want, and you have an optical TV output, broadband and a compatible setup device, plus an IR remote or Sonos controls you can use. On a shelf, leave 2 inches on each side and 1 inch above, put it at the front and keep it at least 2 inches from the TV.
- The catch
- HDMI-CEC control doesn’t travel over optical, and a remote that only does Bluetooth isn’t automatically compatible.
Sony HT-S2000
- Why pick it
- Bluetooth music and compatible HDMI-CEC TV control are what you want, you have room for the 31.5-inch bar with its rear ventilation, and you can complete BRAVIA Connect setup. Check the TV’s ARC/eARC connection and turn on its control settings. A console HDMI input is not provided by either bar.
- The catch
- A wider placement area and unobstructed rear ventilation are needed for the 31.5-inch body.
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What this page compares
Your TV remote, music source and shelf space decide between Sonos Ray and Sony HT-S2000, along with limits on setup and connection.
Treat these as alternatives for a television that needs a separate bar with no floor-standing bass box included. The split that matters is more than optical versus HDMI. It changes which remote you can use, which music source you keep nearby and how much space you must leave around the bar.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
You want music to play in your existing Sonos rooms with the TV off
Once the Sonos app and broadband are set up, Ray joins that network music routine. Confirm the TV has optical output and either an IR-compatible TV remote or a willingness to use Sonos controls. Sony Bluetooth does not provide Sonos grouping.
- Sonos Ray
- Better fit
- Sony HT-S2000
- Depends
TV power and volume should be linked over HDMI for you
Ray has no HDMI connection. HT-S2000 supports this once the TV has a compatible ARC/eARC connection, HDMI control is enabled and BRAVIA Connect setup is complete. Sony operation is not guaranteed with every TV.
- Sonos Ray
- Not suitable
- Sony HT-S2000
- Better fit
The shelf’s open front is 28 inches wide
Sony’s 31.5-inch body is wider than the shelf. Ray can meet the width requirement with 2 inches on each side. It also needs 1 inch above, placement at the front edge, at least 2 inches from the TV and clear IR access.
- Sonos Ray
- Depends
- Sony HT-S2000
- Not suitable
You plan to play music from a phone over Bluetooth
Ray does not receive Bluetooth audio. After app-based initial setup, HT-S2000 supports a paired Bluetooth mobile source. Leave room for Sony’s wider body and rear ventilation.
- Sonos Ray
- Not suitable
- Sony HT-S2000
- Better fit
An HDMI input on the bar has to take the console
That source input is not provided by either. With Sony, source equipment connects to the TV, and the TV’s audio output and format support still matter.
- Sonos Ray
- Not suitable
- Sony HT-S2000
- Not suitable
No one has a device that can run the app for initial setup
Each documented setup path runs through its own app. The remote supplied with Sony does not stand in for initial app configuration.
- Sonos Ray
- Not suitable
- Sony HT-S2000
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
Which TV remote you have can flip the decision
Ray gets its sound over an optical cable, which brings no HDMI control with it. Should your usual TV remote send only Bluetooth or RF commands, don’t count on it adjusting Ray. An IR-capable configuration or Sonos controls may fix that, though you have to be willing to live with a separate control routine. Sony, by comparison, can link power and volume through HDMI-CEC if the TV supports it and the settings are enabled. That edge vanishes when your television can’t offer a compatible connection, or when infrared control that works with Ray already suits you.
How we worked this out
Sonos’s remote requirements treat infrared as different from Bluetooth and RF. Sony documents the control settings, with a warning that it can’t guarantee operation with other manufacturers.
There are still two different routes for music without the TV
If you want this room to be part of an existing Sonos music routine and can set Ray up on your home network, it is the more natural fit. It also takes AirPlay 2 from compatible Apple devices. Sony offers Bluetooth playback from a paired mobile source. When sending phone audio straight to the bar is the whole job and Sonos grouping is not needed, that can be the simpler match. The difference is about sources and controls. It makes no claim that either sounds better. Don’t read AirPlay playback as a promise that every stream keeps going once its source leaves the network.
How we worked this out
Network music functions are listed in the Ray guide, while the HT-S2000 manual explains mobile Bluetooth pairing and playback. Each keeps the initial app setup requirement its documentation describes.
Being narrower does not make a snug cubby suitable
Picture a shelf 28 inches wide with an open front. Ray is about 22 inches wide and its shelf instructions ask for at least 2 inches on each side, so that width can work. Ray still needs 1 inch above for touch access, placement at the front edge, at least 2 inches from the TV and an unobstructed TV infrared receiver. Sony measures 31.5 inches wide before any installation allowance, so it doesn’t fit this width. This Ray advantage may disappear if the television sits on a broad open stand. Neither should be picked for a tightly enclosed compartment just because a body-dimension calculator turns green.
How we worked this out
Side and top allowances come from the Ray shelf instructions. Sony publishes an 800 mm body and asks for open placement with rear ventilation. The example checks width only. It does not assess a complete acoustic or ventilation enclosure.
Plug in your numbers
Is there room for the soundbar under your TV?
Measure the clear space under your TV. Count only the devices you will plug into the soundbar. Leave out the ones already connected to the TV. The numbers below are placeholders until you enter yours.
Sonos Ray
Fails these checksWith 0 separate HDMI source inputs, it cannot take the 1 device you want to plug into the bar.
Sony HT-S2000
Fails these checksWith 0 separate HDMI source inputs, it cannot take the 1 device you want to plug into the bar.
Measure the top of an open shelf. This check does not cover enclosed cubbies. Detachable speakers count toward the docked width. Leave extra depth for cables and the TV stand. This checks size and port count only. Dolby Atmos, 4K/120Hz passthrough and the audio formats your TV supports are outside it.
Option A
Sonos, Ray
Sonos Ray
This compact optical soundbar offers Sonos network music and AirPlay 2. Controlling it with the TV remote requires infrared compatibility, and setup requires the Sonos app and broadband. On a shelf, it needs clearance around the bar.
- Best for
- Sonos network music or the narrower bar is what you want, and you have an optical TV output, broadband and a compatible setup device, plus an IR remote or Sonos controls you can use. On a shelf, leave 2 inches on each side and 1 inch above, put it at the front and keep it at least 2 inches from the TV.
Facts we checked
- TV connection: Optical, with the cable included
- Using the TV remote: Infrared control after remote setup
- Music with the television off: Sonos network playback and AirPlay 2
- Width and shelf placement: About 22 inches wide, plus at least 2 inches on each side on a shelf
Option B
Sony, HT-S2000
Sony HT-S2000
This wider 3.1 soundbar has HDMI ARC/eARC, an optical input and Bluetooth music. With compatible HDMI control, TV power and volume can be linked. BRAVIA Connect handles the initial settings, and the bar needs ventilation at the rear.
- Best for
- Bluetooth music and compatible HDMI-CEC TV control are what you want, you have room for the 31.5-inch bar with its rear ventilation, and you can complete BRAVIA Connect setup. Check the TV’s ARC/eARC connection and turn on its control settings. A console HDMI input is not provided by either bar.
Facts we checked
- TV connection: HDMI ARC/eARC, with an HDMI cable included
- Using the TV remote: HDMI-CEC power and volume linking when compatible and enabled
- Music with the television off: Bluetooth from a paired mobile device
- Width and shelf placement: 31.5 inches wide, with open placement and rear vents kept clear
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Sonos Ray | Sony HT-S2000 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV connection | Optical, with the cable included | HDMI ARC/eARC, with an HDMI cable included | Before you choose, look over the TV ports and sound settings. Ray takes no HDMI, and neither bar has a separate HDMI input for a console. |
| Using the TV remote | Infrared control after remote setup | HDMI-CEC power and volume linking when compatible and enabled | What the remote runs on can count for more than another audio format. A TV remote that only does Bluetooth won’t automatically control Ray’s volume. |
| Music with the television off | Sonos network playback and AirPlay 2 | Bluetooth from a paired mobile device | Go with the music route you use. Sonos rooms you already have point to Ray, and a plain Bluetooth source points to Sony. |
| Width and shelf placement | About 22 inches wide, plus at least 2 inches on each side on a shelf | 31.5 inches wide, with open placement and rear vents kept clear | Ray’s width allowance fits on a 28-inch-wide open-front shelf, but the Sony body alone is wider than that. Height, TV spacing and cable access still need checking. |
| Initial setup | Sonos app, broadband internet and optical TV connection | BRAVIA Connect app for initial settings | Neither one is a recommendation for an app-free setup. A remote supplied with Sony doesn’t remove its documented setup requirement. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Sonos Ray
- Even the compact body requires the specified shelf clearances and network setup.
With Sony HT-S2000
- The supplied remote notwithstanding, initial settings require BRAVIA Connect.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
You want Sonos music, and optical TV sound with IR or Sonos controls works for you
Go with Sonos Ray. Ray fits if you have broadband and a compatible setup device. Keep to the specified shelf side, top and TV clearances, and don’t block the TV receiver.
Bluetooth music suits you, and so does compatible HDMI-linked TV control
Go with Sony HT-S2000. Sony is the pick when the 31.5-inch bar and rear ventilation fit, the TV supports the required ARC/eARC and control settings, and BRAVIA Connect setup is something you can complete.
The soundbar has to take a console on an HDMI input, or be set up with no app-capable device
Neither model fits. Both documented initial setup paths use an app, and neither bar supplies that source input.
Decision guide
Before you buy
First settle the TV connection and remote. After that, work out where your music comes from and where the bar will go.
What this page can’t tell you
- The comparison rests on documented connections and installation requirements. It includes no listening tests and no measured bass or dialogue performance.
- Physical upward-firing speakers are not what Sony virtual surround provides. Whether a supported immersive format arrives also depends on the content, the TV and the connection.
- Working out whether a soundbar body fits does not establish that an enclosed cubby meets the operating instructions.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the soundbars we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonos Ray |
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| Sony HT-S2000 |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Sonos Ray
Sonos network music or the narrower bar is what you want, and you have an optical TV output, broadband and a compatible setup device, plus an IR remote or Sonos controls you can use. On a shelf, leave 2 inches on each side and 1 inch above, put it at the front and keep it at least 2 inches from the TV.
See price & reviews on AmazonSony HT-S2000
Bluetooth music and compatible HDMI-CEC TV control are what you want, you have room for the 31.5-inch bar with its rear ventilation, and you can complete BRAVIA Connect setup. Check the TV’s ARC/eARC connection and turn on its control settings. A console HDMI input is not provided by either bar.
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