Main trade-off
Sonos Ray
Optical does not carry HDMI-CEC control, and a Bluetooth-only remote is not automatically compatible.
Head-to-head
Sonos Ray vs Sony HT-S2000: Ray fits a narrower shelf, Sony adds Bluetooth and compatible HDMI TV control
The short answer
Choose Ray for Sonos network music or a narrower shelf installation if your TV has optical output, its IR remote works with Ray or you accept Sonos controls, and you can complete network setup. Choose HT-S2000 for Bluetooth music and compatible HDMI-CEC TV control if 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 accepts a console directly through a separate HDMI input.
Before you choose
The reasoning and the trade-offs
The television remote can reverse the choice
An optical cable carries sound to Ray but does not provide HDMI control. If your usual TV remote sends only Bluetooth or RF commands, do not assume it will adjust Ray. An IR-capable configuration or Sonos controls may solve that, but accepting a separate control routine is part of the choice. Sony can link power and volume through HDMI-CEC when the TV supports it and the settings are enabled. That advantage disappears if your television cannot provide a compatible connection, or if you are already happy with Ray-compatible infrared control.
What this is based on
The Sonos remote requirements distinguish infrared from Bluetooth and RF. Sony documents the control settings and warns that operation with other manufacturers is not guaranteed.
Main trade-off
Sony HT-S2000
The 31.5-inch body needs a wider placement area and unobstructed rear ventilation.
Sonos Ray
- Choose it for
- You want Sonos network music or need the narrower bar, have an optical TV output, broadband and a compatible setup device, and can use an IR remote or Sonos controls. On a shelf, leave 2 inches on each side and 1 inch above, keep it at the front and at least 2 inches from the TV.
- Main trade-off
- Optical does not carry HDMI-CEC control, and a Bluetooth-only remote is not automatically compatible.
Sony HT-S2000
- Choose it for
- You want Bluetooth music and compatible HDMI-CEC TV control, have room for the 31.5-inch bar with rear ventilation, and can complete BRAVIA Connect setup. Check the TV ARC/eARC connection and enable its control settings. Neither bar provides a console HDMI input.
- Main trade-off
- The 31.5-inch body needs a wider placement area and unobstructed rear ventilation.
About this comparison
Choose between Sonos Ray and Sony HT-S2000 by your TV remote, music source and shelf space, including setup and connection limits.
These are alternatives for a television that needs a separate bar without an included floor-standing bass box. The important split is not just optical versus HDMI. It changes the remote you can use, the music source you keep nearby and the space you must leave around the bar.
Winner by situation
Start with what you need it to do
Your existing Sonos rooms are where you want TV-off music to play
Ray joins that network music routine after Sonos app and broadband setup. Confirm optical TV output and either an IR-compatible TV remote or willingness to use Sonos controls. Sony Bluetooth does not supply Sonos grouping.
- Sonos Ray
- Better fit
- Sony HT-S2000
- Depends
You want TV power and volume linked through HDMI
HT-S2000 supports this when the TV has a compatible ARC/eARC connection, HDMI control is enabled and BRAVIA Connect setup is complete. Ray has no HDMI connection. Sony operation is not guaranteed with every TV.
- Sonos Ray
- Not suitable
- Sony HT-S2000
- Better fit
The open-front shelf is 28 inches wide
Ray can meet the width requirement with 2 inches on each side. It also needs 1 inch above, front-edge placement, at least 2 inches from the TV and clear IR access. Sony’s 31.5-inch body exceeds the shelf width.
- Sonos Ray
- Depends
- Sony HT-S2000
- Not suitable
You want to send music over Bluetooth from a phone
HT-S2000 supports a paired Bluetooth mobile source after its app-based initial setup. Ray does not receive Bluetooth audio. Allow room for Sony’s wider body and rear ventilation.
- Sonos Ray
- Not suitable
- Sony HT-S2000
- Better fit
The console must plug into an HDMI input on the bar
Neither provides that source input. With Sony, source equipment connects to the TV, whose audio output and format support still matter.
- Sonos Ray
- Not suitable
- Sony HT-S2000
- Not suitable
Nobody can supply an app-capable device for initial setup
Both documented setup paths use their respective apps. The supplied Sony remote does not replace initial app configuration.
- Sonos Ray
- Not suitable
- Sony HT-S2000
- Not suitable
What matters in practice
The differences that matter
The television remote can reverse the choice
An optical cable carries sound to Ray but does not provide HDMI control. If your usual TV remote sends only Bluetooth or RF commands, do not assume it will adjust Ray. An IR-capable configuration or Sonos controls may solve that, but accepting a separate control routine is part of the choice. Sony can link power and volume through HDMI-CEC when the TV supports it and the settings are enabled. That advantage disappears if your television cannot provide a compatible connection, or if you are already happy with Ray-compatible infrared control.
How we reached this conclusion
The Sonos remote requirements distinguish infrared from Bluetooth and RF. Sony documents the control settings and warns that operation with other manufacturers is not guaranteed.
Music without the TV still has two different routes
Ray is the more natural fit when you want this room inside an existing Sonos music routine and can configure it on your home network. It also accepts AirPlay 2 from compatible Apple devices. Sony instead offers Bluetooth playback from a paired mobile source. That can be the simpler match when sending phone audio directly is the whole job and you do not need Sonos grouping. This is a source and control distinction, not a claim that either sounds better. AirPlay playback should not be treated as a promise that every stream keeps going after its source leaves the network.
How we reached this conclusion
The Ray guide lists network music functions. The HT-S2000 manual explains mobile Bluetooth pairing and playback. Both retain their documented initial app setup requirements.
A narrower body does not mean a snug cubby is suitable
Take a 28-inch-wide shelf with an open front. Ray is about 22 inches wide and its shelf instructions call for at least 2 inches on each side, so that width can work. It still needs 1 inch above for touch access, front-edge placement, at least 2 inches from the TV and an unobstructed TV infrared receiver. Sony is 31.5 inches wide before allowing for its installation, so it does not fit this width. If the television sits on a broad open stand instead, this Ray advantage may disappear. Neither should be chosen for a tightly enclosed compartment merely because a body-dimension calculator turns green.
How we reached this conclusion
The Ray shelf instructions supply the side and top allowances. Sony publishes an 800 mm body and calls for open placement with rear ventilation. The example checks width, not a complete acoustic or ventilation enclosure.
Try your real numbers
Will the soundbar fit under your TV?
Measure the clear space in front of your TV. Count devices you want to plug into the soundbar, not devices already connected to the TV. The numbers below are examples until you enter yours.
Sonos Ray
Does not meet these checks0 separate HDMI source inputs cannot take the 1 device you want to connect to the bar.
Sony HT-S2000
Does not meet these checks0 separate HDMI source inputs cannot take the 1 device you want to connect to the bar.
Use an open top surface, not an enclosed cubby. Detachable speakers are counted in the docked width. Allow extra depth for cables and the TV stand. This checks physical dimensions and port counts, not Dolby Atmos, 4K/120Hz passthrough or your TV’s audio-format support.
Choice A
Sonos, Ray
Sonos Ray
A compact optical soundbar with Sonos network music and AirPlay 2. TV remote control needs infrared compatibility, and setup needs the Sonos app and broadband. Shelf placement requires clearance around the bar.
- Best matched use
- You want Sonos network music or need the narrower bar, have an optical TV output, broadband and a compatible setup device, and can use an IR remote or Sonos controls. On a shelf, leave 2 inches on each side and 1 inch above, keep it at the front and at least 2 inches from the TV.
Checked facts
- 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
Choice B
Sony, HT-S2000
Sony HT-S2000
A wider 3.1 soundbar with HDMI ARC/eARC, optical input and Bluetooth music. Compatible HDMI control can link TV power and volume. Initial settings use BRAVIA Connect, and the bar needs rear ventilation.
- Best matched use
- You want Bluetooth music and compatible HDMI-CEC TV control, have room for the 31.5-inch bar with rear ventilation, and can complete BRAVIA Connect setup. Check the TV ARC/eARC connection and enable its control settings. Neither bar provides a console HDMI input.
Checked facts
- 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
Meaningful differences
What changes the fit
| What changes | Sonos Ray | Sony HT-S2000 | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV connection | Optical, with the cable included | HDMI ARC/eARC, with an HDMI cable included | Inspect the TV ports and sound settings before choosing. Ray does not take 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 | The remote technology can matter more than adding another audio format. A Bluetooth-only TV remote is not automatically a Ray volume remote. |
| Music with the television off | Sonos network playback and AirPlay 2 | Bluetooth from a paired mobile device | Choose the music route you use. Existing Sonos rooms favor Ray, while a straightforward Bluetooth source favors 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 | A 28-inch-wide open-front shelf can accommodate the Ray width allowance. The Sony body alone exceeds it. 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 is an app-free recommendation. Sony supplying a remote does not remove its documented setup requirement. |
What you give up
Every choice has a cost
If you choose Sonos Ray
- The compact body still needs the specified shelf clearances and network setup.
If you choose Sony HT-S2000
- Initial settings require BRAVIA Connect despite the supplied remote.
Recommendation switch
The decision flips if...
You want Sonos music and can use optical TV sound with IR or Sonos controls
Choose Sonos Ray. Choose Ray with broadband and a compatible setup device. Leave the specified shelf side, top and TV clearances, and keep the TV receiver clear.
You prefer Bluetooth music and compatible HDMI-linked TV control
Choose Sony HT-S2000. Choose Sony if the 31.5-inch bar and rear ventilation fit, the TV supports the required ARC/eARC and control settings, and you can complete BRAVIA Connect setup.
The soundbar must take a console HDMI input or be configured without an app-capable device
Choose neither. Neither supplies that source input, and both documented initial setup paths use an app.
What matters in practice
Before you choose
Start with the TV connection and remote, then check where music comes from and where the bar will sit.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- This compares documented connections and installation requirements, not listening tests, measured bass or dialogue performance.
- Sony virtual surround is not a pair of physical upward-firing speakers. Receiving a supported immersive format also depends on the content, TV and connection.
- A soundbar body-fit calculation does not establish that an enclosed cubby meets the operating instructions.
What the facts say
What the comparison shows
Useful conclusions from the current soundbars comparison, followed by the checked facts used to reach them.
See the checked facts and calculation notes
| Product | Needs matched | Checked facts | Source records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonos Ray |
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| Sony HT-S2000 |
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Ready to choose?
Check the price. Read the owner reviews.
Open either model on Amazon to check the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Sonos Ray
You want Sonos network music or need the narrower bar, have an optical TV output, broadband and a compatible setup device, and can use an IR remote or Sonos controls. On a shelf, leave 2 inches on each side and 1 inch above, keep it at the front and at least 2 inches from the TV.
See price & reviews on AmazonSony HT-S2000
You want Bluetooth music and compatible HDMI-CEC TV control, have room for the 31.5-inch bar with rear ventilation, and can complete BRAVIA Connect setup. Check the TV ARC/eARC connection and enable its control settings. Neither bar provides a console HDMI input.
See price & reviews on AmazonLinks open in a new tab.