Exclusive: Sonos’ next soundbar will be called the Sonos Ray

3D product render by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

According to internal documents and people familiar with the company's plans, the upcoming budget soundbar will be called the Sonos Ray. The Ray will be the cheapest soundbar from Sonos yet and will be an entry-level option beneath the pricier Arc and Beam.

The codename for the new device is model S36 and was previously spilled by The Verge. 3D recreations of genuine photos are included here.

The Ray has fewer speakers than the company's existing soundbars, which is why it has omitted features like built-in mics. The rear surround speakers on the more expensive Sonos Arc or Beam can be used with two Rays. The soundbar is designed to be mounted vertically for that purpose, and in the vertical orientation, its slanted side drivers will route audio toward the ceiling more effectively.

3D product render by Grayson Blackmon / The Verge

If you pair the Ray with other speakers, it will support 5.1 and can be expanded to a 5.1 setup. It connects to TVs with optical cable. Since the platform is compatible with Amazon and Google speakers, owners will be able to bring their own voice assistant with them.

At least two new products will be introduced by the company each year, according to the CEO. There are other devices in the works that could be released in 2022, including a smaller, more affordable subwoofer and long-rumored wireless headphones.

The Verge reached out to the company. The company hasn't officially announced the Ray.