The Era one hundred takes what's arguably Sonos` maximum crucial speaker, and offers it a significant upgrade. The Sonos One wasn't the company's first model, however as one of the maximum lower priced, this speaker — and the Play:1 earlier than it — had been the factor of access into the surroundings for quite a few customers. All the same, with a sonic layout correctly unchanged considering the fact that 2013, it become approximately time for an update.
"The intention become to reinvent one in every of our maximum iconic products," Ryan Moore, Principal Product Manager for Hardware at Sonos, advised SlashGear in advance of the brand new Era one hundred's release today. That's an possibility and a risk, of course. Sonos' clients fashion loyal, however they have got additionally now no longer been terrified of voicing proceedings after they disagree with the company's selections.
For the Era one hundred, then, the recipe become deceptively trustworthy: lower priced enough, compact enough, and but handing over high-quality sound for the size. "We need it to be 'enormously good,'" Giles Martin, SVP of Sound Experience at Sonos, explains.
Familiar appears, however an entire new heart
The end result appears in the beginning look similar to its predecessor, however the Era one hundred is surely completely new inner and out. About an inch taller than the antique Sonos One, the largest development might be its embody of stereo. Where the antique speaker become mono, angled tweeters had been squeezed into the pinnacle of the Era one hundred, and a bigger midwoofer can provide deeper bass.
A complete evaluation of a good way to must wait till we will check the speaker facet-by-facet with its predecessor, however first impressions at a Sonos preview occasion that SlashGear become invited to are promising. Like the Sonos One, the Era one hundred is louder and boasts extra readability than you'll anticipate from its scale.
Sonos has changed the antique ethernet port with a USB-C at the rear. That'll paintings with add-ons initially, together with a 3.5mm line-in adapter, and a 2nd dongle that has line-in and ethernet. As nicely as Wi-Fi 6 and AirPlay 2, there is Bluetooth 5.zero for wi-fi line-in, with help for then dispensing that outside supply to different Sonos audio system withinside the network.
Along with the growth in volume, there is additionally a bump in rate, with the Era one hundred launching at $249. Like earlier than, may be paired for broader stereo separation, or because the rear channel audio system for a surround sound device with one in every of Sonos' soundbars. It additionally receives an up to date pinnacle panel interface, with a touch-touchy groove for controlling volume, at the side of Sonos Voice Assistant and Amazon Alexa help at release.
Responsible layout and nevertheless platform-agnostic
A bodily microphone mute activate the rear disconnects energy to the mic array for privacy, aleven though Sonos has different makes use of for the audio system past interacting with digital assistants. Owners can be capable of use Trueplay withinside the Sonos app for iOS to mechanically configure the EQ to match the acoustic residences of the room, however the Era one hundred also can try this with its onboard microphones. That eventually way Android customers can get admission to Trueplay with no need to borrow an iPhone first.
These aren't the simplest aware selections Sonos has made. The Era one hundred follows the company's precept of "accountable layout," with decrease standby energy consumption, and higher performance normal. The packaging makes use of one hundred% sustainably-sourced paper, paired with rattan handles and smaller, recycled plastic latches.
The speaker itself additionally makes substantial use of post-client recycled plastic. Sonos is likewise switching to screws in a few of the locations it would've historically used glue, paving the manner for extra trustworthy maintenance over the Era one hundred's lifespan. Once it does attain end-of-life, dismantling and recycling must be easier, too.
Big dangers should carry huge rewards
Long-time Sonos customers is probably forgiven for feeling frightened approximately such huge modifications to what's, at this factor, a mainstay of the company's speaker range. Especially considering the fact that Sonos' modifications have include a rate growth from the One's current $219 tag. Nonetheless, there is shaping as much as be an entire lot to love approximately the Era one hundred, even supposing we want to spend extra time with it to choose its normal audio performance
The cappotential to apply it as a extra lower priced line-in supply, for instance, should please quite a few turntable customers. Until now, you have had to spend at least $449 on a Sonos Port for that. Meanwhile the transfer from mono to stereo must assist Sonos thrust back at opposition from Amazon and Google's clever speaker ranges — at the side of freshly-reintroduced opponents like Apple's HomePod.
Preorders of the Sonos Era one hundred kick off today, with the speaker transport from March 28, 2023. It's priced at $249, and can be supplied in black and white.