Sonos Era 100 and Era 300: What’s the Difference?
Sonos, the popular smart speaker brand, has announced the release of two new speakers, the Era 100 and Era 300, on March 28th. The Era 100 is the latest iteration of the Sonos One, which has been a popular speaker for over 10 years. The Era 100 promises to be a major upgrade from the Sonos One, offering improved sound performance, connectivity options, and a more sustainable design. On the other hand, the Era 300 is a brand-new category of speaker, designed to deliver a Dolby Atmos spatial audio experience for music or movies. In this review article, we’ll take a closer look at these two speakers and see what they have to offer.
Era 100: A Compact Speaker with Big Sound
The Era 100 is the latest addition to Sonos’ lineup of smart speakers and is a step up from the popular Sonos One. It promises major upgrades in sound quality, connectivity options, and design. The speaker is priced at £249, which is £50 more expensive than the Sonos One Gen 2.
Sound quality is the most notable upgrade with the Era 100. The speaker features a 25% larger woofer, which is said to deliver deeper bass compared to the Sonos One. Additionally, the Era 100 is a stereo speaker, unlike the mono Sonos One Gen 2, which should provide a wider soundstage. The two angled tweeters in the Era 100 have custom waveguides, similar to a fish-eye lens, to amplify dispersion of sound waves and improve the overall sound quality. The speaker also has three Class D digital amps and a faster processor to enhance performance and connection.
Another major upgrade with the Era 100 is the addition of Bluetooth connectivity. The speaker supports Bluetooth 5.0, which has been a highly requested feature by Sonos users. Along with Bluetooth, the speaker also supports Wi-Fi 6, which provides better reliability for uninterrupted playback. The Era 100 also has a line-in port, allowing users to connect external audio sources such as a turntable or CD player. However, a separate dongle is required, which is not included in the box.
The design of the Era 100 is also a significant improvement over the Sonos One. The speaker has a modern feel with a slimmed-down form factor, slightly taller than the Sonos One. The capacitive touch controls on the top panel have been improved with a groove for the volume slider, making it easier to adjust the volume. The speaker also has a physical switch to turn off the microphones for added privacy. The Era 100 is also more sustainable, using recycled materials and less virgin plastics, and has been designed to reduce energy usage when not in use.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Bigger Sound | The Era 100 has an extra tweeter for stereo sound and a 25% bigger bass woofer compared to the Sonos One. |
| Bluetooth Support | The Era 100 has Bluetooth support, allowing users to connect to other devices such as a PlayStation 5. |
| USB-C Line In | The Era 100 has a USB-C line in, which can be used as a line in for audio devices such as a record player. |
| Voice Control | The Era 100 still has voice control, a feature that has been present in other entries in the Sonos range. |
| Sustainability | The Era 100 has a focus on sustainability, with packaging that has next to no plastic and devices made from post-consumer recycled plastics. |
The Era 100 offers major upgrades in sound quality, connectivity options, and design, making it a highly anticipated addition to the Sonos lineup. While it is more expensive than the Sonos One Gen 2, the improvements may make it worth the investment for those looking for a high-quality smart speaker. The Era 100 is available for pre-order now and will be released on the 28th of March.
Era 300: The Next Step in Spatial Audio Experience
Sonos has been making waves in the smart speaker industry for years, and its latest addition, the Era 300, is no exception. This new speaker is a departure from its previous offerings, as it’s designed to deliver a Dolby Atmos spatial audio experience for music or movies. The Era 300 is priced at £449, making it a premium offering compared to the Era 100.
Sonos has worked closely with industry professionals to deliver a sound performance that is as close to how the artist or producer intended it. This is crucial for Dolby Atmos tracks, as they are becoming more and more mainstream, with over 85 albums in the Billboard Top 100 recorded in Dolby Atmos. With this speaker, users can expect a spatial audio experience from a single unit, a major step forward for the brand.
The Era 300 has six drivers positioned around the front, sides, and top of the speaker. There are four tweeters for the highs and mids, including one at the front for the center channel, two side-firing tweeters for the stereo, and an upward-firing tweeter for the height in Atmos content. The two woofers are angled left and right to support stereo playback. The speaker’s design is a talking point, with a unique shape that incorporates the complex internals.
The Era 300 shares many features with the Era 100, including Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth support, TruePlay for Android, and a sustainable design. With its powerful sound and unique design, the Era 300 is a major step forward for Sonos, moving with the times and the demands people have for their audio experiences. The speaker is available for pre-order now and will launch on March 28th.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Spatial Audio | The Era 300 has six Class D amps, one pointing up, one pointing front, and two on each side, one bass, and one tweeter, firing out from each side. This creates a spatial audio sound and allows for a full surround sound experience. |
| Bluetooth Support | The Era 300 has Bluetooth support, allowing users to connect to other devices such as a PlayStation 5. |
| USB-C Line In | The Era 300 has a USB-C line in, which can be used as a line in for audio devices such as a record player. |
| Voice Control | The Era 300 still has voice control, a feature that has been present in other entries in the Sonos range. |
| Sustainability | The Era 300 has a focus on sustainability, with packaging that has next to no plastic and devices made from post-consumer recycled plastics. |
The Era 300 is a premium offering from Sonos, designed to deliver a Dolby Atmos spatial audio experience from a single unit. With its six drivers and unique design, the Era 300 is a major step forward for the brand, delivering the powerful and immersive sound that users have been looking for. Whether used as a standalone speaker or paired with others for a home cinema setup, the Era 300 is sure to impress.
Summary
Sonos has made some major upgrades with their new Era 100 and Era 300 speakers. The Era 100 offers better sound quality with its larger woofer, stereo sound, and faster processor, while also introducing Bluetooth connectivity and Trueplay tuning for Android.
| Feature | Era 100 | Era 300 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £249 | £449 |
| Sound Quality | Improved with larger woofer, stereo sound and faster processor | Designed to deliver Dolby Atmos spatial audio experience with 6 drivers |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, Trueplay tuning for Android | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, Trueplay tuning for Android |
| Design | Slimmed down design with capacitive touch controls, physical switch to turn off mics, sustainable materials | Unique design to accommodate 6 drivers, sustainable materials |
| Additional Features | Line-in port for external audio source (with separate dongle) | Designed to deliver Dolby Atmos spatial audio experience |
The Era 300, on the other hand, is designed to deliver a Dolby Atmos spatial audio experience with its six drivers positioned around the front, sides, and top of the speaker. With Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, and sustainable design, both speakers offer a step forward in smart speaker technology.
