The Era a hundred takes what's arguably Sonos` maximum vital speaker, and offers it a significant upgrade. The Sonos One wasn't the company's first model, however as one of the maximum cheap, this speaker — and the Play:1 earlier than it — had been the factor of access into the environment for a number of customers. All the same, with a sonic layout efficiently unchanged due to the fact 2013, it changed into approximately time for an update.
"The intention changed into 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 a 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 frightened of voicing proceedings after they disagree with the company's choices.
For the Era a hundred, then, the recipe changed into deceptively sincere: cheap enough, compact enough, and but turning in first rate sound for the size. "We need it to be 'especially good,'" Giles Martin, SVP of Sound Experience at Sonos, explains.
Familiar seems, however an entire new heart
The end result seems in the beginning look similar to its predecessor, however the Era a hundred is truely absolutely new inner and out. About an inch taller than the vintage Sonos One, the most important development might be its include of stereo. Where the vintage speaker changed into mono, angled tweeters had been squeezed into the pinnacle of the Era a hundred, and a bigger midwoofer promises deeper bass.
A complete evaluation of so that it will must wait till we are able to check the speaker facet-by-facet with its predecessor, however first impressions at a Sonos preview occasion that SlashGear changed into invited to are promising. Like the Sonos One, the Era a hundred is louder and boasts greater readability than you'll count on from its scale.
Sonos has changed the vintage ethernet port with a USB-C at the rear. That'll paintings with add-ons initially, along with a 3.5mm line-in adapter, and a 2d dongle that has line-in and ethernet. As properly as Wi-Fi 6 and AirPlay 2, there is Bluetooth 5.zero for wi-fi line-in, with aid 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 a 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 gadget 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 aid at release.
Responsible layout and nonetheless platform-agnostic
A bodily microphone mute turn on the rear disconnects strength to the mic array for privacy, aleven though Sonos has different makes use of for the audio system past interacting with digital assistants. Owners may be capable of use Trueplay withinside the Sonos app for iOS to robotically configure the EQ to healthy the acoustic homes of the room, however the Era a hundred also can try this with its onboard microphones. That eventually manner Android customers can get right of entry to Trueplay with no need to borrow an iPhone first.
These aren't the best conscious choices Sonos has made. The Era a hundred follows the company's precept of "accountable layout," with decrease standby strength consumption, and higher performance usual. The packaging makes use of a hundred% sustainably-sourced paper, paired with rattan handles and smaller, recycled plastic latches.
The speaker itself additionally makes full-size use of post-patron recycled plastic. Sonos is likewise switching to screws in a few of the locations it would've historically used glue, paving the manner for greater sincere upkeep over the Era a hundred's lifespan. Once it does attain end-of-life, dismantling and recycling ought to be easier, too.
Big dangers should carry large rewards
Long-time Sonos customers is probably forgiven for feeling fearful approximately such large modifications to what's, at this factor, a mainstay of the company's speaker range. Especially due to the fact 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 a hundred, although we want to spend greater time with it to choose its usual audio performance.
The cappotential to apply it as a greater cheap line-in supply, for instance, should please a number of turntable customers. Until now, you've got had to spend at least $449 on a Sonos Port for that. Meanwhile the transfer from mono to stereo ought to assist Sonos ward off 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 a hundred kick off today, with the speaker delivery from March 28, 2023. It's priced at $249, and may be provided in black and white.
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