Sonos sets its sights on new sonic horizons with the Era 100 and Era 300 smart speakers
The new Sonos Era speakers expand the company’s family of high-end streaming devices, as well as introducing Dolby Atmos and decreasing its carbon footprint
California streaming specialist Sonos has announced two new members of its burgeoning family of speakers. The Sonos Era 300 and Era 100 usher in a new age of spatial sound to the company’s legions of fans.
Founded in 2002, Sonos has become shorthand for multi-room audio systems – you can link up to 32 of its devices together – but has also branched out into compact, portable systems that either stand alone or work in stereo pairs. Era 100 and 300 follow this pattern.
Era 100 is essentially an update of the classic Sonos One, the company’s best-selling device, whereas the Era 300 brings Dolby Atmos to the table, making it a perfect companion for a soundbar in a home cinema set-up, as well as something you can happily move from room to room.
The latter is facilitated by the inbuilt microphone array that will customise the output depending on the surrounding space. Sonos’ ‘Trueplay’ tech – available on both new devices – is accessed via the accompanying app.
The Era 300 manages to squeeze six drivers into its geometric, hourglass-like form, with a nipped-in central section designed to help better seed the sound around your room. The company has ramped up its sustainability goals as well, not just minimising the (recycled) packaging but also ensuring that Era models contain as much post-consumer recycled plastic as possible and are fully accessible and serviceable.
Both speakers will hit the market later in March 2023, when we’ll give them a listen.
Sonos Era 300, £449, Sonos Era 100 £249, sonos.com
Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.
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