After weeks of rumors and endless speculation, Sonos has finally released its latest speaker offering, but they’re expensive and lack any Google Assistant functionality. Trueplay via an Android phone app.
Complete with a new Era name, users can finally connect devices like a turntable, and Sonos has steered away from the quality of Bluetooth over wireless streaming with the new Era 300 and Era 100 speakers, which now feature Bluetooth connectivity to improve. The move to Bluetooth is about selling more speakers.
Also missing is Google Assistant, in Australia Google Assistant is the No. 1 voice activation network with over 75% market share.
Owners get Amazon Alexa.
The speakers, as we’ve exclusively reported in the past, feature a concave look and the addition of Dolby Atmos audio technology.
The top-end model has six Class D digital amplifiers and two woofers inside, you can finally pair the new speakers with other Sonos devices like the Sonos Arc or Beam soundbar.
The top-end Era 300 is $749 and Era 100 is $399, which are massive price jumps for a piece of Sonos kit.
In comparison, the Sonos One costs $319. That model is being scrapped as retailers have run out of stock and are still available for sale in Australia, Sonos has confirmed.
As far as design goes, the Sonos Era 100 is smaller than the One, but otherwise there’s little difference at first glance.
Also included is a rear USB-C port, a revised volume control — where you slide your finger up or down in a shallow groove, eliminating the cumbersome buttons of previous Sonos models.
Despite its somewhat awkward shape, the Era 300 is a key offering from Sonos, which has come under pressure from a variety of manufacturers offering connected speakers.
One of the new features is Trueplay, an AI equalizer that not only reads the room, but also the way sound is reflected off materials in a room. Sonos has tried a version of this technology in the past, but it failed to impress consumers.
But if you are an Android phone owner, this technology will not work for you as Sonos has restricted it to iOS owners. Only through the iOS app can an accurate sound measurement be made when moving your phone across a room.
The only way Android users can access this feature is through a receiver on the device itself, as Sonos has failed to develop an app for Android phone owners.
This isn’t as accurate as being able to move around the room with an iPhone, and it’s a real disappointment for Android device owners, as it doesn’t provide the same level of information that Sonos does for iPhone owners.
Neither the Sonos Era 100 nor Era 300 have the outdoor weatherproofing of the Roam, plus they lack the Google Assistant due to the fact that Google and Sonos are again suing each other over patents.
If that sounds a bit pricey, it might be worth checking out the new Era 100. Unlike the Era 300, this speaker replaces the popular Sonos One, which will be discontinued when stocks run out.
Sonos claims this new entry-level Era 100 will deliver significantly improved audio over its predecessor due to a more advanced processor and better bass performance.
The old Sonos One is a shocker with poor sound and poor controls and connectivity.
About the author of the post
David Richards has been writing about technology for more than 30 years. A former Fleet Street journalist, he wrote the award-winning series on the Federated Ships Painters + Dockers Union for the Bulletin, which led to a Royal Commission. He is also a Logie Winner for Outstanding Contribution To TV Journalism with a story called The Werribee Affair. In 1997 he built Australia’s largest technology media company and before that the third largest PR company which became the founding company for Ogilvy PR. Today he writes about technology and its impact on businesses and consumers.
