That Sonos is working on a new set of speakers can no longer be called news. The audio manufacturer has teased the upcoming models once before. Now it has finally revealed when we can expect the speakers. As it looks now, that doesn’t have to be long.
Which speakers are we talking about? The Sonos Era 100 and Era 300, which are speakers that feature both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. You can also connect devices via the USB-C connection. The Verge reports that the company plans to release both speakers in March, two months after the Apple HomePod thus appeared.
Sonos Era 100 and Era 300
Both Sonos Era speakers have support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, as well as AirPlay 2. Should you want to connect a device via the USB-C connection, you will need a special adapter for that. You then have to purchase that separately. The same goes for the optional Ethernet port.
The Sonos Era 300 (Image: Sonos)
The Sonos Era 300 is the most expensive variant, with support for spatial audio. The model features six drivers, facing all sorts of directions. You can stream spatial audio via Amazon Music Unlimited. As of yet, the company has not been able to reach an agreement with Apple on Dolby Atmos content.
What about the Era 100?
We know quite little about the Era 100 at the moment. Reportedly, this speaker does not have Spatial Audio support. There would also be no drivers pointing upward. However, there is said to be a second tweeter present, making stereo sound better. Also, possibly the mid-woofer is quite substantial.
For both speakers, you have a choice of voice assistants. You can choose from Sonos Voice Control or Amazon Alexa. It is not yet clear if the Google Assistant will be offered. The Era 300 should cost $450, while the Era 100 could cost $250. That’s converted to $422 and 234 euros, excluding VAT.
