Exclusive: these are the new Sonos Era speakers

Sonos is constant to finalize particulars for a pair of latest sensible audio system set to launch within the coming weeks, and The Verge has now obtained advertising photos of the merchandise and discovered roughly how a lot they’ll price. The spatial audio-focused Period 300 is predicted to be priced within the ballpark of $450, making it inexpensive than the corporate’s flagship Sonos 5. As such, the 5 will doubtless stay a part of Sonos’ lineup after the pending {hardware} bulletins.

However the identical can’t be mentioned for the Sonos One, which is all however sure to get replaced by the upcoming Period 100. Sonos has mentioned pricing that speaker round $250, a slight value improve in comparison with the $219 One. However prospects must be gaining a number of enhancements for the additional cash.

Sonos has reportedly locked within the Period 300 and Period 100 for a simultaneous launch in late March.

Via a number of individuals conversant in Sonos’ plans and product roadmap, The Verge has discovered complete details about each audio system — together with extra particulars about how they match into dwelling theater techniques.

There additionally seems to be a divide with Apple, which has positioned itself because the chief in spatial audio. Though the Period 300 was designed from the bottom as much as spotlight music in spatial audio, Apple Music’s tens of hundreds of Dolby Atmos songs are unlikely to be supported right now. And amid Sonos’ ongoing authorized battle with Google, Google Assistant may probably be dropped from the corporate’s newest sensible audio system.

A lot of what I reported again in August (together with Bluetooth audio playback and USB-C line-in) can once more be confirmed for the Period 300. Moreover, I can now report that the Period 100 will additionally supply each of those conveniences, making it way more versatile than the Sonos One. You’ll have the ability to run exterior sources like a turntable straight via an Period 100, which wasn’t attainable with its predecessor. You possibly can see this within the beneath picture, the place a second cable is operating into the speaker on the left.

Mixed with the introduction of Bluetooth for each dwelling audio system, Sonos appears to be purposefully embracing selection and adaptability with its new merchandise. In 2023, the preservation of bodily enter, even when it’s not so simple as a 3.5mm aux jack, is refreshing. Apple’s HomePod and Google’s Nest Audio lack any type of I/O and depend on wi-fi streaming always, although Amazon’s Echo and Echo Studio have a conventional auxiliary enter.

Each Period audio system will embrace Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and assist for AirPlay 2. Sonos will individually promote a line-in adapter for USB-C audio and a “combo adapter” for plugging in over ethernet; there’s no built-in jack on both gadget.

As I’ve been saying for months, the Period 300 is designed to showcase spatial audio and Dolby Atmos by producing immersive, room-filling sound. The speaker’s measurement falls in between the present Sonos One and Sonos 5. It features a complete of six drivers that direct sound ahead, left, proper, and up. When used with both the Arc or Beam (Gen 2) as rear surrounds, a stereo pair of Period 300s will ship immersive Atmos encompass sound together with upward-firing audio. 

As for music, you’ll have the ability to stream spatial audio tracks from Amazon Music Limitless, however from what The Verge understands, Sonos hasn’t but reached an settlement with Apple to play Apple Music’s Dolby Atmos library on a standalone Period 300. In the intervening time, that performance stays unique to the HomePod. (It must be famous, you can play Apple’s spatial audio library via an Apple TV 4K and the Arc/Beam – however that’s true of any Atmos rig.) This might all the time change within the coming weeks or by the point the Period 300 hits cabinets.

Up till now, much less has been recognized concerning the Period 100. However the photos and particulars I’ve discovered inform a transparent story. The Period 100 isn’t geared for spatial audio and won’t embrace upward-firing drivers. Quite, it’s greatest to consider it as an advanced Sonos One with (ideally) higher efficiency. The corporate has added a second tweeter to the brand new speaker for true stereo sound and enlarged the mid-woofer for extra highly effective bass response.

As you’ll be able to see from the pictures, The Verge’s unique mockup of the Period 300 stays correct, and whereas the Period 100 borrows design traits from the One, it has a rounder total form. Sonos has tweaked quantity controls with a brand new, indented bar that must be simpler to really feel for and slide your finger throughout. 

Each audio system will function a brand new speech bubble button among the many commonplace Sonos controls that permits you to quickly mute the built-in microphones; there’s additionally a bodily change on the again of every that disconnects energy to the mics utterly. Voice assistant choices ought to embrace Sonos Voice Management and Amazon Alexa; it’s unclear at this stage whether or not Google Assistant will proceed to be supported. Sonos’ inside advertising supplies straight point out Alexa, however not Assistant. Sonos Voice Management and Alexa can work concurrently, so it’s attainable that Sonos is giving Google’s service much less of a highlight for that purpose.

The Period 300 and Period 100 will mark the primary time that Sonos helps Trueplay tuning on Android telephones. However not like on iOS, it will likely be the audio system themselves doing the room evaluation and sound optimization utilizing their built-in microphones. Internally, Sonos refers to this as “fast tuning,” with the common walk-around-the-room-with-your-phone nonetheless obtainable as “superior tuning” — and nonetheless unique to iPhone and iPad.

With its newest audio system, Sonos plans to spotlight the progress it has made in sustainable design. Among the many modifications, each Period gadgets use extra screws and fewer adhesive, permitting for simpler disassembly and restore ought to elements must be changed. The corporate has additionally considerably diminished their energy consumption: the Period 300 and Period 100 every use underneath two watts when idle and can embrace a brand new, extra environment friendly sleep mode.

Sonos has but to formally announce both the Period 300 or Period 100.

I’m excited for each of those merchandise and stay up for evaluating them in opposition to the sphere from Apple, Amazon, Google, Bose, and extra. With so many connectivity choices — Wi-Fi streaming, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, and USB-C — plus the newly reengineered internals, Sonos is clearly attempting to ascertain itself because the chief in sensible audio system. What issues most of all is how they sound, in fact, and that’s the one factor I can’t communicate to only but.

The Eras symbolize only the start of Sonos’ plans for 2023; the corporate has mentioned it would launch a tool in a model new product class by the tip of the 12 months and intends to enter three different classes sooner or later.