Sonos has debuted the Era 300 and Era 100, their next generation of smart speakers, which were built to the company’s new responsible design standards. The Era 300 features spatial audio via Dolby Atmos, while Era 100 is a remastering of the best-selling Sonos One.
Tuned by award-winning artists and engineers, the Era family powers new levels of immersive listening with expanded connectivity and Trueplay technology. Both Era 300 ($449 USD) and Era 100 ($249 USD) will be available globally on March 28, 2023.
Design elements of the Era 300 and Era 100 promise span long-term serviceability, energy-efficient technologies, and use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials.
“In an age of constant background noise, quality listening matters more than ever. Our vision is to make listening an experience that is charged with feeling, and help our customers feel joy and vitality through their favorite music and audio content,” said Patrick Spence, CEO of Sonos. “The Era family is the next generation of smart speakers, epitomizing our commitment to sound innovation, responsible design and a deep connection to the creator community.”
Sonos Era 300
Era 300 boasts six drivers that direct sound left, right, forward and upward, delivering audio performance featuring Dolby Atmos.
“Dolby Atmos created a new way for music and audio entertainment to be experienced. Sounds and music come alive with unparalleled clarity and depth,” said Kevin J. Yeaman, CEO of Dolby. ““Era 300’s sound innovation with Dolby Atmos creates a completely immersive music experience.”
Era 300 wraps its acoustic architecture in a cinched hourglass design, with every angle, proportion, and perforation enhancing the direction and dispersion of sound.
Era 300 is the brand’s first speaker that delivers multi-channel surround sound when used as home theater rears. Movie fans can pair two speakers with Arc or Beam (Gen 2) to create a supercharged Dolby Atmos experience that draws them deeper into the action.
Sonos worked closely with its community of leading artists and creators — including Sonos Soundboard members — to fine-tune Era 300 so listeners can enjoy sound straight from the studio that’s true to the artist’s intent.
“Just like the shift from mono to stereo, spatial audio is the next evolution in listening – creating a sound experience that wraps you in music,” said Giles Martin, VP, sound experience at Sonos. “As both creators and major streaming platforms embrace spatial audio for music, the time is right to create an out loud listening experience that delivers against the promise of this thrilling and creative format.”
Sonos Era 100
Only slightly larger than its predecessor Sonos One, Era 100 features all-new hardware and software, with next-gen acoustics and design that deliver detailed stereo sound and deep bass.
Two angled tweeters in the Era 100 send high frequencies left and right for a stereo experience, while a larger midwoofer creates bass from a single compact speaker.
Packed full of audio and tech enhancements, Era 100’s slim, modern design makes it a chic accent piece for any bookshelf, kitchen counter, desk or nightstand. Adding two Era 100 speakers as rears with a soundbar can create a surround sound system, or simply pair two together for stereo sound.
Building on Sonos’s acoustic-driven design aesthetic, Era 100 and Era 300 were built in response to the challenges facing the environment. A new UI and innovations will help them last longer, according to the company, while using less energy and making use of recycled materials in each product.
“We bring the same forward-thinking mindset to responsible design as we do to creating powerful new listening experiences,” said Kitty Suidman, design director, product sustainability. “Our commitment to sustainability is embedded in our design process from the start, with the Era family marking a major step forward in our journey to create products that last beyond expectation, perform more efficiently, and use safer and circular materials.”
Era 100 and Era 300 are made with post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic and packaged in 100% sustainably sourced paper, while also engineered to reduce power consumption with under two watts idle power consumption and a new advanced sleep function.
Both speakers are built for serviceability by reducing the use of adhesives and transitioning to screws for easy disassembly and repair. Era 100 and Era 300 also feature a new capacitive volume slider for simple control that complements quick and private control of your music with Sonos Voice Control, the Sonos app, Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth. Audio streaming can be accomplished by using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth or via direct connect to other audio devices such as a turntable using an auxiliary cable and the Sonos Line-In Adapter.
Using the microphone array in Era 100 and Era 300, Trueplay optimizes the sound for the unique acoustics of your space with just a tap in the Sonos app. Available to both Android and iOS users.
