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A couple of days ago, Sonos had one of its biggest product launches in a couple of years.
They announced the Era 100 and Era 300, ditching the previous naming scheme they have used for years.
The Sonos Era 300 is perhaps the most interesting of the two as it doesn’t really replace any speaker. It has spatial audio and is designed to be a perfect accompaniment to the Sonos Arc, giving you 7.1.4 channel audio with Dolby Atmos if used with a subwoofer as well.
The Sonos Era 100 is the successor to the Sonos One. The Sonos One will continue to be sold until stock runs out.
Price and Availability
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonos One SL - The Powerful Microphone-Free Speaker for... | 1,265 Reviews | Buy on Amazon | |
| Sonos One (Gen 2) - The powerful Smart Speaker with Amazon... | £249.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The Era 100 is priced £50 higher at £249 vs £199. Some may wonder if this price difference is worth it and if the Sonos One is worth buying before they run out of stock?
You can pre-order the Era 100 now, and it will be delivered from the 28th of March.
Sonos Era 100 vs Sonos One Compared
| Sonos Era 100 | Sonos One | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £249 / $249 | £199 / $219 |
| Speakers | 2x tweeters, 1x woofer Woofer is 25% larger | 1x tweeter, 1x woofer |
| Microphone | Far field microphone | Far field microphone |
| Trueplay | Yes & Quick Tuning | Yes |
| Ports | USB-C | Ethernet |
| USB-C Adaptors- | 3.5mm Line In (£19) Combo with 3.5mm and Ethernet (£39) | N/A |
| Smart assistants | Alexa, Sonos | Alexa, Sonos |
| Wireless | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4 GHz/5 GHz) Bluetooth 5.0 AirPlay 2 | 802.11a/b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz) AirPlay 2 |
| Size | 7.2 x 4.7 x 5.1 inches 183 x 120 x 131 mm | 6.4 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches |
The Sonos Era 100 should be a massive audio upgrade in comparison to the Sonos One.
The Sonos One has a single tweeter and a single mid-woofer which is then driven by two class-D amplifiers. It sounds good for the size and its price, but the audio is mono.
The Era 100 has a massive upgrade using two angled tweeters in conjunction with the single mid-woofer. It then has three class-D amplifiers. This allows it to produce stereo audio, and the angled tweeters should give it a good degree of stereo separation.
The woofer is said to be 25 per cent larger, which should hopefully result in a richer sound.
The CPU is also supposed to be 47 per cent faster processor which will enhance performance and make it more future-proof.
The Era 100 has improved connectivity. You now have Wi-Fi, but this has been upgraded to support Wi-Fi 6. You then get Bluetooth and the option to use 3.5mm aux if you buy a USB-C adaptor.
To use Bluetooth, there is a little toggle to switch it to Bluetooth mode.
After years of refusing to support Bluetooth, it seems like Sonos may support it on all future speakers.
Trueplay / Quick Tuning
Trueplay is supported on both speakers, but Trueplay uses the microphone on your phone, and it is only supported with an iOS device.
Quick Tuning uses the built-in microphones on your Era 100 to tune itself for its current location.
USB-C port is used to make you pay for Ethernet and/or 3.5mm
The USB-C port is a new thing, it seems like a sneaky way to extract more money from buyers. Sonos have ditched the Ethernet, so if you want to use the Aux and/or Ethernet, you will be on the hook for another £19/£39 depending on if you buy the 3.5mm adaptor or combo. They definitely could have included both ports built in as standard.
Sonos Era 100 Compatability with other Sonos speakers – Can you bond it with the Sonos One?
One caveat that you should be aware of, while you pair two Era 100 speakers in the same room,m you can not bond it with the Sonos One, One SL or Play:1.
This will be the main reason why you may want to get a Sonos One before it sells out.
The Era 100 will work with the Sonos Arc, Beam Gen 1 and Gen 2, or the Ray. It is not compatible with the Playbar or Playbase.
The Era 100 will also only work with the latest Sonos S2 app.
Not for Dolby Atmos
The Sonos Era 100 does not support spatial audio, so if you add two of these as your rear speakers in conjunction with the Beam Gen 2 or Arc, you will only get Dolby Atmos from the front speakers, so it will be 5.1.2 (or 5.0.2 without a sun) channel audio.
A full home cinema system with the Sonos Arc, Sub Gen 3 and 2x Era 100 will set you back almost £2100.
If you get the system with two Era 300 speakers, it will be £2466.
In comparison, the 7.1.4 Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Plus soundbar plus subwoofer will set you back £1898.
Also, if you want to use the Era 100 with your TV, you should use it in conjunction with one of the soundbars. Trying to use the 3.5mm can cause latency and/or lip-sync issues because the audio needs to convert from analogue to digital.
Overall
The Sonos Era 100 sounds like it is a massive upgrade from the Sonos One and well worth the extra £50.
However, you should consider how you plan to integrate it into your home. I was considering buying it and pairing it up with my Sonos One which is in my kitchen, but this sadly won’t work, I might just get the One SL instead.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-09-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
