We’ve been on tenterhooks awaiting new info on Sonos’ new premium speaker range, the Sonos Era 300 and 100, since a leak earlier this month revealed that their name and that they would be focused on delivering Dolby Atmos.
Now the cat appears to be fully out of the bag, following a new leak at The Verge (opens in new tab) of marketing images and pricing information.
According to The Verge, the all-new Sonos Era 300 will include Bluetooth, USB-C line-in and AirPlay 2 compatibility as well as the previously revealed support for Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio. There’s also set to be Wi-Fi 6 connectivity for more robust wireless network connectivity.
Likely to rival Apple’s HomePod 2, the report adds that the Era 300 will boast a total of six drivers that are able to direct sound forward, left, right. The new model can be used in conjunction with a Sonos Arc or Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbars as rear surrounds, with a stereo pair of Era 300s allowing for immersive Atmos surround sound thanks to the upward-firing drivers.
While there had been speculation that the new model would replace the Sonos Five, the report claims that the older device will remain as an alternative option in the company’s speaker line up.
That doesn’t appear to be the case with the venerable Sonos One, which looks set to be ousted by the new Sonos Era 100 which is described as a direct replacement for the brand’s entry level speaker.
The Sonos Era 100 is set to support Bluetooth and USB-C line-in like its bigger sibling, but doesn’t feature up-firing drivers nor support for Spatial Audio or Dolby Atmos.
Both models are set to boast Alexa voice control but it remains unclear whether Google Assistant will be available amid Sonos’ ongoing legal dispute with Google.
Analysis: New speakers could provide missing home theater link for Sonos users
While features like Bluetooth and USB-C line-in are long-overdue features for Sonos, it’s still nevertheless pleasing to see them finally arrive on these new speakers – particularly on the entry-level 100 model.
It’s the Era 300 that’s unquestionably got us most excited though.
While many music fans remain skeptical on the merits of multi-channel audio, we’ve always been of the opinion that you need to hear a Dolby Atmos track on a decent system to really appreciate the possibilities.
The Era 300 looks likely to provide a decent all-in-one system for providing spatial audio, but being able to pair it up with Sonos’ Arc and Beam Gen 2 is a potential gamechanger. The addition of up-firing rear speakers should breathe new life into those two soundbars, and make them genuine home cinema contenders.
With Sonos also expected to launch a product in an entirely new category this year – potentially the long-awaited Sonos headphones or some kind of TV app or OS that was teased by job posts in 2022 – 2023 looks set to be a huge year for the American audio firm.
You can find out more about the two new speakers in our Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Era 300 guide, and if you're in the market for a new multi-room audio gear, check out our best wireless speaker and best smart speaker lists.
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