Sonos introduced two new wi-fi audio system as we speak that, each actually and figuratively, denote the beginning of a brand new period for the corporate. Until now Sonos has been concentrating its current efforts on its vary of soundbars. (And let’s be sincere: Arc, Beam Gen 2 and Ray are all among the finest pound-for-pound soundbars round.)
With the announcement of the brand new Era 100 and Era 300 audio system, although, Sonos has turned its consideration again to music—and is, for the primary time, embracing applied sciences each innovative and long-since established. It can also be sadly abandoning its fabulously clear and concise naming system for, properly, one thing else.
The Era 300, costing $449 (£449), is the larger, extra lavishly specified and dearer of the 2 new merchandise. Sonos describes it as being formed like an hourglass—this appears believable when you squint, however to us it appears to be like somewhat extra natural. Imagine a portion of a segmented insect, or a wi-fi speaker as imagined by H.R. Giger. If you have been being unkind, you may say the 300 had a whiff of ass about it, even.
The Era 300 is meant to ship spatial audio sound. Currently it’s restricted to dealing with Dolby Atmos content material streamed from Amazon (*100*) Unlimited through Wi-Fi—which is dangerous information for these of us who prefer to get their Dolby Atmos jollies from Apple (*100*) or Tidal, and even much less useful for individuals who really feel Sony’s 360 Reality Audio is the superior spatial audio format. Still, if the previous is something to go by, Sonos will convey different providers and codecs into the fold ultimately.
The Era 300 is fitted with a complete of six speaker drivers, every powered by a discrete block of Class D amplification. Sonos being Sonos, the precise quantity of energy, together with the dimensions and composition of the drivers, is privileged info—however there are some things we do know: A mid/treble driver faces ahead, two extra mid/treble drivers hearth from the edges of the cupboard to create some stereo width, and a horn-loaded tweeter is directed upward in an effort to ship the sonic top that’s a necessary on the checklist of Dolby Atmos audio priorities.
A pair of low-frequency woofers face left and proper, and their job is to supply the mandatory wallop and punch to the sound. All six drivers sit behind rigorously designed waveguides, in an effort to unfold sound as broad as attainable and to scale back the impression of a sonic “point source.”
