SOUND IT OUT
WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LATEST SMART SPEAKER RELEASES FROM SONOS
THERE’S a new Era at Sonos – two in fact. The high-end smart speaker maker has revealed its next generation of devices.
The most exciting of the two is the Era 300, a new design that is all about spatial audio.
The elegant hourglass design hides six speakers within – four tweeters to hit the highs and mids, and two woofers to ensure the low end doesn’t miss out.
Fully supporting Dolby Atmos surround sound, the speaker can direct audio in all directions, and puts the listener at the heart of the sound stage.
Music sources that support spatial audio seem to place different voices within tracks in different areas of your space – it’s like stereo on steroids.
It supports connection via wifi, Bluetooth, or even a wired line-in, so you can play music from almost any audio source.
It is of course compatible with streaming music via all the major services, including Amazon, Apple, and Spotify.
Sonos has, as usual, worked with creators around the world, under the guidance of its VP of Sound Experience Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George, to fine-tune the audio output of the Era 300 to match as closely as possible what the artist intended.
If that wasn’t enough, you can pair two speakers with an Arc or Beam (Gen 2) soundbar to supercharge your music listening, or use as a home cinema system when paired with your TV.
Support for Amazon Alexa and Apple’s AirPlay 2 rounds out an impressive set of features.
The second speaker Sonos revealed this week is the Era 100, which lacks the novel design of the Era 300, and is more-or-less an upgraded version of the Sonus One, the model it replaces.
It’s a bit bigger than the One, and its biggest new feature is an ability to direct audio both left and right for a true stereo effect.
The reworked internals can’t manage spatial audio, but it’s an upgraded audio experience nonetheless.
Like the 300, the 100 supports pairing with another unit and a soundbar for a complete audio solution.
The connected app that controls everything for both speakers has also received a spruce up, and Android and iOS users can now utilise an extra feature which sees the speakers scan your space and optimise audio to match.
Sonos is also touting both new speakers’ eco credentials – they’re made from recycled plastic and will come in a package made from recycled paper and card. ■ The Era 300 (£449) and Era 100 (£249) will be available on March 28. Find out more at sonos.com