March 7, 2023, 03:00 am – Updated March 7, 2023, 03:34 am
He already anticipates their name and how high they aim. Sonos officially presents the new Era CCC and Era C, two smart speakers that want to become the kings of their genre. On the one hand we have a speaker with local sound and Dolby Atmos created from scratch for the occasion and on the other the update of one of the most popular products in the house, Sonos One.
We had the opportunity to hear them briefly from Xataka, and our feelings were invincible. If we had a high-end speaker with local sound with the Apple HomePod, Sonos wants to take this experience to a higher level. There are already many solutions with Dolby Atmos on the market, but few in compact form like the Era CCC.
Technical sheet of the Sonos Era 3oo and Era 100
Era 100: Stereo sound and finally with Bluetooth
The new Sonos Era 100 is a cylindrical speaker, slightly larger than the Sonos One, with no other reason than its internal sound system. We have a double tweeter architecture that allows stereo sound.
For bass, Sonos explains that the midrange is 25% larger than in the Uno, which translates to a deeper bass.
That is, at the hardware level, at the software level we have Trueplay, the Sonos technology that analyzes the environment to optimize the equalizer and adjust the sound. Before it was only available on iOS, now it also comes to Android.
The Sonos Era 100 has WiFi 6 and can be controlled from the Sonos app, but this year they come with several small innovations for better use. The first is that Bluetooth 5.0 is added to be able to send songs from the mobile. We look at the current speaker, but like Roam sounds, we can use Bluetooth to send songs.
Another innovation is the incorporation of a capacitive touch button to control songs from the device. Sonos is known for its minimal products, but these additions have been introduced in almost all of its smart speakers and finally. For voice control of the plane, the Sound Era 100 is compatible with Amazon’s Alexa. Not so with Google Assistant, because compatibility disappeared in the new era.
The last addition is that USB-C is added, so that an external audio source can be connected. It is done using an auxiliary cable and adapter, which is sold separately.
In terms of power, Sonos boasts that the standby power has been reduced to below 2W, an energy-saving quiet mode has been incorporated and all plastic has been replaced with a new, recycled one. A change that affects the tonality of the product, they are still black and white, but with an unchanged tone.
The Sonos Era 100 will be available globally from March 28 at an official list price of $279.
Era 300: designed from the ground up to deliver the best Dolby Atmos sound
The Sonos Era 300 is completely new. It is a speaker that has not had a modern place in the Catalog of Sounds, nor in any other respect. We are relative speakers, but inside it hides up to six speakers that are compatible in four directions to generate spatial sound with Dolby Atmos.
We have four tweeters for high and mid frequencies. In the middle we have one point forward, two points to the side to generate a stereo effect and finally one speaker to cause reflections on the ceiling that allows playing Dolby Atmos content. Additionally, they design two ‘covers’ to the sides, increasing the stereo effect.
After hearing these, the truth impresses. Few small tricks can offer this level of surround sound. With that particular shape that looks like a VR headset, the Era 300 is probably the best Dolby Atmos speakers in the compact size. But it can also be controlled by voice and manage other devices compatible with Alexa.
It’s a smart speaker, in the style of Amazon’s Echo Studio or Apple’s HomePod, but the Era 300 has to compete even against speakers dedicated to Dolby Atmos sound reproduction. This model is the first from Sonos to include multi-channel surround sound, which allows you to add an option to your home theater system, with a sound bar that can be used to expand the Dolby Atmos system. Sonos describes two Era 300s together with a subwoofer to unlock the full Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 experience.
Sonos explains that it has worked with multiple Hollywood artists to adapt the sound and be as faithful as possible to the original intention of these creators. The Era 300 also comes with Trueplay, is compatible with iOS and Android, and has noise-canceling microphones to optimize listening to voice commands. As usual in a few years, it includes a physical microphone, a cartoon for those who want it for privacy reasons.
Other added features of these new Sonos Era are WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 and the ability to connect an external audio source via the USB-C port and adapter, which is sold separately.
One of the problems with this type of speaker is that they offer hardware that is ahead of its time. Currently, we have a compatible service to enjoy spatial sound and have Dolby Atmos, but there are few who offer it. One option is Amazon Music Unlimited. Another Lake will be, because from the end of March compatibility with spatial audio in Apple Music will be added to Era 300, Arc and Beam (Gen 2).
The new Sonos Era 300 will be available in Spain from March 28, at an official price of 499 coins.
