Sonos rings in a new era for sound quality, and smarts

These smart speakers manage to eclipse Apple and Google when it comes to sound quality, and need to be heard to be believed.

The Sonos Era 300. Source: Supplied.

We’re at the dawn of an exciting new era for smart speakers. With fierce competition now running rampant between the likes of Google, Amazon and Apple, there are now dozens of worthy options for discerning music lovers.

The new top of the pops however may be US outfit Sonos, who this week is debuting its two new rock stars – Era 100 and Era 300 – which threaten to set a new standard for sound quality, and smarts.

The Era 100 ($339) may not look radically different to others in its category, but it sure sounds it.

The device offers significantly louder volume than its earlier iteration – the Sonos One – or Apple’s HomePod for that matter, and just one speaker should ably fill any given room with sound.

For a speaker so modestly sized, this really is a big sound. Other noteworthy features include stereo playback through its two side-firing tweeters, and multiple connectivity options including Bluetooth and USB-C, which lets you add external devices like a turntable or FM tuner for example.

The Sonos Era 100. Source: Supplied.

The Era 300 ($749) is, as you might expect, next level. Available in black or white, the speaker boasts a striking hourglass design and Dolby Atmos functionality, delivering 3D spatial audio that was previously typically reserved for high-end headphones or soundbars from a modestly-priced speaker that can sit snugly in your bedroom or kitchen.

The result is immersive, magic-sounding sound that makes it hard to go back to anything less. Spatial audio is a feature currently only compatible with Amazon Music Unlimited, and is coming to Apple Music via a forthcoming update, and tracks sound noticeably superior to their non-spatial counterparts.

The cliche of a speaker sounding like you’re in the room with the musicians and producer is a well-worn one, but couldn’t be more apt here.

Albums like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon – newly remastered for spatial audio – and The Beatles’ Abbey Road have never sounded more muscular, richer, or better for a speaker this size.

The Era 300 is a significant step up from the Play:3 that came before it, and likely whatever speaker you’re currently using.

The Sonos Era 300. Source: Supplied.

The Era 300 sounds like magic and both it and its smaller sibling are magic to use. If you haven’t used a Sonos speaker before, you can queue music over Wi-Fi via an app for your smartphone or tablet, from songs in your own collection or from streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music.

The speakers also have Amazon Alexa built-in, meaning you can ask them to play a certain album or what today’s weather is, and they’re also compatible via an adaptor with external sources like your record player.

Where these speakers truly come into their own is when they‘re connected to other Sonos speakers; two Sonos Era 100s can act as rear speakers in a home theatre setup with a Sonos soundbar for example, or two Era 300s could be playing sound simultaneously throughout your kitchen and lounge.

Either the Era 100 or Era 300 would make an ideal building block to kitting out a home filled with sound, one that can be triggered with the touch of a button.

Simply put, these speakers represent an exciting new era for Sonos, and need to be heard to be believed.

The Era 100 and 300 are more than worthy upgrades of their predecessors, and should be at the very top of your list for your next smart speaker purchase.