The Sonos Era 100 and Era 300 speakers are reviewed and compared to the Apple Homepod 2nd generation. The Era 100 is a stereo speaker with a larger subwoofer than its predecessor, the Sonos One. The Era 300 is a new speaker that supports spatial sound. The speakers are tested with music, films, and TV shows. The Era 300 is recommended for music enthusiasts, while the Era 100 is suitable for people who want a smart assistant and the Homepod for those who like bass but lack depth. It is noted that to use these for films and TV shows, one needs a soundbar, ECO, or Beam 2nd generation, among other things.
1. Sonos has released a new line of speakers called Era.
2. The Era 100 is the successor to the Sonos One but is now a stereo speaker.
3. The Era 300 is a completely new speaker that supports spatial sound.
4. The Sonos app is still in beta and collaborating with Apple Music to support Dolby Atmos is possible.
5. Google Home is no longer available on the Sonos One, leaving it a less smart speaker.
6. The Era 100 has a larger subwoofer and two tilted tweeters for better stereo sound.
7. The Era 100 has a USB-C connection and Bluetooth 5.2.
8. The Era 300 has a complex configuration of tweeters for spatial sound.
9. Special audio is supported by Apple Music but not yet by Spotify.
10. The Era 100 and Era 300 can be combined for stereo sound and surround sound with a Sonos soundbar.
11. The speakers can be easily taken apart for component replacement.
12. The speakers were tested for sound quality and compared with the Apple HomePod.
13. The Era 300 was found to provide the best spatial audio.
14. The final verdict on which speaker to choose depends on individual preferences.