The Sonos Era 100 Review: An In-Depth Look at the Latest Smart Speaker

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The Sonos Era 100 Unveiled

The Sonos Era 100 is the newest smart speaker offering from Sonos, designed to revolutionize your listening experience. This device provides comprehensive sound dispersion, plus various connection options. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity are available, as is line-in support. Plus, you can stream music from multiple services and control it with your voice. What sets it apart from previous Sonos models like the Sonos One is its wider soundstage, more powerful bass, and a more open and engaging sound. With a price tag of $249 / £249 / AU$399, the Era 100 aims to provide users with a high-quality smart speaker with excellent sound quality.

This cutting-edge speaker is packed with features that make it stand out from the crowd. In the following sections, we’ll delve into the Era 100’s stereo sound capabilities, voice control options, connectivity features, and much more, helping you understand what makes this smart speaker truly exceptional.

Stereo Sound Capabilities

The Sonos Era 100 provides a rich, warm, and balanced sound profile that is suitable for a variety of genres. Despite its small size, it delivers a surprisingly powerful bass without overpowering the other elements. However, it’s worth noting that the Era 100 utilizes processing techniques to produce a more powerful bass sound, which can lead to a slight decrease in volume when the bassline is particularly intense.

When compared to other smart speakers, the Era 100 offers a balanced sound profile suitable for a variety of genres, with a surprisingly powerful bass for its size. Its sound quality is comparable to other smart speakers, with the potential for a slight edge due to its processing capabilities. This makes the Era 100 an excellent choice for those seeking a speaker with exceptional sound performance.

Voice Control and Voice Assistants

Voice control is an essential feature for any smart speaker, and the Sonos Era 100 does not disappoint. It offers both Amazon Alexa and Sonos’ own music-focused Sonos Voice Control. While it does not support Google Assistant, the Era 100 still provides users with two voice assistant options to choose from.

The main difference between Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control is their functionality. Amazon Alexa is a multifunctional voice assistant capable of performing a variety of tasks, while Sonos Voice Control is specifically tailored for music control. This focus on music control ensures that the Era 100 delivers a seamless and enjoyable listening experience, no matter your preferred voice assistant.

Connectivity Options

In today’s interconnected world, having a versatile array of connectivity options is a must for any smart speaker. The Sonos Era 100 offers Bluetooth 5.0 and a USB-C port for easy and convenient connections. The Bluetooth button on the Era 100 enables Bluetooth connectivity, making it simple to pair your devices and stream audio wirelessly.

The Era 100 is also compatible with other Sonos speakers through the app for multi-room audio. It can be paired with another Era 100 for stereo sound or linked to a soundbar and Sub Mini for a surround setup. This versatility ensures that the Era 100 can be easily integrated into your existing Sonos ecosystem or function as the foundation for a new, immersive listening experience.

Design and Build Quality

The Sonos Era 100 features an oval design with a hard grille encasing it, touch controls on its top, a switch to deactivate the microphone on its rear, and a USB-C port. This sleek, modern design is available in black or white, ensuring that it will seamlessly blend into any decor. The six-foot power cable provides ample length for flexible placement options in your living space.

This compact speaker doesn’t compromise on build quality. The use of recycled materials in its construction demonstrates Sonos’ commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly practices. With its elegant design and robust build quality, the Era 100 is both an attractive and durable addition to your home audio setup.

Materials and Sustainability

Sonos has taken a conscious effort to incorporate sustainable practices in the production of the Era 100. The speaker employs recycled materials in its fabrication, showcasing the company’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint.

In addition to using recycled materials, the Era 100 is engineered to be energy-saving. This eco-friendly approach not only benefits the environment, but also ensures that the Era 100 is a responsible choice for environmentally conscious consumers seeking a high-quality smart speaker.

Touch Controls and Microphone Switch

The Era 100 boasts touch controls located on the top of the speaker, providing users with easy access to essential functions. The groove across the center of the Era 100 serves as a volume control, allowing you to easily adjust the volume to your preference.

For those concerned about privacy, the Era 100 includes a physical mute switch on the rear of the speaker. This switch allows you to deactivate the microphone, ensuring that the speaker is not listening when you don’t want it to be.

With these thoughtful features, the Era 100 offers both convenience and peace of mind.

Sound Performance and Spatial Audio

The Sonos Era 100 boasts a wider soundstage, improved bass extension, and spatial audio capabilities in comparison to the Sonos One. This enhanced sound performance results in a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience. However, it is worth noting that the Era 100’s Loudness boost feature, a default setting on Sonos speakers, can lead to less smooth bass. Disabling this feature is recommended for optimal sound quality.

The Era 100’s supplementary speaker, an additional tweeter, complements the One’s mid-woofer and tweeter, creating a more expansive soundscape. The wider dispersion of sound eliminates the’sweet spot’ for listening, allowing the Era 100 to produce an equal sound quality from any location in the room. This results in a truly exceptional listening experience, no matter where you are in your space.

Comparing to Sonos One

When comparing the sound quality of the Era 100 to its predecessor, the Sonos One, it is evident that the Era 100 offers an improved listening experience. The Era 100 provides increased bass extension through the inclusion of a 25% larger woofer, resulting in a more significant enhancement to the sound.

However, the Era 100 is not as well-equipped in the bass range as is typical for Sonos products, and with a higher price tag than its predecessor, its value is not as apparent as with the Sonos One.

In summary, although the Era 100 offers more power and features than the Sonos One, the value proposition may not be as clear-cut for those who do not require the additional features. If you are looking for a speaker with superior sound quality and are willing to pay the higher price for those improvements, the Era 100 may be the right choice for you.

Processing Tricks and Bass Performance

The Era 100 utilizes processing techniques to achieve a full-bodied bass sound, which can be both a strength and a potential issue. While this processing allows for a more powerful bass, there is the possibility of a slight decrease in volume when deep basslines enter the mix.

However, it is important to remember that the overall sound quality of the Era 100 remains impressive, making it a viable option for those seeking a speaker with exceptional bass performance. This potential drawback should be taken into consideration when deciding whether the Era 100 is the right choice for you.

The Sonos App and Trueplay Calibration

The Sonos app and Trueplay calibration feature play a significant role in enhancing the listening experience with the Era 100. The Sonos app provides users with the capability to control their Sonos system, access streaming services, and create personalized playlists. It is compatible with iOS and Android devices, as well as Mac and PC computers, making it accessible to a wide range of users.

Trueplay is a feature that optimizes the sound of your Era 100 according to the acoustics of the room it is in. For iOS users, the existing procedure for a comprehensive calibration is available, while Android users can now benefit from the Era 100’s self-calibration through its integrated microphones. This feature, in conjunction with the versatile Sonos app, ensures a tailored and enjoyable listening experience.

App Features and Compatibility

The Sonos app offers a variety of features that enhance the user experience. In addition to controlling your Sonos system, the app provides access to a variety of streaming services, such as Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, and more. The app also supports various audio formats, such as MP3, AAC, WAV, and more, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of content.

Voice assistant compatibility is another feature of the Sonos app, with support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The app also allows for the connection of other devices, such as TVs, gaming consoles, and more, making it a versatile and indispensable tool for controlling your Era 100 and other Sonos devices.

Trueplay Calibration Process

Trueplay calibration works to optimize sound quality based on the speaker’s environment. Using a microphone and a compatible mobile device, the Era 100 measures the sound of the speaker in its environment and adjusts the sound accordingly. This guarantees that the sound is customized to the space, resulting in optimal sound quality.

The speaker’s environment plays a crucial role in the Trueplay calibration process, as any changes in the environment will result in a corresponding alteration in the sound of the speaker. This adaptive feature ensures that the Era 100 consistently delivers a tailored and immersive listening experience, no matter where it is placed.

Pricing and Value Proposition

Priced at $250, the Era 100 is more costly than the Sonos One and Sonos One SL, and is in a similar price range as the Apple HomePod 2 and Audio Pro Addon C10. Despite its higher price tag, the Era 100 offers excellent sound quality, voice control, and a variety of connectivity options. However, its value proposition may not be as clear-cut for those who do not require the additional features.

The Era 100 is the most cost-effective smart speaker according to the source. However, it is essential to consider the features and performance of competing smart speakers in the same price range, such as the Apple HomePod 2 and Audio Pro Addon C10, to determine if the Era 100 is the right choice for you.

Price Comparison with Sonos One SL

When comparing the price of the Era 100 to the Sonos One SL, the Era 100 is priced at $399, while the Sonos One SL is priced at $179. The Era 100 offers a larger soundstage, more powerful bass, and a more advanced voice assistant than the Sonos One SL. However, the Sonos One SL has a more compact size, a streamlined design, and a more affordable cost than the Era 100.

In conclusion, the Era 100 offers more power and features than the Sonos One SL, but the Sonos One SL provides greater value for those who do not require the additional features. Ultimately, the choice between these two speakers will depend on your individual needs and preferences.

Competing Smart Speakers

The Apple HomePod 2 and Audio Pro Addon C10 are two other options in the same price range as the Sonos Era 100. The Apple HomePod 2 is equipped with a built-in Siri voice assistant, while the Audio Pro Addon C10 features a built-in Google Assistant. Both speakers provide Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as support for multiple streaming services.

Comparing their features and performance to the Era 100, the Apple HomePod 2 offers superior sound quality with enhanced bass and clearer highs, while the Audio Pro Addon C10 has superior spatial audio capabilities with a wider soundstage.

This comparison demonstrates that the Era 100 is a viable option for those seeking a smart speaker in the same price range as the Apple HomePod 2 and Audio Pro Addon C10, boasting impressive sound quality, voice control, and connectivity options, as well as the capability to adjust the sound with Trueplay calibration.

Summary

In conclusion, the Sonos Era 100 is a feature-rich smart speaker that offers excellent sound quality, voice control, and connectivity options. Its wider soundstage, improved bass extension, and spatial audio capabilities set it apart from previous Sonos models and competing smart speakers in its price range. The Sonos app and Trueplay calibration feature further enhance the listening experience, making the Era 100 a strong contender in the smart speaker market.

Whether the Era 100 is the right choice for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. However, with its impressive array of features and performance capabilities, the Sonos Era 100 is undeniably a smart speaker worth considering for those seeking an immersive and enjoyable listening experience.

If you found this review interesting please check out my review on the Sonos Era 300.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Era 100 worth it?

The Sonos Era 100 is worth it if you’re looking for excellent sound quality in a compact, single speaker system. Its powerful audio output and impressive features make it the perfect choice for anyone looking for an immersive listening experience without needing two speakers.

With its advanced room tuning and stereo tweeters, you’ll get great sound in any environment.

Is Sonos ERA 100 Loud?

Yes, the Sonos ERA 100 is loud. With its three drivers powered by their own Class D amplifier, the ERA 100 delivers strong volume and deep bass. It can provide enough volume for most rooms in the house, surpassing other models such as the Sonos One and HomePod in loudness.

The ERA 100 is also designed to be easy to use. It has a simple setup process and intuitive controls, making it a great choice.

Is the Sonos ERA 100 Portable?

No, the Sonos ERA 100 is not a portable speaker, as it requires setup with the Sonos app on your home WiFi before it can be used as a Bluetooth speaker.

It must be connected to your home WiFi network in order to work properly. This means that it cannot be taken on the go and used as a Bluetooth speaker.

Does the Sonos ERA 100 have to be plugged in?

Yes, the Sonos ERA 100 requires plugging into the wall for power.

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