With a new name, bigger sound and refreshed design this is a new Era for Sonos
What we love
- New design looks sublime
- Bigger sound and extra bass
- More ways to connect devices
- Can be repaired more easily
What we don’t
- No Google Assistant
- Higher price
- No USB-C dongle in the box
Sonos Era 100
The Era 100 arrives with a new design, more bass, and the option to connect any device via 3.5mm or Bluetooth, as well as lossless Wi-Fi streaming
Sonos is back with a new speaker and it needs to be good. The Era 100 is replacing the hugely popular Sonos One which has been pleasing fans since it launched all the way back in 2017. Luckily, the US audio experts do not disappoint with the Era 100 offering sublime sound that’s loud, rich and booming with bass.
That’s all thanks to a more advanced processor tucked inside its eco-friendly design along with a 25 percent larger woofer and dual-angled tweeters.
The Era 100 really does impress and thanks to clever Truplay technology, which adapts the audio depending on the room, it’s able to make sure the tone is perfectly matched to your space.
Set-up is a breeze with the Sonos app doing all the heavy lifting for you and it features the usual sleek appearance you expect from Sonos. There are also some neat new touches including an indented volume bar which makes it much easier to whack the volume up to 11.
Other extras include Bluetooth connectivity plus there’s now a USB-C port on the back which makes it simple to plug in external devices such as turntables.
If you have plenty of cash in the bank, two Era 100s can be paired in the same room for wider stereo sound and a more immersive sound experience. Talking of money, this is one massive sticking point as this new speaker is now £249 – that’s £50 more than the Sonos One.
There’s also no access to the Google Assistant (only Amazon’s Alexa) which is really annoying, plus you’ll need to buy additional dongles (around £20) to use that useful USB-C port on the rear case.
With a new name, bigger sound and refreshed design this is a new Era for Sonos and the 100 doesn’t disappoint. Just beware that the Sonos One is still on sale and a whole lot cheaper.
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Sonos Era 100: Full review
The Sonos One hasn’t had a major reboot since 2017 and many were expecting this popular speaker to receive a refresh. However, Sonos hasn’t just given things a bit of spit and polish with the One’s replacement getting a new name, new look and bigger sound tucked under its shell.
The Era 100 has been built from the ground up but has it done enough to beat its predecessor and does it really warrant the £50 price hike?
Express.co.uk has been putting the Era 100 through its paces and here’s our full review.
Set-up and design
Sonos has honed and refined its set-up process over the years and the Era 100 is a breeze to get up and running. Lift it out of its fully recyclable packaging, plug it in, launch the Sonos app and you’ll have this new speaker added to your system in seconds. All of the heavy lifting is done for you and anyone with an existing Sonos device will even find the Era 100 links up to the Wi-Fi without having to start digging around for that ever-forgettable password.
Once the Era 100 is added to the app you can leave it as a standalone device or add it to your existing system for the full multi-room experience. There are also other easy ways to beam music to this device with Apple’s AirPlay 2 included and there’s now the addition of Bluetooth – that’s something that has long been lacking from the Sonos One.
Owners can simply press the Bluetooth connection button on the back and link any devices such as tablets, phones and laptops.
It’s an important change from Sonos and it’s sure to be popular with anyone who treats themselves to the Era. Once you’re all up and running you’ll find the 100 fits neatly on any desk, shelf or table.
The sleek design makes sure this device doesn’t dominate a room and its curved edges soften its appearance.
You can buy it in black or white which is fine but possibly not the most exciting of colour schemes – it’s a shame Sonos hasn’t added a grey or something brighter to the collection but maybe more styles will be added at a later date.
The final thing to mention about the Era 100 is the new control panel on the top. Sonos has included the usual play, pause and voice assistant buttons but has added a sunken volume bar which runs across the device. It’s a really nice addition and makes whacking the volume up to 11 fast and easy as you simply swipe to increase or reduce the power.
There’s really little to complain about when it comes to set-up, connection and aesthetics and this is another triumph for the Sonos design team.
Audio quality
The latest Era 100 is replacing the much-loved Sonos One so it has very big shoes to fill. Luckily, it sounds just as good, if not better, than its predecessor with a sound that brimming with glorious detail and booming with rich bass.
In fact, this latest speaker offers a woofer that’s 25 percent bigger than the Sonos One and it really shows. Pump up the volume and things appear rich and full-bodied without being overpowering or losing any clarity.
If you’re not a big fan of bass then you might find the Era 100 a little much but we’ve really enjoyed what it has to offer. Also tucked under its sleek shell are dual-angled tweeters which are capable of sending crisp high frequencies left and right for a full stereo experience.
If you really feel the need, two Era 100s can be linked together plus added to a Sonos Beam or Arc for a full surround sound feel. We’ve not tested that functionally but we did hear a demo before the speaker launched and it sounded mightily impressive.
One other thing to note is how loud this speaker gets. We tested it in a standard-sized room and didn’t get close to pushing things to the max. Even if you live in a Premier League footballer’s mansion we reckon the Era 100 would fill a pretty large space with music.
This latest device will please your ears but the older Sonos One was no slouch when it comes to quality. Is the Era 100 better? Definitely yes. Is it enough to upgrade from a Sonos One? Probably not.
Smart assistants
If you’ve owned a Sonos One you’ll be well used to shouting orders at the Google and Amazon smart assistants. Having both of these helpers on one speaker is a brilliant feature but we have bad news if you buy the Era 100.
Google is gone from this device which is a massive blow for anyone who uses services and other products from the US technology giant.
Although Alexa is good, there are things that Google simply does better – such as finding phone numbers and getting directions – and those buying the Era 100 will now miss out. It’s also not great for anyone with a home full of Google-made Nest devices as these can’t be controlled via the Era 100 either.
Whether Google will return remains to be seen but right now it’s just Alexa and the new Sonos Assistant that are available on this device.
New USB-C connectivity
Sonos has included its usual Wi-Fi connectivity along with AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth but there’s also the ability to plug external devices, such as turntables, right into the speaker via a USB-C port.
It’s another nice addition that really sets the Era 100 apart from the Sonos One. The only niggle is that you need an adapter to make playback possible and that costs another £19.
It all feels a bit stingy not packing it inside the box although we’re guessing it cuts down on electronic waste for all those who wouldn’t find any use for this dongle.
Sonos Era 100
The Era 100 arrives with a new design, more bass, and the option to connect any device via 3.5mm or Bluetooth, as well as lossless Wi-Fi streaming
Price
As we’ve already mentioned there’s bad news on price with the Era 100 costing £50 more than the Sonos One. £249 for this device isn’t a rip-off especially as the firm has now made things much easier to repair meaning owners should get years of usage out it.
The only reason that feels expensive is because of that lower cost for the One.
Some stores even have deals available which mean you can pick this older device up for £149 – that’s a whopping £100 less than the Era.
If you do decide that you want the newest speaker from Sonos then the firm does offer the ability to pay back via instalments (3 months at £83) which certainly improves the affordability.
Sonos Era 100: Final verdict
The Era 100 is a solid replacement for the Sonos One. This speaker looks great, sounds mighty and gets new features such as Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity. The refreshed volume bar makes it easier to pump things up to 11 and Sonos kit remains super simple to set up and use.
The fact that the US audio firm has also made it easier to repair should mean it lasts years on your shelf.
We’ve enjoyed our time with the Era but there are some niggles including the lack of Google support which is a massive blow to those who use the tech firm’s products and services as the 100 isn’t compatible. The £249 price is also pretty steep and it’s made worse by the fact that the Sonos One remains on sale at a much cheaper price.
This is clearly a new era for Sonos and it’s another solid audio device that users will love. If the price drops in the Black Friday sales and Google comes back in future it will be impossible not to recommend buying one.
Just remember that, right now, the Sonos One is a total bargain and Google comes baked in.
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