Introducing Era 100

It’s going to be subjective at that point, depending on how much content you watch can benefit from the clarity and bass.  And none of us have even heard the Era 100.

U are correct, we need to have feedback from whom can try them as “sourround” speakers…

I personally look at Netflix.

Let’s see if the ERA100 are a valid up grade!!!

I have an Arc, a Sub Gen 2 with 2 surround Play 1s . I’ve ordered ERA 300s to replace the Plays.

( £299 for 2 stands - are you having a laugh!!).

I have 2 Ones, as mono speakers around the house. And I have a Beam Gen 1, with Sub Mini and 2 further Play 1s for surround on a second television,

So for me the question is, whether to replace the 2 ‘further Play 1s’ with the 2 Ones and to order 2 ERA 100s, to use as the mono speakers.

Waiting for a review that helps me to decide if the increase in quality would be substantial enough to justify the change. The Plays are now my oldest kit, so might be prudent to move it on now.

I’m going to hang onto my Play 3s and Play 1s as long as possible, not for the sound but because they have real buttons that I find so much easier to use.

Double that for the ones that are high-mounted, above my head, and you have to operate blind.

Although Sonos is marketing the Era 100 as the successor to the One...IMO it still reminds me of the Play 3 given the suggested stereo affect; just only in a different oriental (vertical vs Horizontal). Granted the Era 100 is light years ahead of the Play 3 in features/design and just as such vs the One. JMHO 

Well I was hoping that the new speakers will be upward firing, So I won’t be upgrading.

This will be a significant update to the Ones. Face it. 

It’s amusing watching people try to convince themselves this won’t be a big upgrade to One’s. It obviously will be for many reasons. 

LOL.  Keep telling yourself that. 

Sure it will be a considerable upgrade to the one’s but it wasn’t the upgrade I was looking for.

Did you want One’s with up firing  rears?  Would have been nice to have considering the cost of the 300’s but I was convinced by the 7.1.4 of the 300’s with sub and ARC to buy a set and the ERA 100’s for bedroom speakers.

Let's see how good the touch sensitive slider is on the new ones.  Some devices that works well others not.  I’m betting sonos got it right.  I preordered a set of 1’s and a set of 300’s so will see soon.

It’s looking like the 100’s will be much better standalone speakers due to the two tweeters larger bass driver and all the other improvement in flexibility.

It’s a legit consideration.  When used as surround speakers, the difference between a Era 100 and Sonos One SL  is minimal.  Is it worth spending $468  for a pair instead of $378 respectively?  Probably so for the vast majority.  Is it worth spending $468 for a pair instead of keeping what you have?  That is a much bigger ask.  That’s a lot of eggs. It only makes sense if you have money to burn, think you can sell the One SLs for a good return, or can relocate the One SLs to another spot in your home.  And honestly, if you’re going to relocate to create a new stereo pair room, I think you’d get more out of Era 100s as a stereo pair and keeping the One SLs where they are as surrounds.

@melvimbe - this is where I am on the 100s too. I have 2 One SLs as surrounds and don’t have anywhere else I would put them. I cannot afford 2 of the 300s so upgrading to 100s would not be worth it for me.

If I were starting afresh though, of course I would get the 100s instead.

You would have to be delusional to believe that.

It looks like it will be much easier to take out for resets etc too which is a major bonus.  The old ones I kept thinking I would break something trying to get them out.

Again, nothing delusional about putting some thought into it before deciding to spend $468 on an unknown improvement in audio quality.   Yes, it certainly will be better, but none of us have heard the new speakers yet, or could possibly put a subjective value on it for anyone else.

I beg to differ that the new 100’s will be a big upgrade to my Play:1 in this use case - as surrounds to my Ark+Sub. I just don’t see how I need ‘more’ of anything for my surround sounds unless they added an upward channel. 

Will they be an upgrade to my stereo one pair in my office? Possibly. But it’s my office, I don’t tax what the one’s offer. So i don’t see the need either. I would be more tempted to add a mini sub to that pair (and it’s cheaper!) to fill out the sound. ‘Rarely do i think ‘yea, i need more tweeters’ when running in stereo! 

Now, had the 100’s had an upward firing speaker, i’d have traded in my Play:1 speakers already and had the 100’s on order. I was ready. But I am not spending $1120 in Canada for the 300’s.

I don’t mean to be negative and I may consider the 100’s and 300’s for other uses. I still like what Sonos offer. But I don’t need more speakers right now, and I don’t see the $$$ value in the upgrade path. 

People are stating is as fact though.  Clearly two tweeters, bigger bass and other sonic improvements will make this a much better speaker for rears than the current models.  It’s pretty obvious.  There are already some measurements and sound demos out there including one comparing the 100 to the 300, look on you tube.  Estimating 25% more bass for the woofer alone.

Arc….nobody said you “need” anything including speakers at all. This always happens, people rationalize why their version 1 that they already spent money on must be as good as version 2 despite all the reasons it can’t be.

No.  People are questioning whether it’s worth it (subjective) to upgrade, and you’re saying they are delusional.

 Yes, they sound better, but rear surround sound channel is where ‘sound better’ is least important. If you’ve spent ~$2000 on your home theatre setup, which is about the cost of Arc + sub + 2 One Sls, are you going to spend another ~$500 for Era 100s?  That’s 25% more.  Are you going to hear that 25% more base and be 25% happier with your system?  Legit questions.

Personally, I’m not going to replace my surrounds with Era 100, and Era 300.  I think I’ll get Era 300s for use as pair, not surrounds.  I’ll likely try the 300s as surrounds to see if I think it’s worth it.  I may do the same with Era 100s, but that’s far from decided yet.  For me, I can’t replace Ones and use them in another room as I have no more rooms and am getting very close to the 32 device limit.  Getting rid of older units is the only option.

Yes, Arc. 

It’s not that I don’t think the new version will be an improvement. It’s that I don’t think the improvement is necessary to enhance in my use case. The only thing I wanted from the surround sound replacements to my Play:1 was hight. I don’t need more lower end. I don’t even thing the extra tweeter will offer much more. It’s the surround channel. Thats not a $600 problem to solve. Heck, the IKEA shelf speakers would probably be where I’d look, of the lamp, if the 1’s died or support ended. No height = No Go.

And as for wanting hight... the price of the 300’s for surrounds is hight.  I fear my wife would take objection to two 300’s appearing in our living room. Too big and noticeable. And too much room on the side table. If I then ordered the stands and she realized i’d spent a total of $1750 to replace my two Play:1 (total cost ~$400 many years ago). Well I’d be sleeping on the spare bed for quite some time. And she would be 100% right because as a value proposition… they don’t stand up in that use case. In my opinion. 

It’s a moot point. I’d been wanting for 100’s hoping for hight, to replace my play:1. They don’t offer it. The 300’s are too big and expensive for my needs.

Lastly, I still think the 100’s as a strait up new pair of speakers for a new room, user etc, look great. And I can see where I would consider the 300’s… in a new room. So I still like Sonos, and will continue to use their product. 

Is it worth to upgrade from Gen1 IKEA Symfonisk Bookshelf speakers to the Era 100 in a surround sound setup (Arc+Sub)?

Probably not.   Rear sound effects are often subtle, you would likely see a mild improvement in bass and width (if you have a large room) due to the directional tweeters.  For music and not as rears I am sure they will be a big improvement.

The era 300s are a decent upgrade for spatial audio but expensive and still wouldn’t see the benefit as they would for music etc used not as rears. So if you have money to burn then sure.

I personally wanted a One upgrade with height channel but it didn’t happen.  I will save my cash for the next iteration in soundbar as it will likely improve atmos effects more than any rears would.