Review Sonos Era 100: new generation of wireless Sonos speakers

Adam Munsterman

Of the new wireless Sonos Era 100 and 300 speakers, we take a look at and listen to the smallest and most compact of the two: the Era 100 model. This completely redesigned model replaces the Sonos One.
The slightly oval and 18.5 cm high tower looks decorative, so that it fits into any home. The available colors are light gray and black. Control is on the top with smart touch buttons and is complemented by Alexa voice control and the Sonos app. The latter also offer many options for starting streams. The Era 100 can also be controlled via a Google Home device.

Technology
The speaker works stand-alone (independent), but also as a stereo pair or as rear speakers in combination with a Sonos soundbar, for example. The sound is streamed via Bluetooth 5.0 (SBC/AAC) or Wi-Fi 6 with Airplay2 and SonosNet. New is the USB-C connection at the back for an optional line-in adapter (€ 25) for, for example, a turntable or other sources that send sound via a wire. This adapter is also available in combination with an RJ45 Ethernet plug (€ 45).

The Era 100 has two directional tweeters, left and right, for stereo sound from a single unit. Special waveguides ensure better sound dispersion. In addition, there is a woofer that is 25% larger than the Sonos One. Fast processors drive 3 class D amplifiers, while the maximum sound quality is 24 bit / 48 kHz. Setup is done through the Sonos app and is a piece of cake. A second Era 100 can be added for a wider stereo image.

The Trueplay Tuning sound optimization technique was until now only available for iOS, but now also for Android. With this technique, the reproduction is optimized for the room in which the loudspeaker is installed. On top, microphones are used for the Trueplay Tuning and the (switchable) Alexa voice control.

Sound
We compare the sound of the Era 100 with a Sonos One of the 2^e generation. The quality improvement is not such that you have to immediately trade in the previous generation, but we hear a more powerful and balanced sound with more transparent bass. Especially at a lower volume, the sound sounds a bit more mature.

Conclusion
The Sonos Era 100 is more than a Bluetooth speaker because it has many more options. Due to its compactness, it can be placed anywhere, but it is dependent on mains power. The Sonos sound is appreciated by many. With this unit, Sonos manages to realize some subtle improvements on the sound level, but also with the handy stepless volume control on top. For more spatial use, such as Dolby Atmos, one has to rely on the Era 300. The warranty period is 2 years.

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Product: Sonos Era 100