The Sonos Era 300 speaker marks a turning point in the evolution of the manufacturer’s range. While Sonos has already established itself in the surround sound niche with its soundbars, none of its Wi-Fi speakers had until now broadcast sound other than in stereo. The Era 300 breaks this rule and, in addition to stereo, supports Dolby Atmos to produce immersive 3D sound.
As a reminder, Dolby Atmos, initially reserved for home cinema, is now used for mixing music. Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music offer a wide range of Dolby Atmos catalogs, regularly enriched with new titles and revisited old albums. This format has a double appeal: it has from 5 to 7 tracks – a quantity of sound elements that is far superior to stereo – but also vertical sound objects to be positioned above the listener. This is not so simple with a single, let alone compact speaker. And yet…
Design
The Era 300 adopts the aesthetic codes dear to Sonos, with a blend of matte PVC and fine lacquered aluminum acoustic grilles. However, this speaker marks a major departure in the manufacturer’s style, with a waist curve that gives it a diabolo-like appearance. The Sonos Era 300 is a fairly large horizontal speaker, with 26 cm in width, 16 cm in height, and almost 19 cm in depth. It is also quite heavy, at 4.5 kg, a sign that its speakers are equipped with large magnets and therefore presumably powerful.
The top of the speaker is occupied by a touch control area that brings together playback and volume controls, the latter being adjustable by touch or swipe. The voice assistant can be disabled with a simple touch, but the speaker has a physical button on the back to turn off its microphones more securely.
Internal structure
Sonos has not skimped on the Era 300, which houses no less than six transducers, spread over the front, top, and sides. The main speakers, responsible for reproducing the frequencies of the bass and mid-range registers, are installed on the sides of the speaker and therefore radiate towards the sides. Identical to those that power the Sonos Era 100, these oblong transducers, about 12 cm in height, are each associated with a tweeter, which also radiates laterally and upwards.
The last two transducers are also dome tweeters, installed on the front and top faces. This final tweeter is particularly in demand when playing music in Dolby Atmos and is mounted on a small horn, which mechanically amplifies the produced sounds (megaphone principle) and allows sound beams to be generated.
Connectivity
The Sonos Era 300 has a Wi-Fi controller (Wi-Fi 6 standard) and – a characteristic shared with the Era 100 – a Bluetooth receiver, for listening to music without a connection to the home network. Pairing is done by pressing a small button on the back of the speaker.
Just like on the Era 100, there is a USB-C connector designed to connect analog audio sources and headphones to the speaker. For example, a computer, a music player, or even a record player, provided that the latter has a built-in RIAA preamp. It’s a shame that Sonos doesn’t include the adapter cable! Optional, it requires an additional financial effort of $25. It’s not a big deal, but for a speaker priced at $449, it’s a bit much.
Usage and application
Like all Sonos speakers, the Era 300 can be used alone or paired with other models in the range as part of a multi-room or home cinema system. For example, with two Sonos Era 300 speakers, you can create a stereo system, possibly supported by a Sonos Subwoofer. The Era 300 can be used in addition to the manufacturer’s soundbars as a surround and Dolby Atmos speaker at the back of the listening area.
Implementation and acoustic calibration
To set up the Sonos Era 300, you must have an iPhone, iPad, Android smartphone, or tablet. The Sonos app is used to connect the speaker to the home network and then adjust its various settings. The user is guided through each step of the installation, which only takes a few moments. Once the speaker is discovered and connected to Wi-Fi, it is simply added to the desired room.
I did not observe a fundamental difference between the two techniques in three different rooms, so owning an iPhone does not confer a decisive advantage. TruePlay calibration affects both tonal balance and spatialization, which is more pronounced. And if the result is not satisfactory, a click is all it takes to return to the default settings.
Extensive support for online music services
The strength of the Sonos ecosystem is its excellent support for music services. Sonos allows the user to add one or more subscriptions directly to their app, which then allows them to search for titles across all music streaming services, and even in a local audio server (DLNA or Plex).
The system is well-oiled and everything works very well. With the iPhone, you can also use your music service app and listen to the Era 300 via AirPlay. Under Android, this direct playback function is limited to Spotify, Deezer, and Tidal, as the speaker does not support Google Cast.
Two voice assistants to choose from
At odds with Google, Sonos has abandoned Google Assistant in favor of Alexa and Sonos Voice Control. To ask the Era 300 for the weather, actions, or a recipe, you must activate Alexa in the Sonos app. But to request the playback of a music title, the Sonos Voice Control assistant is more than enough. A good point, this assistant processes all voice commands locally, without transmission to Sonos servers (unlike Alexa).
The sensitivity of the built-in microphones is good, although you must speak clearly and not mumble for the assistant to activate reliably.
Dolby Atmos support
The chief surprise is the support for Dolby Atmos. As a reminder, this multichannel 5.1 or 7.1 audio format, with vertical spatialization metadata, is offered by three streaming services: Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Tidal, the latter with the HiFi Plus subscription.
At the time of writing, only Amazon Music is supported for Dolby Atmos playback, but according to Sonos, Apple Music should follow quickly. It is unclear, however, whether Dolby Atmos will be integrated into Tidal. The Tidal app from the iPhone, which claims to transmit Dolby Atmos via AirPlay, is misleading.
In reality, a stereo version is sent to the Era 300, and the Sonos app does not display the Dolby Atmos logo during playback.
To listen in Dolby Atmos, do not use the Amazon Music app, but add the service directly to the Sonos app. When an Atmos track is played, the Dolby logo appears in the Sonos app. And the difference in sound quality is like night and day.
One downside is that the Sonos app does not display information about the audio format of the tracks to be played, making it difficult to find Dolby Atmos tracks. You must then use the Amazon Music app to locate spatial audio tracks and add them to your library or a playlist, which you can then find in the Sonos app.
But no format information is available when searching within the Sonos app.
Sonos also highlights Dolby Atmos support in combination with its Sonos Beam or Sonos Arc soundbars when the Era 300 is used as a surround speaker. It would then play vertical sound effects from the rear of the listening position, which I did not have the opportunity to verify.
Power consumption
Since the Sonos Era 300 is meant to be permanently powered on, it’s worth measuring its power consumption. Good news, it is very reasonable, with only 2 W in standby with an active voice assistant (1.8 W without an assistant). Even better, the speaker returns to standby mode within seconds when it is no longer playing music.
Once awakened, the Era 300 consumes just over 8 W and hardly more until a quarter of its volume, where consumption peaks at 9 W. At half volume – already playing very loudly – its appetite increases slightly, averaging 15 W, then doubling at full power. These are average values, with peaks related to the music played.
| Power Consumption | Watt |
|---|---|
| Standby network | 2 W |
| Active (no music) | 8 W |
| Volume at 25% | 9 W |
| Volume at 50% | 15 W |
| Volume at 75% | 20 W |
| Volume at 100% | 30 W |
Sonos Era 300 Audio
The acoustic operation of the Sonos Era 300 is particularly sophisticated, entirely different from the brand’s other Wi-Fi speakers, more comparable to its soundbars. Sonos uses beamforming technology to project sound beams all around the listener.
In practice, the direction of some sounds is altered to “deceive” our ears and create the impression of a different spatial positioning, which is impossible to achieve with conventional frontal diffusion. This has a particular interest in Dolby Atmos.
The above curves illustrate the difference in sound signature when facing the Sonos Era 300 speaker directly (pink curve) versus being on its side (dotted blue curve). It is observed that the speaker plays very loudly in the high frequency laterally, but the balance is more natural at the listening point. In other words, although the Sonos Era 300 has speakers oriented in all directions, it should be listened to directly facing it.
To evaluate the behavior of the Sonos Era 300 based on the listening volume, I measured it at 33% (blue curve), 50% (pink curve), and 100% volume (orange curve). The first observation is that the Era 300 is extremely powerful, measuring 98dB at full volume at a distance of 1 meter. The Apple HomePod 2, another Dolby Atmos-compatible Wi-Fi speaker, lags far behind. In addition, the tonal balance is maintained at high volume (pink curve), which ensures a consistently balanced sound. Only at full power is the bass diminished, but not to a significant degree.
Sound signature and dynamic behavior
Since the launch of its first speakers, Sonos has maintained a very specific sound signature in its successive product ranges, close to hi-fi standards. A rather linear sound with few accidents in the mid and high frequencies, which gives a very pleasant impression of balance and does not distort the music being listened to.
The Sonos Era 300 inherits this acoustic DNA, even if the resolution of the mid-range frequencies (voice, strings, etc.) is slightly lower due to the indirect diffusion of these sounds (through the lateral speakers). The three integrated amplifiers are very precise and accurately capture the dynamic differences without losing power at high volume.
Stereo soundstage
All transducers are used in stereo and Dolby Atmos. Therefore, the Era 300 always creates a wide and enveloping soundstage, far superior to that of the Era 100. It is frequently surprising to hear an instrument, a voice, or a chorister in a title that you know by heart so clearly. The speaker’s ability to analyze sound is very good, and the layering of sound planes is also impressive.
Dolby Atmos sensation
But stereo sound diffusion is nothing compared to what the Sonos Era 300 is capable of with Dolby Atmos titles. To begin with, let us remember that a title mixed in Dolby Atmos contains 5 to 7 horizontal channels, i.e., a significantly greater amount of sound elements than a stereo title.
At least two channels of an Atmos stream must be positioned behind the listener, which is no small feat for a small speaker alone. However, the Sonos Era 300 achieves this with ease, which is a huge surprise! In Atmos, one is immersed in a sound bubble, with sounds positioned all the way behind you, and there is truly a vertical dimension.
Of course, the sound does not come from the ceiling like in a movie theater, but it is very captivating. Most importantly, some sound elements emerge with dynamics that are, to put it bluntly, astounding.
Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran, Heathens by Twenty One Pilots, Abcdefu by Gayle, Call Me by Blondie… the magic works every time. What is striking is that the complex parts of these songs, where many elements are interwoven in stereo, are played with clarity in Dolby Atmos. Hats off!
Sonos Era 300 Price and Release Date
The Sonos Era 300 speaker is available in black or white, priced at $449. Competing with Amazon Echo Studio and Apple HomePod 2, the Sonos Era 300 offers significantly better spatialization in Dolby Atmos and a much higher maximum volume.
Our Opinion of the Sonos Era 300
Design
The diabolo shape of the Sonos Era 300 makes it quite unique in the manufacturer’s range and among Wi-Fi speakers in general. The design serves a purpose, with transducers optimally oriented to create a 3D soundstage. The touch slider for volume adjustment is very convenient.
Software
The disappearance of Google Cast is not a hindrance for listening to music on Android, provided you use the Sonos app, which supports all streaming services, or subscribe to Spotify, Deezer, or Tidal. With an iPhone, you can use AirPlay from any app. Generally, the user experience is smooth and trouble-free.
Audio
Sonos’ audio expertise is evident in the Era 300, with stereo programs reproduced accurately and powerfully. Dynamic capabilities are excellent, and the speaker can play very loud. Dolby Atmos support provides an absolutely incredible 3D soundstage.
Editor’s Verdict
The Sonos Era 300 is a “game changer” in the world of home speakers. For the first time, a compact speaker can create a vast soundstage from Dolby Atmos music tracks, with a staggering dynamic range. In stereo mode, the speaker delivers powerful and well-structured sound, belying its medium size. On the software side, the Sonos app remains easy to use for listening to music and managing multiple speakers and listening zones.
Pros of the Sonos Era 300
- Breathtaking 3D sound in Dolby Atmos
- High power and balanced tonal range
- Low standby power consumption
- High dynamic range amplification
- Effective TruePlay calibration
- Efficient vertical volume and tonality controls
- Stereo pairing capability
- Functions as a surround speaker with Sonos soundbars
- Voice control with Alexa or Sonos Voice Control
- Bluetooth and analog line input
- Top-notch Sonos app
Cons of the Sonos Era 300
- Need to be facing the speaker for the full Dolby Atmos experience
- Dolby Atmos not supported by Apple Music and Tidal at the time of this test
- Optional analog cable
- No Google Cast compatibility
