Skip to main content

New Sonos speakers apparently confirmed by accessory company

If a document published by accessory maker Sanus is accurate, Sonos’ next speakers will be called the Era 100 and Era 300, according to a report from Chris Welch at The Verge. Welch claims that The Verge had already learned from its sources that “Era” will be the public-facing name of the as-yet-unreleased smart speaker that he had previously reported on under the code name “Optimo,” and that the Sanus document offers further evidence of this claim.

Sanus is a company that makes a variety of mounting solutions for AV products, including many Sonos models such as the Sonos Beam, Arc, and Sonos One. The discovered document, which was posted to the site device.report, is entitled “Sanus Elite – Adjustable Speaker Wall Mount for Sonos Era 100 and Era 300 Speakers.

Rendering of a reportedly unreleased Sonos speaker created by The Verge.
A rendering of a reported upcoming Sonos speaker created by The Verge. It may be publicly sold as the Era 100 or 300. Alex Castro/The Verge

It not only appears to confirm the Era name, but it also clarifies that there will be two different models. It lists a Best Buy release date of 01-04-2023, with a suggested retail price of $80. However a search of Best Buy for “Sanus Elite” did not turn up any matching results.

When asked if the report was accurate, a Sonos spokesperson told Digital Trends that the company does not comment on rumor or speculation.

Welch believes that a speaker code-named Optimo 2 internally at Sonos is likely the Era 300, “a multidirectional speaker built to get the most from spatial audio.” It is purported to offer the “richest fidelity of any single speaker that Sonos has ever released,” which is a remarkable claim given that Sonos has released many excellent single speakers, including the Sonos Five.

The report says that the Era 300 could offer USB-C line-in, Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, and potentially Bluetooth playback as well. It’s unclear if the USB-C connection would be strictly for charging (which would be in line with products like the Sonos Roam and Move), or if it could be used for digital audio too. The addition of Bluetooth playback would be a genuine departure for Sonos. It has historically reserved Bluetooth audio for its portable, battery-powered speakers. There’s nothing in The Verge’s report to suggest the new Era family is portable or battery-powered.

Welch guesses that the Era 100 could replace the current Sonos One but with the addition of up-firing height drivers, which would allow it to complement Sonos’ home theater products for better Dolby Atmos reproduction. He also speculates that like the Sonos One, an SL-version without microphones would be part of the lineup.

Editors' Recommendations

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
Samsung’s new Dolby Atmos wireless speaker doubles as a picture frame
Samsung Music Frame speaker.

It's a picture frame. It's a speaker. It's the Samsung Music Frame. Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Along with its new TVs, ultra short throw laser projectors, and soundbars -- most of which were totally predictable enhancements of existing products -- Samsung brought something truly different to CES 2024: the Samsung Music Frame, a Dolby Atmos-capable wireless speaker that doubles as an old-fashioned printed photo frame.

Read more
7 things Sonos’ first headphones will need to get right
Close up of Sonos logo on a Sonos Arc soundbar.

A headphone diagram from a Sonos patent application. Sonos/USPO

If the many rumors, leaks, and teasing by the CEO are true, Sonos is on the cusp of releasing its first wireless headphones in 2024, and the benefits to Sonos’ customers could be considerable. Being able to use one set of headphones for travel, office, and home use -- that also integrate with the Sonos ecosystem of whole-home wireless speakers — would be convenient.

Read more
HEOS app refresh adds some of Sonos’ best features
Multiple screenshots from the HEOS app's December 2023 update.

Users of the Denon HEOS multiroom wireless audio system (which also works with select products from Marantz and Definitive Technology) are finally getting features that Sonos users have enjoyed for years, like universal search. The update should be visible in the app starting December 14. If you don't see it, check the Apple App Store or Google Play to see if an update to the app is available.

The new version has improved navigation, which brings another popular Sonos feature: a persistent Now Playing area at the bottom of the screen. Masimo, the parent company of Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, and Bowers & Wilkins, says that the new design makes navigation more intuitive while providing a sleek and modern interface.

Read more