Sonos Era 100 review

Sonos Era 100: Introduction

• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay
• Ecosystems: Alexa, Sonos

Sonos was feeling brave in March 2023 when it decided to replace the amazing Sonos One with a whole new speaker – the Era 100. It costs more, looks different, and it boasts new features, but does it live up to the small Sonos speaker legend that was the Sonos One for so many years?

I’ve lived with the Era 100 for over a year and if you’re a Sonos One fan then it’s time to buckle up, because the Era 100 is very likely to steal your heart and make you forget all about its cute and boxy predecessor. Here’s my review.

Design and build

• 12 x 13.2 x 18.4cm, Black or White
• Bluetooth switch, microphone switch

The Sonos Era 100 doesn’t rock the same look as the Sonos One. The two are close in size – the Era 100 is around an inch taller – but that’s about all that can be described as similar. The 2023 entry-level speaker got a ground-up redesign, and it’s something that’s noticeable instantly when side-by-side with the now seven-year old Sonos One.

The Sonos One is small and boxy, while the Era 100 rolls in with a sleek cylindrical design that looks superb. Sonos ditched the color-matched metal grille from the One and switched it up for an eco-friendly polycarbonate grille, matching the style that appeared with the Sonos Roam and it’s a fresh and welcomed change.

Flip the Era 100 around, and you’ll find the ports at the back, with the power cord tucked underneath, just like the Sonos One. It’s a cleaner setup compared to the Era 300, where the power cord sticks out the back, but the connection options are similar, with the Era 100 also boasting a USB-C line-in port – you will need an adapter sold separately for this however. Sonos also added a physical switch for the microphone on the smaller Era 100, like the Era 300, enabling you to shut off the smart features and keep things private. You won’t find an ethernet port or pairing button like older Sonos speakers, with connection to your home happening over Wi-Fi and discovery happening via NFC.

On top on the Era 100 is where you’ll find the rest of the controls. Capacitive controls for play/pause and skipping tracks are present, similar to most Sonos speakers, but there’s a bit of a twist when it comes to volume control. Adopting the same design as the Era 300, the Era 100 has an indented strip – or “trough” as the company calls it – for adjusting the volume. Tap the ends of this trough or swipe your finger along, and you can pump the volume up or down. It’s a great change, making fast-forwarding and rewinding tracks a breeze compared to the old Sonos speakers too as they now have their own dedicated buttons.

Aesthetically, the top of the Era 100 is much cleaner than the older Sonos One too. The One has a chunky hat with the Sonos logo, while the Era 100 rocks a much slimmer solution with the logo repositioned onto the grille, just like the Sonos Roam. Don’t get me wrong, the Sonos One is still cool, but next to the fresh and modern Era 100, it certainly feels last season. The Sonos Era 100 comes in black and white, which is standard for Sonos speakers. White is my favourite – it’s much softer and it looks great in any room you put it in – but that’s not to say the black doesn’t hold its own and its of course more traditional.

Features

• Adjustable EQ
• Amazon Alexa, Sonos Voice Control
• Trueplay tuning, Quick tune

The Sonos Era 100 packs in all the features you’d expect from a Sonos speaker, and then some. The basics are there – support for over 100 music streaming services, the ability to tweak the EQ (unlike the Apple HomePod), and you can use the Era 100 independently or as part of an existing Sonos system.

You can also enhance the audio experience by stereo pairing two Era 100 speakers – as you can other identical Sonos speakers – but it is worth mentioning that you can’t pair an Era 100 up with a Sonos One. It means if you have a Sonos One already and you’re thinking about doubling up for stereo magic, you won’t be able to do that using an Era 100 and instead you’ll need to try and find yourself a Sonos One or One SL, which will be increasingly difficult now as they both stepped aside for the Era 100.

Elsewhere on the feature front, the Era 100 can be grouped with any existing Sonos speakers to play the same music at the same time in different rooms, or you can opt to play different music at the same time on different Sonos speakers if you so wish. There are plenty of tips and tricks you can find in our separate guide worth checking out to get the most from your Sonos speakers, such as long pressing the play/pause button on a Sonos speaker to instantly add it into an existing group.

Google Assistant is MIA sadly but the Era 100 does come with Sonos Voice Control for handling the speaker itself and Amazon Alexa is still on board if you want control smart home devices or update your shopping list.

You’ll also find Trueplay tuning too, which is a technology Sonos launched back in 2015, enabling you to fine-tune a speaker to your space using an iOS device. The Era 100 brings an added advantage to the tech with Quick Tune, giving the option to use the built-in mics on the speaker to do the tuning rather than requiring Android users to borrow an iOS device. It’s not quite as advanced as the full-blown Trueplay option, but it means the Era 100 can adapt to its surroundings whenever you move it. I always recommend using Trueplay as while the tweaks might be subtle sometimes, they are usually worth it, and it only takes minutes.

Performance

It’s not just the design and extra features where the Sonos Era 100 shakes things up compared to the Sonos One – it adds plenty in the sound department too. When Sonos swapped the Play:1 for the One, it kept the insides the same, and that wasn’t an issue because the Play:1 already sounded solid – just like the One. With the Era 100, it’s a completely different architecture. Not a single part of the Sonos One made its way into the Era 100, and while I still have a soft spot for the Sonos One, the Era 100 is superior.

For starters, the woofer in the Era 100 is 25 per cent bigger than the One, delivering more depth in the bass that’s certainly noticeable when listened to side-by-side. Sonos also threw in an extra tweeter, resulting in two for the Era 100, both dual-angled for stereo goodness and a wider sound spread. The Sonos One is mono, and while it does an excellent job, the Era 100 takes the cake, offering a broader soundstage across the spectrum, from low to high frequencies, no matter what tracks or genres you throw at it.

The Era 100 has custom wave guides like the Era 300, but there’s no Dolby Atmos or Spatial Audio action here like the beefier Era 300. It’s not overly surprising considering its size, but the Apple HomePod manages it and isn’t much bigger or pricier. It means if you’re after a more immersive sound, the HomePod might be the ticket.

In terms of overall performance however, the Era 100 is a champ. It handles everything like a pro, which is what you’d expect since it took the reins from one of the most recommended speakers in its field.

Over the last year, I’ve put the Era 100 through its paces with a mix of tracks and genres, and it passes with flying colors everytime. Tracks like “October Sky” by Yebba, “Billions” by Caroline Polachek, and “About Damn Time” by Lizzo all sound fantastic. One of my go-to tracks for testing, “Space Ghost Coast to Coast” by Glass Animals, is a standout on the Era 100. It nails the mix of vocals, instruments, and background sounds, with the Era 100 handling and separating everything superbly. It might not match the immersive experience of the Era 300 or the Apple HomePod (2nd generation), but the vocals are clear, and there’s a good distinction between the vocals and the rest of the soundtrack.

The dynamic range is solid too, and the Era 100 shines even at lower volumes, packing in plenty of detail. Crank it up, and sure, you might lose a bit of distinction compared to the Era 300 and Sonos Five, but the Era 100 still delivers a hefty punch for its size. The overall balance leans towards the bassier side, par for the course with Sonos speakers, but the tuning is pleasing without being overly booming. Of course, it’s a personal preference, and if you’re not a big bass fan, you can always tweak the EQ levels in the Sonos app.

Hardware

Moving on to the hardware front, the Sonos Era 100 supports Wi-Fi 6 (just make sure you’ve got a compatible router), throws in a USB-C line-in (adapter sold separately as mentioned), and packs both Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth – a first for a non-portable Sonos speaker, alongside the Era 300.

This means you can roll with the Era 100 as a classic Sonos speaker, using the Wi-Fi mesh network it sets up during the setup, or switch to traditional Bluetooth mode. To hop into Bluetooth mode, hit the hardware button on the back and connect to it like you would any other Bluetooth device when the front LED is blue. It’s very easy and works like a charm, giving you another way to enjoy your tunes. Admittedly, some might never use it – especially Apple fans who likely find AirPlay more convenient when not using the Sonos app – but it’s still a sweet addition many fans have been waiting a while for.

Lastly, the Era 100 packs a new co-neural processor on board, along with a 47 per cent faster processor than the Sonos One. It’s geared up for future features while amping up the performance. Honestly, the Sonos One still holds its own, and I don’t notice any major differences between the two in reality, but that could change down the road as more features roll out. The Era 100 did show a slight edge in response time when grouping and ungrouping speakers, but you’d probably miss it unless the two were side-by-side. It’s also said to be more power-efficient than the Sonos One, using only 2W or less in standby or sleep mode. It’s tough to put that to the test, but hey, I’m all for saving energy.

Final thoughts

The Sonos Era 100 is a true game-changer in the world of Sonos speakers. It marks a new era for Sonos (pun intended), taking the company’s already outstanding entry-level speaker and giving it a comprehensive makeover, both inside and out.

The Era 100’s fresh design breathes new life into the compact Sonos model, introducing several enhancements like Bluetooth capabilities, revamped controls, and the added line-in functionality that elevate its appeal. There is a slight increase in price compared to the One price tag and Google Assistant is no more, but the Era 100 serves as an ideal starting point for those venturing into the Sonos ecosystem.

Above all, the audio experience of the Era 100 is truly exceptional, surpassing the performance of its Sonos One predecessor and making it easy to forgive Sonos for the replacement.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Smart speaker usually live within, or even control, a smart home ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a connected speaker for a week and deliver a verdict.

Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular smart speaker compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our review process for smart speakers to learn more.

FAQs

Sonos Era 100: Specifications