
In terms of order I started with an Arc first, then added a Sub and later surrounds. But again, I could do that because I have space. I have a hybrid setup that fills in front L/R to an Arc+Sub+Ones surround. If imaging and soundstage is important then an amp based 2.1 system is more like it.
Sonos surround sound full#
If you have a small space then a soundbar plus wireless surrounds is a good option if you want the full surround cinema experience. It addition, it is just the top of the heap when it comes to multiroom, whole-house audio geared towards music with great sound quality. However, where Sonos wins is in convenience, practicality, ease of use and setup, not having to run wires all over the place from a central location, super-easy room correction aka Trueplay from your iPhone, largest and smoothest integration with music streaming services etc.

For that reason, the option to add Ones/Fives as discrete front L/R or Atmos surround speakers is a oft-requested capability in this forum. So, if you want the ideal home cinema experience then a soundbar is not that option. It cannot match discrete surround back, surround L/R and height channel effects.

Want to know more about us? Head here.A soundbar simply cannot match discrete front left, right and center speakers in terms of depth, soundstage and imaging. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. So, if you were thinking about adding the new Era 300 or Era 100 to your surround sound setup that still features the old Playbar, Playbase or 1st-gen Beam, you might want to reconsider. And it seems this is the end of the road for the pair. Era 100 is not compatible with Playbar or Playbase.Ĭonsidering the Sonos Playbar and Playbase have been around for years, it was inevitable that their support would end at some point. You can connect two Era 100 speakers with Arc, Beam (any generation), or Ray for surround sound. Unfortunately, the Playbar and Playbase still miss out. The story is also true when it comes to the Era 100.īut unlike the Era 300, you can connect two Era 100 units with the Arc, any generation of the Beam or Ray to achieve a surround sound setup. This is because the Sonos Playbar, Playbase and 1st-gen Beam are not Dolby Atmos-ready, but the 2nd-gen Beam should be fine. For this reason, Era 300 is not compatible with Playbar, Playbase, or Beam (Gen 1). Being a multichannel rear speaker, Sonos says the Era 300 cannot be paired with the Sonos Playbar, Playbase, or 1st-ge Beam for surround sound.īecause Era 300 is a multichannel rear speaker, it requires a Sonos soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos, i.e. Unfortunately, support for Atmos home theater setup is limited.

But of course, the soundbar must support Dolby Atmos. In addition, you can create a surround sound arrangement when you pair two Era 300 units with the Sonos Arc or 2nd-gen Sonos Beam soundbar and a Sub.

The former is here to take on the Apple HomePod 2 and Amazon Echo Studio - two smart speakers that know all about spatial audio. The smaller Era 100, on the other hand, boasts “all-new hardware and software, with next-gen acoustics and design that deliver detailed stereo sound and deep bass.”ĭesign aside, the Era 300 and Era 100 are clearly focusing on the listening experience of users. Sonos claims the Era 300 aims to bring you the best of spatial audio with Dolby Atmos owing to the deep music industry collaboration with leading artists and creators. While the Era 100 is a direct successor to the Sonos One with improved sound quality, the Era 300 is a whole new proposition that is evidenced by the brand-new design. The duo, as I write this, is already available to pre-order priced at $449 and $249, respectively. Sonos has just announced a couple of new smart speakers - the Era 300 and Era 100 - that are set to arrive later this month.
