For the previous few years Sonos has centered most of its efforts on two classes: transportable audio system, just like the Transfer and Roam; and residential theater merchandise just like the inexpensive Ray and extra extravagant, Atmos-capable Arc soundbars. The corporate’s major pair of music-focused audio system, the One and 5, nonetheless sound nice however are getting a bit lengthy within the tooth.

That modifications right now with two new choices: the Period 100 and Period 300. The $250 Period 100 is a very redesigned alternative for the One with plenty of enhancements over its predecessor, whereas the $450 Period 300 is the primary Sonos speaker able to enjoying spatial audio. As with most Sonos audio system, you should utilize a pair of both of them in stereo or as rear encompass audio system in a house theater setup. If in case you have the Sonos Arc or gen-2 Beam and Sub, including a pair of Period 300s as your rear surrounds provides you a wild 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos expertise. (In the event you’re keen to spend roughly $2,600 for that setup, anyway).

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The Period 300 appears to be like in contrast to any speaker Sonos has launched earlier than, although it nonetheless has the corporate’s acquainted clear design language. Its considerably uncommon knocked-over hourglass form is basically practical: it permits for the upward-facing tweeter to fireplace at a slight however particular angle, which the corporate says will ship extra room-filling reflections for spatial audio. There are three extra tweeters: one dead-center and forward-firing in addition to two pointing left and proper. Lastly, a pair of woofers on both facet of the speaker present loads of bass.

The Period 100, however, is extra clearly a tweak to the Sonos One, itself acoustically similar to the Sonos Play:1 that was launched all the best way again in 2013. Put one other manner, an improve was lengthy late. The Period 100 includes a pair of tweeters for left and proper stereo channels in a single speaker, in addition to a woofer that’s 25 p.c bigger than the One’s. It could not have the spatial audio capabilities of the Period 300, but it surely’s nonetheless a big replace to its predecessor.

Regardless of the very totally different value factors and capabilities, each of those audio system have loads in frequent. Each characteristic USB-C ports that allow you to plug in a turntable or different audio tools with an non-obligatory line-in adapter. Extra considerably, they each additionally embrace Bluetooth, the primary time Sonos has put the characteristic in a non-portable speaker. Additionally they have a redesigned set of contact controls on prime – as an alternative of taping on both facet of the play / pause button to regulate quantity, there’s now a bit ridge you’ll be able to swipe your finger throughout in addition to devoted ahead and again buttons. Sonos additionally included a bodily swap to disconnect the microphones. This really cuts the connection to the mic for added safety, fairly than simply muting it through software program.

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Each the Period 100 and Period 300 can also use these microphones for Trueplay tuning, which optimizes audio for the place you place the audio system in your dwelling house. Beforehand, Trueplay required an iOS machine; its microphone was used to pay attention for optimizing the sound. In the event you used Android, you had been sadly out of luck. However though Sonos has been placing microphones in its audio system for years now, you couldn’t use them for Trueplay. This new characteristic means much more folks will doubtless reap the benefits of the characteristic – that’s excellent news, as a result of Trueplay does make a giant distinction.

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I bought an opportunity to take heed to each audio system in quite a lot of configurations at a Sonos press occasion final month, and so they each unsurprisingly sounded nice – however that was in a rigorously organized surroundings that Sonos had complete management over. Clearly, we’ll have to evaluate these audio system to see how they carry out in the true world, however I used to be impressed by the brief demo I bought. The Period 100 doesn’t sound completely totally different from the One, however the bigger woofer undoubtedly provides it extra bass presence. The 2 tweeters don’t give it true stereo separation, since they’re so shut to one another, however they undoubtedly present extra readability within the excessive ranges than you hear within the One.

The Period 300, nonetheless, sounds fairly a bit totally different. Sonos first confirmed us its chops enjoying again normal audio, and it has considerably extra quantity, bass and presence than the Period 100. Not a shock, contemplating it prices $200 extra and has twice as many drivers. We then bought to listen to how the only speaker did at enjoying again spatial audio tracks. They didn’t sound radically totally different, however did much less like they had been coming from a single level in a room; as an alternative, the audio was extra balanced and enveloping. Of the few songs we bought to listen to, “A Live performance Six Months From Now” by Finneas was essentially the most spectacular. His multi-layered focals felt like they had been coming at me from a number of angles, but it surely didn’t really feel like a gimmick – it was only a extra immersive and extra intimate presentation.

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Whereas it’s simple sufficient to see how the Period 100 suits into the Sonos lineup, the Period 300’s increased price ticket and deal with spatial audio makes the speaker a giant wager on an unproven market. For starters, the one spatial audio service it helps is Amazon Music Limitless, which implies the tens of millions of individuals utilizing Apple Music are out of luck. Apple has pushed spatial audio tougher than simply about anybody up to now few years, highlighting it each on its music streaming service and AirPod line of headphones. And with a brand new full-sized HomePod, Apple now has each audio system and headphones that may play again Atmos mixes. So, it may not be inclined to assist competing Sonos {hardware}.

Whatever the competitors, Sonos clearly sees spatial audio as the way forward for music playback. The corporate stated there’s main curiosity within the format from artists and producers, and claimed that the Period 300 shall be one of the best ways to listen to the main points of spatial audio mixes while not having a room stuffed with audio gear. After all, there’s solely a lot we will anticipate from a single speaker, regardless of how superior its driver array is. And whereas Amazon is the one service that’s suitable with the Period 300 for spatial music, Spotify, YouTube Music and others will doubtless begin providing spatial audio prior to later – although once more, that doesn’t imply it’ll essentially work on Sonos {hardware}.

After all, the Period 300 is also a particularly succesful speaker even when enjoying again stereo mixes. As with the excellent however costly Sonos 5 speaker, the Period 300 will most likely be a extra area of interest product within the firm’s lineup. But when the spatial audio wave is about to crest, it is sensible for Sonos to be prepared for it fairly than play catch-up.

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