Sonos returns with two new speakers, reviving an old favorite and introducing a new player

Source: ZDNet

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Sonos announces the Play and Era 100 SL speakers.
• The Play speaker sits between the Sonos Roam and Move 2 portable speakers.
• The Era 100 SL is an entry‑level access point into Sonos’ smart‑home speakers.

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Sonos Play: A new Sonos speaker tier

Sonos headlines this speaker as “the most versatile speaker in the Sonos system,” falling in the middle of its portable lineup, between the Roam and Move 2. Like the Move 2, the Play is portable, meaning you can connect it to your home Wi‑Fi network to sync audio with your Sonos smart speakers, or connect it to your phone via Bluetooth for listening when away from home.

The Play speaker aligns with Move 2’s indoor/outdoor versatility, offering a charging base you can keep inside to keep the Play’s battery topped up at home, operating more like a smart speaker. However, the Play is slightly smaller than the Move 2, making it more suitable for adventures beyond your backyard.

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Durability and grouping

• IP rating: IP67 dust‑ and waterproof rating (vs. Move 2’s IP56).
• Bluetooth grouping: Proprietary Bluetooth‑enabled feature that lets you group multiple Play and Move 2 speakers.

Audio specifications

• Amplifiers: Three Class‑H amplifiers.
• Drivers: Two tweeters, one mid‑woofer, and two passive radiators for additional bass response.
• Sound profile: More bass‑heavy than the Move 2 but not as loud or present; passive radiators help boost low frequencies in outdoor settings.

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Premium features

• Automatic Trueplay
• USB‑C reverse charging
• Apple AirPlay 2
• Voice‑assistant compatibility

Era 100 SL: Almost an Era 100 carbon copy

Sonos calls the Era 100 SL a “confident first step into the Sonos system,” thanks to its nearly identical acoustic makeup to the more premium Era 100 speaker and its ability to act as rear speakers with your Sonos soundbar.

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Core specifications

• Amplifiers: Three Class‑D amplifiers.
• Drivers: Two tweeters and one mid‑woofer.
• Microphones: Omitted to emphasize essential listening.

Shared features with Era 100

• In‑app speaker pairing
• Trueplay
• Apple AirPlay 2
• Capacitive touch controls

Availability and pricing

The Sonos Play and Era 100 SL speakers will be available for preorder beginning March 31. They will be offered in Black and White for $299 (Play) and $189 (Era 100 SL), respectively.