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.”
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.
