Sonos Era 300 and Era 100 In-Depth Review vs. HomePod 2!

[@jpconley5618]

Really great video. First time seeing your content, and you cover this type of information really well. Thorough, articulate and well edited. This helped cement my decision of which speakers to buy.

[@beardfm]

Thank you for the kind words 🙏🏻 appreciate it!

[@DF-bx9hd]

Just received my era 300s as rears and am very satisfied with it paired with the arc and sub gen 3! I mainly watch dolby atmos on streaming services

[@beardfm]

Killer setup!

[@derrickmickle5491]

Fantastic video, very helpful and chock full of practical, actionable information.

[@beardfm]

Glad it was helpful, thank you!

[@sphaera3809]

Most decent stereo systems are able to provide a solid center image. I’m glad to see a pair of Sonos is also capable.

[@colinrenfrew48]

Very helpful video. I’m now subscribed!

[@beardfm]

Awesome, thank you!

[@shane9229]

Great channel and content. subbed !

[@atrejuhoodreviews]

Wow, what an amazing review and comparison video! I am extremely grateful for the effort put into making this video. It has provided me with valuable insights and information that will undoubtedly be my go-to resource for any future purchases between these two options. Thank you so much for taking the time to create such a helpful and informative review!

[@beardfm]

Bro thank you for the kind words, and hyping up these video reviews!

[@atrejuhoodreviews]

@@beardfm I wouldn’t consider it hyping up. They are really well done

[@Ykodi01234]

Thanks! I love your professional reviews. You really helped me.

[@beardfm]

Many thanks! 🙏🏻

[@kingkiril]

I’m in the Apple ecosystem so I have the HomePod 2. I’m not disappointed. Enjoying the rich sound. It’s so room filling. Amazing bass. I don’t need anything else.

[@beardfm]

HomePod 2 stands the test!

[@JoyStickJester_]

Great review. I am not in the Apple ecosystem so I'm going with Sonos. The reviews I've seen are saying that the Era 300 are going to be the gold standard for music studios. Let's just hope Spotify can get their act together and give us spatial audio

[@beardfm]

Thank you! And not being in the Apple ecosystem, Sonos is the #1 choice for any speaker IMO!

[@morells09]

I’d be happy with just HomePod support lol

[@kekethebasedcat]

You are the only tech reviewer I like these days. Am literally unsubbed from everyone else. You got a good formula here man. Keep going.

[@beardfm]

That means a lot, appreciate that!

[@Rigue2021]

Peter Pee #1 😂😂😂

[@S2580ss]

I thought the exact same thing after this video

[@billmulvihill8452]

He didn’t buy Sonos 5 speakers until just now. Why is that? They have been out for two years. They are better for most music than the Era 300s.

[@tonyholding5111]

I have a pair of 300’s as rears with a pair of gen3 subs as well as the arc and yes it’s expensive but wow it’s amazing. One thing to point out is when the 300’s are set up as surrounds that the forward firing drivers are disabled. I believe they do this so as to not drown out the upward and side firing drivers. Kind of like making the sound non directional

[@beardfm]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing that 🤔

[@tonyholding5111]

@@beardfm will be interesting to see if they change this in one of their monthly updates

[@tonyholding5111]

@@beardfm ps when you check this yourself let me know that I’m not going deaf haha

[@gregoryhoward5811]

Please do a video on the Era 100, if the cost difference is worth it. You can get a twin pack of oneSL for $370 versus $500 for the ERA 100s. Is it worth it using them only as surround sound speakers with a Bean GEN 2 Center channel and mini sub.

[@ModernDayTech]

Great stuff. I have no Sonos, but I've been thinking about them....

[@beardfm]

Thanks man! They make great stuff

[@matheuspassos3840]

Fantastic video, Thanks

[@JQM2020]

Got the era 300’s on release day. Connected them to my gen two beam plus sub mini and maaaaaaaannnnnnnn!!!!! Definitely get ‘em! I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

[@beardfm]

That setup with beam + sub mini is an incredible setup!

[@Rigue2021]

Can I ask your setting? I’m struggling to get a nice sound. Thanks

[@2379030]

You did great , great job

[@DavidShapton]

Really helpful. Thank you!

[@beardfm]

Glad it was helpful!

[@smokematthews9042]

I look forward to your reviews. Great honest reviews!🙂

[@beardfm]

Appreciate that!

[@smokematthews9042]

@@beardfm this review helped me decide to stay in the Apple system. I have 8 HomePod mini’s and will upgrade 4 with the new HomePods. I really like to hear all of the different instruments in the songs and good bass! Question? Did you upgrade to the new Home Architecture. I saw when you upgraded when 16.2 or 3 came out, you had all sorts of problems.

[@GreyAlive]

That’s probably the best review of the new Sonos 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 just subscribed

[@beardfm]

Appreciate that!

[@Mr.Musky69]

The era is a beautiful speaker all around. Sadly mine was defective (pops and static) and had to return it.

[@anishanc6712]

Great review!! I'm using sonos one as my rear surround with beam gen2, now I'm wondering should I upgrade to to era 100 or 300. Mostly I use these speakers for movie only, and I heard the era 300's center speaker will be disabled while it is connected as surround. I don't have any sub, so my intention to add surround is to get little more bass from surround speakers. Do you think if I'm adding era 300 as rear surround with beam gen2 will it add some extra bass ?

[@beardfm]

It may add a little low end, and the front-firing mid-tweet *is* disable when adding them as rear speakers. But if you really want more bass I'd maybe go for the sub mini or gen 3 if you don't have a sub yet rather than upgrade the rears.

[@Tech-Nostalgic]

Excellent review of these speakers! I also have the beam gen 2 and sub mini! You touched on this briefly but did you feel during your testing that the era 300 were too over powering when acting as surrounds with the beam? 🤔

[@beardfm]

Thank you! Not overpowering at all. Sonos does a great job after TruePlay tuning on balancing for the room. That setup would be a killer home theater

[@Tech-Nostalgic]

@@beardfm That is great to hear! Deciding between the 100s and 300s has been strangely difficult but this has clarified my thoughts! Thank you!

[@TylerBR97]

I will say that I had this issue, even after Trueplay, but I found that the issue was that the speakers were too close. I moved them back a couple feet, reran trueplay, and they sound stellar. You also have the option of lowering the surround’s volume in the settings to your liking

[@Tech-Nostalgic]

@@TylerBR97 Thank you for your insight! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Tripledigit0922]

You nailed it. 100 agree. The only thing that era300 sound signature sounds a bit flat to me for music. Despite them being louder, I was picking up the bathroom effect from the 300. To me :1. HomePod 2. Era100 and 3. Era300.

[@beardfm]

Appreciate that!

[@rdboston7866]

Nice update , I had HomePods in the main room and it just didn’t cut it. Didn’t give me that full surrounds I was looking for. Went with the white Sonos Arc with the Era 100 with Amazon stands for the rears. Boy I love it. I’m going to add the sub mini. I live in a townhouse and I really do care about annoying my neighbors with the sound. But the setup now with the arc and era 100 is outstanding. HomePods 2 went the master bedroom hanging off the closet next to the tv hanging off top of the closet sound good in there. But the bass is too much. Wife complains down stairs.

[@beardfm]

Adding a sub mini to that arc setup is gonna be sweet! Glad you’re enjoying it.

[@AlexanderSolonenko-ob9yo]

Thanks for great review. What do you think about 2 HomePods vs 2 ERAs 300? Who is a winner for an Apple TV guy?

[@beardfm]

Well, connecting the Era 300s to an Apple TV for Home Theater isn't seamless, and may require you to reconnect them in the settings periodically. If you want a great home theater experience, a Sonos Beam + Sub Mini would actually be better than 2 Eras FWIW. But if you're all-in on the Apple ecosystem, 2 HomePods beats 2 Eras for an Apple TV setup.

[@AlexanderSolonenko-ob9yo]

Thank you! In term of sound quality who is the winner: 2 HomePods or 2 ERAs 300?

[@gustavopellegrini1995]

the video "downie transloader download video" was great, is there any way i can watch it? Do you have more tips like the one in the video? that tip was awesome

[@MiguelPerez-hl2zx]

Great review. You said you used a Sonos One SL as a patio speaker? As in it stays out there year round, or you take it out there sporadically? Curious to see your outdoor setup if it stays year round.

[@beardfm]

Yes, I have a pair of Sonos One SL's and a Sonos Move that sits out on the patio 24/7! It's under an overhang so semi-protected from the elements. I show clips of that setup in my latest video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaPOk3-pgLecers

[@Dejesusluis87]

I have two Sonos One set up as surround with the ARC. Would it make a difference, sound wise if I upgraded to Era 100? TIA

[@jadegamerz3662]

Which sounds better a pair of homepods or a single era 300?

[@beardfm]

Personally, I’d get a pair of HomePods. Better separation.

[@TheStageofHistory]

Earned a like. But I listened to you talk about and compare stereo-paired HP2s and S300s for 13 minutes of a 14 minute video just to get to “But if you only want one speaker…”. Well played, Sir.

[@beardfm]

haha I really didn't intentionally try to be cagey. There's just so many caveats to what speaker is best for everyone

[@TheStageofHistory]

I can appreciate that… And your video helped me to decide a single S300 is what I’m going for. Keep up the good work!

[@MrPants1970]

Great video, if you play D-Atmos music through and Arc with the Era 300s as surrounds, does that sound good, does it use the full potential of all 3 speakers ?

[@beardfm]

It sounds amazing. I do think a sub mini makes a big difference too

[@Gort1175]

Great video, thanks

[@beardfm]

Appreciate it!

[@totomarley1939]

Got both...Blown away. I use my sonos ones for side speaker, the 300 for rear, the beam for voice and 2 fives. The sound is mind blowing!

[@beardfm]

All those are setup in a single home theater setup?? Must be amazing!

[@keirux]

Awesome review. Regardless of the challenge of having to select it as a temporary output with the Apple TV, how well does a pair of Era300 compares to a pair of Homepods for movies and music? Is there a big difference? I’m basically in the market for a pair of speakers with dolby atomos that I can use with my TV and music

[@vedantdesai1]

The Sonos 300 alone in stereo can blow the HomePods in Atmos music listening. That’s what I use them for. I don’t have a TV, but if you have one with eARC, you can get a Sonos beam or a Sonos arc and use the Era 300 as surround speakers to get the best home theater experience in full Atmos

[@beardfm]

I do think the Era 300 does a better job at Spatial Audio (Dolby Atmos), but to pair with an Apple TV, I would recommend a Sonos Beam + sub mini (which would be the same price as 2 Era 300s). They would work solidly via HDMI and you can still AirPlay music. The Sub mini makes a big difference though. It also depends on the room size, smaller room or small bedroom, the HomePod 2’s might be a good solution. If you also are deep in the Apple ecosystem, use Siri all the time, and maybe Shortcuts, do HomeKit stuff, the HomePods have an edge too.

[@elgranpancito]

thanks for the video I think you do an excellent job, I changed my HomePod 2 for an era 300 because I wanted to add a mini sub, unfortunately apple does not have a sub.

[@beardfm]

Two Era 300s with a mini sub will be an incredible setup! Would certainly beat a pair of HomePods

[@israellandry5009]

Two HomePod 800 canadian $ vs two sonos era 300 1120$+sub mini 549 $ is it twice as good ?

[@Ykodi01234]

Thanks, just want to be sure: for best spatial audio effect, 2 homepods #2, are better than 1 era 300? I'm asking because i hear again and again that the era300 dedication for spatial audio is amazing.

[@beardfm]

Well, I think it depends on you’re use case. If you *only* plan to use this setup for music, and you don’t care about any Siri or Apple ecosystem benefits, maybe the 300 is the way to go. But if you plan to use this setup with an Apple TV, the Era 300 won’t work for that. I also think the bass on 2 HomePods outperforms the 300, but that’s a preference.

[@Ykodi01234]

@@beardfm thanks 🙏. I’ll go with the HomePods as I’m into the Apple eco system

[@nnamuenmada]

Wondering how big the difference will be from One SL to Era 100 as rear surrounds? Have you done a direct comparison thanks!

[@mrgold3591]

I have Beam+Gen 3 Sub+Sonos One SLs are rear surrounds in my office and Beam+Gen 3 sub+IKEA Symfonisk bookshelf as rear surround in the Master bedroom. Both sound really really good and will keep them both until Sonos doesn't support them. I would go for the Era 100 if I'm buying new; but, don't really see any reason to upgrade my existing speakers. Not sure the cost vs sound improvement is justified. Now, going from One SLs to Era 300 with my Arc would be something I would consider for a more immersive 7.1.4 set up.

[@beardfm]

I actually haven't tried my One SL's as rear speakers in a home theater but I don't think it would be a huge difference.

[@Rigue2021]

Not worth it. Money wise. Take a look at Peter Pee reviews. Great reviews.

[@user-ep9ht7ok6q]

How do you think a pair of HomePod 2s vs 1 Sonos Era 300 would turn out for music?

[@beardfm]

If you’re in to spatial / atmos music, the 300 may have the edge. But you’ll have better bass from two HomePods

[@Alex-sn6wx]

Do u think 2 HomePods gen2 are better than the era 300? Or are they in the same range if you set up two HomePods.

[@beardfm]

If you're talking 2 HomePods or 1 Era 300, I would go with HomePods. But I'm also partial to the Apple ecosystem which makes HomePods much more valuable.

[@stevenbond6576]

What are your thoughts for outside patio excellent sound in a overhead roof but outdoors? I have Sonos inside but want to know Move or Sonos sl1? Do I benefit with two vs one speaker.

[@beardfm]

I'd definitely go Move 2, has better bass than the SL1's and portable! And I would take 1 Sonos Move 2 over a paid of SL One's honestly. Here's my Move 2 review if you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpPCpIeoprhpaq8si=sAEwt7bBUPyhb8IL

[@hindsy90]

Have the beam gen 2. If I had to pick between sub mini and the eras to compliment it which would you go for?

[@beardfm]

I still wanna say Sub mini, unless your only focus is playing music. Movies experience would improve more with a sub mini and 2 era 100s (similar cost to 2 era 300s)

[@bren_da_]

Hi, I am looking for a desktop speaker to pair with my iMac, between Era 100 and HomePod 2 which would you recommend? I mainly use the speakers for Netflix, KZbin and drama hence voice clarity is important. Am in a dilemma between these 2. Appreciate your kind advice :)

[@beardfm]

Well the annoying thing about HomePod is you may have to choose it from the AirPlay menu regularly. Sonos Era 100 you can use the line in. I like my HomePod pair since I’m all in on Apple so I deal with it

[@bren_da_]

Can I connect Sonos to iMac via BT which will then automatically connects to my iMac upon turning on just like any other speakers like Bose or Marshall? I’m on Apple’s ecosystem and really keen to get the HomePod 2 but not a fan of manually selecting airplay all the time and you mentioned thumpy bass which I’m concerned on voice clarity when watching drama. :)

[@RocketRoadster]

One question because it‘s still not clear for me: Will i get Dolby Atmos when connecting a pair of Era 300 to an apple tv 4k or do the Era only play Stereo Sound?

[@beardfm]

It seems you can trick the Apple TV when setting them as a temporary audio output, but I don’t know if that’s a bug or official atmos support. I would say it is not supported and avoid that setup

[@semino1101]

Hi, great review. May I ask if you can set up four Homepod 2s in total to fill up the room (or) two pairs of Homepod 2 + Homepod mini. Then connect with Apple TV 4k to play movies with Dolby Atmos... Is it possible for this kind of multi channel set-up??? And I have asked in your previous video also. Can you set up four or more Homepod 2 speakers under the same room location set in Apple TV 4k and test it for multi channel 4.0 audio, in Apple TV 4k playing like the epic Avengers endgame final scene in Dolby Atmos... How is it compared to your 7.1 Dolby Atmos setup installed in your home?? Please kindly check it out and let me know. Thank you

[@AzizIzgin]

If I just want a pair and not a soundbar with my Apple TV Would atmos be played well on both? My living room is quite large. Are movie watching going to be a hassle for Sonos without the bar and is a pair that much better with the Sonos only compared in pairs?

[@beardfm]

There's actually no way to use Sonos in a home theater configuration *without* a Sound Bar. You can AirPlay or send stereo audio to a pair of Era 300s, but it won't be Dolby Atmos. And there's no HDMI or optical audio input to use.

[@AzizIzgin]

@@beardfm I have the OG soundbar from Sonos… if that doesn’t have atmos capabilities, I still can’t pair the 300’s with right to get atmos?

[@kurocamera]

Can I use an Era 300 as a rear speaker in combination with the Soundbar Beam to create a more surround system or would I need to have two Era 300 to be able to use them as rear speakers? First time going into the Sonos system so any advice would be great!

[@beardfm]

It looks like you need two Era 300s for Sonos to add them as rear speakers. And they only work with the Beam Gen2 as well: support.sonos.com/en-us/article/surround-sound-guidelines-and-limitations

[@kurocamera]

@@beardfm Thank you so much! Really appreciate your help : )

[@mihalisb8297]

What about an ethernet connection like the older Sonos one (Gen 2)....do you have to buy the Sonos adapter or can you use any kind of USB-C to Ethernet adapter? Thanks.

[@beardfm]

You'll need to buy the Sonos adapter. From my experience, generic adapters do not work and I tried a couple in my testing.

[@mihalisb8297]

@@beardfm Thanks for the reply Stephen.....yeah I suspected as much, the Sonos adapter is very over priced. Cheers.

[@Cocker_Spaniel]

Hi, is it possible to use the era 100 as full surround set up? Front and rear speakers? If so how about a combination of era 300 in the rear and a arc sound bar with 2 era 100 would work?

[@beardfm]

Unfortunately, you can't use any Sonos speakers as front left and right. For smaller rooms the Era 100s as rear speakers would work great. To get the best sound, Era 300s as rears are sweet.

[@Cocker_Spaniel]

@@beardfm how can it be a true surround system without having 5 speakers?

[@sergey4162]

@@Cocker_Spaniel, a typical sound bar is intended (and engineered that way )to cover fronts + center. Just count how many speakers an Arc has under the hood. And then it’s only up to you, either accept this approach or not. If not, classical HT with AVR and wired speakers may be your wise choice

[@yannisgk]

another win for apple!!!take it sonos!!!

[@mrsverdin10]

We had a 1st gen Echo in our master bathroom for listening to music in the morning kzbin.infoUgkxABghAEkaIDGZfHRBH3D3rBrlraNmnC71 and while in the shower. I didn't realize how tinny and awful the sound output on the original Echo was until we replaced it with the Studio. It was a sonic upgrade far beyond what I was expecting. Just wow. I love it because it's like having speakers IN the shower. My friend likes it because the music is so loud that she can no longer hear me singing. So that's a win-win.

[@beardfm]

Agreed!

[@anton3320]

I've heard these. If you're into high end, cutting edge tech, with almost limitless buzzwords, and have a wad of cash burning a hole in your back pocket, literally buy as many as you can afford. Thank you 🙏

[@beardfm]

Wait so…how do *you* think they sound?

[@duprie37]

Sounds great, if content providers in Australia ever bother to start streaming some actual content in Dolby Atmos...

[@beardfm]

Apple Music in Australia doesn’t have Atmos??

[@tonyholding5111]

Apple and Amazon both supply Dolby Atmos content in Australia

[@JohnHolzer]

Rad shirt, yo.

[@beardfm]

Thank you! That’s a Buzzsprout podcast shirt!

[@meffme7114]

Sorry, but homepod2 w/o eq sounds crap in comp to era100. Era100>>>>Hompod2

[@thinborne]

compare it with Hompods 2

[@joelmarino2732]

Maybe my homepods2s are faulty cause I don’t hear any punch from the bass. You keep saying HomePods 2 are punchier, but I don’t feel any punch from the bass.

[@beardfm]

Now HomePods 1 have more bass, but compared to the Era 300 and 100, I think the HomePod has more

[@jak493]

I guess you can’t tie 2x HomePod into a Sonos beam system?

[@beardfm]

Unfortunately not, and you can only have a pair of HomePods connected to an Apple TV in total.

[@jak493]

@@beardfmthanks for coming back to me. Much appreciated. So stuck as to which way to go😊

[@lanreadelowo]

Christ, the HomePod has become so horrible. I get audio cuts and breakage now. But I’m trying to set up a smart home but can’t use Sonos and have to stay with the HomePod

[@abramos1316]

Hard to recognize the difference the 300’s vs HomePods?!? Are you serious?? I have both and you can’t compare them dude. To everyone theirs I guess.

[@beardfm]

I knew they were very different, but actually putting the difference to words was a challenge. I’d be curious your thoughts on the bass specifically, how would you describe the differences?

[@95yashsheel]

Which one sounds good for music in our leaving room ?

[@MyMostBeautifuCinema]

@@95yashsheelWhy would you need music in a room you are leaving? 😂

[@rainerchua9322]

Sonos doesn't give you the full bass range in the Era 100's and 300's because they want you to buy a sub or mini sub. These are 'gateway' speakers, and their strategy is to make you spend more and more to get better sound. Apple on the other hand just simply wants to pull you deeper into the walled garden through ease of use (if u use Apple products). My vote goes to Homepod, either a single unit or a pair if you're using it for your room. With Sonos, there's always going to be questions swirling in your head after you get the first speaker: 'what if I add in a sub mini, or maybe a sub? a Beam? an Arc? a pair of Fives?' and that's exactly what Sonos intends.

[@beardfm]

Great point. If I was going with Era speakers I would rather 1x 300 and the sub mini over a pair of 300d

[@rainerchua9322]

@@beardfm Yeah, I think that will be pretty 'cost effective' for a room setup if going by the Sonos route. I'm happy with a single Five, just that a sub-mini will be useful if gradual upgrading of speakers come to mind. I bet the Era 100's and 300's are just the initial products planted towards the commercial buildup of the future Era 500's. So sly of Sonos lol

[@sergey4162]

I also think there will be Era 500 and highly praised 300 will eventually retire is it already happened with Play:3 model in the past. Most Sonos adepts preferred either cheaper 1’s or full-featured and sound-rich 5’s, leaving 3’s behind.

[@sergey4162]

And it’s a disappointment for me Apple is not offering a sub companion to the HomePods, nor the possibility to add another pair as rears. (Yes, I’ve heard there’s a way to add 3rd party sub via AirPort Express, but also heard this scheme works but is not so stable). Hope Apple will change its mind on this in the future

[@gustavopellegrini1995]

where is the "downie transloader download video"??

[@beardfm]

Had to take it down due to community guidelines

[@gustavopellegrini1995]

@@beardfm that video was great, is there any way i can watch it? Do you have more tips like the one in the video? that tip was awesome

[@walidhannaoui1802]

The HomePods sound way over processed imo

[@beardfm]

That’s a good point, but the Era 300 is doing even more processing with Spacial audio being the selling feature. I think it really depends on people’s taste

[@walidhannaoui1802]

@@beardfm I haven’t done much music testing with the 300s as a pair yet. Only as surrounds and as an individual speaker. But at higher volumes the homepod2 had that weird over processed tuning similar to the Bose smart speaker (I forget the name) I’ve yet to try the HomePods in a HT application though nor have I heard much opinion on it. The 300s really bring together the Arc and sub very very well

[@sergey4162]

@@walidhannaoui1802, HT setup without a sub and rears (HomePods based) look strange to me. Yes, HomePods would greatly improve the sound coming from a regular medium priced TV, but it’s definitely not a HT.

[@4leafclover243]

Giveaways 😂

[@robertmitzenheim]

u cute ;)

[@scrook1027]

Of course if you are using an Android/Windoze the HomePod 2's are a no starter. I guess if your aren't drinking the Apple Kool Aid you have no taste. I'm not trying to bash Apple, but seems to me if one isn't into the "Apple environment" then you are just a lost soul.

[@beardfm]

If you're not in the Apple ecosystem, Sonos speakers should be the default consideration for home audio. No doubt.

[@tordb]

I spent $1,000 for a full Dolby Atmos Sony Core system, including powered subwoofer and receiver and it blows Sonos away. Soundbars are crap.

[@sesame88]

Confusing review. Too many products compared with just blabbering and not pointing out to the item. I gave this video a thumbs down.

[@sergey4162]

Well, the conclusion of this review was a quite clear to me. Pair of HomePods (or just one Era 300) for music, Era 100 and 300 for HT setups depending on the room size, only Sonos if you’re not into Apple ecosystem.

[@2379030]