Sonos Era 300 & Era 100 vs Apple HomePod 2: Head-to-head

[@The.JZA.]

I feel like Apple is missing an opportunity by not enabling two HomePod minis to act as rear speakers in a surround sound setup.

[@GuyOnYouTube]

This 100%. I really wanted something like this, but Apple doesn’t allow for more than stereo pair. I ended up going with a Sony Ht-A9 instead. I also wish the larger HomePods were more like the Sonos move 2 where it has a dock for use as a home theater staple, but easily portable to take outside or around the house when entertaining. If Apple did this with HomePod, I’d buy 4. But because they don’t, I’d pass on it.

[@coralreef909]

The minis are no match for comparison with the era 300.

[@GuyOnYouTube]

⁠@@coralreef909I don’t disagree, but they’re also much cheaper than era 300s. Full size HomePod 2s offer more competitive performance at decent value proposition vs era 300s though. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t support beyond stereo pairing currently. If they did, I’d probably try out 4 HomePod 2s for my main setup (especially if they offered a dedicated sub to pair with), and for my bedroom potentially a more budget setup with HomePod minis.

[@BrandonPDaGoat]

@@coralreef909 HomePod mini is only $99 while the era 300 is nearly 450 brand new there in a completely different class

[@cmooreHD]

I know this is an old comment but I’m just watching and reading the comments anyways and I fully agree. You should be able to pair 4 at the bare minimum.

[@Rigue2021]

Currently upgraded to ERA 300 (2) to go along with Sonos ARC & Sub Gen 3. Amazing Sound 👍

[@smarthomesounds]

Awesome setup. Enjoy 😊

[@johnhwalker]

Same - really enjoying it!

[@xguy9999]

Same 👍

[@bobwalters9151]

The era 300's sound amazing in any way you connect them to your system..stereo or surrounds

[@DeIaynomore]

Same. Fcking awezome

[@laurieambroson2515]

Have a 75" LG OLED, ARC, Sub (Gen 3) and just bought two Era 300's yesterday to round it out, can't wait to hear the setup. Appreciate the analysis.

[@slickrobinzz5960]

update?

[@AndrasHatvani]

2x Era100 with Sub mini vs 2x Era300 would be interesting as at least in Austria the former is even a bit cheaper than the latter

Great review! One question. Talking about audio quality and experience, what do you prefer: 2 Homepods in stereo or 1 Era 300? Thanks!

[@smarthomesounds]

Great question, 2 HomePods are louder and offer a better soundstage than the Era, but there is something about the Era 300 with a good Dolby Atmos track that add another layer of immersion and keeps us wanting more so for that I would go Era 300.

[@driver288]

Hey! Didn’t Sonos release Dolby atmos support for Apple Music on the beam gen 2 and Arc too? So if that is true those are options too, or have I misheard this and it’s only true for the Era 300? 🤔

[@jasonblair4057]

You correct. When I was playing with this on the weekend I see the option for to play spacial audio and Atmos from the S2 app.

[@WheresValdo]

Era 300’s have been an incredible upgrade as surrounds for my Sonos setup. The Dolby atmos was pretty good with the ones but incredible with 300’s.

[@JQM2020]

Yeah they are unbelievable

[@Tech-Nostalgic]

Curious which Sonos soundbar you have paired with the 300s? Arc or Beam?

[@WheresValdo]

@@Tech-Nostalgic Arc

[@Damian_Ess]

Ones don’t do Dolby atmos tho…

[@WheresValdo]

@@Damian_Ess they do when used as surrounds and paired with arc and sub in 5.1.1 setup

[@JoyStickJester_]

The 300's, Arc, and Sub Gen 3 is pricey but it's either go big or go home. If you want a legitimate all around great system go with Sonos.

[@joewragg4934]

In your opinion would a era 300 on its own or a move paired with a era100 sound better ?

[@stephenmcfarlane7083]

I was hell-bent that I was going to buy the new Apple HomePod… I have a complete sauna set up for my movie room, but I wanted to speaker in the kitchen and I am heavily invested in to Apple as well I’m trying not to make this too long blah blah blah, but I bought the Sonus 300 because of your video Thank you very much I’m very happy with my purchase, and I know that I would’ve regretted buying the HomePod I was looking for the biggest sound with the smallest footprint

[@gregordvs]

Great review, it has. convinced me to buy a second Era 100 as I feel some separation lacking with just one.

[@dramandrive]

id love to see 2 100's vs a 300 as they can be had for the exact same money. in my personal use case I feel like id never get the value out of a 300 as no one seems to want to mention the added costs of atoms services

[@lorenzopesci3350]

Hearing the performance i'd love the era 300 but I don't have enough space for that kind od speaker😭 I will go for a single era 100 first and later I will add another one

[@smarthomesounds]

Sounds like a plan and the beauty of the Sonos system is it’s so flexible to extend whenever you are ready.

[@jak493]

If you have a beam Gen 2 and 2x Era100’s plus sub, if you play Spatial Audio, it will only be the beam that produces it whilst the Era’s cannot so won’t that sound weird with very little Spatial Audio effect at all? I like how Spatial Audio sounds but to replace the Era 100’2 with 2x300’s is a costly option, especially if it is currently in a small room, seems overkill to me?

[@MrHazgod]

Hi good video i have a question sonos amp kef +kef r3 (gen 1) +sonos sub (gen 1) + 2 play one or sonos arc +sub (gen1) + 2 era 300? for 90% home Theater use witch one you phink i will take ?

[@sky078]

Since there is a good discussion here, can anyone recommend something to me? I have a Sonos Arc, and I would like to edit some surrounding sounds. I have a limited budget, so that’s why I am thinking of getting a Sonos One Gen 2. But, at the same time, I don’t want to compromise on the quality of the sound around me. Is it worth it to have the Era 300 instead of the Sonos One Gen 2, or does the Sonos One also provide good sound? Thank you, everyone

[@MindfulProgramming]

The sound quality between the Sonos One SL vs Gen 1 vs Gen 2 is negligible, as they all feature the same enclosure and drivers. Biggest difference is that SL is cheaper because it doesn’t have a built in microphone. So keep that in mind when comparing price and sound quality between the “One series” vs the “Era Series”. A pair of One SL + Floor Stands/Wall Mounts can be as cheap as $350 total. A pair of Era 300 + stands/mounts would cost roughly $1k. The difference in quality is probably worth the price, but you’ll be getting great sound either way and all along the spectrum of Sonos products. Is 100% full surround Spatial Audio worth an extra $1k? It’s really up to you to decide.

[@sky078]

@@MindfulProgramming than you for the replay . I already bought 2 era 300 and they are amazing and worth and now I am planning to buy 2 era 100 to have full surrounding sound at home

[@MindfulProgramming]

@@sky078 nice!

[@prtbone78]

​@sky078 I went the opposite got the 100s now gonna grab the 300's but I jist got them last week. Sooooo..... it's gonna be some time. Plus gonna grab another sub. I'm in the android universe. I hope didnt regret my purchase

[@Lyon4488_]

Hello, as the Sonos 300 has air play two does this mean I could connect my tv to the Sonos 300 and connect my home pod 2 and then use them both has my console speaker if this makes any sense 😅

[@zeniepanacek]

Any standalone comparison between era 300 and sonos five? I'm not sure which one to buy

[@Ykodi01234]

The HomePods sounds the best in all of the tests you did

[@hindsy90]

Which of the sub mini or eras would compliment my Sonos beam gen 2 best?

[@pross4540]

Hi, any idea when or if Sonos plan to release longer power cables for the 300’s, similar to other models?

[@timhanley4396]

For strictly stereo and at times a turntable which do you recommend

[@alexis.x]

2 Era 100 vs 2 Move paired in stereo, are the Moves still more powerful? Any sound difference? Thanks

[@Smellythief]

Some comparison of software reliability might be appropriate. I had two OG Homepods hooked up to my appleTV, but the TV kept reverting to its own speakers despite having the homepods selected as the defaults in the appleTV settings. It was so frustrating that I moved them to the kitchen as a stereo pair. Now they regularly get out of sync or one just refuses to play. And they frequently stop showing up in the Airplay menu on my phone. I'm constantly unplugging and plugging them back in to temporarily fix these problems. They're so frustrating that my husband just gave on them and won't use them anymore, and just grabs his portable JBL Charge when he wants ro listen to something, so now I'm researching which Sonos speakers would be good for both the kitchen and the TV. Also, a question: you mention using the Sonos via bluetooth with an appleTV, but they're Airplay compatible, so can they be selected as an Airplay stereo pair in the appleTV settings?

[@jackdominiak445]

Did you not notice, this video was about Home Pod 2? If you're having syncing problems with your speakers, I would look at your Wi-Fi network, before complaining about software reliability. I have never had these issues with either the OG home pod's or my current Home Pod's 2 😏

[@RattlyLace]

I just bought a pair of the 300s but the wall mounts were not available, I would like to see you guys do a ceiling mounted review video for the 300s. That’s the only was I can get them as surrounds. Hopefully you guys do that vid.

[@Bublublu]

How are the 300s? Thinking of buying a pair just for music. Is the base Good compared to other speakers at the same pricerange?

[@renegoetz8137]

Dear, I have 2 Sub mini and 4 One SL, all in the same room. I need to add a speaker in my entrance, which is in the same room as the 2 Sub mini and 4 One SL. Do you recommend the ERA 100 or ERA 300? Thank you.

[@jadegamerz3662]

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

[@MikeyMoran]

Would you know how either of these would work on gaming? I know for the homepod you need Apple TV, and sonos u need the arc for the home theater setup, but how would I play my PlayStation with either of these setups?

[@alfomo6670]

Use sonos app to pair arc and rear speakers, the rear speakers play wirelessly so you just need to connect the soundbar to the TV as you normally do. You can't use only the 300s unfortunately, even with a sonos amplifier. Or, at least you couldn't. I haven't bought them due to already having dedicated front speakers 😅

[@johnmick82]

I’ve got a sub mini and beam soundbar. I like the look of the era. But worried that add 1 is not the way to go. Would I see a difference with 1 or am I better with 2 era100. Thanks

[@mrgold3591]

You have the option to use 2X One SLs or 2X Symfonisk speakers for rears with your set-up. The rear speakers in surround duties for TV will not be preforming at the same level as a stand alone stereo pair. You can set the rears to "Full" instead of "Ambient" in the app when playing music over the Beam. I would go for the Era 100 if you you have a good mix of movies and music usage.

[@jasonblair4057]

Looking to hear how the era300’s work with the beam gen2 and sub mini replacing the ones. Two era300’s are same price as an arc here in Canada, which is bit pricey.

[@Vandophoto]

Can you use 2 sonos Era 100's as stereo PC speakers? Connecting 1 through the aux-in and pairing it with a second speaker?

[@JuanGomez-tp8fv]

Question. Currently I have Beam (gen2). I got my pair of Era’s 300. I connected both of the era’s 300 for rears but It seems like the up firing tweeters aren’t trying the best to perform. Not only that the whole speakers aren’t performing correctly. Cause I’m hearing static noises only the up firing tweeters. This only happens when I’m using my ps5 tho!

[@ClaudioAguileraMunoz]

little question, can you use the Era 300 to play videogames?

[@LereimGames]

I have my TCL Q800 QLED 65" TV, thinking about getting an arc soundbar at the front and 2 of the era 100 in the back while also having one sonos sub 3 gen by the side of the tv bench. Still unsure whether go for 1 or 2 subs. But we'll see till that time comes..

[@hard_23]

The question that i have and what i think it will make a great comparison video is wich one of these two setups has a bigger & fuller sound, spatial audio aside. 2 Sonos Era 300 vs 2 Era 100 + the sub mini; please make this comparison happen.. 🤞🤞

[@MrDexterSr]

Listening to this on my ERA 300 😂. years ago, I originally planned to go for all HomePods, but we know Apple discontinued the original HomePod with no plans to release a new one, leaving me no choice but to look elsewhere for a reliable speaker ecosystem. I've been with Sonos for about 2 years and I won't be turning back. Although I have a few HomePod minis around the house, I primarily use them for controlling my smart home and the intercom feature (for my kids). Sonos has cracked the code for me with the combination of reliability, features, great sound, and flexibility for upgrading the system over time!

[@KyleBowe]

Yeah. This is what I'm thinking. I want the HomePod minis for the Smart Home integrations...but I'm curious how the sound is. It seems like Sonos is the move is it if I'm prioritizing sound.

[@popuppete]

Smart speakers make for a very affordable home PA system. Way better than shouting across the house to tell people it’s dinner time

[@cindyloyd8673]

We have Original Home Pods (Stereo pair for TV sound) and minis in several other rooms for audio. The minis sound great for their size, but the full-size HomePods do have a much bigger sound. We used them to replace our older Sony Soundbar and woofer, and it was a huge upgrade in TV sound. Best TV sound we’ve ever had. Crisp dialogue and, depending on content, really good surround effects. It’s also nice to be able to ask Siri to turn on and off subtitles or repeat a section of mumbled dialogue. @@KyleBowe

[@JayCatterson]

As much as I’d LOVE to have two Era 300s, I recently bought a pair of HomePod 2s and they’ve been amazing. The price here in Canada is crazy for the 300s, so two HomePods are the more economical choice for Dolby Atmos tracks and movies (I have the AppleTV 4K so it’s been brilliant so far!). But I won’t count out the possibility of owning a pair of 300s (or whatever Sonos throws at us) down the road, especially if I want a full on multi-speaker home theatre setup. Thanks for the comparison video!

[@gameallday35]

I have 2 HomePod in the back and the era in the front thanks to my Apple TV to let me do this

[@FinaleSin]

Any major caveats Ruth the two HomePods? I’m in the same boat and feel like they’re my only choice, otherwise i might just save for the Sonos arc

[@gameallday35]

@@FinaleSin the 2 HomePods in the back is the best set .. the bass is super rich

[@coreywalker2020]

@@gameallday35you have two Apple HomePods in the front and two Sonos 100’s in the front?

[@soberanisfam1323]

300s blow the home pods out😂

[@g30f96]

Just gotten my era100 & loving it!

[@smarthomesounds]

Thanks for sharing 🚀

[@NovaDoll]

Is one era 300 fine for music with a sub mini?

[@treverjackson4821]

I bought two HomePods and have them as tv speakers in two separate rooms. I don’t think they get as loud for music sometimes and ended up trying the Sonos ARC with a woofer in the same room and bought a era 300. I have a hard time telling which is better. The era 300 is nice, but so are a pair of HomePod 2s. But then the price of two arcs and two subwoofers is well at 3500. 1200 vs 3500. That’s a huge price difference. I don’t know if they sound THAT much better honestly. And I really like the integrations with the HomePod that just aren’t there for Sonos. I’m not a fan of Alexa’s voice assistant so that’s not a plus for me. Still undecided….

[@klaymoon1]

Great video. To connect to a TV, you said Homepod just takes Apple TV, but Sonos needs the Beam or ARC. Can't Sonos connected to Apple TV via Airplay just like a Homepod??

[@Smellythief]

I'm also wondering this. Have you found out if this works yet? They have Airplay after all...

[@pavloratushnyi9852]

I am also interested in this. In my understanding you just stream the audio from Apple TV to pair or Sonos Era via AirPlay and that's it, but maybe I am missing something

[@Jclipse250]

Yes

[@JonasJensen1308]

Can you connect/use a Wiim streamer with the Era 300? Need that KZbin cast option.

[@jalevyjackson3571]

Sound test was awesome bro really put some clarity to these speakers

[@smarthomesounds]

Glad you liked it!

[@chrisjoubert3005]

Does anyone know if it is possible to connect a stereo pair of Era 100s to a Bluetooth source? Or is Bluetooth connectivity limited to using one standalone speaker?

[@elcapitan2293]

The era 300 designed doesn't bother me, but I can't see myself getting 2 for that size. That's why I'm trying to decide should I get one era 300, or two era 100s? This would be to act as rear speakers

[@mrgold3591]

The Era 300 will sound better if you have some distance from your optimal listening position. I'm going to stick with my One SLs because they sit around 2 feet away inline with my sofa along a wall. I don't think I would get a very good rear Atmos effect bouncing off the ceiling from the Era 300 2 feet away?

[@elcapitan2293]

@mrgold3591 definitely don't have the distance aspect. Forgot to mention this would be added to a beam Gen two and sub mini

[@mrgold3591]

@@elcapitan2293 I have a Beam Gen 1, Gen 3 Sub, and just upgraded my rear Symfonisk to One SLs after X-mas. I didn't know the Era 100 release date when I ordered the One SLs during the X-mas sale. I really don't notice or hear the differences between the Symfonisk compared to the One SLs as rear surrounds? The One SLs look better and easier to place with the smaller footprint. I think I will stick with the Symfonisk and One SLs until they are not supported by Sonos.

[@djt6546]

Unless you have really cramped space. The Era300’s as rear surrounds are the first speakers from Sonos to give a proper integration of sound stage front to back of your room. If you love your movie sound, all other traditional Sonos speakers fall by the way side for movies by comparison.

[@mrgold3591]

@@djt6546 I really love my Sonos speakers (17 total). So much Atmos/surround sound depends on speaker type, number of speakers, placement, room configuration/shape, furniture/carpet/curtains, ceiling height, audio source, I.O.S. compared to Android, and I.O.S.trueplay compared to internal mic trueplay. I would purchase and try out the Era 300 and be willing to return if they don't meet your listening needs. I did this with the sub mini with my Beam+surrounds and exchanged for the Gen 3 Sub a few weeks later.

[@95yashsheel]

Which one is good sounding for music large/ medium room ?

[@bill5067]

I would love to know how they compare to audio pro c10

[@unchico.7951]

Sonos 300 or Aura studio 3 of Harman kardon?

[@joelburch5605]

Can we get a review against some of the bose smart speakers please? I feel like sonos and bose have always gone toe-to-toe and have similar price points

[@uhohadam]

Such a great vid and such an awesome channel, you've got my sub!

[@smarthomesounds]

Great to have you onboard.

[@CK-cp7bb]

Thanks for the review. Very professional as always. One suggestion is to perhaps testing sound with other more lively music in future videos.

[@smarthomesounds]

Thanks for the feedback. Have a great day 👍

[@diegosolano3570]

I was thinking of a Sonos 100 for my living room but no google assistant makes it a deal breaker for me, any news of when this is coming to these devices?

[@smarthomesounds]

Nothing yet, but as soon as we learn something we'll let you guys know

[@Hamish.]

I currently have the beam gen 2, sub mini and two ones. Which would be better switching the ones for the era 300 or the beam for the arc?

[@JayCatterson]

I’d say switch the Beam for the Arc, since you already have two Ones and a Sub mini. I think for your setup, two Era 300s as rears would be overkill, plus one Arc is slightly cheaper than two Era 300s together. That way, you’ll get actual height channels for Atmos with the Arc, then you can put your Beam in another smaller room like a bedroom!

[@djt6546]

…and I’d say the other way around ☺️ I think the sound will be more immersive to swap out the Ones with Era300’s keeping in mind the Ear300’a are the first Sonos speakers really up to delivering a “surround” experience with a Sonos sound bar. They are just on another level for movie integration (front to back soundstage). Use the Ones as a sweet stereo pair in another room. What I would do is order both Era300’s and ARC direct from Sonos on a credit card when my monthly statement rolls over. Use the easy returns policy to send back which speakers give me the least enjoyment on my budget. Providing the speakers are in stock, all this can be done inside a monthly billing cycle. 👍

[@JayCatterson]

@@djt6546 There are reports that the Era 300s front speakers are disabled when used as a pair of surrounds in conjunction with a soundbar, even when playing music. Seeing that these will be paired with a Beam 2nd gen as the soundbar and a Sub Mini, it would be better served to just get the Arc and keeping the Ones as rears, not unless your setup is in a very large room (then I say go with an Arc AND the 300s as rears, and might as well pony up for the big Sub… heck, even TWO Subs). I DO like your suggestion about trying out the speakers when your credit card statement rolls over, and returning the ones that don’t serve your setup well!

[@djt6546]

@@JayCatterson Yes the front firing driver on the Era300’s is disabled in home cinema configuration. It sounds bad on paper, but I suspect they did this because in development they decided it sounds better integrated that way. Perhaps adding the front firing driver thickens the rear sound profile too much while integrated with the sound bar. At the end of the day the only thing that matters is whether you like the sound and with the Era300’s I am personally convinced this new style of speaker is the missing link for Sonos cinema. With Era300’s as rear surrounds, the whole is great than the sum of it’s parts. Sonos may be expensive but like B&O it’s really a glorified lifestyle solution. That’s why some people talk about going down the separates (HiFi/full on cinema) route to get more performance for the same money. I don’t have a Sonos cinema solution because I think it’s great ATMOS. I didn’t buy Era300’s because I thought they would give me amazing ATMOS and just like the ARC, it doesn’t. As a high end HiFi enthusiast I know my traditional cinema setup blows it away in terms of sound, but Sonos is a fantastic lifestyle solution with minimal speakers and no speaker wires. So as I’ve got older and moved to a smart new house I just want less clutter. I’ve never found ATMOS and height sound projection really effective in Sonos. I don’t chase that, but I do chase a well integrated sound stage front to back and around me. That’s what creates a more realistic sound stage for me. With a lifestyle system I try not be concerned with particular effects from a particular dimension. So whether I’m using my Sonos Beam2 in a smaller room or ARC in my living room the Era300 just gives my ears a better integrated sound stage front to back. Therefore it sounds more natural to my ears. Using the monthly credit card statement rollover combined with a streamlined returns policy (such as direct from Sonos) is just a great way to try your own ideas with multiple speakers to decide what does and does not work for you in your own home. It’s great to have such opportunity to try/buy such products. I also bought a pair of Era100’s at launch but I’ve not yet decide if I’m keeping them. IMO they don’t offer any significant improvement over the One’s for stereo music and, coming back to your comments about One Surrounds, for really small rooms I suggest the One’s are preferable over Era100’s as their more scooped sound profile for stereo music doesn’t sound so thick/busy in a smaller space. As we all have different rooms and different preferences we just have to try these things for ourselves. Cheers

[@twiggyinc1]

What about 2 Era 100s in Stereo or 1 Era 300 for music?

[@marcusillingworth1768]

Just got an era100 to connect my turntable up to the rest of my Sonos system. Sound quality is a definite upgrade over the 1’s but the addition of stereo tweeters doesn’t do too much for me. Love that this has brought the cost of connecting a turntable down though

[@shyroneparker3107]

Could someone help me I have the arc and looking to add to my Sonos setup should I go 2 era 300s or a sub 3?

[@mrgold3591]

I would go for the Sub first because it will take the low frequencies away from the Arc. This will improve the Arc mids/highs/dialogue and the sub bass will fill the room way better. The Era 300 will give you a more immersive and wider soundstage; but, won't give you more low end bass. It also depends on your space and if you listen to spatial audio or watch Atmos movies. I mostly watch cable TV and series/movies on major streaming services and no spatial audio. I've noticed only about 20%-30% on content I watch is in Atmos format so far (100% has subwoofer bass). You can get the Sub and you can always get Symfonisk, One SLs, or Era 100 as rear surrounds until you're ready to upgrade to Era 300 rears.

[@shyroneparker3107]

@@mrgold3591 thank you for the info

[@shyroneparker3107]

@@mrgold3591 one thing about the decision between the era 300s an the sub gen 3 mostly what I watch is sporting events and movies does that also make a difference in the choice of which one to get first

[@mrgold3591]

@@shyroneparker3107 I have the Arc, dual Gen 3 subs, and Fives as rear surrounds for my LG OLED 77C1. I've noticed most sporting events are 5.1; but, not a lot is sent to the rear surrounds. I mostly hear at a lower sound level background music or court/field noise with the majority of the sound and dialogue from the Arc (basketball, football, & track/field mostly). I sometimes have to turn my rear surrounds to max in the Sonos App depending on the sporting event. I don't know if any sporting event audio is done in Atmos? The Era 300 Atmos/spatial audio depends on speaker placement, room size, space around the speakers, furniture/carpet/curtains, ceiling height, Trueplay tuning, and paired with Arc or Beam, sub mini, or 1 or 2 Gen 3 subs. A lot of factors that may or may not affect the Era 300 sound quality. You can pretty much put the Sonos sub anywhere in the room and it will improve the Arc/Beam sound quality and provide kick you in the chest bass for action movies. I "think" Sonos has a 45 day return policy for 100% refund. I did this when I got the sub mini and returned 2 weeks later for a Sub Gen 3 for my Master bedroom Beam Gen 1+Symfonisk set-up. I really like the Sonos sub (either mini or Gen 3) and you can always go with the Symfonisk or One SLs for rears until you are ready to upgraded to the Era 300.

[@PureBavarian]

Got 2 100s for surrounds and was unimpressed. Planning to return and just wait for a deal for 300s.

[@prtbone78]

Same. I feel the arc overpowers them

[@johnmalone8790]

Admittedly I've still not had time to set my era 300s up yet. Replaced the play 1s in the kitchen with the era 100s ... a decent upgrade to be fair. Are the fives worth purchasing still as a set of speakers for listening to music in stereo via a record player and cd player in the front room or are the era500s just around the corner?

[@pauljenkins6877]

A great review. I especially appreciate the clear recommendation regarding the Era 300.

[@PurushNahiMahaPurush]

I bought a stereo pair of HomePods 2 to use them in home theater mode with eARC. It was going well until Apple released HomePodOS 18 and tvOS 18. After that my eARC setup was completely bugged where things would work fine if I streamed from Apple TV but with my PS5 or Nintendo Switch, it would produce a jumpscare static every 3-5 mins that would last for about 1-2 seconds. HomePods have amazing hardware but keep in mind that they will always be an afterthought for Apple since that is not their main business. Software support is very lacking and customer support is very bad for HomePod at least here in Finland. Luckily I was in my return period so I got a refund and bought a beam gen 2. After which I bought a sub mini and 2x era 100. I like the Sonos setup more. It’s platform agnostic and sounds much better for home theater setup. It’s a true 5.1 surround setup (and simulated 7.1.4 setup) compared to a simulated 5.1 from HomePods (although the entire setup cost twice the price of HomePod Stereo). The W for Sonos era 100 are that they can be expanded upon in the future, work with wired and Bluetooth and are platform agnostic.

[@davegilbo]

Great video, well written and delivered! My question: if we invest in a Beam or Arc with two Era 300s, when listening to music won’t the sound also come out of the soundbar? If so, don’t we lose some of the benefit of the 300s?

[@JN-ys6eq]

The Beam Gen 2 and the Arc are Atmos compatible so you'll still get Atmos out of the 300s. Only negative is that the front speaker in the 300s is disabled when paired with a soundbar, even when playing music for some reason. Sonos is looking into enabling it for music (customer feature request) since there's been some negative feedback about it.

[@Shipwrckdntweetin]

That is explains a few things …. I always thought it was too low but it’s disabled

[@YogM]

Such a comprehensive video! Thank you!

[@rkingslandjr83]

Yeah. Been waiting for this!

[@sempre_sid]

Hi, thanks for this review, could you pls do a Stereo 300s with a sub gen 3 / sub mini? pls pls

[@nickmarcucci5421]

Would you purchase era 300 or Sonos Fives

[@Breadfan00]

Listened to the 2 HomePods in the electronics store, was kinda disappointed tbf. HomePod Mini ist just too little for 100 bucks, the best purchase now would be the Sonos One (SL) at the Moment

[@TheLDunn1]

Listening to the 3 just on my iPad mini (via its speakers), so hardly a good assessment, the ERA100 & HomePod sounded very similar. The ERA300 however sounded significantly different.

[@smarthomesounds]

The sound tests are just to give you guys a taste, as with KZbin's compression, it will never sound exactly the same, however, we recommend listening to them through headphones to get a better idea.

[@fxaman]

I switched to Era 100 from original HomePod and couldn’t be happier. Sound is way better, metal casing is easier to clean and I can finaly use any music service. Apple Music never again! 😃

[@sayemak99]

Which is louder? And how is the sound comparison in terms of clarity, soundstage and bass?

[@One_above_all]

Thanks this is really helpful. I kinda want to go for the 300 pair but they can't be used as TV earc and I really don't want to purchase an extra sound bar . 😢

[@mitulsheth927]

You can buy apple tv and the send the sound via airplay to them. Easy. Not sure why youtubers dont mention about this.

[@CC1028]

@@mitulsheth927 You will loose Dolby Atmos and spacial audio over airplay

[@One_above_all]

@@mitulsheth927thanks but he said it and I know that. And that's why I'm leaning towards homepod . I just wish that Sonos can have this feature too . I think a two era 300 pair for Dolby Atmos movie will be fantastic

[@mitulsheth927]

I think we are not on the same page, im saying era 300(not just homepod) can be connected to tv via airplay 2, using apple tv, without using a hdmi erc. You do not need a soundbar to connect era 300 to the tv. If he did mention this in the video, my bad, i must have missed it.

[@One_above_all]

@@mitulsheth927 I did not know that. Thank you so much 👍. Does Dolby Atmos works using airplay2 or not?

[@newuser8253]

Anyone know any idea where I can buy the ground stands for the Era 300?

[@SavedByZero]

Sonos and Sanus have stands available for the E300.

[@newuser8253]

@@SavedByZero all out of stock unfortunately, until June, which is way too long wait

[@WheresValdo]

@@newuser8253 even Sanus? I ordered directly from Sanus on the 22nd and they came a week later.

[@newuser8253]

@@WheresValdo do they deliver to the UK?

[@WheresValdo]

@@newuser8253 I’m not sure but I think I saw they delivered to UK and Canada as well.

[@jackdominiak445]

Sonos Era 300 is twice the price, therefore it should be much better than Home Pod 2. For me Home Pod 2 is brilliant for music and better than the ERA 100, the hand off is brilliant on the home pod and it has lossless audio. Having said that, if the ERA 300 was around when the Home Pod 2 launched, it might have been hard not to get the ERA 300

[@kennethpagan4900]

A direct connection with Apple Music? Meaning asking Siri to play my music on th HP2?

[@nunolopes1112]

Please, we need stero pair era 300 vs Sonos 5 pair

[@bleuebloom]

Thanks so much for this video, I am considering these 3 exactly

[@Ipuffyy]

Regarding Apple music, I get spatial audio via Apple TV 4K using my Beam 2nd gen, 2x One SL surround, and gen3 subwoofer. However, via the app (S2), the music sounds completely different (not the same spatial audio I get via Apple TV).

[@mosesyeung]

the music sounds completely different in what way? Worse?

[@Squimey]

Era 300 Vs echo studio?

[@CrunkCuban09]

I would like to see the klipsch fives vs a pair of era 100s

[@jeanblier8571]

You forgot to add the cost of the Apple Tv for TV usage. I have the Era 100. Just the fact that my daughters can access it easily with their cheap android phones thru Bluetooth us a game changer. Apple makes great products but their closed ecosystem is a no go. Apple Music cost a minimum of $11/month with no free option.

[@gameallday35]

I just buy it the era 300 🎉🎉

[@pedromogga6928]

If you are interested in a cinema setup and unless you are already in the Sonos or apple eco system I would suggest instead buying the Samsung 990 B soundbar as it comes with rear upfiring atmos speakers (and sub obviously) and has multiple hdmi inputs (unlike the Sonos soundbars)...and its a lot cheaper than combined Sonos gear .... and probably sounds better for cinema.

[@pedromogga6928]

Sonos really messed up by not making the 100 Atmos compatible as they would have made them great for Atmos surrounds. The 30's are just massively overkill for rears and would effectively be wasted.

[@murrayalex4843]

Tremendous review, thank you so much

[@donsazon3608]

So let me get this right...Sonos released the play1 ten years ago and have only upgraded the processor and the aesthetics for the SONOS ONE. With the Era100, they've increased the size of the cabinet and speaker driver (5") so that it produces more bass than the Sonos ONE, yet it still can't produce as much bass as the smaller HomePod which has a 4" driver? That's very disappointing!

[@prtbone78]

I feel the arc over powers .y arc.. its shoet term i hope. Gonna grab me 2 300s asap and another 2 eventually for front stereo to replace the 2 100s i have that will go as fronts when i get my 300s

[@jackstephan1183]

Well done video and analysis!

[@SwiftieFam9]

What’s better for purely music listening, a stereo pair of Era 300 or Kef LSX 2?

[@arondyte318]

This has been a great video! Since I'm well invested in the Apple ecosystem, I'm going for a stereo pair of Homepod 2s. I bought my first one recently and I was absolute blown away at the quality it puts out for its size. Can't wait to hear what it sounds like as a pair!

[@smarthomesounds]

Two HomePods offer a great experience. If you have an Apple TV they are great for TV audio too 👍

[@sony2254]

Just bought one homepod, greatly disappointed by the sound, the sound is muddy at best, listening to it for 30 minutes hurts the eardrums.. at lower volume, the bass is great, at 70-100 can’t hear any lows, I think it needs more power like the phantom.. I have Airpods Pro 2, it is much better.. Second homepod and apple TV is on the way, bought them out of curiosity, I think it will still be a disappointment..

[@dianeunger6543]

Era 300 is mindblowing. Nothing else In my mind compares.

[@DarshanGanesh-vt3ss]

Sir Sonos Era 100 Denon 150. Compare Plz Reply 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@pepeto3311]

La mejor es la ERA 300, the Best of Best.

[@JQM2020]

I’m thinking about selling my Sonos fives for another set of 300’s. They’re amazing.

[@mrgold3591]

I'm planning to keep my Fives a bit longer because of better bass and the Fives sounding a bit better for non-spatial audio. I listen to more music in the car compared to at home. There is also more 5.1 content compared to Atmos on cable TV and streaming sources. I figure, I can wait a few years to see if an Era 500 comes out to replace the Fives. Hopefully, Atmos/spatial audio will be the norm and not short lived like 3D TVs, DVD audio, or curved screens.

[@michaelt9245]

I want to see the era 300's in a retail setup that might be where they shine the most

[@walidhannaoui1802]

HomePods are so bad with atmos apparently idk if it’s a software bug or what. Also the great thing about Sonos speakers is that you can also pair them with a sub or sub mini and it frees up the speakers to perform even better

[@madguruJ]

I’ve got the 100, I think the 300 is a lot of placebo effect spending more money on it. The 100 has overall the best sound imho The Apple is good but still the 100 wins for me

[@bakelitsuisse7707]

SONOS ERA 300 hands down!

[@bala8oo]

Still think the echo studio is worth a mention, it’s similar in size and performance although cheaper and can also play spacial audio

[@AlexManMe]

Remember, it is Spotify that is an inclusive, not Apple. Spotify refuse to add support for HomePod

[@coralreef909]

Why no complaints about the high price of era 300 ? Just love to bash Apple pile on. And Apple forced to remove components making for reduced performance.

[@aliyakhlef174]

Salut merci pour la vidéo de comparatif audio de deux bonne marque 😊

[@KoldSteel1990]

As an Android user I still can't justify spending money on Sonos products. They don't support Chromecast and now they don't support Google Assistant either. I would rather spend the same or a little less on Bose smart speakers or sound bars or something from Sony or JBL that has Chromecast support. As you said Airplay drains your battery especially if you have more than one speaker playing through AirPlay. Chromecast streams from the internet and your phone just acts like a remote.

[@prtbone78]

I jist got a sonos arc 2 era 100s and gen 3 sub. I was thinking the same but I use for movies so think ill be fine but think I made wrong choice since I'm an android user.