Good morning! Thanks everyone for watching this video. I wanted to jump in and address two of the more common questions (or critiques) I'm seeing on this video, which are a lack of Atmos/Spatial Audio discussion and the 300's pairing with the Sonos ARC. The ERA 300's height and additional Atmos/Spatial capabilities with respect to height and/or soundstage immersion are referenced throughout this video --the first reference coming at 00:32. I understand that this video does not have a chapter or chapters dedicated to the topic specifically, and as a result the mentions or references to are scattered throughout the video and dealt with in the greater context of the video and our review on the whole. My sincerest apologies for not tackling the topic head-on as some of you may have preferred. My reason for this is actually simple; Atmos or Spatial Audio music represents a small fraction of the streaming music content on the market today. Apple estimates there are roughly a few thousand Atmos or Spatial Audio tracks on their platform (source: Verge) opposed to the roughly 100 million songs currently on Apple Music alone (source: Apple). Spatial Audio, in this instance, represents approximately 0.002% of the content available to the ERA 300 (or any smart speaker). Making an ERA review solely about 0.002% of the available music on just ONE platform did not seem realistic to me, especially considering not all Atmos or Spatial Audio tracks even sound good --at least in my opinion. Does well recorded and well-mixed Spatial Audio content sound good on one or two ERA 300s? YES! And the same is true of non-Spatial content, as stated in the video. But even when presented with a good Spatial sample, the 300's other shortcomings (which few are arguing with me about) are still present and able to be experienced and/or heard. With respect to the ARC and the 300s as surround speakers, this we covered here 06:50, where I specifically say, "As surround sound speakers, the Era 300s are exceptional. BUT - I WOULDN’T build a surround sound system using the 300s with anything BUT the Sonos Arc." While I am well aware of your desire to see an ARC review, as stated in past videos and live streams, the ARC is now an "older" product, one that has been covered at length by the greater hifi, home theater and smart speaker community. ANOTHER review of the ARC at this point would not be helpful --at least not in my opinion. Seeing as how we spent thousands of dollars on this review already, the increased financial risk to include the ARC was something I simply didn't deem necessary. My apologies if you feel differently. While our surround sound experience may have been mildly more positive had we had the ARC rather than our Beam, it would not have swayed my overall opinion or final thoughts on the ERA itself, which were "The problem with the Era isn’t its sound -or its usability -it’s that it represents a new path for Sonos, one that is bright, but doesn’t seem fully realized yet. I’m sure with time the Era will improve and get some company from other Sonos products to match its capability, but for now, it’s a bit of an odd duck." When reviewing a product I cannot look at through the lens of how people are going to (maybe) be happiest with it, or in its best use scenario --I have to look at it from as many angles as possible. In this case I used Sonos' own marketing materials and imagery as a jumping off point for my testing because they tout the ERA 300s as a bit of a triple threat; part single smart speaker, part stereo pair/sound bar replacement and part surround solution. They are strongest as surrounds when paired with a bar like the ARC that has upward firing drivers, which within the Sonos eco-system represents ONE other speaker. On their own or as a stereo pair they're impressive but imperfect and very quirky. I'm not alone in my critique of the speaker (and brand's) quirks. I've also come to realize that many would-be Sonos customers were not aware of some of this product's quirks or its lack of features, which we tried our best to highlight to give you the most well-rounded and objective review possible. Needless to say, I understand if I struck a nerve, or if you feel differently, but I standby my review and the remarks that followed in the discussion. I hope this helps to address the two main questions I see in the comments. I never want people to come away from our reviews more confused or not satisfied with the information. Hopefully this additional explination gives you the answers you seek. Thanks for listening (or reading) and we'll see you on Thursday's LIVESTREAM! -Andrew
Andrew and Kristi, the review was fine. You addressed the topics, gave the high and lows of owning and using the product, and added your own personal takes. The fact that it struck a nerve with so many people, proves that the review was done well. Sonos has created followers, and haters on their own. Being reviewers of integrity, you stepped in the middle and are getting it from both sides. Let the fanboys and haters do their thing, while you move on to the next fantastic review.
On Spatial Audio, I still think this was a missed opportunity. If producers don’t think people are able to listen to their music in true spatial audio, they won’t mix their music that way. And if no one makes a dedicated spatial audio speaker, then no one can listen to what little spatial audio music currently exists reinforcing the decision not to bother mixing music that way. So this is where it starts and hopefully more brands follow. Hopefully when that happens you’ll consider recapping the Era 300’s spatial audio capabilities. Many, if not all, the other reviews out there rightly point out that this is the speaker’s strength
@@unstablenetwork4744 I don’t think it’s fanboyism to request that the Sonos Arc be included in this review. Andrew states that you absolutely shouldn’t consider building a surround system of 300s without an Arc. I don’t think it’s crazy to be disappointed that this review didn’t use an Arc. I have an arc and two Sonos ones that are ok but not great. I was hoping for somebody skeptical of Sonos to do a review of this setup, especially somebody like Andrew with a proper atmos in ceiling setup as a comparison. Also to continue to claim that the Samsung is the best without reviewing the arc seems odd.
@@chasandreae4178 For the record, I/we didn't say that Samsung was the best sound bar. I simply stated that if I wanted surround sound without all the fuss, I (as in ME) would go with the Samsung bar. It's a personal preference. We have never attempted to convince anyone that they shouldn't consider the Arc or questioned their enjoyment of it. While I understand your disappointment that the Arc wasn't included, I believe Andrew has provided you with reasons as to why in the comment above as well as in other videos. I would hope that viewers would respect and understand our decision. Obviously, we wish that Sonos was easier to work with regarding obtaining review samples. Had they provided the Arc for review following our many requests, we would have brought you that review by now. Since they do not provide review units in the way that 99% other brands do, it forces us to have to make choices as to what makes the best financial decision when it comes to what we buy for review. Considering we will be required to purchase the Nakamichi soundbar in order to review which runs close to $4,000, buying the Arc is not possible. As for your disappointment in your own Sonos set up, are you looking for confirmation and validation from us? If we were to suddenly review the Arc and find it "the best" soundbar, would that change your own feelings? It does seem that many who ask for an Arc review already own them and are mostly seeking some sort of validation which makes me want to review the thing even less. Inevitably, there will be a group that hates our findings. Why not just enjoy what you have or be confident in your own feelings about your system? This way, no one is disappointed.
I know it's not much but I hope this will help with the bill for Kadie. I'm happy to see she's doing better. Kristi and yourself are amazing at your craft & creativity. I (& I think I speak for everyone here) you both are amazing fur baby parents. We also love you both for always being honest and real with us and providing amazing content! You both deserve all the happiness and great memories that you both will share in the future... ✌🏼 🕊️
@@KristiWright I'm just happy she's okay! As an owner of one Flemish giant rabbit, Netherland dwarf rabbit, 4 cats and a bearded dragon, it hurts me to see an animal in pain! I'm just happy that she found good fur parents 😁..
@@movie_av_impulse Wow! That's quite the collection. We just have a Kadie. Oh and a couple of Steves (what we call the lizards who hang out on our covered patio). :) Seriously, we really appreciate the support.
Thanks! I love your videos!! And it's always interesting to see what kind of cool options are available. I love your take and can see how cool this can be. I, myself, am sticking for now with my current non-current AV receiver (6.1 no atmos) and am working on upgrading my hifi (mid-fi) listening only space. I have pretty much decided on the Marantz 40N. Now do I pick the Black or the White? Decisions! Decisions!
I just want to give a shout out to Andrew for putting together another beautiful video! He's putting in so much time and effort to elevate the viewer's experience. Please give him some love if you've noticed and appreciate all the little extras he does to make these videos fun!
Yo, lovin y’all turning up the energy on videos recently 🔥🥵 wooooo it’s really fun watching and hopefully this is invigorating & rejuvenating fun for y’all too
Love the channel. I have the Arc + Sub + Era’s 300 and I can’t imagine any setup besting the sound quality, ease of setup, build quality and support for ~2500. Truplay works very well, connection and compatibility with the Apple ecosystem is seamless. Everything just works. Can you do better if you pieced together a system for the same budget? Sure. But while you’re waiting for speakers and wire to arrive, drilling holes in your ceiling and troubleshooting connections,I’ll be enjoying my movie.
After listening to your Q990B review, I was sold, even though I had a Sonos Beam G2 + Symfonisk surrounds. But, I bought an Arc instead because of the horrible experiences Samsung users had with the satellites dropping out. This never happens with my Sonos system. Even with all my other smart tech on my wifi. I did end up with the Arc + Era300s + Sub system. (Again, the Sony HTA9 had too many issues in forums for my liking). And yes, I’m amazed. And yes, in A Quiet Place 2, I heard the heart beat 😂. Atmos music too, sounds amazing, like Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary Ed. I did have one Era300 working on its own for awhile and the “presence” they exude in my bedroom amazed me so I may get another. However, even though I find my Sonos stuff “amazing”, I still have my old 2.1 stereo which I’ll upgrade soon. (To a NAD399 😂). “Amazing” maybe good for movies but my Sonos isn’t great at critical listening. Or even relaxed listening. Sonos can try but the stereo stage struggles to project beyond the Arc’s physical size. And it is a “blob” at times. And my subwoofer does a better job as it’s adjustable. Anyway, thanks Andrew, my whole upgrade journey started with your Q990B review. And I’m a happy man now with an almost addictive love of Atmos movies. I do hope you’ll get an Arc soon. Oh, BTW, I have none of odd issues you had with Apple TV + Sonos. Plus I use the Apple Remote on my iPhone.
If I'm reading your comment correctly, the reason you don't have any issues with the Apple Remote is because the ARC has HDMI, something the Era speakers do not have, hence the issues.. So glad you are happy with your system. We sincerely appreciate your support!!
I just bought 4-300’s, a beam and 2 sub minis today. Got them set up super easy (45 min total) and then grouped everything together. So…beam, 2-300’s as rear surrounds and sub mini (normal setup) + I added the 2nd pair of 300’s plus the 2nd sub mini as a stereo set at the front of the setup. I listened to a ton of music, no movies yet, and it was crazy good. The surround affects blew the doors off the system without using the extra pair of 300’s and sub in front. People really should try this setup. It is very easy to toggle the extra speakers on a off to see the difference.
With the ARC and Sub Gen 3 the 300's and Atmos are amazing. The Gen3 is right next to our sitting position and I did not nor have I ever heard vocals out of it. So I think if you upgrade to this configuration you will have a totally different thought of it as a surround speaker.
I disagree unfortunately. I have the same set up and came to this to figure out what to do and what other people thought. If you listen to Atmos music or if you watch movies yes they are amazing as a total package. However , if you’re listening to music and you are an old schooler that prefers 2.1 the arc just doesn’t cut it. Even my 20 year old wharferdale speakers sound better. In fact id say most bookshelf speakers sound better which is a total disappointment. The main problem for me is that you can only listen to music as a total surround pair. I would be willing to forgive Sonos if you could listen to the era 300 as a stereo pair without removing them from the arc as a surrounds. 😢 I just don’t understand how Sonos would be so dumb. I mean think about it the Era 300 as a stereo pair are so much better sounding for music than the arc. Why not give us the option to listen to music to the 300 without involving the arc.
I’m auditioning a pair of era 300s (one week left of my 45 day trial) and Im enjoying just listening to music again and not analyzing the sound of my rig. I’ve been into hi fi for 40 years always staying in that 1.5k to 2k range. ProAc, Totem, Sanus Faber, the list goes on but asking Alexa to play something and have it work is so nice. The ERA 300s handle all recording qualities well, where as previously set ups made listening to my collection rather unpleasant. Now I can just enjoy the music, and not seek out a musical experience with a limited selection of quality recordings. And the cable mess I had was getting ridiculous. The price bugged me a bit until I realized I’ve spend as much on a sub in the past. If I want more of an listening experience, I’ll slap on my Audeze Maxwell headphones which are rather great. Total cost 950 for Sonos, 300 for the Maxwells. I’m keeping my era 300s.
I have the arc with the era 300s as surrounds, this setup lives in this configuration because this is all i want it to be. I have had zero issues with dropouts, and i feel that these two play very well with each other. If you pay attention to this video, you will notice that they mentioned that they were using the smaller beam gen 2 with the mini sub. These era 300s will want and thrive with the bigger sub and arc. I am only commenting on the surround capabilities. As surrounds if you do more research you will find out they eliminate the front facing driver. Leaving just the up firing and left and rights to provide surround effects. IMO, i appreciate this because it doesn't pin point the location of the sounds right behind you but more dispersed. Anyways i do feel like Andrew and Kristi gave their honest opinion with what they have.
Hello sir with your set up playing music all together and 300 as surrounds also sounds great?i wanted to change my sonos ones for the 300s but i also listen to music thank you
@juanvalera7272 I can't say anything about music, unfortunately, because I only use it for a cenima setup. I am also new to sonos, and I haven't heard the ones to tell you it would be worth upgrading.
I have Sonos in just about every room. I know I could probably get better sound but the ease of use and the ability to listen to anything anywhere in my house seals the deal for me. I have analog that already plugs into a play 5 so it's irrelevant to me if the era has analog inputs. My wife, kids and I all routinely listen to different source material in different rooms. I love it.
Great review. I’d highly recommend pairing the Era300’s to the intended comparable Sonos products (Arc and Subwoofer). It really makes a difference and the setup of the Beam and Submini should never be combined with the Era300s
Appreciate the review on the Sonos Era 300 speakers. I do have these set up as rears with the Sonos Arc. I’m not an audiophile type of guy but I have to say I am very pleased with the sound coming out with this set up. I also compared this set up to setting them up as stereo paired speakers. Love the sound when grouped with Sonos Arc when playing music. However, I get a much better sound experience when listening to Dolby Atmos movies and music as rears connected to the Arc. I’m also using the bigger Sonos sub in my set up. Just wanted to share my experience from using these speakers. Again, thanks for the review and your review on other products. Definitely enjoy hearing your reviews. Take care and be blessed.
I was so glad Kristi brought up the Sony HT-A9. I purchased it last November after coming from Sonos Arc, sub gen 2 and sonos 1s as surrounds. I do remember hearing voices through the sub when it was close to my seating position. The Sony system is way more immersive and the larger Sony sub integrates so well. I admit I have had occasional dropouts once or twice in that time but there is a setting to prioritise the connection and a more important one which is called RF channel. This searches for a clear wifi channel. I have not had any dropouts since carrying out this about 3 months ago. Thanks for a great review, yet again!
You guys missed the point on this one. The Era 300 is designed for the new era of spatial audio, and when playing well-mixed spacial audio tracks, for many people a pair of Era 300's kills traditional non-spacial-audio speakers like B&O, Klipsch etc. Wish you had a segment reviewing a pair of Era 300's playing spatial audio music tracks vs traditional setups playing the same tracks in stereo. The difference is night and day.
I owned Focal Sib Evo Atmos for a few weeks and tried spatial music on it through my Sony STRAZ5000ES receiver. Let’s be real: height effect on “not actually” raised speakers is really not there. You’re basically going to hear the sound straight from the raised dome/tweeter and not a bounce off of your ceiling. Maybe for music that level of height subtlety is OK, but not for movies. When it comes to left/right spatial spatial stage, you can’t believe these are in any way ahead of a massive market. And further, the system backing up the speakers - your AMP/DAC, and your stereo or AV receiver will have a bigger impact on delivering that effect. For $900/$1000 there’s better options. Getting Sonos really has to be a lifestyle choice.
Good day from Oz! have Beam gen 3 and Sub gen 3. Was very keen to get a pair of Era 300 to create a surround sound system but was disappointed to hear that it doesn’t do a good job as rear speakers when used with Beam! Thanks for saving me $$$!
Would really love to see you give this another shot with the Arc because whenever anyone raves about this speaker, it’s in that system. I think that’s the only scenario where this will shine.
I have the Arc and ERAs and 2 subs and I find it good but not great. I bought the JBL BAR 1300 a few days ago and moved the ARC and ERAs etc to another room. The JBL BAR 1300, to me is in a much more impressive league exposing the sound flaws in the Sonos. The 1300 bought movies alive with sheer immersive flair. The thunderous bass that doesn't over power or underwhelm is just engaging. Each time I listen to the 1300 I'm left totally submerged. The 1300 also has Amazon Music HD, Qobuz, Spotify etc. integrated and it is brilliant...
My listening style change including downsizing to a smaller home. I went from B&W 804s home theatre system with mid Hi-Fi gear and went to a simple Sonos set-up. 2 ones in open living/kitchen room and 2 roams in the bathrooms. I have audio playing throughout my house. Why? I no longer do critical listening. I listen as I do things throughout the house. My home style is minimalistic. No more floor standing speakers, audio gear, cables and audio cabinet. I wanted something simple, wireless and incognito. Sonos does this with good sound quality. Plus, I no longer want to invest more money into audio. I’m done chasing audio bliss. The Sonos satisfies me……for now.
Great review. I have two complete stereo setups as well as Sonos in almost every room in our home. Sonos doesn’t sound anywhere near as good as a dedicated system, however the ease of use for background and whole house listening, I absolutely love them.
Thanks for the review andrew. I like Hifi, but i work in IT, something interesting that you may not know is that sonos can cause issues with enterprise networking equipment. Even when sonos is connected via the wired connection, they still attempt to connect to each other using the built in wireless and it can trigger spanning-tree (which is a type of network loop detection) in enterprise switches. I think they are a good product for a simple home environment, but they cant be used in a business environment without being accommodated for by the IT department.
The way Andrew smiled after saying my new iPhone made me giggle! Congrats on the upgrade, finally! Also, amazing video. I gotta say, the coloring is getting better and better every time, it looks incredible on my LG G2. Absolutely stunning! Although I always think of MKBHD when it comes to quality, Marques can take a few lessons on coloring from Andrew for sure! Bravo.
I want to send you my Sonos home theater set up just so you can try all the configurations and not have to be out 2K. It's a system that ID like to say "Wife Approved" home theater sound system. Lol. Love your stuff, take care!
I too have the arc, gen 3 sub and 2 rear wall mount ERA 300's and I am blown away by the surround sound and atmos effect, I absolutely love this setup. I previously had a Sennheiser Ambeo pared with a ML 400 sub and this setup blows it away, and there is no way the Samsung 990B sounds better than this. I know the whole setup is expensive but if you ever get your hands on the arc, you need to try this setup. PS I really enjoy your channel!
Hello sir i have the Arc dual subs and sonos one sl as surrounds,im happy with the ones,but you mean if i pair two 300s on my set up as surrounds its a night and day difference from the ones as surrounds?Please can you share to us some movie scene that you watched,that really blown you away?Like as if the planes are on top of your head or footateps as if its on your ceiling.Planning to buy my set of 300s this week or this month and i will share my experience to all of you.Have a good day and thank you
@@juanvalera7272 hello Juan, my business partner has your set up with the old 100s, and after listening to them, it’s not even comparable to the 300s. The sound is so much more immersive with the 300s in the back as surround. You have so much more control of the sound in the upper firing Atmos signals. They also produced a fair amount of base where I feel. I don’t need a second sub. I don’t feel the video can do it justice, but I promise you you’ll be happy with the set up. I set my 300s at +4 on surround, and up firing at +7. I feel that gives me the perfect surround sound effect. Let me know what you think once you set it up.
100% agree. I recently upgraded to era 300 from the one sl and am blown away. The era 300 are light years ahead of the one sl. Any Dolby Atmos show or film will show that.
Always love watching the reviews. It seems the comments for this video have been a bit... contentious but you guys put out great content and im always excited to see whats next in your review list.
This is by far, is the best review I've seen in a long time. It didn't feel like a sales pitch and came across honest/genuine while entertaining. Wells done.
Geez. Your honesty, assuming is it is driven by nothing more than your opinion, is actually refreshing. So many complain when reviewers "only" report favorable opinions. Well this was not the case in this instance and the community is still complaining. All of us want to believe we spent our money on good to great sounding products. Sometimes when that decision making is challenged today via the review process, it is not something any of us typically wants to hear. It is AR's opinion; thats all.
Incredibly thorough and expertly-crafted review. I feel much more informed about the quirks of these speakers after this vs every other review I've read/seen. Kadie looks great! So glad she's doing well.
Glad you found it helpful. It wasn't my intent to poo-poo Sonos (I still like them) but man, I was taken aback when we got 'em and there were so many hoops and fine print I had to deal with in order to enjoy the speakers. I too was confused why so many people didn't mention certain quirks.
I was hoping this might be a product that would help my 84 year old mother better hear tv/movie dialogue. It's definitely not that. Any thoughts on something small and self powered that's good at annunciating dialog? Surround isn't important all. Thanks for a great review today!
Dialog clarity with the 2 speakers paired in stereo was good, however, this system is likely too complicated for your grandmother and way too much fuss without HDMI. I would check this soundbar out amzn.to/3Oe2Yif. It's really good for dialogue clarity and has dialog enhancements if she needs more help.
Next time you are near Philly stop by and listen to the arc, donut sub, era 300 in our sitting room, or the beam, donut sub, era 100 in the bedroom. One Apple Remote for each system, works every time. One button to turn on, and off. Volume is straight forward. The only problem is our Sonos setup is expensive.
Awesome review. Looking for a way to add whole home audio and we’re between Sonos, Bose, or adding more HomePods. Already have a dedicated separates system for living room and Kanto TUKs in the home office. So I know it’ll never surpass those. Just looking for good-ish background audio for cooking, cleaning, and gatherings. Every time I’ve researched Sonos people give these speakers absolute praise. I even see it in this comment section. Idk if it’s sucken cost fallacy, or if they’re really that good. All that to say, your review is very refreshing and appreciated.
I'm glad you found this video helpful! We haven't tested the HomePods yet (our pair was stolen by UPS) so I can't say more about those at this time. We enjoy this amzn.to/3bblRkh in our kitchen and use it almost daily, though I admit it is an expensive experience.
Doesn’t sonos do 100 day returns. Can’t you just buy the whole range and then return it after 3 months or is that an unwritten rule broken in reviewland? Thanks again and looks like klipsch sevens or nines are my direction
Thanks Andrew and Kristi for your work. Had two Sonos speaker before and never was a big fan of it. Sold it and got B&O ones. I‘d appreciate if you could answer one short question. As I‘m living in Germany it‘s rather difficult for me to participate in your monthly q&a‘s because of the time change. I use an old Sansui Six Receiver with 2x48 watts per Channel at 4 Ohms. IYHO, what kind of bookshelf or smaller three-way speakers would you recommend? Living room is about 325 sq ft but I do prefer medium volume because of my little Kids. Would love to hear your thoughts and thanks again for your hard and dedicated work!
I think these would work really bit.ly/3pQEVxW. While not a bookshelf, this is one of my favorite speakers -bit.ly/3b0IbQ2. Three way bookshelf - Model 3 from KLH - but to be honest I prefer the Model 5. I hope this helps!
Would have liked to see some analysis of Atmos music tracks while they are paired in stereo. I had a blast listening to Atmos songs with a pair of 300s the first day. Using them as a surround pair with the Arc is a great experience for movies and music. Can't say I've noticed crossover issues with the gen 3 Sub.
Great review. All I have currently is the Sonos ARC, and I love it. Should be adding the “donut” very soon. I did test the Beam and there is quite a difference in output level and quality. Would love to add the Era300’s at some point, but need really hear a live testing before being sold on them. A side note that I’m not sure is considered enough in this video: I used to want to install that big sound SVS home theater / audio system. However, when I started looking at my entire home as a soundscape, the Sonos ecosystem just makes too much sense. Being able to pair rooms, put all my streaming options into one app, or even pick up one of the speakers to take with me on the go and put back into my home later, just makes Sonos a real game changer.
The thing about SONOS, is that every time I hear them, they always sound better than I expect them to. Now, I am not saying they sound better than my home theater system with Klipsche speakers, but they never disapoint me.
Really timely and helpful review since I can see people getting these for a variety of rooms and uses. I would go with your alternate options for sure.
Just to clarify some of what Kristi’s questions as someone who has owned a ton of Sonos products. The big sub is actually a monster surprisingly and the Sonos Arc is a mile better than the Beam. If that helps anyone making a decision. I probably wouldn’t pair the era as rears with anything less that the Arc. Maybe the Era 100s would be a better match for the beam.
We now have 13 Sonos speakers in our house and in 4 years never had any connection issues. The ease of use is the biggest plus for me. But I have to say that the Arc was a huge disappointment for me. And if you buy a Sonos speaker and think that you’re getting the best sound quality possible you’re simply biased. Thank you guys for this honest review. This probably saves me 900€😂 But I would still love to hear your thoughts on the Fives. Have a great week!
What about the Sonos Amp? Get the benefits of the Sonos system but with your own speakers? I have other Sonos speakers, but thinking of getting this plus some KEF LS50's for my TV/Hi-Fi setup
I have a Sonos Amp + passive bookshelf speakers setup in my living room and I love it. Truly best of both worlds. Works great for music and movies. Excited to add a record player and Era 100s around the house for the full experience.
Love to watch your videos! Even ones I don't 'need' to watch, just love the atmosphere you are giving us. I'm curious of your opinion of the HomePods. I know your first set disappeared sadly, but can we still expect a review in the near future? Keep up the good work!
We want to try them out. We just have to plan for those purchases along with the other products we will have to come out of pocket to review, like the Nakamichi soundbar and the Sonos here.
Questions: 😅 how’d y’all get a hold of a Song X95L?? Andrew got a new iPhone, apparently?? Y’all shaking things up over there 🤭 really liking the renewed ✨energy & zeal✨
You really need the Sonos arc and a sub gen 3 to do the 300s justice. Dual subs if your room can accommodate the sonic performance. The beam gen 2 and sub mini are better suited to the bedroom. Personally b&o is my best company but only the wealthy can honestly afford there range. Keep up the good work Andrew and Kristi we all love and appreciate your hard work
Good day Andrew and Kristi. Although I am not a fanboy of Sonos, my brother on the other hand, is. He has quite a few Sonos speakers setup in his house all being single units. I will ask him if he would consider getting a pair of these speakers for the Livingroom. Great review and a shoutout to Katie for her guest appearance. Loved it.
You should have used the 300’s with the Arc when you talk about them as surrounds. The beam doesn’t have the up firing speakers so of course they aren’t going to sound as good.
Great job in the video clearly stating the winner. Now, I am curious on a head to head comparison. ARC ULTRA + SUB + 2 ERA 300's or Samsung Q990D package?...And...Go....
Loved your take. The 2 of you brought up a lot of points I’ve not heard in other reviews. Kind of weird you didn’t talk about apple spatial audio though!
We used Apple music for streaming and we speak about the Era's impressive recreation of height when using either one or two Era speakers. Apologies for not going into more specific detail.
Good review. I’ve been thinking of replacing my Sonos surrounds with the Era 300s - and I have the ARC - I might still go through with it but I still appreciate this well-done review. I am thinking that very soon Sonos replaces the current ARC with something better aligned with the 300s but we’ll see.
I have the Arc and full size sub and am continually surprised by the surround effects and to a slightly lesser degree, the height channels. I’m on the fence about adding the era 300’s for rears. I have no intention to use them anywhere else so my case would hopefully be more plug and play. Just don’t know if it’s worth the price increase over a pair of 100’s for my use. Sonos is dropping the ball though by not sending products your way. It reminds me of politicians who avoid the debate stage. If you are proud of your product, you should be eager to have it reviewed by the best!
Great video! I have Sonos ecosystem, but you need to fiddle a bit with the eras 300 on the back, like for example, the distance from MLP ( main listening place ) being the best at max 1,5m with the front of the speakers turned to you. Then the dual subwoofer set is amazing, but like you said, used with the ARC. I’ve heard a lot from other brands , but minding my room size the Sonos System is amazing. Dual subs change even more the soundstage..
Sonos user here; my absolute favorite Sonos product is the port. The greatest benefit of the Sonos brand is the ability to connect speakers across an entire household seamlessly. The sound quality alone is not as good as high level passive speakers in my opinion. With the port you can stream through passive speakers using the Sonos app, and have whatever music/podcast/movie etc. you are listening to heard wherever you have a Sonos speaker placed (my favorite being the kitchen) so you are free to move around the house/apartment. This turns a passive speaker into a smart speaker with no diminishment in sound quality but also allows you to broadcast records and cds through your Sonos speakers all around the household. I love the ability to play any kind of music, from my collection or otherwise, in any place and on any set of speakers I choose. That being said, the Sonos app is glitchy and can be frustrating. When it is working I love it.
Somewhat echoing comments on ecosystem ... but more specifically, what do you guys think of the benefits of ecosystem vs compromises you highlight in this review and previous Sonos reviews? I've experienced everything you've said about Sonos over your reviews and share/experienced your same feelings of connectivity, sound and app shortcomings. Where I've invested over time is in the ecosystem. I have a few standalone Sonos speakers, soundbars and 2 amps (old and new). The ability to play throughout the house is the biggest benefit. I'm thinking of taking the plunge on the B&O Beolab 28 or KEF LS60 and the idea of not being able to play house-wide when listening to music is a serious consideration as some of the older Sonos speakers I have don't have Airplay. I'm wondering if this is something that you consider with speaker "systems" like some of the B&O products and other connected speakers you mention and use daily. Do you use any workarounds when trying to play in multiple rooms with different platforms (i.e., Sonos, B&O, KEF, Klipsch). Thanks for the great reviews - really appreciate your real-world usability viewpoints.
I know that B&O has in ceiling speakers that do whole home / distributed audio. We have heard them in a showroom and I loved them. I’m pretty sure they’ll work with the 28s or any other B&O speaker. Not sure about kef in ceilings. You’d probably need a av receiver for those.
@@KristiWright Thanks so much for the reply. With wood ceilings, I'm very hesitant about cutting in for in-ceiling speakers, though we've had them before in other houses and sound great in combination with our other speakers. We have two Sonos amps installed in 1960's era stereo consoles ... those designs might generate as much of a passionate discussion as this one has been. As an aside, I appreciated the review for what it is - think it was great. Anyway - those consoles combined with the standalone One's and Move speakers gives an "OK" whole home sound. That's why the ecosystem discussion is of interest. Sonos is ok for what it is. But see you have many other systems in your home. Being a frequent viewer I catch every now and then what are permanent speakers so was curious what you do with the mix of systems. But sounds like it's the same thing I'm facing, that depending on where you are in your home, that's the system you use. I recently found a B&O reseller and am going to audition the Beolab 28s. That may dictate a lot in how I organize ecosystems ... Sonos may just be for the TVs and a B&O system for music ... or KEF if I can find a place to listen to those. Thanks again for the great content.
Interesting. My experience was totally different. Plug and play. No need to hold press to adjust or use volume or apple remote. Lgc10 tv paired with arc and apple tv plus gen 3 sub and pair of ones
That’s because you are using the ARC which has HDMI, something the Eras do not possess. Had the eras had HDMI, there would not have been an issue. Just another reason why we advocate for more products including HDMI.
Thank you for that! I'm new to Sonos as i just went from a somewhat older 5.1 system to the Beam gen 2 and Sub mini. I was about to purchase the Era 300's but decided to get the one's gen 2 instead. After watching this review i feel much better about my choice. To be honest, you have help me along the way as I'm new to the current audio technology. Thanks again
Very interesting watching this older review after watching your review with the full setup. Arc Ultra, Sub 4 and the era 300’s as surrounds. Think it’s finally time to get back into Sonos.
Andrew, would you consider graphing the y axis of you freq response charts in greater resolution? The line looks, to me, artificially flat with the current resolution. If you showed perhaps +10 / -10dB in single dB steps? Thx for the great content!
I only have an era 100 and a sub mini in my 100 squarfood room. And i had to reduce the max volume because the speakers get way too loud. I like the sound of the era 100 so far.
I have the Sonos Arc and the Sonos sub Gen3 and it sounds incrdible and I have been a Bose fan for years and I ove the new Bose Ultra but this Sonos is my new favorite, I been thinking on adding the Era 300 as sorrounds but I dont like the shape the price and the size so I'm kind of confuse some say they are excellent others is not reall worth it
I have to say that up until now the reviews of the Era 300s have been rather "cult" like. This is the first time I've heard some critical observations of the product. When I looked into the specs all I found were limitations. Thanks guys, it's good to know I'm not losing my mind about the product.
I would absolutely love to buy 2 era 300 speakers to use with my Arc and Sub. However, I would hope that if I spent this amount of money for rear surround speakers, that I could use all the available features of the Era 300 speakers. By that, I mean that I would like to be able to turn on my Apple TV and watch TV and movies, using the whole system for surround sound. I would then like to be able to play music from the apple tv or from my phone or tablet or computer, and have the sound come from any configuration of these 4 components (arc, sub, 2x era 300) that I choose- including playing from just the era 300s in a stereo pair with all drivers firing. Finally, I would love to be able to have my turntable connected to the line-in on the Eras, throw on a record, and have the Eras play the record using all of the drivers. I honestly don't understand why is isn't really an option, without always having to set up/link/disconnect/re-set up the system based on which of those 3 use cases I'd like to utilize. Do I really need to have an arc+sub+2 era setup for surround, and then a SECOND set of era 300 speakers set up as a stereo pair to play music? and even if sonos expects me to do this- what do I do about the turntable? Can I have it connected to line-in and easily toggle between the turntable and streaming music? For such a seemingly well built and well thought out product, this is a gaping flaw in what could otherwise be a do-it-all and amazing sounding setup. Am I the only one that feels this way?! What am I missing here?
I got a Sonos Port for this reason. Set Arc, Sub and 2x Fives up as one surround system, then use the Port to feed in the line-in from the turntable. Make sure to set the playback level for music for the surrounds to "Full" instead of "Ambient". The only caveat is that the Arc will also play music, no just the stereo pair. However at least it utilizes the sub correctly and you can increase the volume for the "surrounds"/stereo pair for music in the app separately than for watching TV
Andrew and Kristi - I love all of your reviews. I do believe that there is a substantial difference between the Sonos Arc and the Sonos Beam. I personally do not like the Beam or the smaller subwoofer whatsoever. I own a lot of Sonos products, to include the Era 300 but not the Beam or the smaller sub. Overall I think the review with the Sonos Arc and the larger subwoofer will be warranted in the future. I also do not recommend using the ERA 300 in a stereo environment, which I know Sonos does "preach to the choir". I believe the Play Fives/Fives with or without a sub would be the better product to review for stereo playback. In my own opinion, the ERA 300 should be more of an exclusive HT surround speaker, with the option to play in a stereo format. I own the Samsung HW 990-C, which is a fantastic product but I think the depth and presence of the ARC with the larger sub system is more dynamic. Thanks for purchasing this setup for the review. I do believe your review is a fair & unbiased opinion. When I first heard the ERA 300 in a stereo setup, I was not impressed at all. However for HT applications, it was way better. I moved my Play Fives to my office for a stereo application. Overall, I do like the ease of use for Sonos, once I adapted to the eco-system. The Sonos Move are a fantastic stereo option for outdoor use as well. The imaging performance is phenomenal for this type of speaker - in my opinion. Thanks for all that the both of you do.
I totally disagree with your take on these. I have them as surrounds with the arc and the "donut" sub, and they sound wonderful in my room. I replaced a pair of Ones with the Era 300's. Major difference. In my previous house I had a 7.2.4 Denon/Outlaw 7ch power amp. I'll never do that again. That Denon was a piece of garbage I could fry eggs on, so I only used it to power the four height speakers. I let the outlaw power amp power the rest. The big lie with overpriced processors is that their rating for watts per channel, is for two channels. So if you have a processor rated at 150 watts per channel, you actually have 27 watts per channel for the 11 speakers (300 divided by 11). My Outlaw is 7 x 150 watts per channel straight up. The sound quality difference was substantial. Head room is everything powering a big setup. They don't suggest you use the Era 300's with a Beam. It's for the Arc. Big difference. Is the Sonos setup as good as my old setup? No, but it's not that big of a difference either. Not in the right room. If you want to save about 7500 dollars and your room is somewhere between 300 to 400 square ft. You won't be disappointed. Not in the least. I'm an old stereo dude audiophile. I have tube monoblocks, tube preamp, Open baffle speakers with 2 twelve inch servo subs each in floor standers. etc. etc. etc. I bought a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls in the 70's when I was 18. Your review is a perfect example of comparing apples to oranges. Why on earth would you compare Klipsch bookshelves to these for stereo? The Era's are designed for spacial audio and can also play stereo. They're somewhat of a unicorn. As for surrounds, they're fantastic for immersive movie experience in Atmos. Sonos finally came out with rears for Atmos and they did a great job. I wouldn't buy these for critical listening in stereo, and there is nothing wrong if you do for lifestyle. Plus you get the extra benefit of playing spatial audio.
Speaking of sub crossovers. Your videos are well mixed and your voice is surprisingly deep. I've used your videos as a reference to tune the sub/center channel crossover point. I hate when the vocal sound unnatural.
Thanks for the review. As always very well presented I was wondering how did you watch movies with the Era 300 (without beam), airpaly via Apple TV? And if so have you had any lip sync issues?
Sonos is the new Bose... ;-) (Change my mind...) 🙂 For what they are and for what they do - they do it well. I have a pair of Sonos Fives in my bathroom activated by motion. They sound absolutely great for that purpose. Shower tunes. Grossly underrated. I just ordered a ERA 300 for my deck. I'll be happy with just one. It's just for listening out on the deck. Should be fine. I don't need a stereo pair. Just one. Like I WAS going to do in the bathroom. Until I tired two. I'll be happy with one - right....? Yes. Yes I will. Fake stereo mono adjacently happy. Should I just g'head & order another one now? Add to cart. Sigh.
thank you that has tilted me back to the Samsung Q990C , very level honest level headed review, and good to see you haven't jumped on the Sonos fan-boy bandwagon
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Good morning! Thanks everyone for watching this video. I wanted to jump in and address two of the more common questions (or critiques) I'm seeing on this video, which are a lack of Atmos/Spatial Audio discussion and the 300's pairing with the Sonos ARC. The ERA 300's height and additional Atmos/Spatial capabilities with respect to height and/or soundstage immersion are referenced throughout this video --the first reference coming at 00:32. I understand that this video does not have a chapter or chapters dedicated to the topic specifically, and as a result the mentions or references to are scattered throughout the video and dealt with in the greater context of the video and our review on the whole. My sincerest apologies for not tackling the topic head-on as some of you may have preferred.
My reason for this is actually simple; Atmos or Spatial Audio music represents a small fraction of the streaming music content on the market today. Apple estimates there are roughly a few thousand Atmos or Spatial Audio tracks on their platform (source: Verge) opposed to the roughly 100 million songs currently on Apple Music alone (source: Apple). Spatial Audio, in this instance, represents approximately 0.002% of the content available to the ERA 300 (or any smart speaker). Making an ERA review solely about 0.002% of the available music on just ONE platform did not seem realistic to me, especially considering not all Atmos or Spatial Audio tracks even sound good --at least in my opinion. Does well recorded and well-mixed Spatial Audio content sound good on one or two ERA 300s? YES! And the same is true of non-Spatial content, as stated in the video. But even when presented with a good Spatial sample, the 300's other shortcomings (which few are arguing with me about) are still present and able to be experienced and/or heard.
With respect to the ARC and the 300s as surround speakers, this we covered here 06:50, where I specifically say, "As surround sound speakers, the Era 300s are exceptional. BUT - I WOULDN’T build a surround sound system using the 300s with anything BUT the Sonos Arc." While I am well aware of your desire to see an ARC review, as stated in past videos and live streams, the ARC is now an "older" product, one that has been covered at length by the greater hifi, home theater and smart speaker community. ANOTHER review of the ARC at this point would not be helpful --at least not in my opinion. Seeing as how we spent thousands of dollars on this review already, the increased financial risk to include the ARC was something I simply didn't deem necessary. My apologies if you feel differently. While our surround sound experience may have been mildly more positive had we had the ARC rather than our Beam, it would not have swayed my overall opinion or final thoughts on the ERA itself, which were "The problem with the Era isn’t its sound -or its usability -it’s that it represents a new path for Sonos, one that is bright, but doesn’t seem fully realized yet. I’m sure with time the Era will improve and get some company from other Sonos products to match its capability, but for now, it’s a bit of an odd duck."
When reviewing a product I cannot look at through the lens of how people are going to (maybe) be happiest with it, or in its best use scenario --I have to look at it from as many angles as possible. In this case I used Sonos' own marketing materials and imagery as a jumping off point for my testing because they tout the ERA 300s as a bit of a triple threat; part single smart speaker, part stereo pair/sound bar replacement and part surround solution. They are strongest as surrounds when paired with a bar like the ARC that has upward firing drivers, which within the Sonos eco-system represents ONE other speaker. On their own or as a stereo pair they're impressive but imperfect and very quirky. I'm not alone in my critique of the speaker (and brand's) quirks. I've also come to realize that many would-be Sonos customers were not aware of some of this product's quirks or its lack of features, which we tried our best to highlight to give you the most well-rounded and objective review possible. Needless to say, I understand if I struck a nerve, or if you feel differently, but I standby my review and the remarks that followed in the discussion.
I hope this helps to address the two main questions I see in the comments. I never want people to come away from our reviews more confused or not satisfied with the information. Hopefully this additional explination gives you the answers you seek. Thanks for listening (or reading) and we'll see you on Thursday's LIVESTREAM!
-Andrew
Andrew and Kristi, the review was fine. You addressed the topics, gave the high and lows of owning and using the product, and added your own personal takes.
The fact that it struck a nerve with so many people, proves that the review was done well. Sonos has created followers, and haters on their own. Being reviewers of integrity, you stepped in the middle and are getting it from both sides.
Let the fanboys and haters do their thing, while you move on to the next fantastic review.
On Spatial Audio, I still think this was a missed opportunity. If producers don’t think people are able to listen to their music in true spatial audio, they won’t mix their music that way. And if no one makes a dedicated spatial audio speaker, then no one can listen to what little spatial audio music currently exists reinforcing the decision not to bother mixing music that way. So this is where it starts and hopefully more brands follow. Hopefully when that happens you’ll consider recapping the Era 300’s spatial audio capabilities. Many, if not all, the other reviews out there rightly point out that this is the speaker’s strength
So how did you like listening to Songs in Atmos?
@@unstablenetwork4744 I don’t think it’s fanboyism to request that the Sonos Arc be included in this review. Andrew states that you absolutely shouldn’t consider building a surround system of 300s without an Arc. I don’t think it’s crazy to be disappointed that this review didn’t use an Arc. I have an arc and two Sonos ones that are ok but not great. I was hoping for somebody skeptical of Sonos to do a review of this setup, especially somebody like Andrew with a proper atmos in ceiling setup as a comparison. Also to continue to claim that the Samsung is the best without reviewing the arc seems odd.
@@chasandreae4178 For the record, I/we didn't say that Samsung was the best sound bar. I simply stated that if I wanted surround sound without all the fuss, I (as in ME) would go with the Samsung bar. It's a personal preference. We have never attempted to convince anyone that they shouldn't consider the Arc or questioned their enjoyment of it.
While I understand your disappointment that the Arc wasn't included, I believe Andrew has provided you with reasons as to why in the comment above as well as in other videos. I would hope that viewers would respect and understand our decision. Obviously, we wish that Sonos was easier to work with regarding obtaining review samples. Had they provided the Arc for review following our many requests, we would have brought you that review by now. Since they do not provide review units in the way that 99% other brands do, it forces us to have to make choices as to what makes the best financial decision when it comes to what we buy for review. Considering we will be required to purchase the Nakamichi soundbar in order to review which runs close to $4,000, buying the Arc is not possible.
As for your disappointment in your own Sonos set up, are you looking for confirmation and validation from us? If we were to suddenly review the Arc and find it "the best" soundbar, would that change your own feelings? It does seem that many who ask for an Arc review already own them and are mostly seeking some sort of validation which makes me want to review the thing even less. Inevitably, there will be a group that hates our findings. Why not just enjoy what you have or be confident in your own feelings about your system? This way, no one is disappointed.
I know it's not much but I hope this will help with the bill for Kadie. I'm happy to see she's doing better. Kristi and yourself are amazing at your craft & creativity. I (& I think I speak for everyone here) you both are amazing fur baby parents. We also love you both for always being honest and real with us and providing amazing content! You both deserve all the happiness and great memories that you both will share in the future... ✌🏼 🕊️
Nick, thank you! You didn't have to do that but I sincerely appreciate it!
NICK! Thank you!! 🥹 I'm just speechless. We are just so so glad she's okay. Not gonna lie, that doggo is my baby.
@@KristiWright I'm just happy she's okay! As an owner of one Flemish giant rabbit, Netherland dwarf rabbit, 4 cats and a bearded dragon, it hurts me to see an animal in pain! I'm just happy that she found good fur parents 😁..
@@andrewrobinsonreviews it's my pleasure! Glad she's feeling better 🤠
@@movie_av_impulse Wow! That's quite the collection. We just have a Kadie. Oh and a couple of Steves (what we call the lizards who hang out on our covered patio). :) Seriously, we really appreciate the support.
Thanks! I love your videos!! And it's always interesting to see what kind of cool options are available. I love your take and can see how cool this can be.
I, myself, am sticking for now with my current non-current AV receiver (6.1 no atmos) and am working on upgrading my hifi (mid-fi) listening only space. I have pretty much decided on the Marantz 40N. Now do I pick the Black or the White? Decisions! Decisions!
Thank you so much! As for what color to pick, we have the Cinema 40 AVR in white/silver and it is stunning --way better than the black IMHO.
I just want to give a shout out to Andrew for putting together another beautiful video! He's putting in so much time and effort to elevate the viewer's experience. Please give him some love if you've noticed and appreciate all the little extras he does to make these videos fun!
Yo, lovin y’all turning up the energy on videos recently 🔥🥵 wooooo it’s really fun watching and hopefully this is invigorating & rejuvenating fun for y’all too
Heck, even the background decor and its color palette are very nice! Makes the whole thing look really high end!
@@i.am.Crispin.Crunch It has been! Thank you!!
@@mindblockandroid Thank you! :)
It's very noticeable and VERY appreciated! 😁😁. Much love, from Alex and Suzy xx
Love the channel.
I have the Arc + Sub + Era’s 300 and I can’t imagine any setup besting the sound quality, ease of setup, build quality and support for ~2500.
Truplay works very well, connection and compatibility with the Apple ecosystem is seamless. Everything just works.
Can you do better if you pieced together a system for the same budget? Sure.
But while you’re waiting for speakers and wire to arrive, drilling holes in your ceiling and troubleshooting connections,I’ll be enjoying my movie.
HAAH. #facts
After listening to your Q990B review, I was sold, even though I had a Sonos Beam G2 + Symfonisk surrounds. But, I bought an Arc instead because of the horrible experiences Samsung users had with the satellites dropping out. This never happens with my Sonos system. Even with all my other smart tech on my wifi.
I did end up with the Arc + Era300s + Sub system. (Again, the Sony HTA9 had too many issues in forums for my liking). And yes, I’m amazed. And yes, in A Quiet Place 2, I heard the heart beat 😂.
Atmos music too, sounds amazing, like Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary Ed.
I did have one Era300 working on its own for awhile and the “presence” they exude in my bedroom amazed me so I may get another.
However, even though I find my Sonos stuff “amazing”, I still have my old 2.1 stereo which I’ll upgrade soon. (To a NAD399 😂). “Amazing” maybe good for movies but my Sonos isn’t great at critical listening. Or even relaxed listening. Sonos can try but the stereo stage struggles to project beyond the Arc’s physical size. And it is a “blob” at times. And my subwoofer does a better job as it’s adjustable.
Anyway, thanks Andrew, my whole upgrade journey started with your Q990B review. And I’m a happy man now with an almost addictive love of Atmos movies. I do hope you’ll get an Arc soon.
Oh, BTW, I have none of odd issues you had with Apple TV + Sonos. Plus I use the Apple Remote on my iPhone.
If I'm reading your comment correctly, the reason you don't have any issues with the Apple Remote is because the ARC has HDMI, something the Era speakers do not have, hence the issues..
So glad you are happy with your system. We sincerely appreciate your support!!
@@KristiWright Era300s as standalone TV speakers are not supported by the Sonos ecosystem imo.
I just bought 4-300’s, a beam and 2 sub minis today. Got them set up super easy (45 min total) and then grouped everything together. So…beam, 2-300’s as rear surrounds and sub mini (normal setup) + I added the 2nd pair of 300’s plus the 2nd sub mini as a stereo set at the front of the setup. I listened to a ton of music, no movies yet, and it was crazy good. The surround affects blew the doors off the system without using the extra pair of 300’s and sub in front. People really should try this setup. It is very easy to toggle the extra speakers on a off to see the difference.
With the ARC and Sub Gen 3 the 300's and Atmos are amazing. The Gen3 is right next to our sitting position and I did not nor have I ever heard vocals out of it. So I think if you upgrade to this configuration you will have a totally different thought of it as a surround speaker.
I disagree unfortunately. I have the same set up and came to this to figure out what to do and what other people thought. If you listen to Atmos music or if you watch movies yes they are amazing as a total package. However , if you’re listening to music and you are an old schooler that prefers 2.1 the arc just doesn’t cut it. Even my 20 year old wharferdale speakers sound better. In fact id say most bookshelf speakers sound better which is a total disappointment. The main problem for me is that you can only listen to music as a total surround pair. I would be willing to forgive Sonos if you could listen to the era 300 as a stereo pair without removing them from the arc as a surrounds. 😢
I just don’t understand how Sonos would be so dumb. I mean think about it the Era 300 as a stereo pair are so much better sounding for music than the arc. Why not give us the option to listen to music to the 300 without involving the arc.
I’m auditioning a pair of era 300s (one week left of my 45 day trial) and Im enjoying just listening to music again and not analyzing the sound of my rig. I’ve been into hi fi for 40 years always staying in that 1.5k to 2k range. ProAc, Totem, Sanus Faber, the list goes on but asking Alexa to play something and have it work is so nice.
The ERA 300s handle all recording qualities well, where as previously set ups made listening to my collection rather unpleasant. Now I can just enjoy the music, and not seek out a musical experience with a limited selection of quality recordings. And the cable mess I had was getting ridiculous. The price bugged me a bit until I realized I’ve spend as much on a sub in the past.
If I want more of an listening experience, I’ll slap on my Audeze Maxwell headphones which are rather great.
Total cost 950 for Sonos, 300 for the Maxwells. I’m keeping my era 300s.
I'm so glad you are enjoying your Eras. Listening to them in stereo was actually a fun and enjoyable experience.
I have the arc with the era 300s as surrounds, this setup lives in this configuration because this is all i want it to be. I have had zero issues with dropouts, and i feel that these two play very well with each other. If you pay attention to this video, you will notice that they mentioned that they were using the smaller beam gen 2 with the mini sub. These era 300s will want and thrive with the bigger sub and arc. I am only commenting on the surround capabilities. As surrounds if you do more research you will find out they eliminate the front facing driver. Leaving just the up firing and left and rights to provide surround effects. IMO, i appreciate this because it doesn't pin point the location of the sounds right behind you but more dispersed. Anyways i do feel like Andrew and Kristi gave their honest opinion with what they have.
Hello sir with your set up playing music all together and 300 as surrounds also sounds great?i wanted to change my sonos ones for the 300s but i also listen to music thank you
@juanvalera7272 I can't say anything about music, unfortunately, because I only use it for a cenima setup. I am also new to sonos, and I haven't heard the ones to tell you it would be worth upgrading.
I have Sonos in just about every room. I know I could probably get better sound but the ease of use and the ability to listen to anything anywhere in my house seals the deal for me. I have analog that already plugs into a play 5 so it's irrelevant to me if the era has analog inputs. My wife, kids and I all routinely listen to different source material in different rooms. I love it.
That makes perfect sense! As long as you are happy, that's all that matters. We often prefer a more simple system ourselves.
Great review. I’d highly recommend pairing the Era300’s to the intended comparable Sonos products (Arc and Subwoofer). It really makes a difference and the setup of the Beam and Submini should never be combined with the Era300s
Appreciate the review on the Sonos Era 300 speakers. I do have these set up as rears with the Sonos Arc. I’m not an audiophile type of guy but I have to say I am very pleased with the sound coming out with this set up.
I also compared this set up to setting them up as stereo paired speakers. Love the sound when grouped with Sonos Arc when playing music.
However, I get a much better sound experience when listening to Dolby Atmos movies and music as rears connected to the Arc.
I’m also using the bigger Sonos sub in my set up.
Just wanted to share my experience from using these speakers. Again, thanks for the review and your review on other products.
Definitely enjoy hearing your reviews. Take care and be blessed.
I was so glad Kristi brought up the Sony HT-A9. I purchased it last November after coming from Sonos Arc, sub gen 2 and sonos 1s as surrounds. I do remember hearing voices through the sub when it was close to my seating position. The Sony system is way more immersive and the larger Sony sub integrates so well. I admit I have had occasional dropouts once or twice in that time but there is a setting to prioritise the connection and a more important one which is called RF channel. This searches for a clear wifi channel. I have not had any dropouts since carrying out this about 3 months ago. Thanks for a great review, yet again!
You guys missed the point on this one. The Era 300 is designed for the new era of spatial audio, and when playing well-mixed spacial audio tracks, for many people a pair of Era 300's kills traditional non-spacial-audio speakers like B&O, Klipsch etc. Wish you had a segment reviewing a pair of Era 300's playing spatial audio music tracks vs traditional setups playing the same tracks in stereo. The difference is night and day.
I owned Focal Sib Evo Atmos for a few weeks and tried spatial music on it through my Sony STRAZ5000ES receiver. Let’s be real: height effect on “not actually” raised speakers is really not there. You’re basically going to hear the sound straight from the raised dome/tweeter and not a bounce off of your ceiling. Maybe for music that level of height subtlety is OK, but not for movies.
When it comes to left/right spatial spatial stage, you can’t believe these are in any way ahead of a massive market. And further, the system backing up the speakers - your AMP/DAC, and your stereo or AV receiver will have a bigger impact on delivering that effect.
For $900/$1000 there’s better options. Getting Sonos really has to be a lifestyle choice.
I would love it if you did a full Sonos Arc + Sub + Era 300 comparison with the HT-A9 + SW5
Agreed
Danke!
Thank you!
In settings, you can set a default airplay pairing for your Apple TV audio. What you did is what you do only for temporary pairings
Good day from Oz! have Beam gen 3 and Sub gen 3. Was very keen to get a pair of Era 300 to create a surround sound system but was disappointed to hear that it doesn’t do a good job as rear speakers when used with Beam! Thanks for saving me $$$!
Would really love to see you give this another shot with the Arc because whenever anyone raves about this speaker, it’s in that system. I think that’s the only scenario where this will shine.
I have the Arc and ERAs and 2 subs and I find it good but not great. I bought the JBL BAR 1300 a few days ago and moved the ARC and ERAs etc to another room. The JBL BAR 1300, to me is in a much more impressive league exposing the sound flaws in the Sonos. The 1300 bought movies alive with sheer immersive flair. The thunderous bass that doesn't over power or underwhelm is just engaging. Each time I listen to the 1300 I'm left totally submerged. The 1300 also has Amazon Music HD, Qobuz, Spotify etc. integrated and it is brilliant...
Love the straight up honest approach to reviews this channel has 💯
Thank you so much!
My listening style change including downsizing to a smaller home. I went from B&W 804s home theatre system with mid Hi-Fi gear and went to a simple Sonos set-up. 2 ones in open living/kitchen room and 2 roams in the bathrooms. I have audio playing throughout my house. Why? I no longer do critical listening. I listen as I do things throughout the house. My home style is minimalistic. No more floor standing speakers, audio gear, cables and audio cabinet. I wanted something simple, wireless and incognito. Sonos does this with good sound quality. Plus, I no longer want to invest more money into audio. I’m done chasing audio bliss. The Sonos satisfies me……for now.
Great review. I have two complete stereo setups as well as Sonos in almost every room in our home. Sonos doesn’t sound anywhere near as good as a dedicated system, however the ease of use for background and whole house listening, I absolutely love them.
Thanks for the review andrew.
I like Hifi, but i work in IT, something interesting that you may not know is that sonos can cause issues with enterprise networking equipment. Even when sonos is connected via the wired connection, they still attempt to connect to each other using the built in wireless and it can trigger spanning-tree (which is a type of network loop detection) in enterprise switches. I think they are a good product for a simple home environment, but they cant be used in a business environment without being accommodated for by the IT department.
The way Andrew smiled after saying my new iPhone made me giggle! Congrats on the upgrade, finally! Also, amazing video. I gotta say, the coloring is getting better and better every time, it looks incredible on my LG G2. Absolutely stunning! Although I always think of MKBHD when it comes to quality, Marques can take a few lessons on coloring from Andrew for sure! Bravo.
Great video Andrew! I have bought a pair of 300 Era and have mounted them on the wall and set as surround. Sound is pretty impressive to me!
I want to send you my Sonos home theater set up just so you can try all the configurations and not have to be out 2K. It's a system that ID like to say "Wife Approved" home theater sound system. Lol. Love your stuff, take care!
I too have the arc, gen 3 sub and 2 rear wall mount ERA 300's and I am blown away by the surround sound and atmos effect, I absolutely love this setup. I previously had a Sennheiser Ambeo pared with a ML 400 sub and this setup blows it away, and there is no way the Samsung 990B sounds better than this. I know the whole setup is expensive but if you ever get your hands on the arc, you need to try this setup. PS I really enjoy your channel!
Hello sir i have the Arc dual subs and sonos one sl as surrounds,im happy with the ones,but you mean if i pair two 300s on my set up as surrounds its a night and day difference from the ones as surrounds?Please can you share to us some movie scene that you watched,that really blown you away?Like as if the planes are on top of your head or footateps as if its on your ceiling.Planning to buy my set of 300s this week or this month and i will share my experience to all of you.Have a good day and thank you
@@juanvalera7272 hello Juan, my business partner has your set up with the old 100s, and after listening to them, it’s not even comparable to the 300s. The sound is so much more immersive with the 300s in the back as surround. You have so much more control of the sound in the upper firing Atmos signals. They also produced a fair amount of base where I feel. I don’t need a second sub. I don’t feel the video can do it justice, but I promise you you’ll be happy with the set up. I set my 300s at +4 on surround, and up firing at +7. I feel that gives me the perfect surround sound effect. Let me know what you think once you set it up.
100% agree. I recently upgraded to era 300 from the one sl and am blown away. The era 300 are light years ahead of the one sl. Any Dolby Atmos show or film will show that.
Definitely get the Arc and Sub gen 3 with the Era 300s. It’s truly amazing.
Always love watching the reviews. It seems the comments for this video have been a bit... contentious but you guys put out great content and im always excited to see whats next in your review list.
Thank you for your kind words.
This is by far, is the best review I've seen in a long time. It didn't feel like a sales pitch and came across honest/genuine while entertaining. Wells done.
Thanks
Thank you for your kind contribution. I've answered you question in your other comment.
Geez. Your honesty, assuming is it is driven by nothing more than your opinion, is actually refreshing. So many complain when reviewers "only" report favorable opinions. Well this was not the case in this instance and the community is still complaining. All of us want to believe we spent our money on good to great sounding products. Sometimes when that decision making is challenged today via the review process, it is not something any of us typically wants to hear. It is AR's opinion; thats all.
Incredibly thorough and expertly-crafted review. I feel much more informed about the quirks of these speakers after this vs every other review I've read/seen.
Kadie looks great! So glad she's doing well.
Glad you found it helpful. It wasn't my intent to poo-poo Sonos (I still like them) but man, I was taken aback when we got 'em and there were so many hoops and fine print I had to deal with in order to enjoy the speakers. I too was confused why so many people didn't mention certain quirks.
I was hoping this might be a product that would help my 84 year old mother better hear tv/movie dialogue. It's definitely not that. Any thoughts on something small and self powered that's good at annunciating dialog? Surround isn't important all. Thanks for a great review today!
Klipsch the Fives or a sound bar.
Dialog clarity with the 2 speakers paired in stereo was good, however, this system is likely too complicated for your grandmother and way too much fuss without HDMI. I would check this soundbar out amzn.to/3Oe2Yif. It's really good for dialogue clarity and has dialog enhancements if she needs more help.
Yamaha soundbars have very good dialogue clarity (and usually also have a dialogue enhancement option).
Thanks for product recommendations. Much appreciated!
Loved Kristi’s take on these speakers: succinct and clear.
Love the channel.
Great presentation, honest opinion.
Keep up the good work, for the both of you!
Much appreciated!
Next time you are near Philly stop by and listen to the arc, donut sub, era 300 in our sitting room, or the beam, donut sub, era 100 in the bedroom. One Apple Remote for each system, works every time. One button to turn on, and off. Volume is straight forward. The only problem is our Sonos setup is expensive.
Awesome review. Looking for a way to add whole home audio and we’re between Sonos, Bose, or adding more HomePods.
Already have a dedicated separates system for living room and Kanto TUKs in the home office. So I know it’ll never surpass those. Just looking for good-ish background audio for cooking, cleaning, and gatherings.
Every time I’ve researched Sonos people give these speakers absolute praise. I even see it in this comment section. Idk if it’s sucken cost fallacy, or if they’re really that good. All that to say, your review is very refreshing and appreciated.
I'm glad you found this video helpful! We haven't tested the HomePods yet (our pair was stolen by UPS) so I can't say more about those at this time. We enjoy this amzn.to/3bblRkh in our kitchen and use it almost daily, though I admit it is an expensive experience.
Doesn’t sonos do 100 day returns. Can’t you just buy the whole range and then return it after 3 months or is that an unwritten rule broken in reviewland? Thanks again and looks like klipsch sevens or nines are my direction
Thanks Andrew and Kristi for your work.
Had two Sonos speaker before and never was a big fan of it. Sold it and got B&O ones.
I‘d appreciate if you could answer one short question. As I‘m living in Germany it‘s rather difficult for me to participate in your monthly q&a‘s because of the time change.
I use an old Sansui Six Receiver with 2x48 watts per Channel at 4 Ohms. IYHO, what kind of bookshelf or smaller three-way speakers would you recommend? Living room is about 325 sq ft but I do prefer medium volume because of my little Kids.
Would love to hear your thoughts and thanks again for your hard and dedicated work!
I think these would work really bit.ly/3pQEVxW. While not a bookshelf, this is one of my favorite speakers -bit.ly/3b0IbQ2. Three way bookshelf - Model 3 from KLH - but to be honest I prefer the Model 5.
I hope this helps!
Would have liked to see some analysis of Atmos music tracks while they are paired in stereo. I had a blast listening to Atmos songs with a pair of 300s the first day. Using them as a surround pair with the Arc is a great experience for movies and music. Can't say I've noticed crossover issues with the gen 3 Sub.
Please see my remarks about your notes in the comment section above.
Great review. All I have currently is the Sonos ARC, and I love it. Should be adding the “donut” very soon. I did test the Beam and there is quite a difference in output level and quality. Would love to add the Era300’s at some point, but need really hear a live testing before being sold on them.
A side note that I’m not sure is considered enough in this video:
I used to want to install that big sound SVS home theater / audio system. However, when I started looking at my entire home as a soundscape, the Sonos ecosystem just makes too much sense. Being able to pair rooms, put all my streaming options into one app, or even pick up one of the speakers to take with me on the go and put back into my home later, just makes Sonos a real game changer.
The thing about SONOS, is that every time I hear them, they always sound better than I expect them to. Now, I am not saying they sound better than my home theater system with Klipsche speakers, but they never disapoint me.
Really timely and helpful review since I can see people getting these for a variety of rooms and uses. I would go with your alternate options for sure.
Thanks for watching, Harry!
Just to clarify some of what Kristi’s questions as someone who has owned a ton of Sonos products. The big sub is actually a monster surprisingly and the Sonos Arc is a mile better than the Beam. If that helps anyone making a decision. I probably wouldn’t pair the era as rears with anything less that the Arc. Maybe the Era 100s would be a better match for the beam.
Appreciate you sharing your experiences!
Yes, I agree! I think that’s why they came out with the ERA 100’s as well. For the option and to accommodate room spaces.
We now have 13 Sonos speakers in our house and in 4 years never had any connection issues. The ease of use is the biggest plus for me. But I have to say that the Arc was a huge disappointment for me.
And if you buy a Sonos speaker and think that you’re getting the best sound quality possible you’re simply biased.
Thank you guys for this honest review.
This probably saves me 900€😂
But I would still love to hear your thoughts on the Fives.
Have a great week!
What about the Sonos Amp? Get the benefits of the Sonos system but with your own speakers?
I have other Sonos speakers, but thinking of getting this plus some KEF LS50's for my TV/Hi-Fi setup
I have a Sonos Amp + passive bookshelf speakers setup in my living room and I love it. Truly best of both worlds. Works great for music and movies. Excited to add a record player and Era 100s around the house for the full experience.
Love to watch your videos! Even ones I don't 'need' to watch, just love the atmosphere you are giving us. I'm curious of your opinion of the HomePods. I know your first set disappeared sadly, but can we still expect a review in the near future? Keep up the good work!
We want to try them out. We just have to plan for those purchases along with the other products we will have to come out of pocket to review, like the Nakamichi soundbar and the Sonos here.
@@KristiWright Thanks! And again, thank you for the great content you guys give us.
I can’t find any review you’ve done of the Sonos Fives, is that something you’d look at?
Yeah I was wondering if those are better as surrounds than the Era 300s.
looking forward to your SONOS ARC ULTRA review love your channel the ARC ULTRA + SUB 4 + ERA 300's SOUNDS AMAZING cheers from Canada
Kristi knocked it out of the park this episode. Really glad she compared it to the Sony HT-A9 because that’s what I wanted to know.
Questions: 😅 how’d y’all get a hold of a Song X95L??
Andrew got a new iPhone, apparently?? Y’all shaking things up over there 🤭 really liking the renewed ✨energy & zeal✨
love the review but these speakers were made to go with the arc and sub-gen 3 as rear sepakers. the sound is fantastic.
Thank you for the review! It’s very informative and detailed. Very helpful for making buying decision! Keep up the good work!
Glad it was helpful!
You really need the Sonos arc and a sub gen 3 to do the 300s justice. Dual subs if your room can accommodate the sonic performance. The beam gen 2 and sub mini are better suited to the bedroom. Personally b&o is my best company but only the wealthy can honestly afford there range. Keep up the good work Andrew and Kristi we all love and appreciate your hard work
Good day Andrew and Kristi. Although I am not a fanboy of Sonos, my brother on the other hand, is. He has quite a few Sonos speakers setup in his house all being single units. I will ask him if he would consider getting a pair of these speakers for the Livingroom. Great review and a shoutout to Katie for her guest appearance. Loved it.
Been a minute, but I really like this review. I like the dissenting opinion. I'm a big sonos fan, but the cult can be real sometimes, stay safe man 😄.
You should have used the 300’s with the Arc when you talk about them as surrounds. The beam doesn’t have the up firing speakers so of course they aren’t going to sound as good.
I’m not buying sonos until they let me easily switch between surround and stereo setup. This is cumbersome to say the least
Great job in the video clearly stating the winner. Now, I am curious on a head to head comparison. ARC ULTRA + SUB + 2 ERA 300's or Samsung Q990D package?...And...Go....
Loved your take. The 2 of you brought up a lot of points I’ve not heard in other reviews. Kind of weird you didn’t talk about apple spatial audio though!
We used Apple music for streaming and we speak about the Era's impressive recreation of height when using either one or two Era speakers. Apologies for not going into more specific detail.
Good review. I’ve been thinking of replacing my Sonos surrounds with the Era 300s - and I have the ARC - I might still go through with it but I still appreciate this well-done review. I am thinking that very soon Sonos replaces the current ARC with something better aligned with the 300s but we’ll see.
I hope they do! I would be very excited to test out a new ARC.
Really enjoyed this review. I like the way Kritsti gives her opinion. Very cool dynamic ❤
Thanks so much!
I have the Arc and full size sub and am continually surprised by the surround effects and to a slightly lesser degree, the height channels. I’m on the fence about adding the era 300’s for rears. I have no intention to use them anywhere else so my case would hopefully be more plug and play. Just don’t know if it’s worth the price increase over a pair of 100’s for my use. Sonos is dropping the ball though by not sending products your way. It reminds me of politicians who avoid the debate stage. If you are proud of your product, you should be eager to have it reviewed by the best!
What would you recommend to connect to your tv. I don’t have space for a soundbar beneath or above my tv. Need an alternative?
Great video! I have Sonos ecosystem, but you need to fiddle a bit with the eras 300 on the back, like for example, the distance from MLP ( main listening place ) being the best at max 1,5m with the front of the speakers turned to you. Then the dual subwoofer set is amazing, but like you said, used with the ARC. I’ve heard a lot from other brands , but minding my room size the Sonos System is amazing. Dual subs change even more the soundstage..
Sonos user here; my absolute favorite Sonos product is the port. The greatest benefit of the Sonos brand is the ability to connect speakers across an entire household seamlessly. The sound quality alone is not as good as high level passive speakers in my opinion. With the port you can stream through passive speakers using the Sonos app, and have whatever music/podcast/movie etc. you are listening to heard wherever you have a Sonos speaker placed (my favorite being the kitchen) so you are free to move around the house/apartment. This turns a passive speaker into a smart speaker with no diminishment in sound quality but also allows you to broadcast records and cds through your Sonos speakers all around the household. I love the ability to play any kind of music, from my collection or otherwise, in any place and on any set of speakers I choose.
That being said, the Sonos app is glitchy and can be frustrating. When it is working I love it.
Thanks for the feedback on the Port. We haven't had the opportunity to test it but I'm sure others will find your shared experience helpful!
The WiiM Pro is better and considerably cheaper than the Port. It also works great with Alexa and Google Home.
Somewhat echoing comments on ecosystem ... but more specifically, what do you guys think of the benefits of ecosystem vs compromises you highlight in this review and previous Sonos reviews? I've experienced everything you've said about Sonos over your reviews and share/experienced your same feelings of connectivity, sound and app shortcomings. Where I've invested over time is in the ecosystem. I have a few standalone Sonos speakers, soundbars and 2 amps (old and new). The ability to play throughout the house is the biggest benefit. I'm thinking of taking the plunge on the B&O Beolab 28 or KEF LS60 and the idea of not being able to play house-wide when listening to music is a serious consideration as some of the older Sonos speakers I have don't have Airplay. I'm wondering if this is something that you consider with speaker "systems" like some of the B&O products and other connected speakers you mention and use daily. Do you use any workarounds when trying to play in multiple rooms with different platforms (i.e., Sonos, B&O, KEF, Klipsch). Thanks for the great reviews - really appreciate your real-world usability viewpoints.
I know that B&O has in ceiling speakers that do whole home / distributed audio. We have heard them in a showroom and I loved them. I’m pretty sure they’ll work with the 28s or any other B&O speaker. Not sure about kef in ceilings. You’d probably need a av receiver for those.
@@KristiWright Thanks so much for the reply. With wood ceilings, I'm very hesitant about cutting in for in-ceiling speakers, though we've had them before in other houses and sound great in combination with our other speakers. We have two Sonos amps installed in 1960's era stereo consoles ... those designs might generate as much of a passionate discussion as this one has been. As an aside, I appreciated the review for what it is - think it was great. Anyway - those consoles combined with the standalone One's and Move speakers gives an "OK" whole home sound. That's why the ecosystem discussion is of interest. Sonos is ok for what it is. But see you have many other systems in your home. Being a frequent viewer I catch every now and then what are permanent speakers so was curious what you do with the mix of systems. But sounds like it's the same thing I'm facing, that depending on where you are in your home, that's the system you use. I recently found a B&O reseller and am going to audition the Beolab 28s. That may dictate a lot in how I organize ecosystems ... Sonos may just be for the TVs and a B&O system for music ... or KEF if I can find a place to listen to those. Thanks again for the great content.
Interesting. My experience was totally different. Plug and play. No need to hold press to adjust or use volume or apple remote. Lgc10 tv paired with arc and apple tv plus gen 3 sub and pair of ones
Same here.
That’s because you are using the ARC which has HDMI, something the Eras do not possess. Had the eras had HDMI, there would not have been an issue. Just another reason why we advocate for more products including HDMI.
@@KristiWright they’re not meant to be used in this formation. You need a sound bar. “This is the way” 😂
@@thieveslikeus1985 Sonos marketing team for the Eras would like to have a word then.
@@thieveslikeus1985 this is the way 😂
Definitely use them as surrounds with the Arc… I have been glued to my sofa
Thank you for that! I'm new to Sonos as i just went from a somewhat older 5.1 system to the Beam gen 2 and Sub mini. I was about to purchase the Era 300's but decided to get the one's gen 2 instead. After watching this review i feel much better about my choice. To be honest, you have help me along the way as I'm new to the current audio technology. Thanks again
Glad you found the review helpful! Have a great rest of your day!
Thanks! You as well 🍻
Very interesting watching this older review after watching your review with the full setup. Arc Ultra, Sub 4 and the era 300’s as surrounds. Think it’s finally time to get back into Sonos.
Andrew, would you consider graphing the y axis of you freq response charts in greater resolution? The line looks, to me, artificially flat with the current resolution. If you showed perhaps +10 / -10dB in single dB steps? Thx for the great content!
I only have an era 100 and a sub mini in my 100 squarfood room. And i had to reduce the max volume because the speakers get way too loud. I like the sound of the era 100 so far.
How come you didn’t touch on spatial audio? That’s one of the Era 300’s main USPs and was missing from this review
Please see my remarks about your notes in the comment section above.
Did you listen to music in atmos? I heard that is the biggest selling point of the eras. Only some songs are in atmos.
Please see my remarks about your notes in the comment section above.
Thanks for the suggestions!
I read an article a while back that explained that most normal adults can’t hear past 14/15kHz anyway. Only children can hear up to 20kHz.
I have the Sonos Arc and the Sonos sub Gen3 and it sounds incrdible and I have been a Bose fan for years and I ove the new Bose Ultra but this Sonos is my new favorite, I been thinking on adding the Era 300 as sorrounds but I dont like the shape the price and the size so I'm kind of confuse some say they are excellent others is not reall worth it
Nothing about Atmos / spatial audio?
Please see my remarks about your notes in the comment section above.
I would love to watch a head to head between the Bose 900 and the Sonos Arc…
You can’t add to Bose. That’s why I stuck with Sonos.
I have to say that up until now the reviews of the Era 300s have been rather "cult" like. This is the first time I've heard some critical observations of the product. When I looked into the specs all I found were limitations. Thanks guys, it's good to know I'm not losing my mind about the product.
I came here to say the same thing lol thanks andrew and kristi!
Yay! Andrew reviews Sonos! 😄
Audio was almost perfect. Try using a rug or moving blanked on the ground in front of you as you record.
Thank you for a quality review!!
I would absolutely love to buy 2 era 300 speakers to use with my Arc and Sub. However, I would hope that if I spent this amount of money for rear surround speakers, that I could use all the available features of the Era 300 speakers. By that, I mean that I would like to be able to turn on my Apple TV and watch TV and movies, using the whole system for surround sound. I would then like to be able to play music from the apple tv or from my phone or tablet or computer, and have the sound come from any configuration of these 4 components (arc, sub, 2x era 300) that I choose- including playing from just the era 300s in a stereo pair with all drivers firing. Finally, I would love to be able to have my turntable connected to the line-in on the Eras, throw on a record, and have the Eras play the record using all of the drivers.
I honestly don't understand why is isn't really an option, without always having to set up/link/disconnect/re-set up the system based on which of those 3 use cases I'd like to utilize.
Do I really need to have an arc+sub+2 era setup for surround, and then a SECOND set of era 300 speakers set up as a stereo pair to play music? and even if sonos expects me to do this- what do I do about the turntable? Can I have it connected to line-in and easily toggle between the turntable and streaming music?
For such a seemingly well built and well thought out product, this is a gaping flaw in what could otherwise be a do-it-all and amazing sounding setup.
Am I the only one that feels this way?! What am I missing here?
I got a Sonos Port for this reason. Set Arc, Sub and 2x Fives up as one surround system, then use the Port to feed in the line-in from the turntable. Make sure to set the playback level for music for the surrounds to "Full" instead of "Ambient". The only caveat is that the Arc will also play music, no just the stereo pair. However at least it utilizes the sub correctly and you can increase the volume for the "surrounds"/stereo pair for music in the app separately than for watching TV
I have beam gen 2, so era 300 is recommended for me if i want to have atmos effect?
07:42 ADDING SONOS ERA 300 TO SONOS SOUNDBARS
No, get the era 100’s as the 300s would over power the beam.
Cheers, and happy Sunday in for another great review
Thanks so much!
Again wondering why you did not pair them w./ ARC / ARC Ultra
The era 300 sound great as rear surrounds with an arc and a gen 3 sub. I wouldn’t put them with a beam.
Andrew and Kristi - I love all of your reviews. I do believe that there is a substantial difference between the Sonos Arc and the Sonos Beam. I personally do not like the Beam or the smaller subwoofer whatsoever. I own a lot of Sonos products, to include the Era 300 but not the Beam or the smaller sub. Overall I think the review with the Sonos Arc and the larger subwoofer will be warranted in the future. I also do not recommend using the ERA 300 in a stereo environment, which I know Sonos does "preach to the choir". I believe the Play Fives/Fives with or without a sub would be the better product to review for stereo playback. In my own opinion, the ERA 300 should be more of an exclusive HT surround speaker, with the option to play in a stereo format. I own the Samsung HW 990-C, which is a fantastic product but I think the depth and presence of the ARC with the larger sub system is more dynamic. Thanks for purchasing this setup for the review. I do believe your review is a fair & unbiased opinion. When I first heard the ERA 300 in a stereo setup, I was not impressed at all. However for HT applications, it was way better. I moved my Play Fives to my office for a stereo application. Overall, I do like the ease of use for Sonos, once I adapted to the eco-system. The Sonos Move are a fantastic stereo option for outdoor use as well. The imaging performance is phenomenal for this type of speaker - in my opinion. Thanks for all that the both of you do.
Could i use this simply as a Bluetooth speaker (faux soundbar) for streaming movies from my iPad or smaller tv?
There will be delay
flexing with that new iphone😝
Nice review!
I don't have the sub x-over issue with the ARC & Gen 3 sub with Trueplay engaged......
I totally disagree with your take on these. I have them as surrounds with the arc and the "donut" sub, and they sound wonderful in my room. I replaced a pair of Ones with the Era 300's. Major difference.
In my previous house I had a 7.2.4 Denon/Outlaw 7ch power amp. I'll never do that again. That Denon was a piece of garbage I could fry eggs on, so I only used it to power the four height speakers. I let the outlaw power amp power the rest. The big lie with overpriced processors is that their rating for watts per channel, is for two channels. So if you have a processor rated at 150 watts per channel, you actually have 27 watts per channel for the 11 speakers (300 divided by 11). My Outlaw is 7 x 150 watts per channel straight up. The sound quality difference was substantial. Head room is everything powering a big setup.
They don't suggest you use the Era 300's with a Beam. It's for the Arc. Big difference. Is the Sonos setup as good as my old setup? No, but it's not that big of a difference either. Not in the right room. If you want to save about 7500 dollars and your room is somewhere between 300 to 400 square ft. You won't be disappointed. Not in the least.
I'm an old stereo dude audiophile. I have tube monoblocks, tube preamp, Open baffle speakers with 2 twelve inch servo subs each in floor standers. etc. etc. etc. I bought a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls in the 70's when I was 18. Your review is a perfect example of comparing apples to oranges. Why on earth would you compare Klipsch bookshelves to these for stereo? The Era's are designed for spacial audio and can also play stereo. They're somewhat of a unicorn. As for surrounds, they're fantastic for immersive movie experience in Atmos. Sonos finally came out with rears for Atmos and they did a great job. I wouldn't buy these for critical listening in stereo, and there is nothing wrong if you do for lifestyle. Plus you get the extra benefit of playing spatial audio.
Speaking of sub crossovers. Your videos are well mixed and your voice is surprisingly deep. I've used your videos as a reference to tune the sub/center channel crossover point. I hate when the vocal sound unnatural.
I use my own voice when dialing in soundbar subwoofers too.
Just wanted to add that the large sub does have a crossover frequency adjuster built into the app.
That's great to hear! I wonder why they didn't provide one with the Mini.
Thanks for the review. As always very well presented
I was wondering how did you watch movies with the Era 300 (without beam), airpaly via Apple TV? And if so have you had any lip sync issues?
Didn't have any lip sync issues, just the volume workaround procedure was the only hiccup.
Sonos is the new Bose... ;-) (Change my mind...) 🙂
For what they are and for what they do - they do it well. I have a pair of Sonos Fives in my bathroom activated by motion. They sound absolutely great for that purpose. Shower tunes. Grossly underrated. I just ordered a ERA 300 for my deck. I'll be happy with just one. It's just for listening out on the deck. Should be fine. I don't need a stereo pair. Just one. Like I WAS going to do in the bathroom. Until I tired two. I'll be happy with one - right....? Yes. Yes I will. Fake stereo mono adjacently happy.
Should I just g'head & order another one now?
Add to cart.
Sigh.
thank you that has tilted me back to the Samsung Q990C , very level honest level headed review, and good to see you haven't jumped on the Sonos fan-boy bandwagon