When we tested its older sibling, we pitted it against models almost double its price and found it outperformed them easily, and that's still the case today when compared to many lesser rivals. Now, four years on, we're still recommending it as one of the best wireless models at its given price point. The 2021 update (sensibly titled MkII) to the multiple What Hi-Fi? Award-winning Audio Pro C10 added AirPlay 2 and Google Cast to complete a multi-room home run and gain another yet more What Hi-Fi? Awards for the best home wireless speaker in the £250-£500 mid-price range. Read the full Sonos Era 300 review Best mid-price wireless speaker Yes, it’s expensive and having to pay 20 quid extra for a wired connector is a small outrage, but the Era 300 has earned the right to be a bit cheeky.Ī truly exceptional performer, and one of the best wireless speakers we’ve tested at this price point that delivers on all fronts. Big choral numbers feel broad and immersive thanks to some of the best spatial audio performance we've heard yet, but the Era 300 excels seemingly with all genres and across every taste. Throw whatever you like at the Era 300, chances are it has it covered, filling our testing rooms with spacious, cohesive sound without ever seeming to break a sweat. Featuring that unique, “cinched hourglass” shape, the Era 300 is a more acquired taste than most of the brand’s rather more conservative designs, but in terms of performance, the five-star Era 300 is a bit of a masterpiece. It isn't enough for the best wireless speakers just to deliver great sound and a decent array of features anymore, and ever since Apple's HomePod 2 landed early last year with spatial audio packed in, rivals have been scrambling to integrate the immersive tech in the most satisfying ways possible.Įnter the Era 300, Sonos’ more expensive rival to the HomePod 2 that looks to beat Apple at the spacial audio game. If you liked the sound of the Era 100 and have the money to spend on something bigger, bolder and frankly better, you've landed at the right place. Read the full Apple HomePod Mini review Best wireless speaker for spatial audio It’s a really powerful way to discover new music, and one of our favourite things about the diminutive HomePod.Ī three-time What Hi-Fi? Award-winner that just keeps on impressing. Siri is your voice assistant, of course, and after a short period of learning it'll respond to the phrase “Hey Siri, play something I'll like” not by streaming your most played track of the last few weeks, but by playing something that you probably haven't heard before but which has been curated to fit in with your current listening habits and tastes. Not at all bad for a price that falls just under the £100 / $100 / AU$150 mark. From the moment we start playing music, it’s clear that the HomePod Mini comfortably outperforms its size and price, adding sophistication and maturity to its decent number of decibels. The sound quality is excellent for the size, but it goes loud, meaning the Mini can fill a whole room (within reason) with solid, well-formed audio. Get its swirling orb of coloured light up and running (when Siri is listening or processing) though, and you realise what a refined, classy performer you've got on your hands. A smart, bijou little model that stands just 8.4cm tall, it’s quite a bit smaller than the similarly spherical Amazon Echo - in fact, it’s even dwarfed by the fifth-gen Echo Dot. We've grown to love the HomePod Mini, as have many of its users, and it definitely feels worthy of inclusion on our list of the best wireless speakers. Read the full Sonos Era 100 review Best budget wireless speaker The ever-excellent app, meanwhile, is a joy to use, the number of streaming features is vast, and everything is as well-made and reliable as you’d expect from a brand heading into this year with real momentum.Īgain, Sonos rarely delivers what you’d call ‘budget’ options in the best wireless speakers category, and we’re not that happy about spending extra cash for a wired connection, but if you’re still looking to fork out a decent amount without making as much of a dent in your funds as the 300, the Era 100 is the wireless speaker for you. Just like its heftier counterpart, the 100 delivers a big, open sound, a lovely sense of rhythmic drive and all the detail and precision you could hope for at this price point. The substantial £449/ $449/ AU$749 asking price for the Era 300 can be offputting, so the Era 100 is a five-star choice for anyone seeking to access the premium side of what Sonos is doing in this particular arena.
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