Sonos Era 100 SL Review: A New Era Of Affordability

In March, Sonos announced a fresh lineup of speakers in the wake of the fiasco over a major software update that broke compatibility with existing products and removed important features on the new Sonos Play and Sonos Era 100 SL models. Over the past few weeks, I have been using both speakers. While out our Sonos Play review went up earlier this month, we took a bit more time with the Sonos Era 100 SL. If the name rings a bell, it's because the speaker is virtually identical to the Sonos Era 100 we reviewed a few years ago, but without microphones for voice control.

This tradeoff, which also removes support for voice assistants and Trueplay fine-tuning, is a worthy one, as the Era 100 SL is the cheapest stationary home speaker Sonos sells at $189. With big sound, solid build quality, and the same technology present on the previous iteration, this speaker can be used in a stereo pair, an addition to a home theater Sonos setup, or as a standalone speaker while working or relaxing after a long day.

The Sonos Era 100 SL looks the same as the Sonos Era 100. The only real difference visually is the lack of microphone holes or buttons for a voice assistant on the top of the speaker. Unlike the Sonos Play, this speaker isn't made to be taken everywhere, as it needs to be plugged in at all times, which puts this specific model in closer competition with the likes of Apple's HomePod.

Sonos' classic design can be found on this speaker, and it comes in white and black variants. It's round and surrounded by almost 360 degrees of acoustic grilles. Its dimensions are 18 cm high, 13 cm wide, and 12 cm deep, which means the speaker can be placed next to your TV, on your desk, or even on a bookshelf without taking up much space.

On top, the Sonos Era 100 SL features a slider for the volume, a Play/Pause button, and next and back buttons. On the back, you can activate the product's Bluetooth capabilities or use the USB-C port for turntables and other wired connections.

The Sonos Era 100 SL has the same internal hardware as its predecessor with two angled tweeters, a dedicated mid-woofer for vocals and bass, three Class-D amplifiers, and custom waveguides that spread the sound evenly across the room. While the main difference is that you can't run Trueplay quick tuning, you can use the Sonos app for advanced tuning to tune the speaker to whatever space you place it in while maintaining consistent bass and overall sound.

I tested this speaker with a bit of everything I usually listen to, which ranges from classic rock to pop and alternative music. I could enjoy chill vibes from Milo Greene's debut album, disco fun with ABBA's greatest hits, and plenty of sadness and revelry from The Smith's essential playlist. I also chose some of my go-to songs to test audio products, and I'm satisfied with how ABBA's "Keep An Eye On Dan" performed on these speakers. The bass was very present, which is something I personally enjoy. I could hear Björn and Benny's voices when Agnetha and Frida stopped singing, and the overall listening experience was consistently pleasant.

This speaker can be used at low volumes, but it shines the most when the volume is at around 40% to 60%. You can also go all crank the volume all the way up without having to worry about it negatively impacting the audio quality.

Every day, I get a little more comfortable with the Sonos app. Not only do you set up your Sonos Era 100 SL in the app, but it's also where you manage the EQ. For better or worse, Sonos speakers heavily rely on Wi-Fi to work. If your device isn't properly connected to the Wi-Fi, you can't change the EQ, use the advanced tuning, or navigate through your library of songs, whether you're using Apple Music, Spotify, Sonos Radio, or another platform.

Compared to the standard Apple Music experience I usually have with the HomePod, what frustrates me the most is that the experience is more unreliable within the Sonos app. As mentioned in my Sonos Play review, I can only use the Search bar on the Home Screen — otherwise, I have to go through thousands of songs, artists, and playlists by scrolling endlessly in a laggy UI. Beyond the lack of voice control or proper support for volume buttons on the iPhone, I struggle to even remember to open the Sonos app, as I'm still so used to opening the Apple Music app first.

While I wasn't using Sonos products during the disastrous rollout of the software update, and there appear to have been strides in the right direction, I still think the company has a lot of work to do to deliver a premium experience to its users.

One of the main improvements of Sonos' new speakers is that not only do they work on Wi-Fi, but they also support Bluetooth and AirPlay 2. While Bluetooth is most useful on the Sonos Play, support for more technology is always appreciated. I personally think the audio quality sounds better when Sonos plays right from Apple Music than through AirPlay 2 or Bluetooth. Still, that means I have to interface with the Sonos app.

The speaker doesn't offer Dolby Atmos capabilities, nor does it feature water or dust resistance. It also doesn't have a ton of customization when it comes to the EQ, as you're basically limited to bass and treble. It's not much, but at least it gives users the chance to personalize the speaker's sound to best suit their needs.

Lastly, the lack of microphones can be seen as an upgrade or a downgrade, depending on your perspective. There's no threat of the speaker listening in on your conversations, but it also means you can't use a voice assistant for basic tasks like creating alarms, playing songs, or changing the volume. Also, unlike on the Sonos Play, the Era 100 SL connects directly to a wall plug, which comes in the box. I'm still thinking about the fact that the company doesn't offer a power brick for the other, more expensive model, even though it requires at least 18W of power when connected.

The newest speaker from Sonos is a great addition to the lineup, despite the mediocre app. While the sound quality of the Sonos Era 100 SL remains unchanged from the original model, which is definitely a perk, the most important part of this release is that Sonos is finally selling a sub-$200 speaker.

The company has a chance to lure new customers to showcase its audio technology, stellar build quality, and improving (but imperfect) app. With Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 support, this speaker is somewhat future-proofed. It also pairs well with the company's new Play devices and other products in its lineup, creating a full, immersive listening experience, whether you just want to enjoy some of your favorite tunes on a weeknight or you're throwing a huge party.

If you're trying to decide whether to buy the original Sonos Era 100 (which retail for $219) or the SL version, you just need to determine how important a voice assistant on a speaker is to you and how much extra you'd be willing to pay for it. If it's worth an extra $30 to you, you have your answer.