For those considering a smart speaker enhanced with spatial audio features, the Sonos Era 300 presents an outstanding opportunity. It is currently priced at $359, discounted from its previous cost of $449—marking a historic low according to various price monitoring services. This speaker comes in both black and white, featuring an eye-catching hourglass shape that enhances its advanced audio technology.

Inside the device are six class-D amplifiers, alongside four tweeters and two woofers, all designed to project sound omnidirectionally, including vertical sound for Dolby Atmos’s height effects. To experience its full potential, it is crucial to maintain a minimum distance of two feet from walls or ceilings for the best acoustic performance.

The Sonos Era 300 boasts accessible physical controls positioned atop the unit for straightforward management of volume, playback, and track selection. For those with privacy concerns, this model includes a mute function for voice assistants—supporting Alexa and Sonos Voice, although it does not accommodate Google Assistant. Moreover, there’s a switch at the back for completely turning off the microphones. The Sonos app enhances user experience with an intuitive interface that allows customization of EQ settings, including bass and treble adjustments, a loudness function for improved low-volume listening, and the ability to modify Atmos height levels. Additionally, the app’s Trueplay calibration optimizes audio output based on room acoustics, with variations tailored to different devices.

This exceptional Era 300 supports numerous major streaming services, encompassing Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal. It excels in delivering immersive sound throughout the room with Dolby Atmos playback, further enriching the auditory experience with spatial audio. However, as highlighted in a review from PCMag, the directional sound effects amplify when seated nearer to the device. From a standard listening distance, the spatial quality may feel less pronounced, serving more as an enhancement to traditional stereo rather than an all-encompassing immersive experience. In terms of connectivity options, the Era 300 is compatible with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as supporting Apple AirPlay 2, although it notably does not feature Google Cast.