Sonos One SL vs Era 100 – Check Which One Is Best & Why?

Why Do I Recommend The Sonos Era 100? 

• The Sonos Era 100 features a stereo speaker design with dual tweeters and a larger mid-woofer to deliver richer, more immersive sound with clear left-right channel separation, compared to the mono-only output of the Sonos One SL.
• Sonos Era 100 includes Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for flexible wireless playback from any Bluetooth-enabled device, while Sonos One SL lacks Bluetooth connectivity.
• It features a faster quad-core A55 processor with double the RAM and storage to support advanced features, smoother app integration, and future software updates, compared to the older hardware of the Sonos One SL.
• The Sonos Era 100 features built-in voice assistants including Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa to enable hands-free music control and smart home interaction, while the Sonos One SL lacks voice assistant.
• Sonos Era 100 has a USB-C port with line-in support to connect external audio sources like turntables and media players, which the Sonos One SL does not support.
• It supports Wi-Fi 6 for faster, more reliable network performance in high-bandwidth environments, while the Sonos One SL is limited to the older Wi-Fi 4 standard.
• The Sonos Era 100 includes enhanced Trueplay tuning compatibility for both iOS and Android devices to ensure optimal sound calibration across more user setups, while the One SL supports Trueplay only on iOS.
• Sonos Era 100 comes with an upgraded touch interface including a capacitive volume slider for more precise and intuitive physical controls, while the One SL uses basic touch buttons.

Maybe the Sonos One SL price can make you comfortable because it’s a little bit cheaper than the Sonos Era 100. But you have to compromise all the above-mentioned features. Now the Decision is Yours. I hope it was helpful to choose the right one.

What Common Both Can Do?

• Wireless Streaming: Both the Sonos Era 100 and Sonos One SL allow seamless wireless streaming over Wi-Fi, letting users enjoy music, podcasts, and more without needing wired connections.
• Multi-Room Audio: Each speaker integrates with the Sonos multi-room system, enabling synchronized audio playback across multiple rooms or individual playback per zone using the Sonos app.
• Apple AirPlay 2: Both models support Apple AirPlay 2, allowing iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to stream audio directly and group the speaker with other AirPlay 2-enabled devices.
• Stereo Pairing (Same Model): You can pair two Era 100s or two One SLs together for true stereo sound, enhancing left/right channel separation and creating a more immersive soundstage.
• Trueplay Tuning: Each speaker supports Sonos Trueplay, a room calibration feature that adjusts the sound output based on room acoustics. While the method and compatibility differ, both benefit from this acoustic optimization.
• Wi-Fi Connectivity: Both speakers connect via Wi-Fi for high-quality audio streaming and system control without relying on Bluetooth alone.
• Touch Controls: Users can control basic functions such as play/pause and volume using the top-panel touch interface on both speakers.
• Wall Mount Compatibility: Both speakers are designed to support optional wall mounts, helping users optimize placement for room acoustics or space efficiency.
• Sonos App Compatibility: Each speaker can be fully controlled and configured through the Sonos app, which manages updates, grouping, streaming services, EQ settings, and more.
• Sonos Ecosystem Integration: Both are fully integrated with the Sonos ecosystem, meaning they can be grouped with other Sonos products, used in surround sound setups, or operated from a single app.
• Class-D Amplifiers: Both speakers are powered by energy-efficient, digitally controlled Class-D amplifiers that are finely tuned for their specific acoustic architecture.