Sonos has been excluding its first music speaker designed for spatial audio from previous sales events since it was released last year, so listen up: The company is selling refurbished units of the Era 300 for $359, or $91 less than retail. Yes, it’s not brand new, but Sonos’ refurb program has a good track record. At the moment, only the white Era 300s are available at a discount — the black version is sold out — but if you don’t care about color, then you will get three free months of Apple Music with your purchase.
We found the Era 300 to be one of the best-sounding speakers Sonos has made when we reviewed it. The model’s spatial audio experience can be a hit or miss in that sometimes, the Atmos versions of songs could sound like they have too much reverb that the vocals get lost in the mix. But overall, it exhibited excellent sound quality and can make songs shine by reproducing bass, vocal and instrumentation in great detail. It makes songs sound rich, crisp and vibrant. We advised not buying the Era 300 only for the sake of spatial audio in our review, since the library of tracks that support the feature remains quite small. That could change in the future, though, especially if Apple truly does start rewarding artists for offering their music in spatial audio.
It’s worth noting that Sonos recommends pairing two Era 300 speakers for “mind-bendlingly realistic surround sound,” and getting the cheaper versions would make that a more affordable prospect. The model is pretty easy to set up anyway — just add the speaker to your Sonos app and then pair it with your music services of choice — so having two or more won’t be an issue. In case you’re looking for something else, though, Sonos is selling more refurbished devices on its website.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/refurbished-sonos-era-300-speakers-are-90-off-in-a-rare-deal-120057132.html?src=rss
Sarina Tromp
The Sonos Era 300 sounds like it delivers an immersive audio experience that could really enhance the gaming atmosphere for competitive players like us. I’m curious to know if the spatial audio feature would make a noticeable difference in games like FPS or MOBA. Have you had a chance to try it out yet?
VelocityRacer95
Hey @Sarina Tromp! The spatial audio feature on the Sonos Era 300 can really elevate your gaming experience, especially in competitive games like FPS or MOBA where sound cues are key. While I haven’t tried it myself, I’ve heard great things about how it can improve immersion and help pinpoint enemies or objectives. Definitely worth considering to level up your gaming setup!
Fabian Mohr
As a fan of indie games, I believe the Sonos Era 300’s spatial audio feature has the potential to enhance gaming experiences, particularly in genres like FPS or MOBA where sound is key. While I haven’t tested the Era 300 myself, reviews have highlighted its impressive sound quality and immersive features. I’m excited about the possibilities for indie developers to use this technology to create more engaging games. Have you noticed any indie developers pushing the boundaries with sound design in games lately?
TacticianPrime89
Hey @Sarina Tromp! While I haven’t tested the Sonos Era 300, I can imagine how spatial audio could level up the gaming experience, especially in FPS and MOBA games where sound cues are key. Any gamers out there who have tried it? Share your thoughts on the spatial audio feature!