HomePod mini & HomePod vs Sonos Period 100 & 300 value, sound

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In early March, Sonos launched what it referred to as the “subsequent era of good audio system” with two product launches. The Period 100 was a remastered model of the previously-sold Sonos One, whereas the Period 300 aimed larger with extra audio system and higher efficiency.

As good audio system obtainable in each large and small type elements, this may very well be thought-about analogous to Apple’s HomePod lineup, which too depends on a big HomePod alongside a smaller HomePod mini.

Each product households boast excessive ranges of community connectivity and efficiency, however at considerably completely different value ranges.

The second-generation HomePod reuses the rounded-off cylinder design of the unique. Full with a signature woven outer layer and a round disk on the high for customers to work together by.

The HomePod mini is a a lot smaller spherical speaker, although with a flat base and a spherical management floor on the high.

White HomePod mini

There’s a distinct dimension distinction between HomePod and HomePod mini, with the HomePod at 6.6 inches tall by 5.6 inches in diameter, whereas the HomePod mini is 3.3 inches by 3.9 inches.

Sonos made the Period 100 look quite a bit just like the Sonos One in primary form, being a barely squarish cylinder with a metallic grille across the outdoors. On the high is the mic array and buttons for controlling the system.

Somewhat than being tall just like the Period 100, the Period 300 as an alternative lays on its aspect, as if it is a extra conventional speaker. Together with the principle oval entrance, the grilles prolong across the sides as properly, to permit for all-around audio.

Sonos Period 300 and Period 100

The Period 100 is tall bit with a small footprint, at 4.72 inches large and 5.14 inches deep, whereas 7.18 inches excessive. The Period 300 is wider and deeper at 10.24 inches by 7.28 inches respectively, and is 6.3 inches tall.

When it comes to weight, the HomePod mini is the lightest at 0.76 kilos, towards 4.44 kilos for the Period 100. The 2023 version of HomePod is 5.16 kilos, whereas the Period 300 ideas the scales at 9.85 kilos.

Whereas not one of the audio system are designed for transportable utilization, it is evident that Sonos has leaned in direction of producing heavier and larger items.

Apple’s HomePod mini makes use of a full-range driver and twin passive radiators, regardless of its small dimension. The compact association does imply it has to fireplace the audio by a customized acoustic waveguide, so it may possibly unfold the sound in all instructions.

The HomePod makes use of a high-excursion woofer, mixed with 5 horn-loaded tweeters pointed outwards in numerous instructions for its personal room-filling sound.

Sonos Period 300 exploded view

Sonos makes use of a complete of six class-D digital amplifiers within the Period 300, together with 4 tweeters. Two tweeters are side-firing, together with a front-firing one for a middle picture, whereas the fourth is an upward-firing model that goals for the ceiling.

There’s additionally two woofers included within the Period 300.

The Period 100 opts for 3 class-D digital amplifiers, controlling two angled tweeters and one midwoofer.

Each Apple and Sonos boast their very own applied sciences to provide a room-filling sound, with the HomePod together with room-sensing performance whereas each Eras have Sonos’ “TruePlay” system. The HomePod mini would not provide this kind of per-room tuning, if solely due to its restricted speaker association.

Sonos’ most important push into Spatial Audio does match Apple’s personal with the HomePod, with Dolby Atmos assist current within the Period 300. Nonetheless, neither the Period 100 nor the HomePod mini assist Dolby Atmos.

All the audio system use a microphone array, which may help with audio processing in addition to to take requests for every system’s respective digital assistants. Apple employs Siri, whereas Sonos makes use of Sonos Voice Management and has Amazon’s Alexa in-built.

Nonetheless, whereas Sonos does say it makes use of a far-field microphone array with beamforming and multichannel echo cancellation, it would not say what number of mics are in every speaker’s array. It does say that the microphones might be toggled off utilizing a devoted change for additional privateness.

Apple does say it makes use of a four-microphone design for its HomePod and HomePod mini, with every able to far-field audio captures.

On the networking aspect, the Sonos pair assist Wi-Fi 6 whereas the HomePods use 802.11n Wi-Fi. Finally, given the audio streaming nature of every, this is not an enormous situation for Apple as all shall be greater than able to dealing with an audio stream.

AirPlay

All audio system assist Bluetooth 5.0, although Sonos does pull forward by together with USB-C connectivity for onerous wired audio playback from a bunch system. Nonetheless, you do want to make use of the Sonos Line-in Adapter for this to perform with 3.5mm plugs.

Apple does embrace Thread with Matter and Extremely Wideband assist, which makes the HomePods extremely helpful as a wise residence hub.

All 4 make use of AirPlay 2 for native community pairing, in order that they will all be used collectively for a similar iPhone or Mac audio setup if required. That is helpful if you wish to mix-and-match your audio system, or have music enjoying in a number of rooms on the similar time.

It’s doable to pair the audio system up collectively to create stereo pairs, on a like-for-like foundation.

Apple TV and HomePods

You can additionally pair them for use as a part of a house cinema system, equivalent to to intensify the Apple TV in Apple’s case. On Sonos’ aspect, you possibly can pair the Eras with a Sonos soundbar, such because the Arc or second-gen Beam in order for you Dolby Atmos assist for the Period 300 for motion pictures.

A variety of the controls for the HomePods is dealt with by iOS, macOS, and the Dwelling app, and that’s additionally mirrored within the setup course of. As a result of deep integration with Apple’s ecosystem, organising a HomePod or mini is fast and simple.

Sonos as an alternative depends quite a bit on the Sonos app for additional configuration and tweaks, in addition to the preliminary setup. The app can be used to regulate sound from any room, to fantastic tune the audio expertise, and for configuring multi-room audio setups.

It is even doable to make use of the app to tune audio system to the room utilizing TruePlay, with the app utilizing the microphone within the iPhone or iPad as you stroll across the room.

The Sonos app additionally gives Sonos Radio entry, with the Sonos audio system additionally immediately controllable by some music streaming providers.

A singular characteristic of the Sonos audio system versus the HomePods is that Sonos contains privateness features into its mic array. It does so in two methods.

The primary is that you would be able to faucet a speech bubble button to disable voice assistant assist on the Eras. Whereas this is able to make Alexa unusable, it would nonetheless enable different mic-related options to perform, like TruePlay.

Microphone change on Sonos Period 100 and Period 300

A second change on the again of the speaker is a {hardware} disconnect, bodily disabling the microphones till the change is flipped a second time. It is a safer approach of figuring out digital assistants aren’t listening in, nevertheless it additionally disables the opposite mic-dependent options as properly.

Apple costs the second-generation HomePod at $299, whereas the HomePod mini is $99. The HomePod is offered in White and Midnight colour choices, and the HomePod mini is obtainable in White, Yellow, Orange, Blue, and Area Grey. The newest reductions might be present in our Sensible Speaker Worth Information.

Sonos sells the Period 100 for $249, whereas the Period 300 is $449. Shade choices are Black and White solely.

Sonos is thought for prime audio high quality, however its additionally an Apple rival in terms of good audio system. With the Period 300, it is trying to step as much as Apple by way of expertise, with its main push into Spatial Audio.

It’s nonetheless too early to inform if Spatial Audio is a sufficiently big characteristic for the speaker-buying public to actually care, however audio high quality will definitely be a giant issue for some.

In each camps, there is a bigger speaker and a smaller model, with the larger version providing just a few extra options and extra {hardware} to drive the sound than the extra compact options.

Nonetheless, a giant factor right here is pricing, and that may be a difficulty when you think about Sonos’ premium choices are significantly costlier than Apple’s.

Sonos Period 300

You can decide up a full-size HomePod for about $50 greater than the Period 100 is somewhat bit excessive. In the meantime, the Period 300 is $150 greater than the HomePod, or $51 greater than a HomePod and a HomePod mini mixed.

If we’re speaking stereo pairing, you possibly can pay $600 for a pair of HomePods, or nigh $900 for 2 Period 300s, or $500 for the Period 100. However then once more, you’ll be able to pay simply $198 for 2 HomePod minis and get stereo motion going.

The extraordinarily nice worth of the HomePod mini remains to be underappreciated, particularly since you may get two stereo pairs of them and a spare for the price of an Period 100 stereo pair. For the price of an Period 300 pair, you possibly can put HomePod mini stereo pairs into most rooms of a home.

And that is earlier than we get to the good residence components. Positive, Sonos has the Alexa connection, however Apple’s HomeKit hub performance within the HomePods, in addition to the temperature and humidity sensors, and thread assist makes them extra viable to be used in good houses.

What Sonos has give you is a brand new era of good speaker that performs up the Spatial Audio card for its costliest providing.

Sonos is definitely the premium choice, however whether or not you need to pay for that when you may get a reasonably good expertise from the HomePod and HomePod mini for much less cash is one other matter completely.

Apple’s HomePod and HomePod mini might be bought from a wide range of retailers. The 2023 HomePod is at the moment on sale for $285 with promo code APINSIDER at Apple Licensed Reseller Adorama. The HomePod mini, in the meantime, is on sale for $94.99 at B&H at press time.