Every year we see the emergence of a new smart hardware device, such as the popular smart wearable products from the past two years, or the virtual VR and AR products. These are all products that capture the spotlight for a moment, as there is nearly always a new smart product to replace last year’s model. The driving force behind these “new hardware” products comes partly from investors, but more so from the needs of future users. So what products do we see this year? The answer is — smart speakers.
Smart speaker products have drawn the attention of major brands and manufacturers, both internationally and domestically. Amazon launched the Echo smart speaker with the built-in Alexa voice system; Apple released the HomePod with the built-in Siri voice system, and in China, the company Out of Home has launched the Tichome product equipped with its own voice system. These petite devices are capable of handling “smart control” tasks in the home.
However, while these internet companies are releasing these products, most speakers seem to focus more on connectivity and intelligence, neglecting sound quality (since the HomePod is not publicly sold, we cannot draw a conclusion yet). This leaves users with a dilemma: to have sound quality, they must give up on voice intelligence, and if they want smart features, they cannot have high expectations for sound quality. This is quite awkward for users…
Of course, in the second half of this year, we can also see some traditional audio brands experimenting with smart voice features, such as Bose integrating Google Assistant into the new QuietComfort 35 II. Other brands currently appear to be relatively conservative. Speaking of audio, we cannot overlook the “internet” thinking of the audio brand — Sonos, which has recently launched the Sonos One with smart voice functionality. Let’s take a look.
Comparison Between Play:1 and One
For those familiar with Sonos, does the Sonos One feel familiar? At first glance, the newly colored Sonos One does not differ much from the previous Play:1, and even when comparing the parameters of the two products, the body size (161.45×119.7×119.7) and weight (1850g) remain unchanged, maintaining a high degree of consistency.
Matte White Version of Sonos One
Sonos One also has three noticeable changes. One is the body color. This generation of Sonos One features a matte white and matte black finish, including a metal grille, which aligns better with current aesthetic trends compared to the style of the Play:1. The pairing button on the back of the Sonos One replaces the fixed slot of the Play:1.
Top Touch Controls
Back of Sonos One
Additionally, in terms of operation, the Sonos One has also made improvements by removing the physical buttons of the Play:1 and adopting the virtual button design from the Play:5/Playbase.
Internal Disassembly of Sonos One
Finally, there is a “hidden change”. Since the Sonos One supports smart voice functionality, it means it needs to capture sounds from users. Therefore, the Sonos One is equipped with a six-microphone array that can receive sounds from six different directions.
In addition to the six built-in microphones, the Sonos One also includes two Class D amplifiers, a tweeter, and a mid-bass speaker, just like the Play:1.
Other features, like the hidden power interface at the bottom of the Sonos One, are similar to the Play:1. Although you might see that the Sonos One and Play:1 do not differ much externally, the addition of microphones actually means that the One has undergone more internal structural changes.
Let’s Start Using Sonos One
Download the Sonos App
Find Sonos One Association
Having described the appearance, let’s move on to the experience phase. Like other Sonos products, connecting the Sonos One is very convenient; following the app’s steps, it is hard to go wrong, and it can also connect with previous Sonos products like Play:1 and PlayBase without any issues. Within a few minutes, the Sonos One officially became a member of the household.
Sonos One App Interface
Sound quality is naturally the strong point of this product. As mentioned, the Sonos One has two built-in Class D amplifiers, a tweeter, and a mid-bass speaker. Despite its small size, the sound it produces is very powerful. Listening to Michael Bublé’s “Softly As I Leave You”, the deep bass is quite well-defined, but when listening to Sarah Brightman, there is still room for improvement in the high notes.
The Sonos One is suitable for smaller spaces like studies or bedrooms, and if the room is larger, it is recommended to go directly for the Play:5.
Good sound quality alone is not enough; the Sonos One also showcases its music platform features, supporting 15 streaming services including domestic platforms like Xiami Music and NetEase Cloud Music. Of course, it also supports streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. This is much more convenient than traditional audio brands like Bose.
Finally, Let’s Talk About Smart Voice
Currently, the Sonos One only supports Amazon’s Alexa for voice commands, which means that domestic voice services are temporarily unsupported. However, if you have an Amazon account and a Sonos account in the U.S., Alexa can still be used. As for language, it can only recognize English; Chinese is not supported at the moment.
With the help of six microphones, its recognition remains sensitive, even when you are listening to “energetic music” (as long as you are not too far away). When you wake it up, the music will automatically lower in volume, and the speaker will start listening to your command. Throughout the process from waking to executing commands, the Sonos One will provide feedback through indicator lights, flashing once when awakened and continuously flashing when executing commands.
Through Alexa voice, you can control music from Amazon Music, as well as some news and alarm settings, but it does not support controlling content from Spotify, QQ Music, etc. Overall, the Sonos One’s recognition is very sensitive, though the recognition speed is slightly slower.
After integrating with music platforms, Sonos has also brought this “platformization” concept into the smart voice system. Although it currently only supports Amazon’s Alexa voice system, Sonos has stated that it will add more voice systems in the future for users to choose from freely. Next year, it will first support Apple’s AirPlay 2, allowing users to wake up Apple products’ Siri voice through the Sonos One’s microphone. In the future, your Sonos One can achieve this through wireless upgrades.
Conclusion：
I believe everyone shares my sentiment that smart voice is merely an “hype” from internet companies, especially in the current lack of smart home products, this impression is even more pronounced. The shortcoming of internet companies designing smart speakers is that they focus on voice functionality while neglecting sound quality, which can be awkward for those who enjoy music while wanting to experience smart home products. However, this may be a good thing for Sonos.
With its internet-driven approach, Sonos not only integrates streaming applications, effectively encompassing nearly all music available online, making it easy to find music within its platform. This platformization approach has also been applied to the voice system, and in the future, Sonos products will not be limited to Alexa but will also integrate more smart voice systems for users to choose freely. (Ruihao)
