Sonos Period 100 vs Denon Dwelling 150: How do they evaluate?
3 min read
To most, Sonos’ largest challenger within the dwelling audio market would possibly seem like Apple and even Canadian firm Bluesound. However Japanese firm Denon can also be within the combine, and with its Dwelling speaker collection, it has taken the battle to Sonos’ footsteps.
The Dwelling collection of audio system is Denon’s reply to Sonos’ dominance inside the dwelling. Beforehand the Denon Dwelling 150 would have gone up towards the Sonos One, however with the Californian firm asserting the Period 100, how do these two audio system match up towards each other?
The Sonos speaker is the costlier mannequin
When the Denon Dwelling 150 first launched, it actively sought to be the costlier proposition, pitching itself as a premium, Excessive-res audio succesful wi-fi speaker. On the time the Dwelling 150 launched, it was typically round $20 / £20 / €20 costlier.
Not the tables have turned, although not in a means that’s nice for purchasers, who will now should shell out extra for the Period 100, round $50 / £50 greater than the Sonos One; and $30 / £30 than the Dwelling 150. So with out having to do something, the Denon now undercuts its Sonos rival.
The Dwelling 150 can solely output in mono
The modifications Sonos has dropped at the Period 100 embody a stereo driver set-up. From our temporary time with the speaker, that resulted in a wider soundstage and an even bigger candy spot by way of the listening place.
The Dwelling 150 can solely output sound in mono channel (i.e. one channel), which supplies it the attribute of being very directional in its supply of sound. Successfully, you’d should be sitting in entrance of the speaker to get one of the best efficiency, whereas with the Period 100 you have got extra room to change up the place you sit in relation to the speaker.
The Denon is barely smarter
A variety of wi-fi audio system have added smarts to their skillset, which in flip has made them a flexible pair of audio system. Sonos was one of many first to catch on to the concept of a sensible speaker, including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to its characteristic checklist.
Denon up to date its Dwelling audio system to natively assist Alexa and Google by way of the microphones. Each Denon and Sonos audio system can be utilized hands-free with voice activation, and for those who select to, the microphones may be turned off for privateness.
Sonos gained’t be supporting Google Assistant on its Period audio system, however it does have Sonos Voice Management to assist with hands-free management of music playback. When you dwell in France or America, the individual offering the voice for that’s none apart from Giancarlo Esposito of Breaking Dangerous and The Mandalorian fame.
You’ll be able to restore the Period 100 your self
On this rising period of eco-friendly design, Sonos has moved to a extra sustainable method with its Period merchandise. The packaging may be discarded within the recycling waste, the speaker itself is made with submit shopper recycled (PCR) plastic and power consumption has been lowered with a brand new sleep perform.
And, maybe extra excitingly for those who’re somebody who likes to see how stuff works, the Period 100 has been constructed with serviceability in thoughts, utilizing screws to extra simply disassemble and restore. If the speaker stops working, and you recognize what you’re doing, you might repair it your self. That’s not an choice for the Denon Dwelling 150 with its sealed design.
They’ll act as rear gunners
When you’re considering of making a wi-fi dwelling theatre sound system, that may be simply achieved with each audio system.
A pair of Denon or Sonos audio system may be matched to their respective soundbars – the Dwelling Sound bar 550 within the Denon’s case and the DSW-1H subwoofer’ or the Beam Gen 2 and Sub Mini within the case of the Sonos. You’ll get an even bigger, expansive soundscape from including them as rear audio system, filling within the data behind you.
After all, you’ll be able to’t use these audio system interchangeably, i.e. the Period 100 with a Denon soundbar or vice versa. The audio system aren’t constructed to combine with each other in that means.
