The thing about tech, especially when you're a reviewer like me, is that there's always a better device just around the corner. You can spend years convinced that you know what the best option in a given category looks like, only to be proven wrong when you get your hands on something new.
A good few years ago, I managed to win a free Sonos Beam (Gen 1), way back when that soundbar first launched, and before I was a journalist. Shortly after that, Sonos announced its now-ended partnership with Ikea, with its first products being the extremely sensible £100 Symfonisk Bookshelf Speakers.
Seeing that they could act as wireless surrounds for the Beam Gen 1, I picked up a pair, and for the next half-decade, I used them extremely happily. Was it the single most high-fidelity sound system on the planet? Perhaps not – but I'd assembled it for just £200 and it worked great for most content.
Now, though, I've swapped the first-generation Beam for a second-gen upgrade, and at the same time, I've been lucky enough to change the Symfonisks out for Era 100 speakers, making for a pretty comprehensive change.
Before I get into the comparisons between these two devices and the changes I've noticed, a word on Symfonisk. I'm gutted this partnership has ended – Ikea and Sonos were doing groundbreaking work in lowering the cost of multi-room audio for the majority of people, and the system I built was a great example of how it could make for really good shortcuts.
Still, there's no getting around the fact that the Symfonisk Bookshelf Speaker was always intended to be the most entry-level and basic speaker that Sonos made, even below the Sonos One SL (which was the equivalent of the Era 100 before the latter's release).
As such, its sound was extremely credible but not necessarily earth-shatteringly expensive. You chose it not for its solo quality, though, but for how it could help you build up a system without breaking the bank, and it worked a treat on that front. Moving to the Era 100, though, I'm getting way more fidelity, as I'd hope from a speaker twice the price.
All of a sudden, my surround sound is just a little more precise, and has much more potential power, which is helped further by the fact that the second-generation Beam supports more codecs, making my chances of getting surround sound in the first place a lot higher.
The Era 100 is also a lot easier to fit into my room than the Symfonisks were – the speaker is around half the size, and while I've got each on an extremely choice stand, you can easily leave them on any surface or get wall mounts. I've got them in white, to match my Beam, but in fairness, the second-gen version of the Symfonisk could be picked up in that colour, too.
Still, the difference in size is pretty major, and the fact that you get better sound from a smaller design is hard to ignore – while I also prefer the inputs on the newer speaker, which are very subtly done and don't interrupt the design as much as the buttons on the Symfonisk.
Another small design improvement is the removal of the fabric mesh. This was a feature on the first-gen Beam as well as these Symfonisks, but as a double cat owner, it was a constant fur-magnet, which was annoying. Now, the perforated non-cloth finish of the Era 100 banishes that issue.
I know there will be some readers out there, especially those who are pretty au fait with Sonos' pricing, who'll think it's not much of a conclusion to confirm that the Era 100 is better than the Symfonisk. To be clear, I'm not surprised, nor am I arguing that anyone with Symfonisk speakers needs to upgrade immediately or face my disdain.
My point is more that I thought the difference would be really small, and I've instead found it pretty noticeable – music is fuller and more detailed, and my surround sound is clearly upgraded. So, if you're wondering whether to make a bit of an upgrade of your own, I can confirm that this one won't leave you questioning your decision.
It's the sort of upgrade that really isn't necessary, though. The Symfonisk bookshelf speakers aren't really sold anymore, with most Ikeas now going through their deadstock until they're all gone (including accessories like mounts and brackets). So, I don't think anyone should be panic-buying an Era 100 or anything. Still, if you do decide to take the plunge, like me, you'll reap the rewards in deeper, more precise sound.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.