Sonos is missing the boat on the entry-level soundbar. Don’t ask me–ask the barebones Vizio soundbar strapped to the little bargain-basement Sceptre TV in my sunroom.
An entry-level TV deserves an entry-level soundbar. So which will come first, the summer solstice or the first entry-level soundbar from Sonos?
Apparently the new entry-level soundbar with a better in-house codename (Fury) than hit-the-market name (S36), as reported recently by The Verge, along with uncanny renderings.
“We do not comment on rumor or speculation,” a Sonos spokesperson replied when we asked about the leak.
So, allow us to fill you in further on the rumor and speculation. The Fury–sorry, it will always be Fury to me–at $249 will be as notable when it arrives June 7 or thereabouts for what it doesn’t have as for what it does.
Here’s what it doesn’t have:
- Microphones. (Your privacy is assured!)
- HDMI
- Dolby Atmos support
- No voice control. (See microphones)
It will include an optical audio cable as the main connection, a pathway to Dolby Digital surround sound. But this is a little soundbar, maybe 4 inches narrower than the 25.6-inch Sonos Beam 2, so don’t expected much “surround.”
The versatile Fury, however, will come with a vertical mount that, for those who own Sonos’ top-of-the-line Arc soundbar, turns the speaker into dedicated Atmos surrounds. Reports include a companion subwoofer with a terrible codename, S37, though no price. (Can we call this one “Fire”?)
This small soundbar for smaller TVs in smaller rooms should arrive in black and white finishes, which seems appropriate for Sonos’ entry into the entry-level, not-smart soundbar.
Two other Sonos-related developments to watch: a Home Theater OS and the forever-in-the-works wireless headphones.
Author: Kevin Hunt
Kevin, a former consumer electronics columnist for The Chicago Tribune, writes about technology and health from his home on the Connecticut shoreline overlooking an osprey platform. Smart-home confession: He has two nightlights in his home connected to smart plugs.