D-Tools

D-Tools Podcast #12: 'What's the Buzz' About Sonos

In the D-Tools Podcast #12, Sonos Senior Director Casey Clemens discusses the company's pioneering role in wireless multiroom audio, highlights the launch of the new premium Era 100 Pro speaker exclusively for professional integrators featuring Power over Ethernet technology, and emphasizes the continued importance of the Sonos Amp in the residential integration channel, which accounts for 22% of Sonos' global revenue.

Not many companies can legitimately claim that they “invented” a product category, but Sonos can. The company created the wireless multiroom audio category way back in 2005. Since then, Sonos has diversified and today is the most-recognized consumer audio brand.

The company has balanced its direct-to-consumer business while also building an industry-leading position for speakers, subwoofers, and soundbars in the residential integration channel. In fact, 22% of its global revenues come from the professional installation channel, which Casey Clemens, Senior Director of the Americas for Sonos, calls the company’s “sounding board” when developing new products.

Just back from a brief sabbatical with a new baby in the family, Clemens joined the latest episode of the D-Tools “What’s the Buzz” podcast to provide an update on the company. In a wide-ranging discussion, Clemens highlighted the launch of the new premium Era 100 Pro speaker, available exclusively via integrators, along with other integrator-friendly lines such as Amp and Arc Ultra.

“For the first time in our entire company history, we just launched a product exclusively for our installation partners.” — Casey Clemens, Sonos

The Era 100 Pro is built on the same compact-speaker architecture as the Era 100, utilizing Power over Ethernet (PoE).

Clemens noted, “We recognize that PoE is a growing trend,” explaining that the Era 100 Pro offers a strong value proposition for dealers specifying multiple all-in-one speakers on a project, as it eliminates the need to engage an electrician to run line voltage wire for deployment.

Clemens also emphasized that the Sonos Amp continues to be a powerhouse among integrators:

“This channel is known for multi-channel amplifiers and stereo amplifiers in distributed audio and that is really where we got started. We always joke, ‘As goes the Amp, so goes the professional channel’ because it is that important for us and our partners.”

Sonos Architectural Speakers and Soundbars

Sonos is making inroads with dealers in the competitive architectural speaker category. Clemens noted the growth of this product line, highlighting features such as custom DSP and the ability to pair with a Sonos Amp as differentiators in the market.

The Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar is also being well received by the channel, thanks to its unique bass output from the company’s proprietary Sound Motion technology and a new transducer.

Clemens mentioned the dedicated support line for integrators and teased an upcoming announcement representing a “massive investment” by the company to simplify how dealers and distributors do business with Sonos. Details will be shared at the company's dealer appreciation event in Santa Barbara, California, next month.

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