Sonos is reportedly planning to release a new soundbar designed for those looking for quality audio on a budget. It currently has no official title but goes by the codename ‘Fury’.
‘Budget’ doesn’t normally come to mind when you think of Sonos. The projected price point for the soundbar of about R4,000 ($250) could mark a change for the brand. If these leaks are accurate, that is. An official launch is expected on 7 June. In the meantime, here’s what we know.
Structurally sound
Since Fury is yet to be announced, we have yet to see any official images. There are 3D renders available, courtesy of The Verge, pictured above. While not an exact replica, the render offers a basic idea of what to expect before the real thing breaks cover.
The Verge reports that it is the smallest of all Sonos’ soundbars to date. It will feature dimensions of 550mm x 69mm x 100mm. The size would make it a perfect TV companion, commanding less space in front of a screen than a regular soundbar. Add that to the affordable price point, and it starts looking even more attractive.
These points make it unsurprising that Sonos is dropping a few soundbar features. Voice-assistant support may disappear, due to a lack of built-in mics. Buyers can also expect a complete lack of Dolby Atmos. Another missing component will apparently be HDMI, which the bar won’t even have a port for. It will come with an optical cable and only an optical cable. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it just means that users will be limited to Dolby Digital audio.
The good stuff
It will still be possible to expand a system to 5.1 using other compatible Sonos speakers. That’s about normal for the range, but normally soundbars stand alone. This one won’t. Or, at least, Sonos is anticipating this to be the case. To this end, it is releasing a special wall mount made specifically with Fury in mind. It will offer the option of a vertical mount, along with the standard horizontal setup. Why? The drivers on the sides (as seen above) have a slight angle. When placed vertically it may offer better performance when routing Atmos height audio towards the ceiling. Not that Atmos is fully supported on this thing, but you get the idea.
Sonos declined to offer any comment on the reported leaks. The launch is just a few weeks away — there’s bound to be something official along soon. And, after that, there will likely to local pricing and availability to look forward to as well.
Source: The Verge