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Sonos announced two new speakers today, the Sonos Move and the Sonos One SL, but it also announced a third new piece of hardware: the Sonos Port. Despite its new name, the Sonos Port is actually the next-generation version of the Connect ($349), and it works much the same way. It hooks up to your existing stereo or receiver, and essentially turns a non-Sonos sound system into something that works just like one; this is a great solution for anybody with expensive stereo system but wants to stream music to it or integrate it into an existing Sonos system. The Port can be connected to either a record player or a CD player, too, allowing you to stream its audio to your existing Sonos speakers.
As you’d expect, the Sonos Port has been considerably upgraded from the Connect. The big thing is that the Sonos Port supports AirPlay 2, which the Connect does not, so you stream Apple Music or music from Spotify straight from your iPhone. The Port also has a new digital-to-analog converter and a 12-volt trigger, the latter of which enables the Port to automatically turn on your connected receiver when signaled through the Sonos app. (Basically, it eliminates the need to juggle an extra remote.) The Sonos Port is also compatible with Alexa or Google Assistant, too, so if you have Google Home or an Amazon Echo (or a Sonos One or Sonos Move), you can use your voice to control the Sonos Port and its connected system.
As far as looks go, the Port is slimmer and has a squarer profile than the Connect, and it’s matte black instead of white to better blend in with other audio components. Sonos says that the Port is designed so it can easily be placed on a shelf or mounted in an AV rack.
The Sonos Port costs $399 and you can preorder it right now. Sonos says that the Port will be available in limited quantities starting September 12 with broad global availability starting January 2020.
It’s worth noting that, just like the Sonos Amp that was released less than a year ago, Sonos is increasing the prices of its higher-end components. The Connect costs $349, while the new Port starts at $399. The company is doing this for two reasons: it’s expanding its product line and it knows its market. It’s now cheaper than ever to buy into Sonos’s ecosystem – the Symfonisk Bookshelf Speaker is less than $100 – and Sonos knows that the people buying its higher-end products, custom installers and owners of higher-end components, are likely to spend a little more.
