After spending 2022 targeted on midrange merchandise just like the Ray and the rollout of its personal voice service, Sonos is about to shift its consideration again to upscale units. Except for the upcoming, delayed Sub Mini, the corporate can also be at work on a very new high-end speaker codenamed Optimo 2.

The Verge has considered early, work-in-progress photos of Optimo 2, and it marks a considerable evolution in design in comparison with Sonos’ present merchandise, such because the Sonos One, 5, Arc, Beam, and Roam. Encased in a cool, dual-angled shell, the brand new machine might be positioned because the best-sounding speaker that Sonos has ever produced. It contains an arsenal of drivers, together with a number of that fireplace in several instructions from beneath the shell between the entrance speaker grille and backplate. The 3D recreation above is bronze-colored, however Optimo 2 will seemingly stick with Sonos’ conventional white and black coloration decisions. The machine’s frontside is proven in our picture, with the vertical rectangle indicating the place the Sonos brand might be.

Measurement-wise, it appears to be like to resemble one thing just like the Sonos 5 / Play:5. In response to folks acquainted with the product, Optimo 2 contains twice as a lot RAM and as a lot as eight instances extra flash reminiscence than any earlier Sonos speaker. It’s a powerhouse clearly designed with an extended highway of software program help forward.

If present plans keep on monitor, Optimo 2 will turn out to be the swiss military knife of Sonos audio system. It’ll help music playback over Wi-Fi like the entire firm’s merchandise but additionally Bluetooth audio. To this point, Bluetooth playback has been restricted to transportable {hardware} just like the Transfer and Roam. Intriguingly, the corporate can also be contemplating USB-C line-in playback for the machine. That will make it the one different fashionable Sonos speaker except for the 5 to supply line-in capabilities. (The Sonos 5 has a extra conventional 3.5mm aux enter.) With the assistance of built-in microphones, Optimo 2 will function computerized sound tuning to optimize its efficiency in numerous settings. These mics will even help Sonos Voice Management. As all the time, a few of these options could also be scrapped and absent from the ultimate, transport product.

With its array of drivers (together with one which seems to be upward-firing), Optimo 2 might be a showcase for Dolby Atmos audio. But it surely’s only one piece of the puzzle. The Verge can report that Optimo 2 is the lead product in a trio of in-the-works units, which will even embody an Optimo 1 and Optimo 1 SL. “SL” designates that the latter is not going to embody built-in microphones. The three merchandise are intertwined with a significant forthcoming replace to Sonos’ software program platform that can unlock new performance.

Mics apart, particular variations between the three Optimo units couldn’t but be realized. Theoretically, Optimo 2 may function a successor to the Sonos 5, which hasn’t seen a significant redesign in years. That would depart Optimo 1 and 1 SL to fill the position of smaller good audio system or satellite tv for pc audio system in Sonos encompass sound programs. House theater has turn out to be a crucial a part of the corporate’s enterprise.

Earlier this month, Sonos reported rocky third-quarter earnings, blaming rampant inflation and the greenback’s appreciation for a miss on income. The corporate additionally revealed that it had pushed again the deliberate launch of a brand new product — nearly definitely the Sub Mini — till the primary fiscal quarter of 2023, which falls between October and December of this calendar yr.

“Softening client demand throughout our product classes had an outsized impression on Roam,” CEO Patrick Spence stated on the quarterly investor name, additionally noting that the $279.99 Sonos Ray soundbar “is considerably lacking our expectations for the yr” as a result of similar weakened demand.

However Spence maintained an optimistic outlook. “We’re specializing in what we are able to management at this level. We’re investing in an amazing quantity of recent innovation and new merchandise that we predict are going to assist us come out of those macroeconomic headwinds in an excellent stronger place.” Optimo 2, Optimo 1, and Optimo 1 SL might be central to that innovation and regular product pipeline.

Throughout its fiscal 2022, Sonos launched the second-gen Beam, Roam SL (plus new Roam colours), the Sonos Ray, and Sonos Voice Management. It additionally made acquisitions, together with that of Mayht Holding BV, an organization that Sonos claims “has invented a brand new, revolutionary strategy to audio transducers” that enables them to be smaller and lighter with out affecting high quality.

The Verge has reached out to Sonos for remark.