Sweet! I think this nails the coffin for everyone else trying to be Sonos!

No optical input though!! Relies on ARC from HDMI or it comes with an optical to HDMI adaptor

This thing is a home run...I just saw the email.

Not sure if you guys are being sarcastic or not?

Having a hard time seeing "what the point is"

The other bizarre thing is the single HDMI Input. Basically if your TV only has 2 inputs (cheaper TVS) one input is eaten up only for audio. ARC is already a disaster too. Are we supposed to believe the TV and bar will magically pair when using other inputs/sources?

sorry, its silly. glad they at least provide an adapter which im sure will be used 99.5% of the time.

Seen it, heard it, love it. At just under $400, it's another offering for our clients that don't want to spend $700 on the playbar.

Just sayin...why would you spec any other speakerbar in the $400 range? Most others in this price range sound like crap and don't even turn on and off automatically so users have to suffer with a stock remote. Then you have to rely on Bluetooth for music. If I were another speakebar manufacturer I would halt all production now ....

I'm not being sarcastic at all.  Although I'm obviously not in the sonos business anymore, I'd sell these in every bedroom in the house that has a TV.  Small dens, sun rooms, that POS tv that's in the basement...etc. 

I didn't read about the specs, I just saw the size and price point.  Don't know what dealer cost would be, but I'd absolutely kill it with these things.

Don't forget: it also includes voice control and Airplay 2 is promised "real soon now".

A nice feature is that supporting TV's can accept voice power commands. This could be a big help for the silly TV's that remove power from the network processor after a Power OFF command.

Disappointed they caved in to all of the idiots out there who were screaming for HDMI support.

What was the old Seinfeld bit about how "consumers/audience are like children... they cant be given what they want"? Sonos has built their product by not including features that would lead to poor user experience and/or anything but rock solid performance (ex bluetooth). Sonos sales staff has openly used the reliability and lack of return calls as a way to justify their slimmer margins. I have agreed with them in the past but this now puts that in jeopardy.

ARC is unreliable garbage and I cant see myself ever installing a system using it without having it in writing that a return trip next week to troubleshoot and/or switch to the optical adapter isnt covered under our warranty.

Interested to see what else they might have up their sleeve for later in the summer.

Review video @ The Verge mentions an optical -> hdmi adapter to be included w/ the unit.

The problem is how long this would be or if we can get third party ones in different lengths/

I've been thinking about opening an all Sonos store. No more automation systems, prewiring, full integration with crap, HDMI distribution or any of that stuff that make life stressful. Maybe hang a TV and fish a couple of wires once in a while. I was thinking this would be an awesome idea.

^^^ Me too. Heck, I even got a location picked out.

They have stores like hay already. Target. Best Buy.

Sonos don't want CI's selling their product - they want to sell direct... Custom Integrators simply take a chunk of the margin they believe should belong to them.
A cheaper soundbar means many installers will simply drop their ASP, making for a business that has less turnover.
I'd be treating it as a last gasp option / get out of jail etc... certainly not a first option.