Review: Sonos plays it safe with the Roam 2
by Dominic Preston · Android PoliceSonos remains best known for its Wi-Fi-enabled home speaker systems, but between Bluetooth speakers and its Ace headphones, the company has slowly been branching out. The Roam 2 is, as the name might give away, the second-generation of the company’s smaller portable speaker — look into the Move 2 if you want something bulkier. This is the sort of compact hardware you can throw into a backpack, pack for a holiday, or bring along to the beach.
For the second iteration, Sonos really hasn’t changed too much — you absolutely shouldn’t be looking to this as an upgrade option from a first-gen Roam — but there should be enough here to tempt the Sonos faithful looking for an on-the-go option.
Sonos Roam 2
8 / 10
The Sonos Roam 2 is one of the least ambitious sequels ever, but then again — if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Superb audio quality is available over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi — the latter includes full integration into an existing Sonos sound system — in a sleek, durable design. Battery life could be better, but the bigger criticism is that with so few changes — mostly just a new Bluetooth button — there's no reason for Roam owners to upgrade.
Pros
- Sleek, slick design
- Finally, a Bluetooth button
- Great audio quality
- Full Sonos ecosystem integration
Cons
- Pricey
- Not got the longest battery life
- Almost unchanged from the first Roam
Price, availability, and specs
The Roam 2 is out now for $179 — $10 more than the original model — and you can pick one up from Sonos, Amazon, Best Buy, and all the usual spots. $179 is at the upper end for a Bluetooth speaker this size, but so is the feature set here. Consider this a premium pick, and as you’d expect from Sonos gear, it’s available in black or white. However, it's also available in a trio of more interesting hues: Sunset, Olive, and Wave.
Specifcations
Bluetooth Connectivity?
Bluetooth 5.2
Dimensions
168 x 62 x 60mm
Brand
Sonos
Price
$179
Connectivity
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Voice Assistant
Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa
Colors
Black, White, Red, Blue, Green
Battery
Up to 10 hours
Waterproof Rating
IP67
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What’s good about the Sonos Roam 2?
The three Ws: Wi-Fi, waterproof, and wireless charging
The big selling point of the Roam 2 is that it’s not just a Bluetooth speaker. If you’re already invested in the Sonos ecosystem, the Roam 2 will have an obvious appeal because its Wi-Fi support means it will slot right in.
Connect the Roam 2 to your home network, and it can be your main speaker in a smaller space, with multi-room audio support, full integration with the Sonos app, and support for both Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa. That’s particularly appealing if you want a speaker you can carry into the bathroom while you shower or take out to a balcony or yard covered by your home Wi-Fi network. The app also helps drive the Roam 2’s ‘automatic Trueplay,’ which sees the speaker use its microphones to dynamically adapt its sound to its setting, theoretically making sure it sounds the best it can, wherever it is.
When you’re not on Wi-Fi, you can fall back on regular old Bluetooth just like any other speaker. That will take away that seamless Sonos app support of course, but it remains a perfectly good option for taking out to the park or beach, or just using in a hotel room abroad, with the added bonus that it’s easy for other people to connect to the speaker too. This is also where one of the few upgrades from the original Roam comes in: a dedicated Bluetooth button on the back, alongside the power switch, to quickly turn on pairing.
Read our review
Sonos Roam review: Out of the study, onto the beach
The best portable speaker I've ever heard
As you’d hope for in a portable speaker, this packs an IP67 rating. That means it’s about as dustproof as it can get and waterproof enough to survive quick splashes and even short dunks in water. It should survive trips to the beach, but don’t tempt fate by tossing it in the pool.
You also get the handy bonus of wireless Qi charging, so you don’t need to fiddle with the USB-C port when it needs a top-up. Qi support is hardly a necessity, but it’s the sort of luxury nice-to-have that helps justify Sonos’s premium price point.
You’ll find the Qi tech at one end of the speaker’s long, prismatic design, with the playback controls at the other. I’m a fan of the Roam 2’s look — unchanged from the original, right down to still saying 'Sonos Roam', rather than 'Roam 2', at the bottom — which is simple, slick, and Sonos all over. It’s designed to sound good whether resting horizontally or vertically, and the slim shape is easier to pack into a bag than bulkier rivals.
Last but not least, I should probably talk about how this thing actually sounds. You won’t be surprised to hear that it impresses, albeit with caveats — the big one arguably being that the actual audio hasn’t changed at all from the original Roam. Sound is crisp and clear, with a wide-open soundstage that keeps it easy to pick out the details of tracks. There’s little muddying here, even in the mids, making this an excellent option for pop tracks, classical, and anything intricate.
What you won’t get - and you could probably guess this from the Roam 2’s size - is thumping bass. That’s a physical limitation, so if you want a speaker this size you’ll have to make your peace with it. But be aware that if you’re willing to buy something bulkier, it’ll drive that low-end in hip-hop and dance tracks all the more forcefully.
What’s bad about the Sonos Roam 2?
More like the Roam 1.5
From a pure performance perspective, the biggest complaint about Roam 2 is battery life. Sonos estimates it’ll run for about ten hours on a charge, whether it’s running on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, which seems about right from my time with the speaker. That’s not bad - it’ll cover a day out or an evening in your backyard - but it’s at the lower end of what you could expect from similar portable speakers, so it’s definitely a weak point relative to the competition.
That’s really where the other issues lie, too. For $179, this is a premium piece of hardware, and the competition is fierce. If your pure priority is sound quality, you’ll find speakers with more oomph elsewhere. You’re paying for the Sonos design and interoperability, plus those nice-to-haves like wireless charging, so you need to decide where your priorities lie.
Finally, if you’re an existing Roam owner, there really is nothing here to draw you in. The main upgrade is the inclusion of a dedicated Bluetooth button — a necessary fix for one of the first-gen’s glaring flaws, but hardly a reason to buy a whole new speaker. It also means that if you can find a first-gen Roam on the cheap somewhere, it’ll almost certainly be a better buy.
Should you buy the Sonos Roam 2?
If you already own a Roam and it works fine, then definitely not. Stick with what you’ve got. If you don’t own a Roam but are a member of the Sonos faithful, this is a great option. The Wi-Fi and the Sonos app support make this a natural addition to an existing ecosystem that doubles as a portable powerhouse, offering something no rival can.
But if you’re not knee-deep in Sonos speakers already, you might be better off elsewhere. Your dollar will go further with other brands, especially regarding sound quality and low-end. So, if the ecosystem holds no appeal, check out our ranking of the best Bluetooth speakers and see what else strikes your fancy.
Staff pick
Sonos Roam 2
8 / 10
The Sonos Roam 2 is one of the least ambitious sequels ever, but then again — if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Superb audio quality is available over either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi — the latter including full integration into an existing Sonos sound sysem — in a sleek, durable design. Battery life could be better, but the bigger criticism is that with so few changes — mostly just a new Bluetooth button — there's no reason at all for Roam owners to upgrade.
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