Headphones Sonos isn’t the only new product released today. The company has also updated its cheapest portable speaker, the Roam. It has the same sound as the Sonos Roam 2 2021 predecessor but adds more simplified controls and faster setup. The $179 speaker is available today.
Sonos says the Roam 2 “delivers the same rich, detailed sound and bass” as the original model, so early Roam owners will only see some subtle quality-of-life improvements. One common solution is a separate power and Bluetooth button distress from its predecessor about the multi-function power / sleep / Bluetooth button. Customers have found that an overloaded button is confusing and often leads to accidental misbehavior.
Setup on the Roam 2 is also simpler, the company says. The previous model required you to set up the speaker over Wi-Fi, so you couldn’t quickly connect to Bluetooth unless you went through a (potentially difficult) process. pairing with home network. This means you can’t buy a speaker and immediately use it for a day at the beach or camping. Roam 2 lets you quickly connect your phone or other device via Bluetooth, so you don’t have to deal with a lengthy Wi-Fi setup until it’s time to pair it with your Sonos home system.
Aside from adding a monochromatic logo that blends in better with the rest of the speaker, the Roam 2 looks identical to the original in other areas. It’s still rated for a solid 10 hours of battery life, is IP67 dust and water resistant, and supports automatic Trueplay tuning to match its sound to any room’s acoustics.
As for the sound, Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham was pleased with the audio profile of the original. “Fortunately, it sounds better than its small size lets on,” he said in our review. “Rather than a single driver, the Roam includes both a tweeter and mid-woofer, which helps it produce clear highs and mids, as well as more bass than seems reasonable from a relatively small speaker. It also doesn’t distort or generate excessive noise at maximum volume, which is a surprise for such a small speaker. The sound quality remains stable throughout the entire audio range.” The same can be expected from the new model.
You can order Sonos Roam 2 today company website and as retail partners Amazon and Best Buy. The $179 speaker ships in black, white, olive, sunset (orange-red), and wave (blue with a subtle gray tint).
