Sonos Roam Assessment: Tiny Speaker, Large Worth

Sonos Roam overview: Tiny speaker, big worth

MSRP $169.00

“This magic little speaker may do for Sonos what the iPod did for Apple.”

Execs

• Glorious design
• Light-weight and moveable
• Completely water and dustproof
• Superb sound for its measurement
• Alternative of good speaker assistants
• Wi-fi charging

Cons

• No Bluetooth stereo pairing
• Doesn’t work as a speakerphone
• Much less battery life than another audio system

The $399 Sonos Transfer is a really succesful wi-fi speaker. When at house, it may well connect with the remainder of your Sonos gear, and its built-in microphone lets it act as a Google- or Alexa-powered good speaker. On the highway, its Bluetooth radio and 10-hour rechargeable battery makes for a robust, moveable sound system. Properly, perhaps not that moveable.

In fact, nearly as good because the Transfer is, it’s by no means going to be a grab-and-go speaker as a result of it’s just too massive and too heavy. Going from the lounge to the patio? Seize the Transfer. Going from the patio to the park? That’s a special story.

However now we’ve the $169 Sonos Roam. It’s bought the entire Transfer’s capabilities (after which some), nevertheless it’s a fraction of the Transfer’s measurement, weight, and value. Does this make the Roam a no brainer buy for Sonos followers? Let’s test it out.

What’s within the field?

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Sonos has lengthy been a frontrunner in sustainably packaged merchandise, however the Roam is its finest effort but. It even features a helpful label to assist decide which elements might be recycled.

Contained in the small, plainly printed cardboard field, you’ll discover the Roam, a USB-C charging cable, a printed quick-start information, and never a touch of plastic or foam.

Design

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The very first thing that strikes you whenever you unbox the Sonos Roam is simply how small it’s. It’s not simply the smallest Sonos speaker by an enormous margin, at a hair over 6.5 inches tall, nevertheless it’s additionally a bit smaller and lighter than lots of the Bluetooth audio system will probably be competing with, just like the $120 JBL Flip 5 and the $150 Marshall Emberton.

The Roam’s form virtually begs you to scoop it up and take it with you.

Regardless of its diminutive measurement, the Roam’s minimalist design is pure Sonos, whether or not clad in matte black or matte white like our overview unit.

Its Toblerone-esque triangular form isn’t only for appears to be like; it makes the Roam supremely grabbable. Angle any of its three sides towards your palm, and your fingers naturally curl across the curved edges, alongside the opposite two sides. The place the Transfer’s built-in carry deal with at all times feels slightly dangerous whenever you seize it, the Roam’s form virtually begs you to scoop it up and take it with you.

The one factor lacking is an built-in lanyard possibility for instances whenever you want your arms free.

You’ll be able to stand the Roam up vertically or lay it down horizontally utilizing the 4 built-in rubber toes to maintain it securely anchored to no matter floor you select.

Both means, the Roam’s easy class lets it mix invisibly with nearly any decor.

Sonos Roam (entrance) and Sonos Transfer Simon Cohen / Digital Developments

The bodily controls are additionally very stealthy — a set of 4 buttons which are hidden behind a layer of rubber on the highest panel, barely hinted at by their barely raised icons. From a distance of some toes, they disappear utterly.

The speaker grille, with its hundreds of tiny perforations, easily integrates into the Roam’s physique. It appears to be like prefer it may find yourself getting badly dented, however behind that skinny layer is a way more sturdy hexagonal lattice, which provides the grille a formidable quantity of rigidity.

Two tiny LED lights hidden behind the grille let you know the speaker’s standing: One mild that reveals whether or not you’re in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth mode and one which signifies the battery’s cost degree. A 3rd mild subsequent to the microphone button lets when the mic is lively — Sonos says that is hard-wired to the mic circuitry so when the sunshine is off, you might be assured that nobody is listening.

Simon Cohen / Digital Developments

Across the again, you’ll discover the USB-C charging port and a tiny energy button that can also be used for Bluetooth pairing. Whenever you’re house, you’ll wish to depart the Roam repeatedly plugged in to energy so it’s at all times able to play your tunes, however for those who’re more likely to transfer it about quite a bit, you’ll wish to make the most of its wi-fi charging characteristic.

Sonos sells a $50 customized Qi charger that’s formed to match the underside of the Roam and might keep magnetically latched till you want it, however I didn’t get one to check. Not that it issues — any Qi charging mat will do the job, and I discovered it very simple to simply depart the Roam sitting on one once I wasn’t carting it round.

Setup and configuration

When you’re a Sonos proprietor, you don’t want me to let you know how simple it’s to arrange the corporate’s wi-fi audio system. A couple of faucets within the Sonos app, a number of button presses on the speaker, and fewer than two minutes later, you’re carried out. However with the Roam, Sonos has simplified this course of even additional.

Each tech product must be this simple to configure.

After connecting the Roam to an influence supply utilizing the included USB-C cable (or a wi-fi charger) and opening the Sonos S2 app, you might be robotically prompted by the app to arrange the speaker. It’s quite a bit like the best way Apple’s AirPods will immediate you whenever you open their charging case for the primary time.

The following step is to faucet the again of your telephone in opposition to the again of the Roam. This could set off the speaker’s NFC sensor to acknowledge your telephone so it may well full the method.

Sadly, this didn’t work with my iPhone 11, however after two failed makes an attempt, the Sonos app supplied a special answer: It precipitated the Roam to emit an audible chime, which was picked up by the iPhone’s mic, and the setup robotically accomplished, together with the addition of the Roam to my Wi-Fi community. No buttons to press and no passwords to enter. Each tech product must be this simple to configure.

At this level, you’ll be capable to play music from the Sonos app, handle the Roam as a single speaker or as a part of a gaggle of Sonos merchandise, or stream audio on to the Roam utilizing Apple AirPlay.

However on condition that the Roam may also act as a sensible speaker, it’s possible you’ll wish to take the additional step of including it to the Google Residence app or the Amazon Alexa app — one thing that takes only some further minutes.

Sound high quality

JBL Flip 5 (left), Sonos Roam (center), and Marshall Emberton Simon Cohen / Digital Developments

In line with Sonos’ fame for merchandise that punch properly above their weight class, the Roam sounds superior for such a small speaker.

It delivers a heat but clear signature, with a good quantity of resonance contemplating simply how compact it’s.

Indoors, the Roam is a perfect speaker for smaller rooms.

Whenever you’re on Wi-Fi, the Sonos app permits you to regulate bass and treble if you wish to override the manufacturing facility EQ — a tweak that will probably be maintained even for those who swap to Bluetooth operation.

Indoors, the Roam is a perfect speaker for smaller rooms — like a bed room, a toilet, or perhaps a kitchen. Outdoor, it will get loud sufficient to energy a pool social gathering or yard get-together. Talking of quantity, the Roam is successfully distortion-free all the best way as much as its loudest setting, and there’s no disagreeable buzzing of the speaker cupboard, one thing that may occur with lesser-quality Bluetooth audio system.

As you climb up the amount settings, the Roam manages to maintain the frequencies balanced — till you hit about 75%. When you exceed this restrict, the speaker merely has no extra low- or midrange left and leverages the excessive frequencies to get to its most quantity.

There’s merely no means a speaker of this measurement can ship the type of deep bass or highly effective sound of bigger units, however for those who place the Roam in a nook — a confirmed methodology for enhancing bass-response — it’s stunning simply how deep the sound can get.

The Roam outshines the JBL Flip 5 for readability and tonal high quality, nevertheless it delivers an nearly similar signature to the Marshall Emberton.

The Emberton proved barely extra versatile for out of doors gatherings due to its 360-degree speaker sample, whereas the Roam is extra directional.

In concept, the Roam’s Computerized Trueplay characteristic will regularly adapt the Roam’s sound based mostly on the place you place it. It really works whether or not you’re utilizing Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and also you gained’t discover it on some other wi-fi speaker that doesn’t bear the Sonos model.

In follow, I discovered it troublesome to find out whether or not Auto Trueplay was really making a major distinction. I moved the Roam into numerous locations each inside and outdoor, turning Auto Trueplay on and off to see if I may inform. For probably the most half, the adjustments have been barely detectable, even once I positioned the speaker in places that ought to have prompted an enormous adjustment (just like the nook placement talked about above).

Usability

When you’ve by no means used the Sonos app and the Roam is your first Sonos product, you’re in for a deal with. It’s, bar none, one of the best audio streaming software program on the planet. Not solely is it suitable with nearly each streaming music supply conceivable — over 100 up to now — however all that music is extremely simple to navigate and discover due to the common search characteristic.

The Sonos software program is so good, it’s cause sufficient to purchase the Roam over some other moveable speaker in its value vary.

You’ll be able to create your playlists and favorites that work independently from those you could have already created in your music apps, and after you have multiple Sonos speaker, you possibly can management every speaker independently or as a gaggle.

Most different Wi-Fi audio system depend on Apple HomeKit, Google Residence, or Amazon Alexa for his or her multiroom performance, however these can’t maintain a candle to the Sonos app’s intensive characteristic set.

The Sonos software program is so good, it’s cause sufficient to purchase the Roam over some other moveable speaker in its value vary.

Like each different Sonos speaker, the controls are as intuitive because it will get. The 2 quantity buttons work precisely as you’d count on, whereas the Play/Pause button can skip one monitor ahead with a double press or backward with a triple press.

Switching from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth can also be useless easy. A protracted press on the small button on the again panel shifts the speaker to Bluetooth mode, and the Roam will robotically re-pair with the final paired gadget.

Pairing a second or third gadget is a little more sophisticated. You must disable the Bluetooth radio on the at the moment paired gadget in order that the Roam is aware of to provoke Bluetooth pairing once more. However as soon as the second (or third, and so on.) gadget has been paired, you possibly can management which one the Roam is speaking to with out repeating the pairing course of.

Sadly, Sonos doesn’t help stereo pairing of its audio system over Bluetooth. To do that, you could be on your private home Wi-Fi community, and you could have a matched set of Sonos audio system — the Roam can solely stereo pair with a second Roam, and even a paired set of Roams can’t be used as encompass audio system for a Sonos Arc, Beam, Playbase, or Playbar.

And regardless of the presence of a microphone, you possibly can’t use the Roam as a speakerphone — which is a little bit of a bummer given what number of businesspeople are more likely to pack the Roam of their luggage after they journey.

Good speaker expertise

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The Sonos Roam is by far probably the most inexpensive moveable speaker that may additionally double as a sensible speaker — and it’s one of many few that provides you a selection between Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

It’s astonishing how simply the Roam can hear and reply to your instructions

I set it up with Google Assistant, a course of that takes about two minutes and requires you to have the Google Assistant app put in in your telephone.

When you’re good to go, it’s astonishing how simply the Roam can hear and reply to your instructions. For enjoyable, I positioned the Roam at one finish of our yard and referred to as out “Hey Google,” from the opposite finish — a distance of about 40 toes. The Roam heard and responded straight away.

Good audio system are fairly darned helpful, letting you do all the pieces from managing music playback to organizing your procuring lists and controlling good house units like lights and cameras. However good audio system often want to remain tethered to energy, which is why of us will typically purchase a Nest Mini or Echo Dot for every room of their home. As a result of the Roam is totally wi-fi, it may well go wherever you go and can proceed to work as a sensible speaker so long as it has entry to Wi-Fi.

The Final Ears Blast and JBL Hyperlink Moveable can do that too, however they price $10 greater than the Roam, they usually solely work with one assistant (Amazon Alexa for the Blast, Google Assistant for the Hyperlink Moveable).

If freedom of selection is necessary to you, the Sonos Roam is clearly the best choice.

Extras

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What makes the Sonos Roam such a exceptional speaker is its further options. Some, like wi-fi charging, Auto Trueplay, AirPlay, and its means to double as an assistant-agnostic good speaker, are tangible advantages for anybody who buys it.

However when you’ve got or are planning to purchase different Sonos merchandise, there are much more cool options on faucet, like Sound Swap, which helps you to switch a Wi-Fi streaming session to and from the Roam by urgent and holding the Play/Pause button. It solely works with newer Sonos merchandise like Sonos One, One SL, Beam, Transfer, and Arc, nevertheless it works flawlessly.

You may as well leverage the Roam’s Bluetooth connection as a supply in your different Sonos audio system. For example, for those who’re away from house utilizing the Roam as a Bluetooth speaker, then whenever you return house, you possibly can open the Sonos app and group your different audio system with the Roam, which can then share the Roam’s BT session with the group.

That is additionally an incredible answer for giving friends entry to your Sonos system with out giving them your Wi-Fi password or forcing them to obtain and set up the Sonos app.

It’s additionally an incredible answer for streaming songs which are domestically saved in your telephone — a characteristic Sonos used to supply from inside its app.

Battery life

At a claimed 10 hours of battery life, the Roam gained’t set any stamina data, particularly when you think about that the JBL Flip 5 will get 12 hours and the Marshall Emberton packs 20 hours. Then again, the Emberton weighs 40% greater than the Roam.

Nonetheless, 10 hours might be greater than sufficient for a day journey, and if you could lengthen the Roam’s play time, you possibly can at all times carry alongside a transportable battery pack because the Roam (in contrast to the Transfer) can cost from nearly any USB energy supply.

Ruggedness

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With an IP67 score, the Roam will be capable to deal with absolutely anything you throw at it, from full immersion in water to a sandy day on the seashore. That makes it an incredible pool social gathering companion so long as you’re ready to dive in after it if it goes kerplunk: The Roam doesn’t float.

However I’m not satisfied that the Roam will be capable to stand up to drops onto laborious surfaces in addition to the JBL Flip 5 or Marshall Emberton.

Regardless of its skinny rubber finish caps, the physique of the Roam is unprotected laborious plastic, which appears to be like prefer it may crack or chip with a direct influence — some care must be taken to keep away from this from taking place.

Our take

Sonos has packed so many options into the Roam, it’s simply one of the best worth in a transportable speaker.

Is there a greater different?

Yow will discover moveable audio system which have higher sound high quality, longer battery life, or louder quantity ranges, however you gained’t discover one which has all of the options of the Sonos Roam at any value — together with its costlier massive brother, the Sonos Transfer.

That mentioned, for those who’re prepared to surrender Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay, voice instructions, and the Sonos ecosystem, the $150 Marshall Emberton sounds simply nearly as good and has a 20-hour battery.

When you’re prepared to surrender a selection of voice assistant, Apple AirPlay, and the Sonos Ecosystem, the $180 UE Blast has longer battery life and 360-degree sound.

How lengthy will it final?

Sonos merchandise are very properly constructed. When you think about its IP67 safety from mud and water, it ought to final a few years so long as you shield it from severe impacts. All Sonos merchandise include a one-year guarantee.

Do you have to purchase it?

Sure, I extremely advocate the Sonos Roam whether or not you propose on beginning a brand new Sonos system, including it to an present system, or utilizing all of it by itself.

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