Sonos Transfer Evaluation: A Nice Speaker for the Nice Outside

Sonos Transfer assessment: Nice open air

MSRP $399.00

“Constructed to go anyplace, however simply as glad at residence, the Sonos Transfer often is the solely speaker you want.”

Execs

Very good construct high quality
Integration with Sonos techniques
Sounds particularly good open air
Person-replaceable battery

Cons

Sonos app doesn’t work over Bluetooth
Huge measurement, massive value

Sonos has been the main model in wi-fi whole-home audio because the firm successfully created the class virtually 20 years in the past. However in all that point, it has steadfastly refused to assist Bluetooth wi-fi connections on its gadgets.

Solely Sonos is aware of all of the the explanation why the corporate held again, however that chapter is now closed. The corporate’s first actually moveable (and Bluetooth-capable) $399 Transfer is right here. The one remaining query is, given the appreciable funding it requires, is the Transfer price it?

Huge but balanced

Sonos merchandise have a status for excellent construct high quality, and whether or not we’re speaking a couple of Sonos One SL (previously the Play:1) or a Sonos Sub, every speaker feels strong and substantial. The Sonos Transfer takes this even additional. It weighs 6.6 kilos, making it over two kilos heavier than a Sonos One, and practically twice the burden of the Final Ears Megablast, a conveyable speaker that has lots of the identical options.

Nonetheless, due to its well-designed built-in carry-handle, you’ll be able to carry it from place to position with out a lot worry of dropping it by accident. The included charging base basically disappears with the Transfer in place, which is right and offers extra stability.

Because of its carry-handle, you’ll be able to take the Transfer from place to position with out worry of dropping it.

Not that the Transfer wants it. Regardless of a rounded base that appears prefer it needs to roll the Transfer onto its aspect at any second, a low heart of gravity plus a really grippy rubberized backside lets the Transfer lean at some surprisingly precarious angles with out falling over. Even when it did (I didn’t deliberately drop or roll the Transfer) Sonos assures us the speaker would proceed functioning completely, although no guarantees have been made about denting the black metallic grill. And in contrast to so many different built-for-the-elements audio system, the Transfer’s understated design nonetheless seems nice sitting on a espresso desk or in a bookshelf.

In June 2020, Sonos introduced that along with the Transfer’s debut matte black end, a brand new matte-white colour can be added. This brings the Transfer in-line with the remainder of Sonos’ different black and white merchandise just like the Sonos One SL, Sonos 5, and the brand new Sonos Arc soundbar.

Let it rain

That robustness extends to the Transfer’s capacity to take care of the inherently variable circumstances of being open air — in actual fact, it’s a giant a part of the speaker’s enchantment. With an IP56 score, the Transfer ought to be capable to face up to deserts and seashores alike, and in case you take it to the snowboard terrain park, it ought to just do superb there too.

I did none of that with the Transfer. As an alternative, I subjected it to a small patio get-together, sat it beside our cats’ dusty litter field for twenty-four hours, after which ran it below a faucet to scrub it off. You’ll by no means do any of that with a daily Sonos speaker, however the Transfer dealt with all of it effortlessly.

Patio energy

The power to outlive within the face of water, mud, and the occasional spilled beer is one factor, however a conveyable speaker must sound as if it was solely constructed for one factor: Nice audio. Indoors, the Transfer compares favorably to Sonos One or Play:1. It creates a barely wider soundstage, and bass is extra pronounced, however there’s additionally a corresponding muddying of the midrange. It’s the type of factor you’d solely discover in case you positioned a Transfer proper subsequent to a kind of different fashions after which obsessively switched backwards and forwards between them whereas enjoying all the pieces from The Offspring to Adele. Not that I did that, in fact.

Take the Transfer outdoors and just one thought involves thoughts: This factor rocks.

Take the Transfer outdoors, although, and all different ideas however one soften away: This factor rocks. Even at lower than 50% quantity, I ran the danger of drawing undesirable consideration from neighbors a number of doorways down the road. The expanded soundstage that was noticeable when indoors magically continues to broaden when open air. We now have a pair of Klipsch AWR-650-SM panorama audio system powered by a Sonos Amp in our backyard. They sound improbable. But when the Transfer had been obtainable, we may have purchased two of them, saved ourselves appreciable dough, and ended up with a way more versatile resolution for out of doors music. For lots of parents, a single Transfer can be greater than sufficient speaker for even the wildest pool events.

A greater battery

I’ve stated it earlier than, however it bears repeating: Sonos’ choice to make the Transfer’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery user-replaceable is worthy of excessive reward. Sonos claims the cell is sweet for 3 years or 900 fees, after which you’ll swap out the battery for a brand new one. The battery is sweet for a claimed 10 hours of fixed use at medium volumes. I believe that is fairly correct, however I had a distinct expertise when the Transfer was in standby mode. It’s supposed to remain that method for as much as 120 hours, however I discovered that once I deserted it with a 40% cost remaining, it warned me by means of an audible tone that it wanted to be plugged in after solely 12 hours.

On June 16, 2020, together with the announcement of the brand new white colour possibility, Sonos additionally introduced that the Transfer’s battery life is being upped to 11 hours through a software program replace.

The Transfer is designed to be recharged through USB-C while you don’t have the charging cradle helpful, however be warned: Not each USB-C charger will work. The Transfer requires a charger that may output certainly one of these three voltage/amperage combos: 12V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/2.25A, and it’s extremely unlikely that the charger that got here together with your cellphone is appropriate. You don’t wish to make this discovery in the midst of a street journey, with the Transfer’s entrance LED blinking an indignant orange at you to let you already know it’s not glad.

Hey Google, are you able to say Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and AirPlay 2?

The Sonos Transfer is a whole lot of issues: A transportable Bluetooth speaker with 10-hours of battery life, a Wi-Fi speaker with AirPlay 2, and a sensible speaker together with your alternative of Alex or Google Assistant onboard. The Transfer will get all of them proper. Switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modes is as straightforward as urgent the devoted mode button on the again of the speaker. Amazingly, Bluetooth sounds very shut in high quality to Wi-Fi, proving the purpose that the only greatest think about perceived sound high quality is the speaker, not essentially the supply.

I nonetheless most well-liked listening over Wi-Fi indoors, however frankly, within the locations the place Bluetooth can be known as upon, it’s greater than adequate. Sonos claims that Bluetooth wi-fi vary on the Transfer is excellent, and although that’s true outdoors, indoors it had simply as a lot bother staying related to my cellphone as I roamed our multi-level home as different BT merchandise I’ve examined, which is to say, it didn’t like being separated by multiple ground.

Sonos must discover a method to let the Sonos app preserve operational management of the Transfer when in Bluetooth mode. Needing to fireside up a third-party app like Spotify, Apple Music, or Tidal simply because I’m away from residence doesn’t really feel proper. I just like the Sonos app expertise and sooner or later I hope it will likely be the one expertise I want, whatever the colour of my wi-fi connection.

I did expertise a little bit of problem getting Google Assistant setup on the Transfer, however I’ve a sense that was as a result of I used to be already utilizing GA on one other Sonos product in my residence. Eradicating GA from the system completely and including it again in bought all the pieces working accurately. As soon as Google was up and working, it carried out flawlessly, responding to all of my instructions each generic “Hey Google, how do I make a mojito?” to the precise, “Hey Google, play Los Lobos in the lounge,” in a short time. The microphone array on the Transfer has to this point confirmed extra delicate than that of the Sonos One, choosing up my instructions throughout the room when talking quietly, and even whispered when only a few ft away.

Is it actually Trueplay?

That very same mic array is chargeable for one of many Transfer’s extra intriguing options: Auto Trueplay, or the power to optimize its personal EQ settings based mostly on the place the speaker is situated. Within the Sonos demo, final August, a spokesperson shifted the Transfer from a wide-open lounge house to a tiny cubby gap, and certainly, Auto Trueplay adjusted itself to enhance the sound.

Maybe I wasn’t subjecting the Transfer to acoustic adjustments as excessive as these within the demo, however I didn’t discover an entire lot of EQ changes from place to position. I discovered myself questioning if Auto Trueplay, with its dependence on native acoustic suggestions solely, could possibly be as efficient as Trueplay executed from a smartphone mic situated away from the speaker. Sadly, there’s no method to take a look at this. If you happen to disable Auto Trueplay on the Transfer, you don’t get guide Trueplay as an possibility.

Our Take

At $399, the Sonos Transfer isn’t as reasonably priced as some had wished the corporate’s first Bluetooth speaker could be. It lacks a couple of Bluetooth bells and whistles like a speakerphone and Bluetooth stereo-paring, and you’ll’t use the Sonos app when in Bluetooth mode. When indoors, it sounds solely considerably higher than a $170 Sonos One SL.

Nonetheless, with its capacity to fill any yard or pool get together with tunes, straightforward switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and helpful smart-speaker integration, for some Sonos followers, it will likely be the best companion and probably the one Sonos product they want.

Is there a greater various?

We’re starting to see a giant enhance within the variety of audio system which are moveable, sensible, weatherproof, and in a position to work on Bluetooth in addition to Wi-Fi networks. Many of those are inexpensive than the $399 Sonos Transfer. Of those, the $349 Bose Moveable Dwelling Speaker is the closest in design and options. It’s not fairly as highly effective because the Transfer, however it’s a very good bit lighter and its carry deal with makes it a greater companion for longer hikes. Right here’s our head-to-head comparability of those two glorious portables. However one factor none of those rivals can do is hook up with a Sonos system. For Sonos house owners, that makes the Transfer distinctive.

How lengthy will it final?

All Sonos merchandise include a one-year guarantee, however this isn’t an indicator of longevity. Sonos audio system have at all times featured spectacular construct high quality and the corporate goes to nice lengths to check its merchandise for sturdiness. With its user-replaceable battery and top-notch building, we count on the Sonos Transfer can have a superb operational life-span.

Do you have to purchase it?

Sure. The Sonos Transfer delivers excellent moveable sound in a bundle that may survive absolutely anything you’ll be able to throw at it.