Is the Sonos Roam portable speaker worth buying? We review the new bluetooth speaker for 2021 Bedford News

If part of a given product launch is a fortuitous moment, then Sonos Roam is incredibly fortuitous. The release of the portable speaker – smaller and less bulky than the (more expensive) Sonos Move – happened just as the country is heading to parks and beaches to socialize, which means this speaker – Rugged and conveniently sized bluetooth speaker can provide a summery soundtrack to all of our distant outdoor parties.

At £ 159, its price is a lot more handy than the somewhat bulky Sonos Move at £ 399, but still a decent sum in the realm of battery-powered portable speakers. So what do you get for your hard earned book?

Compact and triangular, the Roam is conveniently designed to allow it to rest on one of its multiple sides (they love the palindromic design, Sonos). At 430g, it’s terribly light and as always looks slightly bigger than a 500ml beer can, but quite more convenient to grip. It’s a nice little unit, cleverly designed.

With a metal mesh front, matte plastic back, and rubber tips, it’s designed to absorb a reasonable amount of impact, but we admit we didn’t drop it more than a foot for the test, and advise you not to do so. Is. It’s water resistant but not weather proof – again, we didn’t put it in a sink of water, but it can withstand the rigors of summer in the UK without a problem – the rain will not harm him.

£ 159 for a portable speaker? Why?

This sum makes the Sonos Roam the cheapest speaker in its lineup by far, but also more expensive than most of its competitors. Cynics may claim the price pays off for a tag, but we found there was more (although we listed a few alternatives at the bottom of the article).

Because the Roam uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, setup is the work of moments, through the Sonos app, and you can incorporate the Roam into any multi-room setup, so if you’re already a part of the Sonos family is a natural addition. : you can share the music broadcast with other speakers on your home wifi network. We’re a fan of the instant group setting, allowing you to pair it with the nearest Sonos speakers and use the Roam as a base unit to control them.

Software updates are provided automatically and without problems. Using the Sonos app, the speaker also instantly finds Spotify Connect or any streaming service you can think of.

However, it cannot be used as part of a home theater setup or paired with an external subwoofer.

It lasts ten hours of playing on battery power, but you can also play it while it charges, so its home life is great – if you party outside for more than ten hours, congratulations on your endurance, frankly. A wireless charger to match the Roam costs £ 44, but a standard USB-C also works.

The three LED lights on the ends of the speaker indicate when the microphone is on, the speaker is on, or when the charger is engaged. The built-in mic allows your Roam to connect to most standard voice assistants, including Alexa. Unfortunately, down to the minute using Google Assistant quickly drains battery power, although a bug fix is ​​allegedly in the works for this.

Ok, but what does Sonos Roam look like?

If you already have a Sonos in your home, you’ll know it sounds good. The Roam is a worthy entry to their stable. It’s more nuanced than you’d expect from a portable speaker, delivering well-balanced, crisp, and clear sound.

It doesn’t fall victim to the most common problem we’ve encountered with portable speakers, the ones that boost bass to make sure it can produce decent sound despite its small stature. A separate mid-speaker and tweeter allows the subtleties of the songs to shine through – a pop synth and mellow melodies can be discerned as easily as raspy hats and singing strings.

It features “Truplay”; a system designed to automatically adjust the speaker. It uses its built-in microphones to monitor its surroundings and optimize its sound accordingly, adjusting orientation, surroundings, and obstacles, although you can also control treble, bass, and volume in the Sonos Beam app.

What we’ll say is that the sound starts to break up when the speaker is put to full power, but that’s still the case with most speakers. Also, it’s not good enough to fill an entire backyard – it’s background music if you’re having a party – instead, it’s much more suited for a circle of friends when having a party. ‘a picnic. If you want a portable speaker that will make noise when there are crowds of people around (in the future, of course), the Sonos Move is your beast.

Sonos Roam Specifications: _{Dimensions: 168 x 62 x 60 mm Weight: 430 g Connectivity: Wifi 5 (ac), Bluetooth 5, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect Battery: 10 hours of playback, 10 days standby, Charging: USB-C (up to 15 W; 5V / 1.5A or more), Qi wireless, water resistance: IP67 (1m deep for 30 minutes)}