Sonos Roam 2 review

Editor’s note: this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What I like about the Sonos Roam 2

With its soft-edged triangular shape, like the original Sonos Roam, the Roam 2 has a sleek look and packable design. It feels great in hand no matter which way you hold it. There are no bulbous parts bulging out or rope attachments hanging from somewhere. The Roam 2’s exterior is mostly metal, aside from a set of feet on its underside and the rubberized end caps.

One end contains your tactile controls, and the other is free of controls, allowing the unit to be used vertically. Combined with an IP67 protection rating, Sonos does an excellent job of producing a speaker ready for your next outing. That said, it will also look good around the house if you plan to integrate it into your home smart setup.

Since it looks like the original, you have to look closely to find what’s new. You’ll eventually notice the new Bluetooth button on the rear of the unit. Here’s the big reveal — unlike the original Roam, you are no longer required to use the Sono app to set up the initial Bluetooth connection. Tap the Bluetooth button to pair it to your device like any other Bluetooth speaker. That is the main difference between the Roam and Roam 2. Of course, you will still need to download the Sonos app to access the fancy goods like Wi-Fi streaming, Apple AirPlay 2, Trueplay, Sonos Voice Control, and the better-than-nothing 2-band adjustable EQ.

Regarding the sound quality of the Roam 2, it shares the same drivers and mono playback as the original. It has a tweeter, a mid-woofer, and an overall decent sound for its size. Compared to the popular JBL Flip 6, the Roam 2 doesn’t have as much bass and treble but doesn’t feel like it’s lacking anywhere. Listening to Mr. White by Khruangbin, the grooving bass guitar tone from Laura Lee’s Fender Jazz Bass is present and upfront in the mix, but you can still hear all the reverb-drenched, treble-related details of Mark Speers’s signature guitar tones.

Adding a few points to the Bass slider in the EQ kicked the thumping bassline from Queen’s Cool Cat up a notch, but don’t get too carried away because the low-end can quickly take over your mix. After some experimentation, I didn’t find the need to increase the treble frequencies when listening to any rock or instrumental music; in fact, I preferred it over the stock treble-leaning Flip 6. Overall, I enjoyed the sound of the Roam 2 when using it as a simple portable Bluetooth speaker, both around the house and at the beach. I found that it reproduces most instruments quite well.

What I don’t like about the Sonos Roam 2

Once I could finally establish all the connections, the Roam 2 provided a stable performance. Still, the Sonos app has its hurdles. Upon first receiving the Sonos Roam 2 at SoundGuys HQ, I couldn’t get the speaker to connect to our Wi-Fi, even after multiple hard restarts, not to mention deleting and re-installing the app several times. Once home, I had better luck, but it still took over an hour of restarting my device, the app, the speaker, and the router to establish the Roam 2’s Wi-Fi connection. I also experienced dead buttons within the app; occasionally, the EQ sliders would slide, but with no effect registered. Again, I was forced to restart the app every time to get past these hiccups.

The Roam 2 isn’t much of an upgrade from the original; it’s more of a replacement. At least this is reflected in the price; the new Roam 2 sells for the same price as the original. Bluetooth button aside, there are no hardware upgrades. As mentioned, it uses the same drivers as the original Roam. It also offers the same battery life and still only supports SBC and AAC codecs when connected over not quite the latest Bluetooth 5.2. Of course, connecting over Wi-Fi will allow for higher-quality streaming around the house.

Should you buy the Sonos Roam 2?

There’s plenty to love about the Roam 2—its build, size, and sound. If you’re already a Sonos user looking for a portable speaker, the Roam 2 is an ideal choice. It’s a great on-the-go speaker that won’t look out of place around the house. Existing Roam users don’t need to upgrade.

I can’t deny the frustration, not to mention the time it takes to get through the initial setup and then deal with the app quirks. Still, with the addition of its new Bluetooth operation, you could forgo the app and enjoy the Roam 2 as a standalone, dead simple portable Bluetooth speaker with good sound to accompany your next picnic in the park. It can be that simple. That said, plenty of other affordable Bluetooth speakers are available with good companion app support.

For significantly less money, check out the Soundcore Motion 300. ($79.99 at Amazon) This portable speaker offers 30W of output, an IPX7 protection rating, and stereo sound compared to the Roam 2’s mono playback, although it’s slightly bigger and heavier. Android users can also take advantage of its LDAC codec support.

Of course, the popular JBL Flip 6 ($99 at Amazon) would be another alternative. It’s IP67-rated, offers 12 hours of playback, a 3-band customizable EQ, and is closer in size to the Roam 2.

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