Im a sucker for a portable speaker.
Of all the technological advances in recent years, theyre up there with the best.
So whenthe Sonos Roamwas announced I was as the kids say #Down2Clown.
And you know what?
But the Sonos Roam goes beyond its technical characteristics; its also shrewd business move from the company.
But… do you dislike watching things with your eyes?
Prefer the written word?
Dont worry, friend theres a full article below that both reviews and analyzes the Sonos Roam.
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First things first…
Who the hell are Sonos?
Basically, the company produces multi-room audio equipment.
The idea underpinning Sonos gear is it provides an easy way to produce seamless sound across your entire house.
Want to listen to uninterrupted music between the living room and the toilet?
And is Sonos equipment any good?
If you asked me five years ago I wouldve said no, not really.
But things have changed.
So tell us about the Sonos Roam
Itd be my pleasure.
First, heres a nice picture:
The Sonos Roam is a super portable speaker that costs $170.
Its around 17cm tall and weighs about 430g about the same as a standard tin of tomatoes.
A portable speaker of this sizeshouldlast a few hours longer.
In regards to charging, the Sonos Roam does it via USB-C (woo!)
or a Qi-enabled wireless chargers.
This includes Bluetooth, WiFi, the Sonos app, and AirPlay 2.
Basically, youre spoilt for choice.
Want all that summed up in an easy-to-read image?
You got it, pals.
Overall, Im impressed.
The build-quality of the Sonos Roam is solid.
Ideally, the speaker wouldve come with a carry case of some variety.
Id probably recommend you picking one up if youre constantly taking it out and about.
But lets talk about sound.
The Sonos Roam exceeded my expectations.
The portable speaker is teensy-tiny, but delivers a bigger and more detailed sound than I anticipated.
In my testing, I found the bass has a pleasant, meaty thump.
But the Sonos Roam is really about the mids.
This is further reinforced when you consider the slightly dulled trebles the Sonos Roam has a habit of producing.
So I was going to sum it up?
The Sonos Roams sound is solid and sensible, precisely what you want from a portable speaker.
What about other audio features?
Im a big fan of Trueplay.
What this means is you dont notice the sound of the speaker changing when you move about.
That sounds pointless, but is fantastic in practice.
Whats the portable speaker like to use?
In other words, the app was a bit shit.
Fortunately, that experience is no longer so harrowing.
I still find using AirPlay the easiest solution though.
Long story short, using the Sonos Roam is a dreamy breeze.
What about the negatives of the Sonos Roam?
There are a few.
Its a bit of a lost opportunity.
Now lets talk about shape.
Earlier, I shared a picture of the Sonos Roam on its side.
On one hand, this is cool.
I enjoy being able to lay the Sonos Roam down like this.
I wouldve liked to see that from Sonos.
Then we have the price.
On balance, I think this is reasonable considering what you get, but its definitely not a bargain.
Now, in the past few years my favorite has beenthe UE BOOM 3.
This is an interesting point to raise because the two speakers complement each other in opposite ways.
But the Sonos Roam is strong in a lot of the areas where the BOOM 3 struggles.
And, of course, it can link up seamlessly with an existing Sonos system.
Products in this category will always be hamstrung by size constraints, meaning trade-offs are necessary.
What this means is you gotta make a decision about what it isyouwant from a portable speaker.
Lets expand on that.
This holds true whether you have, or are planning to have, a Sonos system.
Then consder that,ignoring the IKEA collaboration, its the cheapest Sonos speaker on the market.
And if that person likes it?
Well, its easy to get more Sonos gear involved and build out a collection.
Its a win-win for the company.
The only really criticism I have is the size.
Overall, the Sonos Roam is a terrific little speaker that does a lot of things very well.
Lets see what the company does next.
