Sonos is a brand that people trust when it comes to quality audio devices. Their newly announced product, the Sonos Move, combines two of their most requested features: portability and outdoor durability. The speaker works with both WiFi and Bluetooth and is compatible with some of the more popular digital assistants as well. In terms of size and price, it might give pause to some people because at $399 at almost 10 inches tall, it might be a bit too much.
But if what you’re looking for is a speaker that you can carry around and use for outdoor activities and has better sound quality than most, then the Sonos Move just might be your thing. The 9.44 x 6.29 x 4.96 inch speaker comes in “shadow black” and the lower part uses silicone instead of the usual metal speaker mesh. And since it’s built for outdoors, it is IP65 rated and is UV and heat resistant. It turns itself off when it gets hotter than 131 degrees Fahrenheit and comes back on once it cools down. It will also supposedly shrug off not just water but also snow, dust, sunscreen, and maybe even ketchup and other condiments.
The battery lives in the silicone-enmeshed lower part and can last up to 10 hours of playback or 120 hours on standby. If you run out of juice when you’re outside, there’s a USB-C port at the bag so you can juice it up. When not in use and you’re indoors, you can place it on a charging base to keep it charged. The battery can last you up to 3 years or 900 charges and afterward, you can buy a replacement battery that you can attach to the device by yourself.
The Sonos Move has two Class-D amplifiers, pushing a single tweeter and a mid-woofer drive. It has TruePlay tuning so it adjusts and adapts the sound quality to your environment. You can choose to connect through WiFi and use the compatible voice assistant so it can be a smart speaker of sorts. But you can also choose to connect through Bluetooth if you’re outside the WiFi range. It can store up to eight pairings and can use two devices simultaneously. You can’t use the voice assistant though in Bluetooth mode.
The $399 price tag might be a bit too much for some but Sonos assures them that it’s worth it. It definitely has higher quality than other portable Bluetooth speakers so if you’re willing to spend that much, then you can start pre-ordering it now and will begin shipping by September 24.
