A few days ago we told you about the rumor that Sonos will be announcing a new portable speaker, one that is considerably lighter and cheaper than its first one, Sonos Move. Now it has been confirmed that we are indeed getting Sonos Roam, a much smaller speaker that you really can carry around with you. Priced at $169 which is closer to the other portable speakers in the market, this is the brand’s most affordable and probably smallest speaker ever.
When Sonos launched their first portable speaker, it was kind of a surprise that they released something like Move which was not only heavy and not-so-portable but was also priced at $399 which is pretty expensive compared to others in the market. This time around with the Sonos Roam, it looks like the audio brand has learned what it really means to have a Bluetooth speaker that people can actually carry around. And at just 0.95 pounds and 6.61-inches tall, it really is easy to bring wherever you want to.
But since this is a Sonos product, they cannot afford to skimp on the sound and quality. The external look is pretty much classic Sonos and behind the honeycomb grille, you get a tweeter and an elliptical mid-woofer. It automatically plays in mono but its shape, a triangular cross-section means it projects the sound towards you. The company says that it should sound just like its Sonos One speakers but since it’s smaller, it also has less power at maximum volume.
Sonos Roam also has Auto Trueplay but it will work not just when you’re connected to the WiFi but also when you’re using Bluetooth for playback too. The EQ settings are automatically tweaked when you move the device. It will also switch automatically from WiFi to Bluetooth and vice versa but you also have the option to long press the play button when you get at home to “throw” the audio to a nearby Sonos speaker at your house.
You can also group the Sonos Roam to other Sonos speakers in your house. It’s still IP67 water, dust, and shock resistant and can be charged on any Qi wireless pad. The portable speaker will cost $169 and is available in black and white. The Roam Charger is sold separately at $49. Sonos will start shipping by April 20.
