Sonos Roam 2 review

Sonos Roam 2: Introduction

• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz or 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.2
• Ecosystems: Alexa

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? That’s how the old saying goes anyway, and it’s definitely the stance Sonos has taken with the second iteration of its Roam Bluetooth speaker. 

The Roam 2 was announced via press release on the same day as the Sonos Ace headphones so it’s fair to say it was somewhat overshadowed. New product category versus minor upgrades to an existing product; there’s always going to be a clear winner grabbing the headlines for the company there.

Still, the Sonos Roam 2 makes a couple of decent improvements to what was a great Bluetooth speaker. They are minor, don’t get me wrong, but a couple of them do make a difference in use.

Here’s my full Sonos Roam 2 review, but if you want to know exactly what the differences are between the Sonos Roam 2 and the Sonos Roam, we have you covered separately.

Design and build

• IP67 water and dust resistance
• Black, White, Red, Blue, Green color options

The Sonos Roam 2 is virtually identical to its predecessor. I say virtually because there are a couple of small differences, though you’d really only notice those if you were looking for them.

Firstly, the Sonos logo matches the color of the Roam 2 speaker you have picked. Opt for Green and the Sonos logo on the front will too be Green. In the first generation of the Roam, the logo was white no matter what color speaker you opted for so it’s a nice change that makes for a more seamless finish. 

Secondly, there are now two buttons on the rear of the Roam 2, compared to one on the initial Roam.

The Roam 2 splits power and Bluetooth into two separate buttons (thank god), while the original Roam has just one button for both. It means the Roam 2 is easier to put into Bluetooth mode, and you can use it straight out of the box, rather than having to connect it to a Sonos system first. 

Elsewhere, you’re looking at the same portable Bluetooth speaker in the Roam 2 as its predecessor. There’s a triangular prism design with a silicone finish on the top and bottom (when held vertically), while the rest of the speaker is a matte plastic shell. It’s a lovely design overall, with a more rugged finish than traditional Sonos speakers. 

There are also physical controls on the top that are easy to use when your hands are wet or sandy, small little rubber feet if you want to use the Roam 2 in the horizontal orientation and it’s a good size – perfectly portable and easy to pop in cup holders or the side of your backpack.

Speaking of size, it’s not too dissimilar from a 500ml water bottle, which is significantly smaller and more portable the Sonos Move 2 – the company’s other Bluetooth and portable (though that’s questionable) speaker.

The Roam 2 is waterproof like its predecessor and it’s dust-proof too, but it doesn’t float like some of its rivals so don’t drop it at the bottom of the pool unless you’re prepared to dive (and quickly too).

Features

• Integrates with Sonos system
• Alexa and Sonos Voice Control

Where the Sonos Roam 2 offers advantages over its rivals however, is its feature set. It is a Bluetooth speaker and it can act as an independent Bluetooth speaker like the Bose SoundLink Max or Ultimate Ears Wonderboom.

There’s also AirPlay 2 on board and Spotify Connect, like most other Bluetooth speakers at this end of the market, so plenty of ways to get it playing music even without its connection to a Sonos system.

But it’s that connection to the Sonos system where the Sonos Roam 2, like the original Roam, stands out. Offering seamless integration other Sonos speakers, the Roam 2 will act like a traditional Sonos speaker when it’s connected to Wi-Fi.

You do of course have to have other Sonos speakers in your home to see the benefits of this function, but if you’re considering Roam 2, I’d imagine there’s a fairly good chance you have at least one other Sonos speaker. 

If not, then there are a couple worth considering like the Era 100 and Era 300, both of which work with the Sound Swap feature that the Roam 2 also offers, again like the Roam.

This allows you to press and hold the play/pause button on the Roam 2 when you’re back on Wi-Fi to transfer what you’re playing to the nearest Sonos speaker in your home. It’s a good feature – and one I think should have been added to the Sonos Ace headphones – though it can be a little clunky and doesn’t always work as seamlessly as you would hope. 

There is sometimes a bit of lag and it’s also a tad confusing as there is another feature available on other Sonos speakers, as well as the Roam 2, where you press and hold the play/pause button to pull them into an existing group of other Sonos speakers already playing music.

This feature takes a couple of seconds of holding, while the Sonos Swap feature requires you to go past that initial beep and hold for an extra few seconds to swap the sound from Roam 2 to the nearest Sonos speaker rather than pull it into an existing group.

The Sonos Roam 2 is also compatible with Alexa when on Wi-Fi, acting like any other Alexa smart speaker allowing you to control smart home devices, ask Alexa various questions, play music and add to shopping lists etc.

There’s no support for Google Assistant anymore – something the original Roam offered – but you will find Sonos Voice Control, which can work alongside Alexa and is good for controlling the Roam 2 with your voice.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Sonos Roam 2 will work in both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi at the same time, like the original Roam.

That means the Roam 2 can ping a Bluetooth tune around your other Sonos speakers when you’re in range of them. Essentially, you can use any music app on your phone that you like to send to the Roam 2 and then group the Roam 2 with other Sonos speakers.

Sound performance

Sonos hasn’t changed anything in terms of sound architecture on the Sonos Roam 2 compared to the original Sonos Roam. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though.

The original Sonos Roam did a good job of delivering big sound from its small package and the same applies for the Roam 2 with a pair of class-H amplifiers, a custom racetrack mid-woofer and a tweeter all built in.

It isn’t the best sounding Sonos speaker available, but to be honest, you wouldn’t expect it to be and the sound performance is good for its size.

As is expected of Sonos speaker, it’s on the bassy side, which you can adjust in the EQ settings of the Sonos app if you have hooked the Roam 2 up to the app, but there’s good balance across a range of genres.

That applies whether you’re listening to your favorite pop song, jazz band, focus music (like I do every single day) or a podcast. I did think the Bose SoundLink Flex (which I was using alongside the Roam 2) offered clearer vocals but Sonos definitely wins on the bass front.

The Roam 2 also has Automatic Trueplay on board, which means it will adapt dynamically to its surroundings in order to give you the best sound quality it can and registering all of the different reflection patterns of each space you put it in.

Put it in a cupboard and it will do its best to account for that, for example. Obviously if you want the best sound experience, I’d avoid the cupboard, but the point is, it will adjust itself and that goes for switching it between vertical and horizontal too. 

Battery life

Just as Sonos didn’t change the acoustics inside the Roam 2, it also didn’t mess with the battery life too much either.

There are some small adjustments here, in that it seems Sonos has fixed some battery issues of the original model that saw the battery drain after a couple of years use. It’s not something that can be tested in a couple of weeks for the Roam 2, but it’s good to know something was done. There’s also a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box, which allows for more efficient charging.

The Roam 2 offers up to 10 hours of battery life from a single charge like the Roam. It’s not the longest battery life available from a Bluetooth speaker, but it will get you through a BBQ session, or garden party, unless you really go for it.

It is charged via USB-C, as mentioned, but there is also a wireless charging dock that you can buy separately if you perhaps want to have it on your sideboard or kitchen counter for most of the time, taking it out when you fancy some tunes in the garden or the beach.

Final thoughts

The Sonos Roam 2 doesn’t make huge improvements over its predecessor, but there are a couple of things to note. The design is a little more seamless, set up out of the box is easier and it’s now much simpler and quicker to put into Bluetooth mode.

You get a decent sound from its small package, the battery will see you through an afternoon garden party without an issue and it packs a punch when it comes to features, from Automatic Trueplay Tuning to Sound Swap.

There are better sounding Bluetooth speakers out there, including Sonos’ own Move 2. That said, the Roam 2 is fabulously portable, sounds good for its size and it works seamlessly with other Sonos speakers, whilst also doubling up as one perfect for the bathroom or patio when you’re not roaming around somewhere with it on Bluetooth. For those already invested in the Sonos system, the Roam 2 is a great option if you’re in the market for a Bluetooth speaker.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Smart speaker usually live within, or even control, a smart home ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a connected speaker for a week and deliver a verdict.

Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular smart speaker compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our review process for smart speakers to learn more.

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