It's better-built, with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, so you don't have to worry about it getting a bit wet or dusty while outdoors. The Sonos is better built, with a better voice assistant performance. However, the Sonos offers a better voice assistant performance, and it's more customizable thanks to its bass and treble adjustments. Driven by data, run by a passionate team of engineers, testers, technical writers, developers, and more. Right now, though, if you want proper decoded surround using dedicated rear speakers, youll need the Sonos One, One SL, Play:1, Play:3, Play:5, Five, Symfonisk bookshelf speaker or Symfonisk lamp speaker (or an Amp or Connect:Amp powering passive speakers).

The IP67 rating means the Roam is watertight enough to deal with rain or snow, and Sonos promises itll operate in more extreme high and low temperatures as well. The Sonos Roam is a better speaker than the JBL Clip 4. That said, the Sonos offers a more neutral sound profile with Trueplay enabled and offers excellent voice assistant support. If you prefer your own sound signature over the built-in preset to this speaker, then you can easily adjust the bass and treble on this speaker through the Sonos S2 app.. The Sonos is better built with a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box. The Sonos Roam is a better speaker than the IKEA SYMFONISK Bookshelf overall, though you may prefer one over the other depending on your listening habits. The Sonos is more portable and better-built, and it supports voice assistants.

Unfortunately, Trueplay is only available with iOS devices, which may disappoint some Android users. If you use the Sonos Roam at high volumes, then expect that its battery life will drain faster compared to when you use this speaker at low volumes. While placing two Roam speakers near the house might work when youre in the garden, further afield youll need to set up a wi-fi network perhaps using a second phone or tablet. The Sonos is better built with a better voice assistant performance. The Move can get louder, and it has a more extended low-bass. Firstly, do you have any other Sonos products or do you plan to? Sonos has released its dedicated Roam Wireless Charger, which you can buy for 44 (opens in new tab) ($49 (opens in new tab)), but you can wirelessly fill the ten-hour battery using any Qi-certified charger. For the uninitiated, Sonos S2 is the latest app and operating system essentially a complete update to the software side of the ecosystem. There are also a lot of compression artifacts present at max volume that affect the quality of your audio when the speaker is pushed to its louder volume levels. The Sonos Roam is outstandingly portable. How much of a difference thatll make when battling outside noise and weather is another thing entirely, but it can do little harm. That said, the IKEA can produce a deeper low-bass than the Sonos. Otherwise, youll need a linking device that will communicate with the Roam via Bluetooth. In short, the Roam is the first truly portable wireless speaker living within Sonoss family of multi-room products. Depending on your preferences, you may like either the Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 or the Sonos Roam. That said, it lasted for five hours in our tests with its volume at 80dB. The Sonos Roam may just look like an ordinary portable speaker but its sound quality and advanced features are definitely going to impress you. However, the SL lacks a microphone, which means it doesn't support voice assistants or Sonos' room correction feature like the Roam. If you're outdoors and away from a Wi-Fi connection, the assistants don't work via Bluetooth. The Sonos Roam is fair for outdoor use. With its room correction feature enabled, the Sonos offers a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low-bass than the Bose. Its latency with iOS devices is also low enough to be suitable for watching videos, though you might notice a delay between your audio and your video with an Android device. But before you make a purchase decision, it is very important that you know the full specifications of the Sonos Roam first. The end caps are made of silicone, and its materials feel pretty solid and durable. The Sonos Roam isn't bad for music. you also have the option to play the Sonos Roam vertically since its top and bottom layers are flat. The Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3 is a better speaker than the Sonos Roam. Update 05/12/2022:Updated the text to include the new speaker colors. That said, the Sonos offers a slightly better-balanced sounding sound profile and offers fantastic voice assistant support with Google Assistant and Alexa built-in. The Sonos Roam is a better speaker than the Bose SoundLink Color II overall.

As you may know, there are countless portable speakers on the market today, but none of them are as advanced as the Sonos Roam. However, while it can pair to another compatible speaker to create a stereo pair, it has to downmix stereo content to mono when using it on its own, which isn't as immersive.

When it comes to price, most would assume that this speaker is inexpensive due to its portable size. There's a play/pause button that you can hold to pair the speaker with another compatible speaker. That isnt the end of the world if you want to do so outside, but it does make things a bit more difficult enjoying a proper stereo mix out in the wilderness. The Sonos Roam is a small portable speaker with a simple design, nearly identical to the Sonos Roam SL. You can also press the power button to activate Sleep Mode to help conserve its battery. When it comes to the buttons, you will find 4 buttons at the top of the Sonos Roam which are the following: At the back of the Sonos Roam, you will the following button and port: The Sonos Roam only has a few buttons, which means this speaker is very easy to navigate. However, these features aren't available over Bluetooth. Also,like most small speakers, it doesn't get very loud, and it struggles to reproduce a deep, thumpy low-bass. It has a balanced mid-range that ensures vocals and lead instruments sound clear and present in the mix, making it suitable for dialogue-centric content like podcasts and audiobooks. Nonetheless, the sound quality and advanced features on this speaker definitely make up for it. The Sonos Roam's frequency response accuracy is okay. It also comes with the Trueplay room correction feature, so audio reproduction is automatically optimized based on the unique acoustic characteristics of your room. However, keep in mind that the battery life of the Sonos Roam will heavily depend on how high or low your music volume is. With regards to sound quality, the Sonos Roam has an excellent sound profile with decent mids and highs. is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The Sonos is better-built, has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, and supports voice assistants. My dedication to work is exceptional and my content speaks for itself. Sonos One Review: An Amazing Small Advanced Speaker, Sonos One vs Sonos PLAY:1 vs Sonos One SL Pros & Cons and Verdict. It can also get slightly louder than the Sonos with less compression at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes. The Sonos Roam and the JBL Charge 5 are similar speakers, though they have different strengths. While the Sonos comes with bass and treble adjustments, the Anker has a graphic EQ for sound customization. published 3 February 22, Get the very best out of the portable Sonos Roam speaker. The Sonos has built-in voice assistant support over Wi-Fi, and it comes with more sound enhancement features, including room correction and bass and treble adjustments. Here is everything we think you need to know to get the best out of Sonoss latest release and make it worth that long, long wait. That said, the SL can get slightly louder with less compression at max volume, so audio quality doesn't degrade as much at louder volumes. The Sonos Roam is a portable speaker with built-in support for Alexa and Google Assistant. However, the Anker has a better soundstage performance, longer battery life, and more sound customization options. It also comes with bass and treble adjustments for sound customization. Unfortunately, it's only available with iOS devices. If the answer is no, then youre possibly best off looking elsewhere for a go-everywhere speaker at this price. However, the JBL can get a bit louder than the Sonos with less compression at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes. The Sonos is an incredibly portable Bluetooth speaker with outstanding voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. There was a problem. There are bass and treble adjustments available to help you customize its sound more to your liking. The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore and the Sonos Roam are similarly-performing portable Bluetooth speakers. As weve said, if you arent already invested in the Sonos multi-room family then you might be better off looking elsewhere for your portable wireless speaker needs. The Ultimate Ears is better-built, gets louder, and has longer battery life. The Sonos Roam has an unremarkable soundstage performance. Note: The manufacturer says that you can also charge this speaker using any Qi-certified charger, though this is sold separately. so that you can compare the results easily. Andrew Murphy For comparison, its competitor, the JBL Flip 6, only costs $129 but the JBL Flip 6 is not advanced as the Sonos Roam. It has good directivity, resulting in an open and natural-sounding soundstage. Aside from playing this speaker horizontally. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Way better with EQ. The Sonos Roam offers outstanding voice assistant support. The Sonos is Wi-Fi enabled and offers fantastic voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. The Sonos Roam is Wi-Fi compatible and supports Apple AirPlay 2. However, the JBL supports stereo content, gets louder, and has longer battery life. For a long time this has been on our list of wants from Sonos, and finally it is possible thanks to new partnerships with Qobuz and Amazon Music. There are also audible chimes when you adjust the volume and when you reach max volume, which is handy. Same, have this setting on ALL my Sonos speakers. All you have to do is group the Roam with whichever other speaker you want to share audio, and you can essentially carry it around with you thanks to the Roams portability. This speaker has Alexa and Google Assistant built-in, and it has no trouble understanding your commands when you're far from the speaker or in noisier environments. There is a huge difference if I have those EQ settings on and then do a reset to test the difference. It has a more spacious sounding soundstage and can produce a more extended low-bass than the Sonos. You can place it either horizontally or vertically, and you can find it in 'Shadow Black', 'Lunar White', 'Sunset', 'Wave', and 'Olive'. However, the Sonos is better built, and it comes with a room correction feature. However, the Sonos has a better voice assistant performance, and it's better built. Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Sonos Roam or the Sony SRS-XB43. Remember that the charger adapter you will use on this speaker will greatly impact how fast or slow this speaker chargers. The triangular shape of the Sonor Roam helps with making this speaker easy to grip. The Sonos Roam SLis identical to the Sonos Roam in design. You could, but it wouldnt be the best use of the Roam. That means it can be immersed in one metre of water for up to 30 minutes, while its built-in battery has the stamina for up to 10 hours of playback from a single charge. With this feature turned on, it has a neutral, balanced sound profile suitable for lots of different audio content. However, the JBL can get louder than the Sonos with fewer compression artifacts at max volume. Also, the Sony supports stereo content and has longer battery life. It is angled, though, so generally if youre putting it at ear height then upright will give you better focus; anywhere lower and having the Roam on its side will direct the sound upwards toward you and improve on stability. You can, but only via wi-fi and the Sonos app; this cant be done using only Bluetooth. However, the Roams Apple AirPlay 2 compatibility means you could also set up a multi-room system with speakers from other manufacturers that way. While it comes with bass and treble adjustments, the Sony has a graphic EQ for sound customization. It also has a wider-sounding soundstage and is smaller in size. Because, though Sonos is almost synonymous with wireless speakers in mass-market terms at least it has taken until 2021 to release one that is fully portable and geared totally towards outside living. The Ultimate Ears is better built, and it gets louder and has longer battery life. This review represents the test results for the 'Black' variant of the Sonos Roam, though the 'White' variantis expected to perform similarly. The Bose has a better soundstage performance and a more extended low-bass. put them under the same test bench, Also, it has a longer-lasting battery life, though this can depend on your usage. You can hardly find another portable speaker out there that is advanced as the Sonos Roam. Also, the Sony supports stereo content and has longer battery life. It also comes with bass and treble adjustments to tweak its sound to your liking. Fortunately, there's a power-saving feature that automatically shuts the speaker off after 15 minutes of inactivity. That said, since it's smaller than the Move, it doesn't get as loud, and it can't reproduce a very extended low-bass. Its more expensive, but it does also sound better, and can withstand the elements just as well. The Sonos Roam is a better speaker than the Apple HomePod mini. Like the Sonos Move, it comes with the Trueplay room correction feature to help optimize audio reproduction based on the room you're listening in, though this is only available on iOS devices, which may disappoint some Android users. Loudness is another Sonos feature that can affect the sound of your speaker. However, the Bose has a better soundstage performance and longer battery life. Otherwise, if you do have a family of Sonos speakers looking to adopt, you should ask yourself how you want to use your portable speaker. It has a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box. When it comes to battery, the Sonos Roam has an advertised battery life of 10 hours which is very decent considering the size of this speaker. Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Bose SoundLink Revolve or the Sonos Roam. If you come across another version of this speaker, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update the review. When it comes to audio codecs, the Sonos Roam supports both SBC and AAC which are commendable. The Sonos Roam belongs to the size category of small speakers but it is quite expensive. It's Wi-Fi-compatible and offers fantastic voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. The Sonos has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, and it supports voice assistants. It offers a fantastic voice assistant performance, as it can hear your commands even if you're far away or in a noisy setting. The instrument separation on the Sonos Roam is commendable as well thanks to its integrated tweeter which also helps with handling the highs. Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Sonos Roam or the Bose SoundLink Revolve II. Overall, for a speaker of this size, its battery life, and charging capabilities are very impressive. It can also get louder with fewer compression artifacts at max volume, so your audio sounds cleaner at louder volume settings. I am Marea Harris and I am a Writing Pro. That said, the Sonos offers outstanding voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. The manufacturer also says it's drop-resistant, but there's no IK rating specified. The built-in microphone on the Sonos Roam is also utilized for the best feature of this speaker which is called Trueplay. The Sonos has a more portable design, and it supports voice assistants. A place for all Sonos users to hang out and discuss hardware, software, installation, ideas and troubleshooting, Press J to jump to the feed. It's even rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, meaning it's certified to be dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. However, the Sonos Roam can get visible fingerprints, scratches, or dents on it. thanks, trying this out and sounds good so far . You can see the label for the model tested here. This more forward presentation isnt suitable for all listeners, or all tracks, all of the time; at very least it can help cut through at a garden party, though. The Sonos Roam charges via USB C which is fast and convenient since most devices nowadays utilize USB C which means you can easily use the charger on new devices to charge this speaker as well. The Roam isnt strictly Sonoss first Bluetooth speaker you could carry around in your backpack that was the Sonos Move but it is at least the first to leave you room for a laptop and packed lunch. That said, the Bose can get a bit louder with less compression at max volume. The Sonos has a more neutral sound out-of-the-box, and it also supports voice assistants. In terms of the dimensions, the Sonos Roam has a height of 6.61 inches, a width of 2.44 inches, and a depth of 2.36 inches.In addition to that, the Sonos Roam only weighs 430g which is very lightweight and portable. You can only pair it to one device at a time, which can be a bit limiting if you like to switch your audio source frequently. Although the Sonos Roam may not have the best sound compared to other portable speakers, its sound quality does not disappoint at all. The Roam certainly isnt the best-sounding wireless speaker you can buy for this money, which is why we gave it four stars in our review, so its a good question to ask yourself. Yes. It has outstanding voice assistant performance and comes with bass and treble sliders you can use to tweak its sound to your liking. And now we wait ever so patiently for Apple Music and Tidal compatibility Because the Sonos Roam has only one tweeter and one woofer, playing in mono, that makes it pretty versatile in terms of orientation. I put 100 percent into every project and produce exceptional content to meet all specifications. In addition to that, you can just leave your phone anywhere in the house and carry the Sonos Roam with you without having to worry about disconnectivity as long as your speaker and device are connected to the same WiFi which is very commendable since most portable speakers cannot do this. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is better than the Sonos Roam. It has a longer-lasting battery life, though this can vary depending on your usage. Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Marshall Emberton or the Sonos Roam. The Sonos comes with a TruePlay room correction feature, though it's currently only available with iOS devices. The Sonos Roam is a better speaker than the JBL Charge 4. Given the choice, we usually ended up with the latter placement in our testing. Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Sonos One Gen 2 or the Sonos Roam. No cherry-picked units sent by brands. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Overall, the sound profile of the Sonos Roam is very impressive considering the size of this speaker. However, since the Roam comes with a built-in microphone, it comes with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. The Sonos has a better voice assistant performance, and it comes with bass and treble adjustments for sound customization. For a similar speaker with a better overall dynamics performance, check out the Sonos Roam SL. The Sonos Roam also has NFC for you to conveniently pair this speaker up with your device with just one tap. The manufacturer says it should last for 10 hours off of a single charge when operating at 50% volume and while connected to a Wi-Fi connection. Given the whole idea of the Roam is that it moves around with you, its handy you can leave the Trueplay function on and itll do this automatically every time you place it down. It can get louder than the Sonos with fewer compression artifacts at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio during louder listening sessions. With Trueplay turned on, its sound profile is neutral overall, making it suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. While it comes with a graphic EQ and presets, the Sonos has bass and treble adjustments. The One Gen 2 offers a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low-bass with its Trueplay room correction feature enabled. That said, the Bose can be paired to two devices at once, which can come in handy if you need to quickly switch between audio sources. The Marshall offers a wider-sounding soundstage and can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. It's also Wi-Fi compatible and supports Apple AirPlay 2 which may please some Apple users. When connected to Wi-Fi, you can also use the app to create a stereo pair with another compatible speaker. It comes with bass and treble adjustments, and it supports voice assistants. However, like most small speakers, it lacks the thump and rumble in the low-bass range that's typically present in bass-heavy music genres like EDM or hip-hop. IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. However, the Apple has a better soundstage performance. With regards to the Bluetooth version, the Sonos Roam utilizes Bluetooth 5.0 which is the standard Bluetooth version nowadays. We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices, HDMI ARC and HDMI eARC: everything you need to know, PS5 restock news: where to buy a PlayStation 5 console in 2022, Best speakers 2022: budget to premium stereo speakers, The best home entertainment buying advice, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. The Roams dimensions and weight 17 x 6.2 x 6cm (hwd) and 430g are a big part of its appeal in that respect, but it also boasts an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. It has a lightweight, portable design, and it's very well-built. If your answers to those are that you dont need Sonos or ultra-portability from your new wireless speaker, then wed be surprised if you didnt find yourself better served by something else entirely. Update 05/12/2022: Updated the text to include the new speaker colors. Not for the moment, at least. The Sonos Move is a better speaker than the Sonos Roam. The Anker gets louder and supports stereo content. That said, it doesn't get very loud, and there's a lot of compression present at max volume that may affect the quality of your audio when the speaker is pushed to its louder volume levels. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Most portable speakers nowadays usually come with this setup as well but with passive radiators and more output power. With regards to the design, the Sonos Roam has a cylindrical body with a triangular shape for portability.

It also has a companion app with bass and treble adjustments, and it supports voice assistants. It also supports Wi-Fi and comes with bass and treble adjustments for sound customization. The Sonos Roam is a very lightweight, portable speaker with built-in support for Google Assistant and Alexa. The advanced features on the Sonos Roam greatly help with making this speaker very convenient to use so if you are looking for a portable advanced speaker, then the Sonos Roam is no doubt one of the top options you can choose from. That means, as well as accompanying you to the park and soundtracking your outing via Bluetooth, it can connect to every other Sonos product on your home wi-fi network. There's also a mic mute button you can use when you no longer want your assistant to listen to you. What Hi-Fi? This tool will clearly show you the differences, Use our data and table to find the best speaker for your needs, Want to see us review a specific speaker? The Sonos Roam is decent for podcasts. For instance, if you were to set the Sonos Roam on an empty hallway, Trueplay will adjust the sound of this speaker to prevent the sound from echoing all throughout the hallway. While the Sonos comes with bass and treble adjustments, the Ultimate Ears has a graphic EQ for sound customization.

Yes, its as simple as pressing the rubber microphone push button on the end of the speaker. You can also pair multiple units together for a party or to play audio across different rooms of your home. You can't use the Sonos Roam wired. That said, it's important to note that the voice assistants only work when you're connected to Wi-Fi and don't work over a Bluetooth connection, which may disappoint users who want to use their voice assistants on-the-go while outdoors. In fact, there is probably only a handful of companies that could hope to have similar impact without some truly game-changing feature.