Sonos Roam: Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Sonos Enters the Full Portability Bluetooth Speaker Market with the Roam

The Move, launched in late 2019, represented Sonos’ initial foray into the realm of Bluetooth speakers. It was conceived as a means of extending the company’s established reputation for premium audio quality to a more transportable device.

However, the Roam, recently unveiled, signifies a more substantial commitment to complete portability. Its design is smaller, lighter, and more robust, featuring waterproofing for increased durability – characteristics aligning it with popular models from brands like JBL.

Pricing and Market Positioning

A key differentiator is the Roam’s price point, set at $169. This is considerably lower, representing more than half the original cost of the Move.

While numerous, more affordable portable Bluetooth speakers are available – the JBL Flip 5, for example, is priced around $40 less – the value proposition of the Roam lies, in part, within the Sonos ecosystem. It is anticipated that the primary target audience will be existing Sonos customers.

Many Sonos users have long awaited a compatible speaker suitable for travel, and the Roam is poised to fulfill that need.

Connectivity and Features

Beyond standard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, the Roam incorporates Sonos’ new Sound Swap functionality. This allows music playback to seamlessly transfer to the nearest Sonos speaker when the play/pause button is pressed and held.

The speaker is compatible with over 100 streaming services, including Sonos Radio. Control is also achievable through voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, as well as via AirPlay 2.

Performance and Battery Life

Details regarding sound quality were obtained through a virtual briefing. While a direct comparison isn’t possible at this time, it’s reasonable to expect a slight reduction in audio performance compared to the more expensive Move.

The Roam is designed with flexibility as a core principle. It offers approximately 10 hours of playback on a single charge and can maintain a 10-day standby time when not in use.