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Sonos Roam – Mobile Smart Speaker

Always and everywhere with you, that’s how Sonos Inc. describes the latest, now presented mobile smart speaker Sonos Roam. For the first time, a solution is available that is not limited to Multiroom Audio, but can also be used on the go via Bluetooth.

Sonos Roam is the name of the solution from Sonos Inc. that breaks with all previous conventions. For the first time, a solution from Sonos Inc. is available that is not only limited to use in the home within a network, but can also be used quite simply via Bluetooth.

Always with you

The company therefore calls the new Sonos Roam a product that can be used anywhere and at any time; it is a mobile smart speaker that provides a seamless sound experience, whether at home, in the garden, on the terrace or on the road.

“With Roam, we wanted to give our customers the ability to take the unique Sonos sound with them wherever they go. Not only is it our smartest and most versatile speaker, it’s also our most affordable. The Roam offers millions of new customers the perfect introduction to the Sonos system and is the right product at the right time.”

Patrick Spence, CEO of Sonos Inc.

Sonos Roam as a robust, waterproof smart speaker

As a mobile solution, the new Sonos Roam is appropriately compact. It measures no more than 168 mm in height, 62 mm in width and 60 mm in depth. In order to function as a constant companion on the go, it weighs no more than about 430 g.

In addition, the developers designed the housing to be particularly robust; the Sonos Roam is even resistant to water, because it corresponds to the IP protection class IP67 and can thus theoretically withstand up to 30 minutes under water for one metre.

The Sonos Roam is designed to be used both upright and horizontally. This means it takes up very little space and can be placed anywhere. With its matte black or matte white colour scheme, it also presents itself very discreetly.

Part of the Sonos System

In the proven manner, the new Sonos Roam can of course be part of a multi-room audio streaming system with other components from Sonos Inc. For this, it must be integrated into a network, whereby this is done via WiFi according to IEEE 802.11ac.

Once integrated into the network with other components from Sonos Inc., nothing stands in the way of using it in the familiar way. The music playback is controlled centrally via the Sonos App, which is available for Apple iOS and Google Android. You can access your own content as well as various streaming services or internet radio. Extensive search functions are available as well as the possibility to manage playlists. Of course, you can also combine the new Sonos Roam with other smart speakers from Sonos Inc., especially with a second Sonos Roam as a stereo pair.

Apple AirPlay 2, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa

In the network, the Sonos Roam can also be controlled via Apple AirPlay, more precisely Apple AirPlay 2. Control via voice control is also possible, be it Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The microphone required for this is integrated directly into the Sonos Roam and can simply be deactivated on the sensor button panel of the device if desired to protect privacy. By the way, this sensor keypad also provides all the essential elements for convenient playback control directly on the device.

Bluetooth 5.0

Apart from the network, Bluetooth is available to use smartphones and tablets as a source. Bluetooth 5.0 is used for this purpose.

From a purely technical point of view, the new Sonos Roam offers two amplifiers in Class H, whereby these drive a tweeter and a midrange driver. The signal processing is DSP-based, and the system has a quad-core ARM Cortex A53 CPU with 1.4 GHz as well as a memory equipped with 1 GByte SDRAM plus another 4 GByte.

Mobile use

To ensure that the new Sonos Roam can be used anywhere and at any time, it is equipped with an integrated rechargeable battery. This should guarantee a playing time of up to ten hours away from the socket. In standby mode, the Sonos Roam should be ready for up to ten days. It is primarily charged via USB C, whereby a power supply unit with 15 W 5 V and 3 A is included in the scope of delivery. Of course, this is also how you operate this solution in stationary use in the network.

In addition, the developers at Sonos Inc. also planned inductive charging for the new Sonos Roam, so it is Qi-certified. Either one calls an appropriate charger one’s own, or one decides for the charger offered by Sonos Inc. and specially designed for the Sonos Roam, which is offered as an optional accessory.

“For a small, portable speaker, the Roam delivers rich and authentic sound, thanks to its intelligent design. The Roam is unique in its category because it actually behaves like a perfectly tuned speaker, not a megaphone.”

Emily Lazar, Grammy Award-winning sound engineer and member of the Sonos Sound Board

The new Sonos Roam is scheduled to be available from 20 April 2021. Customers can choose between black and white. The manufacturer speaks of Shadow Black and Lunar White respectively. The recommended retail price is stated at € 179.

Getting to the point

For a long time, Sonos Inc. resisted offering a truly mobile solution for its ecosystem. But now there is the new Sonos Roam, which is supposed to offer a seamless sound experience, as the manufacturer puts it. Whether at home in the WiFi network and in combination with other Sonos components, or on the go via Bluetooth, the Sonos Roam can be used anywhere and at any time.

Manufacturer:Sonos Inc.
Distribution:Sonos Inc.
Price:€ 179,-
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Michael Holzinger

Michael Holzinger, founder and editor-in-chief of HiFi BLOG and sempre-audio.at, has been working for years as a journalist in the fields of IT, photography, telecommunications and consumer electronics.

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