Sonos today introduced a new ‘ultra-portable’ smart speaker called the Sonos Roam, designed for use at home and on the go. It’s designed to be even more portable than the Sonos Move, which competes with the Ultimate Ears Boom.
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The Sonos Roam, which costs $ 169 in the United States, is now the cheapest Sonos speaker available, and it is also the lightest at just one pound. Sonos said that the Roam, although ‘smaller than a water bottle’, produces a powerful, adaptable sound that ‘meets the expectations of a speaker of its size’. The speaker can sit upright or be laid on its side, with the triangular design directing sound upwards.
“Roam was created to deliver an incredible sound experience no matter where you are,” Sonos said. “Like all Sonos products, Roam was introduced by industry leaders in music and film to ensure that the speaker reproduces the content exactly as the creator intended. A carefully designed acoustic architecture delivers rich, detailed sound with clarity, depth and fullness what you would expect from a larger speaker. ‘
The speaker is equipped with two Class-H amplifiers, one custom racetrack midwoofer, one tweeter and a high-efficiency car. Other sound specifications include adjustable EQ and a far-field microphone range with advanced beamforming.
Roam automatically switches between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. At home, the speaker connects to a Wi-Fi network when it is within range, and then automatically reconnects it to an iPhone or other smartphone via Bluetooth. The speaker can be controlled with the Sonos app, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, or physical touch controls. Built-in LED lights indicate the speaker, microphone and battery status.
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It is possible to create a stereo pair with two roams in the same room, and the speaker can be grouped with other Sonos speakers by holding down the Play / Pause button or by using the Sonos app. If a user keeps holding the play / hold button, the brand new feature called Sound Swap switches the music transferred to the nearest Sonos speaker for a seamless room-to-room listening experience.
With a feature called Automatic Trueplay, the Roam adjusts the sound intelligently based on what is playing and the surrounding environment. Roam’s microphones determine what is playing and measure the frequency response of the environment, and then adjust EQ for balanced sound. Auto Trueplay is activated when Roam is moved to a new location, and it constantly refines the sound while Roam is stationary.
Roam offers up to 10 hours of continuous play on a single charge and can last up to ten days in sleep mode, according to Sonos. The speaker can be recharged with an included USB-C cable and any USB power adapter, or wirelessly with any Qi wire charger. Sonos sells an official wireless charger for $ 49.
With IP67 rated water and dust resistance, the Roam can be immersed in one meter of water for 30 minutes without damaging water. Silicone end caps protect it from accidental falls and turbulence during transport, and a slightly concave design helps prevent the physical control panel from being accidentally pushed.
Sonos said the Roam will be available from April 20 in the United States and dozens of other countries, and pre-orders begin today. The speaker is available in two colors, including Shadow Black and Lunar White.