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Sonos has officially unveiled its latest product and is looking to disrupt the portable speaker market. As an extension of the larger portable speaker Move, the Sonos Roam falls into the ultra-portable category with compelling specifications and features. At just under 1 pound, Roam delivers “brilliant sound” with AirPlay 2, automatic WiFi and Bluetooth switching, Qi wireless charging, 10 hours of battery life, and more.
We got a glimpse of the Sonos Roam last week in an FCC listing. Now the ultra-portable speaker has officially debuted and we have all the details on its specs and features.
Sonos Roam Specifications
- 2x class H amplifiers
- 1x custom race track midrange woofer
- 1x tweeter
- Micro far field with beam forming
- WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0
- Support for AirPlay 2 as well as Alexa and Google Assistant
- Dust and waterproof IP67
- Charging via included USB-C cable, optional wireless base, or any Qi charger
- Priced at $ 169
The market for highly portable speakers is quite competitive, and the Sonos Roam will come up against products like Ultimate Ears Boom and Bose SoundLink in the $ 100 + range.
Sonos says that with Roam, he was able to create the best premium ultra-portable speaker. It comes with a compact footprint of 6.61 x 2.44 x 2.36 inches (168 x 62 x 60 mm) and weighs just 0.43 kg (0.95 lb).
With IP67 rating, Roam has full protection against dust, sand, etc., and can withstand being submerged in water for 30 minutes at 1 meter.
The durable design also has thoughtful features like a concave top so the buttons won’t accidentally be squeezed if you drop or bump Roam.
While the 10-hour battery life isn’t as long as some of Roam’s competitors, it should be enough for all-day use for most occasions.
And Roam offers what looks like the most versatile charging options on an ultra-portable speaker. You have USB-C to power on with the included cable, and more conveniently, it has built-in Qi wireless support to work with any of your existing chargers. Sonos also sells a dedicated magnetic wireless charging base for Roam for $ 49.
When not in use, Sonos reports that Roam is entering sleep mode and conserving battery for up to 10 days.
Apple users will be happy to hear that Roam includes support for AirPlay 2. It is probably the most compact speaker to offer this functionality. Previously, we’ve seen the Libratone Zipp (larger than the HomePod) and the Sonos Move land with AirPlay 2.
This is a testament to the overall goal with Roam, Sonos had made it excel as a standalone speaker on the go and as a solid addition (or starting point) for your home speaker setup.
In addition to AirPlay 2 / Alexa / Google Assistant support, Sonos Roam includes a new feature called ‘Sound Swap’ which allows you to ‘move sound to or from your nearest speaker just by pressing Roam play / pause button and hold it down. “
And here’s how Sonos describes the new WiFi + Bluetooth auto-switching:
Roam connects to your WiFi network when in range and automatically reconnects with your phone when you are away for a smooth experience.
Sonos Roam is available in Shadow Black and Lunar White with open pre-orders now for $ 169 (£ 159 / € 179). Deliveries are expected to arrive from April 20.
Launch countries include (with Japan later):
United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Sweden, Poland, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg, Latin America, Singapore, Hong Kong, Eastern Europe, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Israel, United Arab Emirates / Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Japan will follow.
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