Sonos Move Bluetooth Speaker: release date, price, specifications

Sonos announced Thursday the creation of its first portable Bluetooth speaker: the Sonos Move.

The new device will be available September 24 priced at $ 399, pre-orders starting Thursday.

In short, the Move is like a larger Sonos One when it is connected to Wi-Fi in the home, but it does have a Bluetooth audio feature and a weather-resistant design that allow it to broadcast from anywhere in the world. audio outdoors. It is "portable" in the literal sense of the term: the speaker is too big (9.44 × 6.29 × 4.96 inches, or 23.9 × 15.9 × 12.6 cm) and heavy (6 , 61 lb. or about 3 kg) to fit comfortably in a backpack. the cut around his back serves as a carrying handle.

Although the sparse oval design of the Move is no different than previous Sonos speakers, the company insists on the improved durability of the new speaker. According to Sonos, the rubberized base and the plastic gate of the Move are better able to withstand falls and bumps. He also attributed to the enclosure an IP56 protection rating. So, even if the Move is neither water nor dust,evidence, it should survive spills and dusts that are more than accidental. Last month, at a press conference in New York, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence introduced the move to the beach or an outdoor picnic to give you an idea.

At home, the Move works much like the Sonos One smart speaker that Sonos launched in 2017. It can connect to a home Wi-Fi network, sync with all the other Sonos speakers you have available home, and work with the Sonos office. mobile app. The Move is compatible with the same variety of streaming services within these applications as any other Sonos device.

Like One, the Move supports Alexa's voice and Google Assistant commands from Amazon, although Sonos still allows it, so you can only use one wizard with the speaker at a time. There is the usual set of touch-reading controls at the top of the device, including an option to turn off the microphone if you do not want an assistant to listen to it. A small indicator light on the top of the device indicates when this microphone is active. According to Sonos, the Move has a network of far-field microphones for better voice capture and sound adjustment indoors and outdoors. It streams audio via Bluetooth 4.2 and supports Apple's AirPlay 2 protocol directly; the latter allows Apple users to transmit audio and Siri commands from their iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Switching from WiFi to Bluetooth is as easy as pressing a small button on the back of the Move. Although the ability to stream audio via Bluetooth to the outside is certainly an advantage, the Move loses some of its intelligence when it is disconnected from WiFi. A representative of the company said that the Move solution would not use the full range of Sonos app functionality via Bluetooth, nor an integrated voice assistant support. Instead, it will work like most portable Bluetooth speakers, pair with a source device and serve as a simple output to the audio (or voice command) you are listening to. Sonos indicates that the Move supports basic SBC and AAC audio codecs when connected to Bluetooth, but not high-quality aptX or aptX HD (which iPhones do not support independently), and that will memorize up to five paired devices at a time.

TruePlay Auto and Battery Life

I was able to listen briefly to the move at the aforementioned press conference, but there was little point in making statements as long as I could not test the speaker for myself in a less controlled environment. For what's worth it, the Move's internal components are similar to those of One on paper – two class D digital amplifiers, one down-tweeter and one mid-woofer – but the company says it aims for greater dispersion of sound . to better adapt to outdoor environments. (There are not so many walls where the sound bounces off the outside, after all.) You always need a neutral sound, so things should not deviate too much from the sleek, balanced profile of the old Sonos devices. Expect the usual drop in sound quality when connecting via Bluetooth, as this has less bandwidth for sending audio information.

A new feature is "Automatic TruePlay". It is an automated version of TruePlay audio calibration technology available on existing Sonos devices. In simple terms, the function tunes the sound of a Sonos speaker to better match the acoustics of the room in which it is located. This is important: there are no two rooms or outdoor environments that allow a sound in the same way. However, to know a play, Sonos has previously asked users to physically move and shake the microphones on their phone from top to bottom. The Move can complete this process alone.

Sonos gave a brief demonstration in action, moving a Move, which plays music, from an open corner to a small recess on a shelf, where the sound immediately became significantly more tangible. After about 20 seconds, the Move actually equalized its sound to a more balanced level. Rival domestic speakers such as Apple's HomePod and Google's Home Max have been offering similar features for some time. The addition therefore adds Sonos to parity – though, again, we will have to test it ourselves before making a decision. That being said, Move is the only Sonos device whose compatibility with Auto TruePlay software has been confirmed for the moment. A representative of the company will not confirm or deny that the feature will be available on other Sonos devices in the future. (Although I would be surprised if this was finally not the case.)

Sonos estimates the battery life of the Move at 10 o'clock, although it still depends on the volume of your music. The company expects the internal battery to last about 900 charges before it starts to degrade, which equates to approximately 3 to 5 years of use in portable mode. Sonos says it will offer replacement batteries if and when they are needed. The unit comes with an exclusive charging bracket for use inside the house, with a storage capacity of $ 80, but it can also be charged using USB-C PD travel chargers as long as they support an output level of 12V / 3A, 15V / 3A or 20V / 2,25A. The company says the Move can be fully charged in two hours. A power button on the back puts the speaker in a suspend mode that, according to the company, will reserve the battery for up to five days. A lot of portable Bluetooth speakers last more than 10 hours, but it's the compromise of a more powerful sound.

Replacement of Play: 1 and Sonos Connect

The Move is the big announcement, but Sonos also unveiled Thursday two more devices. First, the Sonos One SL replaces the old Sonos Play: 1, it's a Sonos One without built-in microphones or integrated voice assistants. Unlike Play: 1, it supports native AirPlay 2 and can form a stereo pair with other Sonos One speakers, but as noted above, it does not support Auto TruePlay. It will be available on September 12 for $ 179, $ 20 less than the One but $ 30 more than the Play: 1, which Sonos will phase out.

Finally, the port Sonos, which succeeds the former Sonos Connect. It connects to a stereo or receiver and adds Sonos streaming functionality, allowing it to work with the application and other Sonos devices you may have at home. The company claims to have upgraded the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to enhance the sound. It also supports AirPlay 2. It has an audio input, a digital RCA output and an Ethernet port built into the device. it also has a 12V trigger to quickly turn on the amplifiers since the application. The port itself has a more boxy design, more like the Apple TV than the Connect, and now comes in a matte black finish instead of a white finish. Sonos says it will be available in "limited quantities" on September 12, with a wider release in January 2020. It will cost $ 399, or $ 50 more than the old Connect.

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