This Is the Bluetooth Speaker I Travel With When I Want to Pack Light

Sonos didn’t dramatically change its Roam 2 speaker, but it did make it better than the previous one. Mostly, this second version of the portable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker shows how the original Roam got a lot right.

Price and Availability

The Sonos Roam 2 is available now in a variety of colors. It retails for $179. The original Roam speaker is no longer being sold, but the Roam SL, which costs less because it omits the microphones (voice assistants and automatic tuning), is still being sold for now.

The Differences For Roam 2 Are Minimal

If you thought, like me, that a second version of the Roam speaker coming three years after the first one would bring some big changes, you’d be wrong. The Sonos Roam 2 brings one significant change and two negligible tweaks. That’s it.

The only real update for the Roam 2 is that it adds a dedicated Bluetooth button, separate from the power button. The original Roam speaker used a single button to control power, switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and pairing. Most of the time I ended up just mashing the button until it did what I wanted. It wasn’t great. Having two buttons makes the speaker much better.

Beyond the Bluetooth button, there’s a new USB-C cable in the box and the logo on the front of the speaker is color-matched to the speaker’s color—instead of being white.

Frankly, it’s impressive that Sonos can get away with only tweaking a few minor details and still have the Roam 2 feel relevant and modern. It’s a testament to how good the original Roam was, minus that one design flaw. Of course, I wish the Roam 2 would have been more substantial, but it didn’t necessarily need a huge overhaul.

Sound Quality

The Roam 2 is essentially the same speaker as the first Roam, so it sounds the same. The speaker can punch above its size class but don’t expect roaring bass or volume that defies logic. The speaker sounds the best at modest volumes where it can roll off some minor boom and manage to keep its clear, audible mid-range for vocals and guitars.

Think of the Roam 2 as a very capable personal speaker, best for situations with one or two people. Because of its IP67 waterproof rating, it’s great to use in the shower or around a bathtub. It’s also good for listening to a baseball game at the park, or music around the house. It could make for a great patio speaker because it’s easy to grab with one hand and move at a moment’s notice.

If you have an original Roam speaker and do generally like it, the good news is that it can still be used in combination with a Roam 2. I grouped a Roam and Roam 2 over Wi-Fi and together the pair sounded great. I also added them as a stereo pair in the Sonos app for use on my desk. They have their limitations based on physical size, but for areas with limited space, they could be a great solution.

I do wish the Roam 2 would have gotten the line-in ability the Era 100 and other speakers have gotten in the last couple of years to make it even more flexible, but it didn’t.

The Software and Battery Life Hang in There

The Roam 2 gets up to 10 hours of battery life. That’s on the lower end compared to similar-priced Bluetooth speakers, but the Roam 2 is doing a little bit more with the additional Wi-Fi capability. To combat the shorter battery life, the speaker does have the ability to charge wirelessly, just by sitting on top of any Qi charger, as you would use for your mobile phone. I love this feature and wish more portable speakers would add it.

Sonos sells its own triangle-shaped first-party charger, but it’s not needed and any Qi charger will work. The feature allows the speaker to stay on around the house in Wi-Fi mode and keeps away messy cables.

On the software front, the Sonos app has been redesigned recently. It took a step back in hopes of moving forward in the coming months. If you want to use AirPlay or Spotify Connect with the speaker instead of using the app that’s a possibility. If you’re new to the Sonos ecosystem and don’t have any other speakers, I wouldn’t worry too much about the app’s rough spots. I’m optimistic it will get better in the near future.

Should You Buy the Sonos Roam 2?

I like the Sonos Roam 2 as a Wi-Fi speaker gateway drug. It’s wonderful to start playing music through the app and then be able to leave a room or watch videos on your phone without that audio being disrupted or playing through the speaker. The speaker’s true value is in all the features it packs into a small, compact size. It’s a versatile product with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Spotify Connect, wireless charging, and much more.

If you only want a basic Bluetooth speaker, then the Roam 2 is over-priced. But if you want a very portable speaker that can be used at home just as easily as it can be packed into any bag for a trip, then this is the one to get.

Sonos Roam 2

Roam 2 makes it easy to enjoy Sonos sound everywhere life takes you. Just pair, play, and go. Enjoy up to 10 hours of size-defying clarity and bass. Fully IP67 waterproof and dustproof, Roam 2 is ready for the outdoors. Plus, it doubles as a smart speaker at home.