Sonos today introduced a new “ultra-portable” smart speaker called Sonos Roam, designed for use at home and on the go. It was designed to be even more portable than Sonos Move, competing with others like the Ultimate Ears Boom.
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Costing $ 169 in the United States, Sonos Roam is now the most affordable Sonos speaker available, and is also the lightest, weighing just under a pound. Sonos said that despite being “smaller than a bottle of water”, Roam offers “powerful and adaptable sound” that “defies the expectations of a speaker of this size”. The speaker can be upright or lying on its side, with the triangular design directing the sound upward.
“Roam was created to offer an incredible sound experience, no matter where you are,” said Sonos. “Like all Sonos products, Roam has been tuned by music and film industry leaders 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 you expect from a bigger speaker. “
The loudspeaker is equipped with two Class-H amplifiers, a custom mid-range race track woofer, a tweeter and a high-efficiency engine. Other audio specifications include adjustable EQ and a set of far-field microphones with advanced beam formation.
Roam automatically switches between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. At home, the loudspeaker connects to a Wi-Fi network when it is within range and is then automatically repaired with an iPhone or other smartphone via Bluetooth when on the go. The speaker can be controlled with the Sonos app, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, or physical touch controls. The integrated LED lights indicate the status of the speaker, microphone and battery.
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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 pressing and holding the play / pause button or using the Sonos application. If a user continues to hold the play / pause button, a new feature called Sound Swap changes the song that is playing to the nearest Sonos speaker for a perfect inter-room listening experience.
With a feature called Automatic Trueplay, Roam intelligently adapts the sound based on what is playing and the surrounding environment. Roam’s microphones detect what’s playing and measure the frequency response of the surroundings, then adjust the EQ for a balanced sound. Automatic Trueplay is triggered whenever Roam is placed in a new location and continuously refines the sound while Roam is stopped.
Roam provides up to 10 hours of continuous playback on a single charge and can last up to 10 days in standby mode, according to Sonos. The speaker can be recharged with an included USB-C cable and any USB or wireless power adapter with any Qi wireless charger. Sonos will be selling an official Roam-shaped wireless charger for $ 49.
With water and dust resistance with an IP67 rating, Roam can be submerged in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes without suffering water damage. Silicone caps protect against accidental drops and turbulence in transit, and a slightly concave design helps prevent physical controls such as volume from being accidentally pressed.
Sonos said Roam will be available from April 20 in the United States and in dozens of other countries, with pre-orders starting today. The speaker is available in two colors, including Shadow Black and Lunar White.