The Sonos Roam 2 is a great little portable speaker. But it begs the question: When does an update deserve a new number? Whatever the criteria, the Roam 2 would meet the minimum requirements.
Very little has changed from the original Roam, which launched in 2021. It’s the same size and shape, with the same battery life and ruggedness. Sonos made some changes to the buttons and made it easier to use Bluetooth. And the Sonos logo is now the same color as the speaker.
And that’s OK. The Roam 2 still sounds better than most small portable speakers. If you’re willing to shell out a premium for the Sonos sound and don’t need the longest battery life, it will keep you rocking wherever you go.
The Roam 2 remains one of the best-sounding portable speakers,?especially for its size. It produces rich vocals and decent bass in an easy-to-carry package, but it still only lasts 10 hours on a full charge and is more expensive than many competitors.
What we liked about it
The sound quality is great
The Roam 2 may sound slightly better than the Roam (if there’s any difference, it’s subtle). It delivers clear vocals that have remarkable resonance for a small speaker and impressive bass for its size.
Most small portable speakers can’t generate any bass to speak of, but the Roam managed enough to slightly rattle my desk when listening to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” The drums on Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” had a satisfying thump, while her vocals sounded full and rich.
A small speaker isn’t going to deliver full-spectrum sound, though. The Roam 2 sacrifices some sharpness in treble tones —?on Brittany Howard’s “What Now,” the guitar lacked bite, but the bass thumped deeply. Similarly, the banjo on Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ’Em” was missing some twang, but the bass drum had excellent presence and Beyoncé’s voice sounded full. When you’re playing music out and about, bass and vocals are probably more important —?and harder to come by —?than treble, so it was a smart trade-off by Sonos.
Easier setup and handy features
Wondering what’s new on the Roam 2? Sonos added a separate button for Bluetooth —?previously Bluetooth shared a button with power. The speaker can connect by either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; when you’re at home you’ll probably want to use Wi-Fi, while you’d use Bluetooth when you’re out of Wi-Fi range. The new button makes switching between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi much easier.
You also no longer have to use Wi-Fi to set up the speaker. On the original Roam, you had to use the Sonos app to get the speaker onto your network, and then you could add the Bluetooth connection to use it away from your home network. This change means you can connect to the speaker for the first time on the road —?and you don’t even need the Sonos app if you don’t want it.
But you should get the app, because with it you can make the most of the speaker. You can enable Auto Trueplay Tuning, which uses a microphone in the speaker to adjust the sound to your environment. There’s also a three-band equalizer to help make the sound please your ears, along with battery management options and more.
Two are much better than one
If you have two Roams, you can create a stereo pair,?making one the left speaker and the other the right. Through some sort of technological magic, the resulting sound is much bigger than two separate Roams.
Even better, you can use a first-generation Roam to create the stereo pair with a Roam 2. Often, companies make you pair the same-generation speaker.
If you’re considering Sonos’ larger portable speaker, the Move 2, you may want to consider two Roam 2s instead. Two Roams offer more flexibility than the Move 2, cost less and will sound almost as good.
What we didn’t like about it
Battery life stayed the same
My biggest gripe with the Roam 2, as with the Roam, is the battery life. Sonos says it lasts 10 hours on a full charge. In my experience, that’s the upper limit, even at low volume. In testing, the Roam 2 lasted just about 10 hours. By comparison, the UE Boom 3 — our current best portable speaker pick —?gets at least 15 hours.
You can make some adjustments in the app to help extend the battery life. Make sure Battery Saver is enabled, which will shut off the speaker faster when it’s not in use. There’s also a Wi-Fi Power Save option, though it’s unclear what that does.
A higher price than many portable speakers
The Roam 2 delivers excellent sound, but at $179, it’s pricey. The Boom 3 is currently on sale for $109, and the JBL Flip 5 can currently be had for $89. But neither sounds as good as the Roam 2, and if you have other Sonos speakers, you’ll lose integration with your extended Sonosphere.
How it compares
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Size and weight | 6.6 x 2.4 x 2.4 in., 1 lb. |
9.5 x 6.3 x 5 in., 6.6 lb. |
| Drivers | 1 tweeter, 1 midwoofer |
2 tweeters, 1 midwoofer |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Line-in (with adapter), Ethernet (with adapter) |
| Colors | White, Black, Olive, Sunset, Wave |
White, Black, Olive |
| Smart assistant options | Alexa, Sonos Voice Control |
Alexa, Sonos Voice Control |
| Price | $179 | $336 |
Bottom line
The Sonos Roam 2 is one of the best small portable speakers you can buy in 2024. It has better bass and vocals than most speakers this size and integrates with other Sonos speakers. Its size and ruggedness make it easy to take anywhere.
However, the improvements Sonos made to the Roam 2 are minimal. If you have the original Roam, there’s little reason to upgrade —?unless you have just one Roam and want to create a stereo pair.
You can find other small portable speakers for less money, though they won’t sound as good. But some will play longer on a charge: The Boom 3 has 50% more battery life than the Roam 2.
But if you can swing the cost and you’re in need of a new small portable speaker, the Roam 2 leads the pack when it comes to sound quality and features on the go.
