The Sonos Roam Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker has been available since 2021, one year later even in the colors blue, green and red. It is the smallest member of the Sonos family.
While it can be integrated into the WLAN at home, it also works directly via Bluetooth on the move, just like the much larger and also portable Sonos Move.
The battery lasts a whole day and even a rain shower can’t harm the Roam.
In addition to the Sonos Roam, there are other outdoor speakers with Bluetooth and/or WiFi. I have presented the best of them in this article.
Bluetooth, WLAN & AirPlay
Only a few portable speakers offer both WLAN and Bluetooth connectivity.
This allows the speaker to be controlled at home via the Sonos app in combination with other Sonos devices.
However, the so-called Sonos-Net is not supported. Sonos-Net is a separate WLAN network that is created for more stable data transmission between the devices as soon as one of the speakers is connected to the router via LAN cable.
Nevertheless, the Sonos Roam can of course be used simultaneously with others.
The Sonos Roam even offers the option of establishing a connection via Apple AirPlay 2.
This allows music to be played directly from Apple devices via one or more speakers, eliminating the detour via the Sonos app.
In contrast to AirPlay 1, AirPlay 2 is significantly faster and has no noticeable delay when, for example, a song is started on the iPhone.
However, switching between WLAN and Bluetooth on the Sonos Roam is a little complicated and prompted me to write a guide.
Roam top up: Three options
According to the manufacturer, the built-in, non-replaceable battery in the Sonos Roam lasts for around 10 hours of continuous operation.
Unlike most other portable speakers, the Sonos Roam offers several options for recharging the battery.
There is a USB-C port on the back, which can be used to fully charge the speaker in around two hours.
The portable box can also be charged wirelessly with any Qi-certified charger. The time it takes to fully charge depends on the respective charger.
Sonos also offers its own matching Qi charger. A built-in magnet ensures a secure hold and the speaker should be half-charged in two hours.
Automatic sound adjustment
Anyone who likes the typical warm sound of Sonos speakers will also love the Sonos Roam.
A tweeter and a mid-woofer ensure a balanced sound image. The so-called Trueplay technology, which has already been installed in the bigger brother Sonos Move, takes care of the fine-tuning.
Whenever the speaker is moved, the sound automatically adjusts and adapts to the local conditions.
This works via the built-in microphones, which analyze the sound as soon as music is played. You can make your own equalizer settings as usual via the Sonos app.
Sonos Roam SL with drawbacks
If you don’t fancy voice assistants, you should take a look at the Sonos Roam SL: This device does not have a microphone for voice assistants, making the price a little cheaper.
However, the lack of a microphone also means that features such as automatic sound adjustment are no longer available.
Technical data
- Voice assistants (not with Roam SL): Google Assistant, Sonos Voice Control, Amazon Alexa
- USB-C connection: 15 W, 5 V / 3A
- Battery life: 10 hours
- Connection: Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2, WLAN (2.4 and 5 GHz)
- Dimensions: 168 x 62 x 60 mm
- Weight: 0.43 kg
- IP protection class: IP67
Have you bought the Sonos Roam speaker and now want to put it through its paces?
Try out the songs from my playlist, which are perfect for an extensive test.
Lars Grudzinski has been working as a sound and lighting technician since the 90s, was a DJ for electronic music, has a large collection of vintage speakers, and has been working for various radio stations in Germany for 20 years. At home, he enjoys high-quality home theater products such as soundbars and projectors and has installed an extensive Sonos system in his own home.