Sonos casually launches the Roam 2 with easier Bluetooth pairing, but
confirms our fears about the stamina

Date:
Tue, 21 May 2024 17:47:11 +0000

Description:
Alongside its Ace over-ear headphones, Sonos has quietly launched the Roam 2, which offers easier Bluetooth pairing and a refined design.

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Yes, after countless rumors, Sonos formally announced its entry into the
world of headphones this morning. Ace looks to rival the likes of Apples AirPods Max and Sonys WH-1000XM5 at $449, but the audio brand also quietly
and casually launched the Sonos Roam 2.

That's right, Sonos's second-generation portable Bluetooth speaker is here
and keeps a similar look and mostly the same feature set. Though, for the
same price, it packs in some subtle upgrades.

For the $179 price point, you get your pick of five colors Black, White, Olive, Wave, or Sunset and the Sonos logo, which is placed over the
speaker's grille and closer to the top of the front, is now color-matched, meaning that it wont stand out as much. The Sonos Roam 2 comes in Black, White, Olive, Wave, or Sunset. (Image credit: Sonos)

The main change here is the addition of a Bluetooth button, which lets you
use this as a Bluetooth speaker right out of the box you no longer need to connect it with the broader Sonos ecosystem from the start. Youll power it on and hit the Bluetooth pairing button rather than having to long-press the power button to enable this pairing method.

The controls for playback backward, play or pause, and forward still live
on the top and are physical buttons. Youll recharge the Roam 2 via a USB-C port on the back and can wirelessly recharge the device with an optional proprietary charger, which Sonos sells for $49/45/AU$73.

Current Roam owners looking to upgrade may be disappointed with the battery life, though, as it still tops out at 10 hours. In the world of
ultra-portable Bluetooth speakers, that isnt truly long-lasting, and it is
far behind the larger Move 2 speaker from Sonos. Well need to see if there
are hidden improvements here, but that will have to wait until we test the Roam 2.

The Roam 2 should sound just as good as the Roam, though, with powerful audio performance and great bass for its size. In our review back in 2022, we
called the Roam the best Bluetooth speaker of 2022. The only downside would
be runtime. You can still integrate the Roam 2 with the broader Sonos ecosystem and control it from the app. (Image credit: Sonos)

Lastly, the Roam 2 is still dust and waterproof up to the IP67 rating like
the original and has the same price of $179 / 179 / AU$299. Its available in five colors from Sonos now, and shipments are already rolling. You Might Also Like Sonos announces its first headphones, with noise cancellation and ... I added a second subwoofer to my Sonos soundbar setup, and it ... 'These team conversations have been tough' Sonos power-users ...



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/wireless-bluetooth-speakers/sonos-casually-lau nches-the-roam-2-with-easier-bluetooth-pairing-but-confirms-our-fears-about-th e-stamina


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