When a company known for inventing the multiroom speaker announces a new fully portable model, we sit up and take notice. The new Sonos Roam ($169) is ultra-compact, IP67 water- and dust-proof smart speaker that weighs less than one pound and links with your phone or tablet via Bluetooth 5.0. But that’s not the whole story. The Roam can also connect with your home Sonos ecosystem, automatically making the switch between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as you come and go.
The very clever Roam can be charged via its USB-C port or wirelessly docked on a Qi charger. (An optional Sonos wireless charging dock with a magnetic connection is available for $50.) It sets up quickly with the Sonos app, which makes it easy to adjust EQ and playback features including loudness compensation and Trueplay automatic sound tuning. The waterproof Roam can be submerged in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes, although it will sound much better above water than below.
Given that the Roam is a portable speaker, having Trueplay onboard is a huge plus. Trueplay adapts the output of Sonos speakers for their surroundings by using a built-in microphone to periodically adjust the EQ. The Roam sounded just as good in my large living room as it did in my smaller listening room and, more notably, outdoors.
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