Sonos Move vs Roam: Which Sonos Speaker Reigns Supreme?
Choosing the right portable speaker can be a daunting task, especially with so many options vying for your attention. If you’re considering a Sonos speaker, you’ve likely narrowed it down to two popular choices: the Sonos Move and the Sonos Roam. Both promise exceptional audio quality and seamless integration within the Sonos ecosystem, but they cater to different needs and lifestyles.
This comparison dives deep into the Sonos Move vs Roam, exploring their key differences and helping you determine which speaker is the perfect fit for your listening habits. We’ll examine their design, features, sound quality, and portability, ensuring you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.
Whether you’re looking for a powerful outdoor speaker or a compact companion for your travels, this guide will provide a comprehensive overview of the Sonos Move and Roam. Get ready to discover which Sonos speaker will elevate your audio experience.
Specs at a Glance
| Feature | Move | Roam |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Larger | Smaller |
| Weight | Heavier | Lighter |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life (Typical) | Up to 11 hours | Up to 10 hours |
| Water Resistance | IP56 | IP67 |
| Charging | Wireless Charging Base & USB-C | USB-C & Wireless Charging (with optional charger) |
| Voice Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Stereo Pairing | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic Trueplay | Yes | Yes |
| Multiroom Audio | Yes | Yes |
| Line-In | No | No |
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
Size and Portability
- Sonos Move: Larger and heavier than the Roam, designed for home use with the ability to be moved. Offers a built-in handle for easier transport. Pros: Powerful sound. Cons: Less convenient for truly on-the-go use.
- Roam: Compact and lightweight, designed for maximum portability. Easily fits in a bag or can be carried in one hand. Pros: Highly portable and ideal for travel. Cons: Sound quality isn’t as robust as the Move.
- Winner: Roam
Sound Quality
- Sonos Move: Delivers a fuller, richer sound with more bass due to its larger size and driver configuration. Provides a more immersive listening experience, especially in larger spaces. Pros: Superior audio performance. Cons: Sound quality is less impressive than higher-end Sonos speakers.
- Roam: Offers surprisingly good sound for its size, but with less bass and overall power compared to the Move. Still provides clear audio for its compact footprint. Pros: Very good sound for its size. Cons: Lacks the depth and power of the Move.
- Winner: Move
Battery Life
- Sonos Move: Offers approximately 11 hours of battery life. Battery life is decent but can be impacted by volume and usage. Pros: Adequate battery life for extended listening sessions. Cons: Shorter battery life than some competitors.
- Roam: Provides up to 10 hours of battery life. Offers good battery life for its size and intended use. Pros: Good battery life for its portability. Cons: Battery life could be better.
- Winner: Move
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connectivity
- Sonos Move: Supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Automatically switches between Wi-Fi (for home use) and Bluetooth (for on-the-go). Pros: Seamless connectivity. Cons: None.
- Roam: Supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Also offers automatic switching between the two. Pros: Easy to connect to different devices. Cons: None.
- Winner: Tie
Durability (Water and Dust Resistance)
- Sonos Move: IP56 rated, offering protection against dust and powerful water jets. Durable enough for outdoor use but not submersion. Pros: Good protection for outdoor use. Cons: Not fully waterproof.
- Roam: IP67 rated, offering full dust ingress protection and water resistance (can withstand submersion in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes). Pros: Excellent protection against the elements. Cons: None.
- Winner: Roam
Voice Control
- Sonos Move: Supports voice control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant when connected to Wi-Fi. Pros: Hands-free control at home. Cons: Voice control doesn’t work over Bluetooth.
- Roam: Supports voice control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant when connected to Wi-Fi. Pros: Hands-free control at home. Cons: Voice control doesn’t work over Bluetooth.
- Winner: Tie
Charging Options
- Sonos Move: Comes with a charging base for easy home charging. Can also be charged via USB-C. Pros: Convenient charging at home. Cons: USB-C charging is slower.
- Roam: Charges via USB-C and also supports wireless charging with any Qi-compatible charger. Pros: Flexible charging options. Cons: None.
- Winner: Roam
Price
- Sonos Move: Generally more expensive due to its larger size, more powerful sound, and more features. Pros: Premium features. Cons: Higher cost.
- Roam: More affordable, making it accessible to a wider range of users. Pros: Budget-friendly. Cons: Fewer features than the Move.
- Winner: Roam
Winner by Category
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Overall Sound Quality | Move |
| Portability | Roam |
| Battery Life | Move |
| Value | Roam |
| Durability | Roam |
| Home Audio Integration | Tie |
What They Have in Common
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Both the Sonos Move and Roam offer both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, providing flexibility for home and on-the-go listening experiences. This allows you to easily switch between your home network and direct Bluetooth connections with your devices.
- Voice Assistant Support: Both speakers are compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing for voice control over music playback, smart home devices, and other features. This provides hands-free control and convenience.
- Sonos Ecosystem Integration: Both the Move and Roam seamlessly integrate into the Sonos ecosystem, allowing for multi-room audio and control via the Sonos app. This enables you to group speakers together and play music throughout your home.
- Automatic Trueplay: Both speakers feature Automatic Trueplay, which tunes the sound to the unique acoustics of your surroundings. This ensures the best possible listening experience, regardless of where the speaker is placed.
- Stereo Pairing: You can pair two Sonos Move or two Sonos Roam speakers together to create a stereo soundstage. This enhances the listening experience, providing a wider and more immersive sound.
- Durable Design: Both speakers are built to withstand the elements, making them suitable for outdoor use. They are both designed to be durable and able to withstand bumps and splashes.
Sonos Move Vs Roam Buying Guide
Portability and Size
The Sonos Move is significantly larger and heavier than the Roam, making it less ideal for frequent travel or carrying around. Its robust design, however, makes it more durable for outdoor use and potentially better suited for placement in a garden or patio. The Roam, on the other hand, is designed for ultimate portability. Its compact size and light weight allow it to slip easily into a backpack or bag, perfect for taking music on the go. Consider where you’ll primarily be using the speaker when deciding which suits your needs.
The Move’s larger size provides a more powerful and fuller sound, while the Roam’s design prioritizes convenience and ease of movement.
Sound Quality and Performance
The Sonos Move offers a richer and more powerful audio experience due to its larger drivers and overall design. It delivers deeper bass and a wider soundstage, making it better suited for filling larger spaces with sound. The Roam, while still offering excellent sound for its size, prioritizes portability, and thus has a more compact sound profile. It sounds great for its size but will not provide the same immersive experience as the Move, especially in larger areas.
Both speakers offer Trueplay, automatically tuning the sound to the environment.
Battery Life
The Sonos Move boasts a longer battery life compared to the Roam, providing extended playback time, ideal for outdoor gatherings or extended listening sessions without access to a power outlet. The Roam’s battery life is still respectable, offering a good amount of listening time, but it’s designed with portability in mind, so its battery is smaller. Consider how often you intend to use the speaker away from a power source when making your decision.
Both speakers offer convenient charging options, with the Move utilizing a charging base and the Roam using USB-C.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connectivity
Both the Move and Roam offer seamless Wi-Fi connectivity for streaming music from your Sonos system and other services. This allows for multi-room audio capabilities and access to your entire music library. The Roam excels with its Bluetooth connectivity, which allows it to quickly connect to a device without a Wi-Fi network. The Move also offers Bluetooth, but it’s less of a key feature in its design.
Both allow easy switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Durability and Weather Resistance
The Sonos Move is designed to withstand the elements, with a rugged construction and weather resistance that allows it to survive splashes, rain, and dust. This makes it a great choice for outdoor use. The Roam is also rated for weather resistance, but its design is not as rugged as the Move. It is more than capable of handling typical outdoor use, such as at the beach or by a pool.
Both are built to withstand the elements.
Price and Value
The Sonos Move is typically priced higher than the Roam, reflecting its larger size, more powerful sound, and longer battery life. The Roam provides excellent value for its price, offering a compact and versatile speaker with great sound quality and a host of features. The choice depends on your budget and how important the extra features and performance of the Move are to you. Consider the features you need and your budget.
Consider the value you’re getting for the money.
Who Should Buy What?
Buy Sonos Move If…
- You want a speaker with a larger sound profile and deeper bass.
- You prioritize longer battery life for extended listening sessions.
- You need a speaker that can fill a larger space with sound.
- You primarily use the speaker at home, but want the flexibility of portability.
Buy Roam If…
- You need a highly portable and compact speaker for on-the-go use.
- You prioritize a smaller and lighter design for easy transport.
- You need excellent water resistance for use in wet environments.
- You want a more affordable Sonos speaker option.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary difference between the Sonos Move and Roam?
The primary difference lies in their size and intended use. The Move is larger, heavier, and designed for more powerful sound and home use, as well as outdoor use. The Roam is smaller, lighter, and prioritizes portability and on-the-go listening. The Roam is designed to easily fit into bags and be taken anywhere.
Which speaker offers better sound quality?
The Sonos Move generally offers better sound quality. Due to its larger size and more powerful drivers, it delivers deeper bass, a wider soundstage, and a fuller audio experience. The Roam, while still excellent for its size, prioritizes portability and has a more compact sound profile. The Move is the better sounding speaker.
Does the Roam have Bluetooth?
Yes, the Sonos Roam features Bluetooth connectivity, making it easy to stream audio from your smartphone, tablet, or other Bluetooth-enabled devices. This is a key feature, allowing for quick and convenient listening without needing a Wi-Fi connection. Bluetooth also makes it easier to connect to multiple devices.
Can I use the Move and Roam together in a multi-room setup?
Yes, both the Sonos Move and Roam are fully compatible with the Sonos ecosystem. You can easily group them with other Sonos speakers in your home to create a multi-room audio system, playing the same music simultaneously or different music in different rooms. This gives you great flexibility.
What is Trueplay?
Trueplay is Sonos’s room-correction technology. It uses the microphone on your iOS device to analyze the acoustics of your space and automatically tunes the speaker’s sound to optimize audio performance for that environment. Both the Move and Roam feature Trueplay, ensuring the best possible sound quality.
How durable are these speakers?
Both speakers are designed for durability. The Move is built with a rugged construction and is weather-resistant, able to withstand rain, splashes, and dust. The Roam is also weather-resistant and designed for on-the-go use, though its construction is slightly less rugged than the Move. Both are well-suited for outdoor use.
Which speaker is better for travel?
The Sonos Roam is the better choice for travel. Its compact size, light weight, and Bluetooth connectivity make it easy to carry around and use in various locations. The Move, while portable, is larger and heavier, making it less convenient for frequent travel. The Roam is more ideal for traveling.
Final Verdict
The Sonos Move offers superior sound quality and battery life, making it ideal for home and outdoor use where power and performance are paramount. The Roam, however, is the clear winner for portability and versatility, providing excellent sound in a compact and user-friendly design, perfect for on-the-go listening.
Winner: Roam