Sonos Roam Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review
6In this video I'll review the Sonos Roam portable Bluetooth speaker to help you figure out if its the right speaker for you.
Check out the speakers mentioned in this video on Amazon:
(affiliate) Sonos Roam: https://amzn.to/2T7ap24
(affiliate) JBL Flip 5: https://amzn.to/3ufRMpK
(affiliate) Ultimate Ears Boom 3: https://amzn.to/2TbBFwp
Timestamps:
Timestamps:
Introduction: 0:00
Build and Form Factor: 0:44
Button Access: 2:13
Sound Comparison: 3:17
Power and Ports: 7:39
Additional Considerations: 8:27
My Recommendation: 10:32
Conclusion: 12:35
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Video Transcript:
Now let's dig into the Sonos Roam, and start by taking a look at the speaker's build and form factor.
The Sonos Roam is the smaller counterpart to the larger Sonos Move. The Sonos Move checks in at around 10 inches tall, 6.3 inches wide, five inches deep and weighs almost 10 pounds. By comparison the Sonos Roam measures in at roughly half that at 6.61 inches tall, 2.44 inches wide, 2.36 inches deep and weighs in at just under one pound. The speaker feels solid and seems to be made out of quality materials.
The overall aesthetic of the speaker is simple and sleek. The front-facing part of the Sonos Roam Bluetooth speaker is a metal grill, while the rest of the core body of the speaker is wrapped in a plastic shell. The ends of the speaker are flat rubber pieces designed to support your Sonos Roam in a standing position. Additionally, there are four rubber feet on the bottom where you can also lay your portable Bluetooth speaker horizontally. One thing I did find missing on the exterior design was a built-in strap or something you could easily use to tie or clip the speaker on to something else, such as a backpack or bag.
Finally, the Sonos Roam boasts an IP67 rating, making it both waterproof and dustproof. This means that exposure to normal levels of dust shouldn't bother it, and also that it can be submerged in up to three feet of water for up to 30 minutes and it should operate just fine.
Next let's take a look at button access.
Most of the buttons on the Sonos Roam portable Bluetooth speaker are located on the rubber pad on the left side of the device. There is a Microphone button, Volume Up and Volume Down buttons, and a Play/Pause button. The Microphone button can be used to access either the Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice assistants. Of note, while the Sonos Roam does have a built-in microphone you're not able to use the speaker as a true speakerphone. The volume buttons and play/pause button operate as advertised. Button clickiness was good and you won't be left feeling like you have to drive your finger through the device to get a response.
The Power button is located along the lower back part of the Sonos Roam, and is without a doubt what I dislike the most about this speaker. The Power button has no click response so that you have a good idea of whether you pressed it or not. Most of the time a firm press will work, but there have been times where I find myself pressing the button progressively harder just to get it to respond.
Out of the box, the sound on the Sonos Roam sounds cleaner and more balanced than the audio from either the JBL Flip 5 or the UE Boom 3. The mids and highs also felt more crisp on the Sonos Roam. The biggest downsides of the Roam were that the overall volume didn't get anywhere near the level of the UE Boom 3 or the JBL Flip 5, and the bass also felt incredibly weak. As a result, when I took the Sonos Roam outside the audio from it also didn't travel nearly as well as the other speakers. The Sonos Roam is fine for a small picnic, but it isn't something you'll want to try and use for a full-blown backyard party. For what it's worth you can use the Sonos app to adjust the treble and bass, and while you can use that to make the bass a little better, I didn't feel like the improvements brought it anywhere near the level of the bass on the JBL Flip 5 or UE Boom 3. But as a reminder speaker audio is experienced differently by everyone, so you'll want to listen to the Sonos Roam in a store to make sure the audio quality is something you're comfortable with as it relates to any other Bluetooth speakers you're considering.
Check out more in the video!
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