Sonos Roam 2 Review UK: Worth The Upgrade?

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Imagine this. You’re having a kickabout in the park, the sun’s decided to make a rare appearance, and you want some tunes to match the mood. Or maybe you’re tackling that new recipe in the kitchen, splattering sauce everywhere, and need a podcast to keep you company. Perhaps you’re just trying to make your morning shower a bit more interesting than listening to the extractor fan’s drone. For years, a good portable speaker has been the answer, but it usually came with a compromise: great sound at home, or a rugged speaker for the outdoors. You couldn’t really have both.

Sonos, the company that basically invented wireless multi-room audio, tried to solve this with the original Roam. It was a clever little speaker that could play music via Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth when you were out and about. It sounded brilliant for its size, but, let’s be honest, it was a bit of a faff. The controls were fiddly, and getting it to connect via Bluetooth felt like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube in the dark.

Now, we have the Sonos Roam 2. It looks almost identical, costs the same £179, and promises the same great sound. So, what’s the big deal? Has Sonos actually listened and fixed the annoying bits? Is this finally the one speaker to rule them all, from a drizzly Peak District hike to a sunny Brighton beach day? We’ve dug deep into every detail to find out.

What’s Actually New? Roam 2 vs. The Original

If you put the Roam 2 next to its older sibling, you’d be hard-pressed to spot the difference at a glance. But the changes, though small, are mighty important. They’re less of a revolutionary leap and more of a much-needed sigh of relief for anyone who used the first one.

Sonos Roam 2 | Lightweight Portable Waterpoof Speaker with Bluetooth, WiFi, 10 hour battery life and Voice Control for Home and Outdoor Use – Black

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Amazon.co.uk

Delivers clear audio and impressive bass from custom-designed drivers.
Highly portable due to its small size and low weight, making it easy to carry.
Built for the outdoors with an IP67 rating, offering protection against water and dust.
Features a battery life of up to 10 hours on a single charge.
Intelligently adapts its sound profile to any new setting with Automatic Trueplay technology.
Includes built-in support for voice commands via Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa.
Can be positioned either vertically or horizontally to fit your space.
Physical buttons provide reliable control and help avoid unintentional commands.
Offers flexible charging options, including a standard USB-C port and compatibility with wireless chargers.
WiFi connectivity enables multi-room sound integration with other Sonos products and access to additional features.

A Button That Just Works: The biggest win is the controls. On the original Roam, the power and Bluetooth pairing functions were crammed into one button. This led to a lot of accidental power-offs when you were just trying to connect your phone. The Roam 2 fixes this with a separate, dedicated Bluetooth button. It’s a simple change, but it makes using the speaker a thousand times less frustrating.
Bluetooth Straight Out of the Box: Remember the faff of having to set up the original Roam on your home Wi-Fi before you could even use it as a simple Bluetooth speaker? Gone. The Roam 2 lets you pair with your phone via Bluetooth the second you take it out of the box. This is a massive improvement, turning it into a proper grab-and-go speaker.
A Sleeker Look: The design has had a tiny tweak. The Sonos logo is now the same colour as the speaker’s body (black on black, white on white, etc.), giving it a more modern, monotone look that blends in nicely with the newer Sonos Era speakers.
Updated Cable: It now comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable, replacing the old USB-A to USB-C one. This is better for faster charging, assuming you have a modern charging brick.

And that’s pretty much it. The battery life, the drivers inside, and the overall sound are the same. This isn’t a complete redesign; it’s Sonos fixing the homework they got wrong the first time.

Design and Build: Built for British Weather?

Sonos has always been good at making tech that feels premium, and the Roam 2 is no exception. It’s small enough to chuck in a backpack or even a large coat pocket, and at just 430 grams, it won’t weigh you down.

Look and Feel

Its unique shape, a sort of rounded triangle, isn’t just for looks. It’s practical. You can stand it upright to save space on a crowded picnic blanket, or lay it on its side for more stability if the ground’s a bit wobbly. The ends are rubberised, which helps it survive bumps and gives it a bit of grip.

It feels solid and well-made, not like a cheap piece of plastic that will crack after one accidental drop. The matte finish is available in a few colours, including the classic black and white, so you can pick one that matches your style. It’s understated and classy, looking just as good on a bookshelf at home as it does sitting on the grass.

Durability: Ready for Rain and Puddles

Here’s where it gets really interesting for us Brits. The Roam 2 has an IP67 rating. Let’s break down what that actually means in the real world.

Waterproof: The ‘7’ means it’s properly waterproof. Not just splash-proof. You can submerge it in up to 1 metre of water for 30 minutes. So, if it gets knocked into a swimming pool, drenched in a sudden downpour during your BBQ, or even dropped in the bath, it’ll be absolutely fine. Just fish it out, give it a shake, and carry on.
Dustproof: The ‘6’ means it’s completely sealed against dust and sand. This makes it a perfect companion for a day at the beach, say in Cornwall or the Gower. You don’t have to worry about sand getting into the delicate bits and ruining it.

It’s also drop-resistant. Sonos says it’s built with shock-absorbent materials, so it can handle the odd tumble from a table or out of your bag without having a meltdown. This is a speaker designed for real life, not just to sit pristine on a shelf.

The All-Important Controls

As we mentioned, the buttons are the star of the show here. On one of the rubberised ends, you’ll find tactile, slightly raised buttons that are easy to use without looking. You’ve got volume up and down, play/pause, and a button to mute the microphone. And now, on the back, you have that lovely, separate power button and the new Bluetooth pairing button. It’s simple, intuitive, and exactly what the original should have had.

Sound Quality: Does it Pack a Punch?

For a speaker this dinky, the Sonos Roam 2 sounds surprisingly big. It’s not going to rattle your windows like a massive home speaker, but the quality of the sound it produces is genuinely impressive.

The Simple Explanation

Think of the Roam 2’s sound as rich and clear. When you listen to a song, you can actually hear the different instruments properly. The bass is present and punchy, but it doesn’t sound like a muddy, booming mess that drowns everything else out, which is a common problem with small speakers. Vocals and podcasts sound crisp and easy to understand, even when you’re outdoors with a bit of wind.

It’s like comparing a proper cup of coffee to a jar of instant. The Roam 2 gives you a more detailed, balanced, and enjoyable listen. It’s not just noise; it’s actual music.

The Technical Mumbo-Jumbo

For those who are interested, inside the Roam 2 are two Class-H digital amplifiers, one tweeter for the high notes (like cymbals and hi-hats), and one custom racetrack mid-woofer for the vocals and bass. Sonos has tuned these parts to work perfectly together in such a small space. The result is a sound that defies the speaker’s size.

Automatic Trueplay: The Speaker That Listens to Your Room

This is one of Sonos’s cleverest tricks. Automatic Trueplay uses the speaker’s built-in microphones to listen to its surroundings and then adjusts the sound to suit the space.

Simplified Explanation: It’s like having a tiny sound engineer living inside the speaker. When you move it from your spacious living room to your small, echoey bathroom, it notices the difference. In the bathroom, it might dial back the bass so it doesn’t sound so boomy. When you take it outside into a wide-open park, it will adjust the sound to project better so it doesn’t get lost in the air.
How it Works: It does this automatically and constantly. You don’t have to press any buttons. This feature works over both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, ensuring the Roam 2 sounds its best no matter where you are. It’s a huge reason why this speaker is so versatile.

Indoors vs. Outdoors

Indoors, the Roam 2 can easily fill a small to medium-sized room, like a bedroom, kitchen, or office. The sound is full and detailed, especially when connected to Wi-Fi, which allows for higher-quality audio streaming.

Outdoors, it does a respectable job. It’s not a massive party speaker, so don’t expect it to provide the soundtrack for a huge gathering. But for a group of friends having a picnic or relaxing in the garden, it’s more than loud enough. The sound remains clear, and Trueplay helps it cut through a bit of background noise.

Connectivity and Smart Features: The Brains of the Operation

This is where the Roam 2 really stands out from a typical Bluetooth speaker. It has a dual personality that makes it incredibly flexible.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: The Best of Both Worlds

At Home (Wi-Fi): When you’re at home, the Roam 2 connects to your Wi-Fi network, just like any other Sonos speaker. This has several advantages. Firstly, the sound quality is better than over Bluetooth. Secondly, it fully integrates into your Sonos system. You can group it with other speakers, playing the same music all over the house. Your music also won’t be interrupted by phone calls or notification pings, as the speaker is streaming directly from the internet, not your phone.
On the Go (Bluetooth): The moment you step out of your Wi-Fi range, the Roam 2 automatically switches to Bluetooth. You can then stream anything from your phone directly to it, just like any other portable speaker. This seamless switching makes it feel effortless.

The Setup Process: Better, But Still Sonos

The ability to use Bluetooth straight away is a game-changer. For a quick trip to the park, you don’t even need the Sonos app.

However, to unlock its full potential (like Trueplay, voice control, and Wi-Fi streaming), you will need to set it up on the Sonos S2 app. In the past, this has sometimes been a source of frustration for users, with the app occasionally struggling to find speakers. While the process is generally smoother now, it’s something to be aware of. You’ll need a bit of patience to get it connected to your Wi-Fi the first time.

Voice Control

The Roam 2 has built-in microphones and supports two voice assistants:

Amazon Alexa: You can ask Alexa to play music, check the weather, set timers, and control your smart home devices, just as you would on an Echo speaker.
Sonos Voice Control: This is Sonos’s own assistant, which focuses purely on music control. It’s very fast and works well for playing specific artists, albums, or controlling your Sonos system with commands like “group this with the living room”.

It’s important to note that Google Assistant is no longer supported on new Sonos speakers, which might be a deal-breaker for some. Voice control only works when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

The Wider Sonos World

If you already own Sonos speakers, the Roam 2 is a brilliant addition. It slots perfectly into your existing system. One of the coolest features is Sound Swap. If you’re listening to a song on your Roam 2 as you walk into the house, you can press and hold the play/pause button, and the music will magically ‘jump’ to the nearest Sonos speaker in your home, like a soundbar or a Sonos One. It’s a small touch that feels like the future.

You can also use Apple AirPlay 2 to stream audio directly from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to the Roam 2 when on Wi-Fi.

Battery Life and Charging

Sonos claims the Roam 2 offers up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge. In real-world tests, this seems about right if you’re listening at a moderate volume (around 50%). If you’re blasting it at full volume, expect that number to drop closer to 5-6 hours. For a typical day out, 10 hours should be plenty.

When it’s not playing music, the Roam 2 goes into a low-power sleep mode to save battery, waking up quickly when you press a button or start playing music from the app.

How to Charge It

You have a couple of options for topping up the battery:

USB-C Cable: It charges via the included USB-C to USB-C cable. You’ll need to provide your own power adapter, but any modern phone charger brick will do the job. A full charge takes a couple of hours.
Wireless Charging: The Roam 2 is compatible with any Qi-certified wireless charger. This is super convenient. You can just pop it down on a charging pad when you’re at home, so it’s always topped up and ready to go. Sonos sells its own custom-fit magnetic wireless charger, which is neat but a bit pricey.

How Does it Compare? The Competition

The £179 price tag puts the Roam 2 up against some serious competition in the UK. So, how does it stack up?

vs. Bose SoundLink Flex (£149): The Bose is known for its surprisingly deep bass and rugged, rubbery design. It sounds a bit warmer and bassier than the Roam 2, which some people prefer. However, it’s a pure Bluetooth speaker. It has none of the Roam 2’s smarts – no Wi-Fi, no voice assistants, no multi-room integration. Choose the Bose if you want big bass and don’t care about smart features.
vs. Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (£89): The Wonderboom 3 is cheaper, tougher, and even floats in water. It delivers 360-degree sound, which is great for parties, and has a longer 14-hour battery life. The sound isn’t as refined or detailed as the Roam 2’s, though. It’s the fun, rugged workhorse. Choose the Wonderboom if you’re on a budget or need something virtually indestructible for messy adventures.
vs. JBL Flip 6 (£129): The Flip 6 is one of the most popular portable speakers for a reason. It delivers a powerful, bass-forward sound that’s great for energetic music. It’s purely Bluetooth, like the others, but offers a solid, reliable performance for less money than the Sonos. Choose the JBL if you want a loud, party-friendly sound and a simple, no-fuss experience.

The Roam 2’s unique selling point is its versatility. None of its main rivals can offer that seamless blend of a high-quality Wi-Fi smart speaker at home and a durable, great-sounding portable speaker for on the go.

The Verdict: Is the Sonos Roam 2 Worth Your £179?

After spending time with the Sonos Roam 2, it’s clear that this is the speaker the original should have been. The small, practical fixes to the controls and connectivity have transformed it from a clever but flawed product into a genuinely excellent one.

The sound quality is superb for its size, offering a level of clarity and balance that most competitors can’t match. The design is tough, waterproof, and stylish. But its true magic lies in its dual personality. It’s a brilliant smart speaker for your kitchen or bedroom that you can simply grab and take with you to the garden, the park, or on holiday, without missing a beat.

It’s not perfect. The price is steep, and you can get louder, bassier speakers for less money. The 10-hour battery life is decent but not class-leading, and the lack of Google Assistant will annoy some.

So, who should buy it?

You should buy the Sonos Roam 2 if: You already own Sonos products and want a speaker to extend your system outdoors. Or, if you’re new to Sonos but want a single, high-quality speaker that works brilliantly both at home and on your travels. If you value sound quality, smart features, and a premium design, the Roam 2 is worth the investment.
You should probably skip it if: You just want a cheap, simple speaker to blast tunes in the park. If you need something that can survive being thrown around by kids or want the longest possible battery life, competitors from Ultimate Ears or JBL probably offer better value for your specific needs.

Ultimately, the Sonos Roam 2 is a fantastic, versatile little speaker. It’s the Swiss Army knife of portable audio, confidently handling almost any situation you can throw at it. For those looking for one speaker that can truly do it all, the Roam 2 is very hard to beat.

Sonos Roam 2 | Lightweight Portable Waterpoof Speaker with Bluetooth, WiFi, 10 hour battery life and Voice Control for Home and Outdoor Use – Black

Get Latest Price

Amazon.co.uk

Delivers clear audio and impressive bass from custom-designed drivers.
Highly portable due to its small size and low weight, making it easy to carry.
Built for the outdoors with an IP67 rating, offering protection against water and dust.
Features a battery life of up to 10 hours on a single charge.
Intelligently adapts its sound profile to any new setting with Automatic Trueplay technology.
Includes built-in support for voice commands via Sonos Voice Control and Amazon Alexa.
Can be positioned either vertically or horizontally to fit your space.
Physical buttons provide reliable control and help avoid unintentional commands.
Offers flexible charging options, including a standard USB-C port and compatibility with wireless chargers.
WiFi connectivity enables multi-room sound integration with other Sonos products and access to additional features.

The Sonos Roam 2 Review: The Perfect Portable Speaker for Britain?

What’s Actually New? Roam 2 vs. The Original