Sonos latest effort takes their signature sound beyond the normal orbit of their multi-speaker ecosystem and out to the great outdoors.

In 2019 Sonos launched the Move, a portable Bluetooth speaker with a surprisingly robust sound intended to be carried anywhere in or around the house, including outdoors. But while the Sonos Move’s portability is its primary selling point ? with a built-in grip, 11-hour battery life and wireless charging base ? how far one might take the Move is dictated and limited by its fairly hefty size and weight. You might venture carrying the Move into the backyard while poolside, gardening or enjoying dinner beneath the stars, but bringing it for outdoor excursions beyond the home isn’t its primary objective. The new Sonos Roam arrives as a smaller and more portable speaker intended to fill-in that gap, extending the range of the Sonos eco-system far beyond the Move’s periphery.
Smaller, lighter and with an IP67 water-and-dust-resistant rating, the Sonos Roam is obviously designed as the sort of device you wouldn’t hesitate to bring along to a picnic, beach, or while camping. At just under a pound, the Roam’s compact 6.61 x 2.44 x 2.36 inch dimensions slide easily into the water bottle sleeve of a backpack, toss into a tote bag, or as we tested, slid into the cup holder of a truck.

The Roam’s design is sedately executed and aligned with other speakers in the Sonos stable ? a subtly triangular tube with ...