When to Roam, When to Move
Ed Gillett
Guest Writer
Two of our most portable speakers, Roam and Move 2 make it easy to listen to your favorite music, audiobooks, or podcasts, no matter where the day takes you. And of course, they each offer their own unique features for an easy listening experience. So, which speaker should you choose and when? Read on to find out.
Here’s the scenario: You’re getting ready for the weekend and want to set the mood with a solid playlist and maybe a few podcasts. You just got Move 2, so you’re excited to put it to the test. That said, you are still getting up to speed on the differences between the newest portable speaker and your other on-the-go speaker, Sonos Roam. As you progress through your day, you’ll need to make choices about which one serves up better sound in different scenarios — mornings in your bedroom, afternoons at the park, evening dinners outside. Good thing we’re here to help. We’re going to guide you through both the big and subtle differences in the two speakers so you can grab the best one for your next listening adventure. Ready? Let’s get started.
Waking
The weekend is finally here. Birds are singing their morning music, and the initial glimmers of sunrise stream through your windows, blanketing your bedroom in a soft light. You decide to kickstart your Saturday morning with a feel-good playlist that matches your energy. But wait — your partner is still asleep. No problem. With a single press of a button, you send your tunes to the kitchen, where you’ll brew your coffee and get started on breakfast for the two of you. Which speaker do you choose to have by your bed in this scenario? Roam or Move 2?
You choose: Roam
Great call! With Roam, you can send sound to another speaker using Sound Swap by simply pressing and holding the play button. The sound will begin playing on the nearest speaker and stop playing on Roam. Roam is also designed to be placed vertically or horizontally, so you can choose what makes the most sense for your space.
Exercising
You’re finally caffeinated and ready to tackle the day. To take advantage of the morning sun, you decide to go for a short walk in the park. You remember that there’s a small clearing along your route and decide you’d like to spend a little time there stretching and catching up on the latest episode of your favorite podcast. Which speaker do you bring with you on the walk?
You choose: Roam
Nice choice! Roam weighs .95 pounds (.43 kg), compared to Move’s 6.61 pounds (3 kg). And at 6.61 inches long, you can easily carry it in a day pack, stuff it in a roomy pocket, or hold it in your hand.
Cleaning
Refreshed from your hike, you decide you want the rest of your day’s fun to revolve around being outside. So, it’s decided: You’ll invite a few family friends over for dinner on the patio and some backyard stargazing. But first, you need to clean your outdoor space. The patio furniture is covered in dust. Leaves are strewn everywhere like old confetti. And the plants are in desperate need of some extra water. It’s decided: The family will head out to give the backyard some much-needed TLC ahead of tonight’s dinner. You want to play tunes to pump everyone up for the job ahead. But the area is big, and you want a speaker that will be heard throughout the entire yard. Which one do you bring?
You choose: Move 2
Exactly! Move 2’s size and spacious stereo sound allow for a wider soundstage and more powerful bass than Roam. And because it’s rated IP56, it can stand up to an occasional splash from the garden hose. Speaking of sound, both Move 2 and Roam have Automatic Trueplay tuning, meaning that they automatically adapt to your surroundings for sound that's astonishingly detailed and perfectly balanced.
Swimming
After you finish sprucing up the backyard, you prepare to drop off the kids at your parents’ house — this way, you can grocery shop for tonight’s dinner while your kids enjoy time at your parents’ pool. It’s a win-win. Prior to heading over, you grab the pool toys and a few snacks, then reach for a speaker so the kids can stream music. But as you do, you wonder which device is best suited for a pool day. One major input is durability. After all, between the kids and your parents’ dogs, you can pretty much guess that whatever speaker you bring will end up in the water (it’s just physics). So, which one do you grab?
You choose: Roam
Wow, you’re good at this. While the Move 2 can handle occasional splashes, Roam is rated IP67, meaning that it can be submerged in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. That’s more than enough time for you to peel off your cover-up and dive into the water after your submerged sound system.
Camping
It’s the afternoon now, and you’re arriving home from your parents’ house. You have groceries for tonight and two happy, sun-soaked kids. When you pull up to your garage, you spot your neighbor waving at you from across the lawn. Turns out they’re going car camping next weekend and are wondering if they can borrow one of your Sonos speakers. They won’t be able to charge the speaker once they’ve set up camp. Which speaker do you lend them?
You choose: Move 2
Yes! While Roam boasts up to 10 hours of battery life, Move 2 offers more than double the listening—up to 24 hours. That means your neighbors can enjoy an entire day’s worth of audio — which will come in handy if their kids need some white noise to help them sleep in the wilderness. What a good neighbor you are.
Woodworking
As the kids jump in the shower to rinse off the chlorine from the pool, you head to the garage to work on your latest project — a beautiful wooden bench hand-made to complement your outdoor furniture set. All it needs is one last coat of stain, and you have just enough time to finish before prepping dinner. You want to listen to Rosalía’s latest record as you work, but the WiFi tends to be spotty in the garage. Which speaker allows you to listen over Bluetooth instead?
You choose: Either
Right again. Move 2 and Roam both offer streaming over Bluetooth and WiFi. And when it’s time to head to the kitchen to ready the evening’s meal, you can sync your Bluetooth stream to other speakers in your Sonos system to spread the infectious latin beats throughout your home. So really, you can’t go wrong with either speaker.
Dining
All that working worked up an appetite. Thankfully, it’s time for dinner on your newly clean patio. The grill is fired up, and the table is covered with a couple side dishes, refreshing drinks, plates, and cutlery. There is very little room for a speaker on the table. Which speaker should your reach for?
You choose: Move 2
Exactly. The weather-resistant Sonos Wall Hook was specifically designed to fit Move 2’s ergonomic handle, allowing it to be securely hung up indoors and out. Create the perfect mood for an alfresco meal without taking up any table space.
Stargazing
The sun has set. The dishes are washed. And the night sky is filled with stars. You drag a cozy blanket out to the backyard, pile on a few pillows, and ready yourself for some stargazing. It’s time for music, but not just anything will do. This is one of those moments when music isn’t just background noise — it’s integral to creating an experience. You want to play an album that conjures up favorite memories or creates a mood perfect for constellation-finding. And because you want crisp, full audio for this immersive experience, you decide to pair a couple speakers. Which ones do you choose to stereo-pair next to you?
You choose: Either
Nailed it. Both Roam and Move 2 are great options for this scenario. They can be stereo-paired on WiFi for richer sound and placed wherever is most convenient for your makeshift listening setup.
