Roam 2 - Black - Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

Battery life: incredibly long lasting and smart(will power off after inactivity if you want.Function: everything you need a speaker to do and can pair with other Sonos speakers including soundbars.Quality: I view Sonos as the Apple of the speakerverse, so yes it’s the highest quality you can get at this price point.Setup: this is where it gets difficult, I hear of the Sonos app having major issues, but I have yet to encounter them. Keep this in mind. The actual setup process is awesome, the best part is where it plays a passkey tone to verify it’s communicating with the correct device. Fairly simple.Probably the most important part is the sound quality, which is better than most competitors, I’ve had a beats pill, jbl, skullcandy & other generic portable speakers, this one is THE one, it fills my house with ease, I can hear it loud and clear on the opposite end of my house it’s sitting in.If you have the money and are debating whether to get this I would advise against getting anything other than this as it’s not even on the same level as its “competition”.

We have multiple speakers in the Sonos ecosystem so are quite familiar with their product. This is an excellent little portable speaker. You can't expect the best sound quality around just due to how small it is but, for the size, it sounds quite nice. The battery lasts a long time and it gets pretty loud. Using it as a standalone bluetooth speaker (without the sonos interface) is very easy. Haven't tested the waterproof functionality of this all that much but did have it in the corner of the shower without issue.

For such a small speaker, this little guy puts out a lot of sound. I initially bought one, but once I realized I could pair two of them together for stereo sound, I picked up another one. Setting these up is quick and easy thanks to the app and Bluetooth is a breeze. I've tried these in different parts of the house and outdoors and have been super impressed.

I bought this Sonos to connect to my Home Assistant setup, and it's been a dream to use. The thing connects easily to my Plex or Spotify for streaming music, I've used it to send text-to-speech messages throughout the house, even using it like a PA system, and all of its features (even the little LED power light! I turned it off, which means I can use it in dark rooms without a bright LED now!) are controllable through the Home Assistant integration.Biggest thing to note when using with Home Assistant, though, is that it uses your public URL for connection. If you're like me and have disabled external access for your HA instance, you may need to delete your public URL for Sonos to function properly. No idea why that was the case, but I had to do that myself.Not an issue with the Sonos, more an issue with HA, though. The Sonos has been top notch, great quality and impressive sound for such a small device.

Unfortunately, I have had nothing but trouble with my Sonos system since purchasing a Roam 2 and trying to use it with my ARC. The Sonos software is flakey and unreliable. I've spent hours on the phone with Sonos support, a very mixed bag. One extremely knowledgeable tech and three who tried hard but simply didn't have the skills to help me get my new Roam 2 to function properly with my ARC system. With help from the support people, I sometimes (but not always) managed to get my Roam 2 to perform properly. Then I turn off the ARC when I go to bed, and, KAZAAAAAM, when I turn on the system the next morning it's back to the Roam 2 not connecting with the ARC or the sources feeding the ARC. Over and over. It's just like Groundhog Day.When it's working, the Roam 2 is a delight as an auxiliary speaker. But using it with the very buggy Sonos software required to operate it as a part of my system is a freaking nightmare.So I am returning it to Amazon. Too hard to use.Get your software act together, Sonos!Milt Baker

So, the positives right up front. Very small and portable. Simplistic but stylish. Easy to use and setup. Love the dedicated Bluetooth. Comes well packaged from Sonos. Very small and for its size, puts out good volume.Now the potential cons. I have a Sonos Arc and the Sonos Move (1st Gen). Got them both for a great sale price and the sound quality never ceases to impress me. Especially the Move, which even at very high volumes plays great music from rock, country and rap. I bought the roam to be more portable than my Move, which I use on the deck, poolside or at small gatherings. The Roam was more for hiking, beach trips and casual listening washing the car, etc. I have to say I am not impressed. It sounds decent at its highest volume although you can tell you’ve reached its limit. I never feel like any of my other Sonos products have hit a limit even at 100% volume. It also sounds almost flat and very mono sounding vs steep or simulated stereo. Worse, it’s okay with rock or country or anything that has very little bass, but don’t try and play any kind of rap or hip hip. The bass is almost non-existent and really makes it feel like you’re pushing the speakers beyond their capabilities.Granted, most small portable like this would have similar issues, but when I listen to my sons JBL Flip 5, which costs less than half the price, I feel like the bass is much richer and the sound is louder, but of relatively similar quality as the Sonos, which is very disappointing. Maybe I’m missing the mark on its intended use, but I don’t think so. For small sound and high portability, it’s okay, but feels overpriced when compared to a couple others for what it offers.Would have considered a slightly larger roam in its 2nd generation for larger speakers or drivers or a dedicated bass port. I’ll have to sample it for a while and along others. I’m on the fence keeping it vs returning it. I’ll update my decision later.UPDATE: okay, after using it down at the beach, I would have to say my opinion has changed some. While I still would like a bit more volume, it’s pretty good for small spaces and close to me or around the pool or campfire. Sound has grown on me for most music and I recognize what it is for its ultra portability. Battery life is good and it’s been easy to pair. Loud enough to enjoy, but not so loud as to annoy others around me at the beach. I bought it at full price for $179. If you wait for Prime Day or other major sales days, it drops to $143, which is a much more reasonable price where it’s worth it.