Sonos Move 2 speaker review: Welcome to the portable era

Sonos launched its newest at-home audio system, the Era 100 and Era 300, in March 2023. Their new title signified the subsequent chapter of Sonos’ journey into linked audio system, and the multi-driver, multi-channel 300 even launched Dolby Atmos assist into its non-soundbar audio system. With the firm’s newest speaker—the creatively named Move 2, a successor to its first get together speaker—Sonos seeks to deliver a few of its new audio requirements into a tool you would take wherever.

The unique Sonos Move was launched in 2019, and so much has occurred in the audio world since then, particularly in the more and more aggressive world of high-fidelity wi-fi audio system. Having spent slightly greater than per week with the speaker, I can confidently say the Move 2 is a superb addition to Sonos’ lineup, taking every part I actually preferred about the Era 100 and cramming it right into a portable speaker.

The Move 2’s launch comes at an fascinating time in the portable good linked speaker world. JBL launched its new premium lineup, together with the Authentics 300, which is the identical worth as the Move 2. Bang & Olufsen’s Beosound A5, launched this previous spring, is available in at a whopping $1,300, which proves premium audio firms are taking portable audio system severely. The Move 2 retains tempo and even exceeds a lot of its competitors by providing a speaker with an inviting design, nice sound, continued developments in sustainability, and tight integration with the firm’s every-growing ecosystem of audio system. Sonos, like Apple, has cultivated an lively fanbase, and so they’ll discover so much to like about the Move 2. Skeptics could turn into converts if they offer the speaker an opportunity.

Overview

• The Sonos Move 2 is the second era of Sonos’s first portable speaker, launched in 2019.
• It inherits many options discovered on the Sonos Era 100, together with stereo sound, a USB-C port for charging and expandability, and a recessed quantity slider.
• Music lovers charmed by Sonos’ sound profile, ease of setup, and broader ecosystem ought to take into account the Move 2 earlier than every other mid-sized portable Bluetooth speaker.

Pros

• Excellent sound
• Wireless charging
• Replaceable battery
• Modularity (Via USB-C)
• Built-in deal with

Cons

• $50 worth improve from the unique Move
• Coating can come off

The verdict: The Sonos Move 2 is a giant enchancment over the unique in tangible methods, together with higher battery life, stereo sound, and much more sustainability options. In a crowded area, it’s onerous not to suggest this portable speaker to anybody who cares about ease of use, ergonomics, and nice sound.

The construct

It appears odd to describe a speaker as inviting, however that’s the adjective that’s continued to come into my thoughts throughout my time with the Move 2. From the entrance, it appears like a normal Sonos speaker: Ovular, brandished with the Sonos emblem, and a pinhole-sized LED on prime to let you already know the speaker’s standing. On prime of the speaker, you’ll discover a recessed nicely that acts as a quantity slider—swiping your finger left turns audio down, proper turns it up—in addition to play/pause, voice assistant mute, and observe choice controls.

Turning the speaker round will reveal an influence button, Bluetooth button, a mic swap, and USB-C port. The USB can cost the speaker or join the Move 2 to a Sonos dongle for extra connectivity choices. There are two uncovered pins at the very backside, permitting you to wirelessly cost the Move 2 by setting it atop a charging base (a plastic loop) included in the field. The base feels strong, and the speaker instantly acknowledged it and commenced charging. This isn’t the solely means to prime up the Move 2, nevertheless it provides the speaker a way of extra portability; you’re feeling like you may seize the speaker and go at any time. Sonos greater than doubled the Move 2’s battery life in contrast to the unique model, providing up to 24 hours of use per cost as an alternative of 11. You shouldn’t have to plug it in every day—and I definitely didn’t—although you might need to extra typically when you pump the quantity or make the most of its capability to be an influence financial institution for USB-C units. Sonos did this with out dramatically growing the speaker’s dimension or weight, too.

What makes the again of the Move 2 completely different than every other speaker I’ve examined is that these aforementioned buttons are inside a tapered recess. The prime of this management panel cutout is hole, with sufficient house for 4 of my fingers. This acts as a deal with, permitting me to transport the Move 2 from place to place simply. It’s the sort of business design function that feels instantly pure and nicer than the straps or handles that include many bigger portable audio system. While I actually like the Move 2’s sound profile—extra on that later—it’s this built-in deal with that charmed me the most.

Cutting a bit out of the again of your speaker could possibly be a recipe for catastrophe because it leaves much less house for audio elements (greater amps and drivers are higher) and a battery. Sonos appears to have accounted for this, and I by no means had any points with the Move 2’s sound or lifespan. I set it down on its charging stand for testing functions however might have gotten per week’s value of every day use from the speaker with out working the danger of getting it conk out. This shouldn’t be completely distinctive for a speaker in the Move 2’s dimension class, however nonetheless good to see.

While the Move 2’s bodily design impressed, what’s on the inside actually counts. Sonos outfitted the speaker with three class-D amplifiers to drive a pair of angled tweets and a single mid-woofer. This driver array permits the speaker to play music in stereo, although you may want to pair it with a second Move 2 when you’re involved with higher channel separation. My solely grievance about the Move 2’s construct is that a part of its end obtained scratched whereas being transported in a backpack, which feels prefer it shouldn’t occur so simply for a speaker meant to be lugged round. All this doesn’t take away from the Move 2’s capability to carry out indoors or out; with an IP56 ranking, the speaker is protected against mud and high-pressure water streams in an effort to really feel assured taking it from the patio to the pool, the yard to the seaside (although don’t submerge it in sand nor surf).

The setup

Sonos has streamlined the setup course of to the level of digital perfection. The Sonos app (out there on each iOS and Android) instantly acknowledged the Move 2 and requested if I wished to add it to my system. Tapping “yes” on the immediate initiated a setup course of that occurred completely in the background. The speaker was added to my dwelling’s WiFi community and built-in as a part of the Sonos system in below a minute.

I used to be prompted to obtain a firmware replace, which was simply as easy, after which I used to be free to start testing the speaker in earnest. Many wi-fi audio system have a equally simple setup course of, nevertheless it’s spectacular that Sonos has streamlined it for one which connects over WiFi. It’s tedious to enter your WiFi password into yet one more app, and I used to be happy I didn’t have to.

If you’re on an Apple machine, like I used to be for testing, you may stream lossless music to the speaker over WiFi utilizing AirPlay 2, Apple’s customized protocol. Non-Apple units can stream music from each companies and their native library by the Sonos app. If you favor Bluetooth, you may allow this mode by urgent the Bluetooth button on the again of the speaker. The first time you do that, the speaker will enter a pairing mode, and the LED on its entrance facet will flash blue. Once linked, you should use it like a typical Bluetooth speaker, buying and selling extra common connectivity for extra restricted bandwidth and vary. However, it’s essential to be aware that it’s essential to undergo the WiFi setup earlier than benefiting from Bluetooth; this isn’t a speaker meant for anybody who doesn’t have a linked family.

It’s pointless, however you may join the speaker to your Amazon account through the Sonos app to use the Move 2’s microphone to entry Alexa, Amazon’s good dwelling assistant. When linked, you should use the Move 2 to management smart-home units and play tracks together with your voice. The Move 2 ships with Sonos’ extra restricted good dwelling assistant principally designed round music taking part in. The microphone may be briefly muted by tapping a capacitive contact management on the speaker’s prime.

The sound

If you’ve heard a Sonos speaker earlier than—particularly the Era 100 or just lately launched Ray and Beam 2 soundbars—you’ll be accustomed to how the Move 2 sounds. Sonos has its personal most popular tuning and makes no qualms about admitting that. The Move 2’s press web page goes as far as to say the speaker’s class-D digital amplifiers are “precision-tuned for the speaker’s unique acoustic architecture.” I’m usually very important of non-flat EQs as a result of I’d like to hear music as shut to the artist’s intentions as doable, however I admit to liking the Move 2’s sound profile so much.

Don’t fear; Sonos hasn’t evoked the notorious “smiley face,” or U-shaped, EQ setting whereby the lowest bass and treble frequencies are jacked up whereas the midrange is tamped down. The speaker sounds remarkably pure, with a tasteful EQ that you simply’ll solely discover when you’re actually listening to it. If you’re listening to tracks you’re very accustomed to, you could discover slightly further bass right here or rather less treble there, nevertheless it’s all in favor of constructing audio sound pleasing.

There isn’t an equivalent “one-sound-fits-all” Sonos sheen utilized over every part you hear, as tweaks will differ from track to track and room to room. Sonos’ audio profile is backed up with Automatic Trueplay, a software program function that adjusts the Move 2’s sound primarily based on the atmosphere utilizing the speaker’s built-in microphone. This occurs in real-time, and it was doable to hear a slight distinction in the Move 2’s sound when shifting from one location to one other. The one caveat, nevertheless, is that you simply want to have the microphone enabled for Automatic Trueplay to work. A bodily swap on the again cuts off energy to the mics when you’re not into persistent monitoring, however there’s no means to create a Trueplay profile that works with the mics off.

Some audio system, like JBL’s Authentics 300, dwell up to their title by offering a warts-and-all presentation of music, which is nice when you crave music accuracy however does depend on you having higher-quality, better-mastered supply materials. This was the technique high-end audio firms employed earlier than the powered, linked, and wi-fi speaker revolutions. Still, it doesn’t all the time sq. with the means folks pay attention to music now, i.e., listening to lossy tracks on streaming companies. Both paths work, however Sonos’ path of making use of digital processing makes it simpler to get a constant expertise.

While listening to podcasts, I observed the richness in every voice, no matter its register. There was numerous element, whereas a refined sheen was positioned over the whole recording to buff out some tough edges, which had been audible when listening by different audio system. Sometimes, some gentle processing is nice; you need to take pleasure in a present fairly than be distracted by the results of somebody broadcasting from an untreated room. This doesn’t imply poor-sounding recordings will magically sound good; it’s simply that good recordings can sound even higher.

I had an identical expertise when listening to music. I might make out each bass be aware Chris Hillman performed on The Byrds’ cowl of Bob Dylan’s “You Ain’t Going Nowhere” as clearly as the snare drum beats laid down by Michael Clarke. Jumping forward 55 years to Olivia Rodrigo’s “bad idea right?” I used to be equally happy that the bass—turned means up—didn’t drown out the multi-layered vocals or driving guitar solo. I examined the Move 2’s treble efficiency by listening to The Clash’s “Train In Vain (Stand By Me),” whose intro features a collection of cymbal hits that may sound piercing on audio system with a shiny sound profile. If that’s the case, every hit will harm your ears. The Move 2 walked proper up to that line however didn’t cross over. Naturally, the mastering and backbone of the music you pay attention to will play a think about your expertise. Different variations of the identical songs can differ fairly dramatically relying on the musician and engineer’s tastes.

Listening to tracks from completely different eras and genres, I continued my formal assessments by listening to Earth Wind & Fire’s autumnally acceptable “September.” The track, a complete bop, has so much happening. The horns in the background, conga drums, regular drum and bass traces, and people hovering vocals. The auditory menagerie sounded well-kempt on the Move 2, on which every track ingredient was audible when you centered on it. On the complete, the Move 2’s sound profile sounds slightly bass-heavy (not unusual for a speaker that may see out of doors use), with numerous effort put into ensuring sounds in the midrange, like vocals, sound significantly nice.

I spent most of my time listening to lossless audio tracks from an iPhone over WiFi, however did pop on Bluetooth mode for testing (the baseline SBC and native-Apple AAC codecs are supported). I didn’t discover any vital high quality hit switching to the extra compressed format and didn’t even really feel restricted by its decrease vary most of the time. In most instances, a observe’s mastering will matter way more than its decision.

While the speaker can play songs in stereo, it may well’t recreate as huge a soundstage as a pair of particular person audio system and even the football-shaped Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin. If I pay attention to the lopsided stereo mixture of The Mamas & the Papas’ “California Dreamin’,” it nonetheless sounds fairly shut to the mono combine. On the Zeppelin, I might clearly hear vocals from half the band on my left and the different half on my proper. Stereo separation will get higher the additional away you sit, however a portable Atmos speaker, this isn’t. Of course, you’re not taking the Zeppelin wherever with you, regardless of how powerfully dynamic it sounds. You can pair two Move 2 audio system collectively for higher separation to the tune of $900, however it is best to take into account different choices at that time.

The conclusion

Brandt Ranj / Popular Science

SEE IT

Specs

• Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 5 inches (HWD)
• Weight: 6.61 kilos
• Battery life: Up to 24 hours
• Connectivity: WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C port
• IP Rating: IP56
• Voice assistants: Amazon Alexa, Sonos Voice Control
• Price: $449
• Release date: September 20, 2023

Sonos has been on a roll since the introduction of its first good speaker, the One, in 2017. The Move 2 is the newest addition, and it advantages from the enhancements Sonos regularly makes to its audio infrastructure and product ecosystem. Some options I didn’t take a look at, like the capability to hook the Move 2 to a turntable utilizing an elective dongle or the user-replaceable battery, converse to Sonos’ confidence on this being your go-to portable speaker for a very long time and that you could be even discover new methods to use it. Of course, the Move 2’s $449 price ticket will put it out of attain for many individuals, which is why the Toblerone-shaped Sonos Roam exists for $179. But what you get with the Move 2 is analogous efficiency to the homebound Era 100 wherever you go and a battery that retains going and going. The Move 2 is a refined speaker that may fulfill current Sonos followers with its familiarity and audio high quality that ought to convert new followers if their finances permits.