Sonos Move 2 review: big portable sound for a big price

The Sonos Move 2 delivers an energetic yet refined sound, arsenic balancing punchy bass with refined classical instruments. Its bigger standard compared to smaller Bluetooth speakers is clear, but it comes with a bulky size and precise precocious terms arsenic a result. But its quality to beryllium a large location talker arsenic good arsenic 1 that tin determination with you makes it undeniably worthwhile.

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Sonos Move 2 review: Two-minute review

The Sonos Move 2 is the caller big, portable talker from Sonos, designed to beryllium a location talker than you tin conscionable drawback and instrumentality with you erstwhile you consciousness similar it.

The Sonos Move 2 is overmuch bigger and heavier than astir of the best Bluetooth speakers, but it packs successful a batch much audio tech and artillery beingness than those bash – it tin past 24 hours (and this holds up successful my testing). The downside is that each of this tech comes astatine a seriously precocious terms of $449 / £449 / AU$799.

The Sonos Move 2 does everything it's expected to highly well. It sounds great, with depth, poise and item to delight picky listeners, arsenic good arsenic being amusive and large capable for parties. Its loudness is portion of its vantage – wherever different portable speakers apical retired and suffer control, the Move 2 has tons of headroom.

Given that a premix of Bluetooth and Sonos Wi-Fi connectivity are present besides offered by different Sonos speakers – peculiarly the Sonos Era 100, which sounds the aforesaid but is astir fractional the terms – the caller Move 2 has a harder clip justifying its terms than its predecessor did. If you privation the peculiar premix of powerfulness and practicality that it delivers, and you person the budget, past I wholly urge it. It's classy, reliable and flexible.

But for anyone much fund conscious oregon who doesn't request each diagnostic it offers, you mightiness beryllium amended disconnected redeeming currency and looking astatine the stationary Sonos Era 100, the cheaper-but-weaker-sounding Sonos Roam, oregon the less-functional-but-excellent-sounding Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2.

Sonos Move 2 review: Price and merchandise date

• Released connected September 20, 2023
• Officially priced astatine $449 / £449 / AU$799

Released successful September 2023, the Sonos Move 2 arrives to a satellite densely populated by portable speakers, and mostly astatine a far, acold little terms than its $449 / £449 / AU$799 fee. Sonos products don't thin to get overmuch successful the mode of beingness discounts either (though the institution astatine slightest takes portion successful income periods much than it utilized to, these days).

Sonos has ever been a premium brand, and the Sonos Move 2 is astir premium arsenic portable speakers get, with lone a fewer competitors, specified arsenic the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5, daring to spell immoderate higher than this.

Sonos has a much affordable alternative, of course, successful the signifier of the Sonos Roam, which is priced (and sized) person to what radical deliberation of from Bluetooth speakers. So the Move 2 is for radical who don't privation to compromise connected the comparatively compressed dependable of the Roam.

However, it's worthy noting that you tin get thing similar the ample and genuinely impressive-sounding Tribit Stormbox Blast for fractional the terms of the Move 2. It's pricey adjacent by hefty talker standards.

Sonos Move 2 review: Specs

Sonos Move 2 review: Features

• Wi-Fi oregon Bluetooth, positive optional line-in
• 24-hour artillery beingness holds up successful tests
• Touch controls connected apical enactment great

The Sonos Move 2 features some Bluetooth and Wi-Fi options for connectivity, conscionable arsenic its predecessor did. Unlike its predecessor, though, this is present a overmuch much communal enactment successful Sonos' lineup. Not lone bash the Move 2 and Roam connection this, but besides the Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Era 300. 

Also similar the Era 100 and Era 300, it has a USB-C larboard that functions arsenic a line-in (including for a 3.5mm jack, if you person Sonos' adapter), and a caller statement of interaction controls connected top, including a recessed barroom for measurement that makes it casual to find. Play/pause and way skipping buttons are present too, on with an indicator for the dependable power strategy – again, a diagnostic it shares with the different speakers, including some Alexa and Sonos Voice Control options.

And conscionable similar the Era 100, the Move 2 has a three-driver talker system, with 2 angled tweeters pointing near and close (to make stereo, Sonos claims), and 1 cardinal mid-woofer. It means that much than ever, the favoritism betwixt the Move 2 and its closest sibling sonically, the Era 100 successful this case, is the artillery and pugnacious build.

The artillery beingness Sonos is claiming present is 24 hours, which is treble what the archetypal Sonos Move offered, and successful my experience, it hits that – astatine least, with the measurement not turned up excessively high. I recovered that it mislaid an mean of astir 4% per hr with the measurement astatine astir 25% playing implicit Wi-Fi (AirPlay 2), which is easy large capable to bask euphony portion I constitute this reappraisal astatine my desk. When you person it outside, likelihood are you'll person it a higher level than this, but I didn't find that the artillery drain drastically rose.

I besides recovered that it mislaid astir 20% artillery erstwhile near for 24 hours. It does person a slumber mode, which it should participate automatically erstwhile near alone, that efficaciously arrests artillery drop. Although you can't aftermath it up from slumber mode remotely, you request to property the powerfulness fastener connected the backmost to footwear it backmost to life. One bonus of the artillery this clip is that you tin complaint your telephone from it by plugging into the USB-C port. You don't person to bash overmuch – conscionable plug it in, and if it doesn't instantly commencement charging, deed the powerfulness fastener connected the back.

As with each Sonos systems, mounting it up is easy. The Sonos app volition observe it immediately, rapidly tally done the process of adding it to your Wi-Fi and your Sonos location network, arsenic good arsenic updating it with caller software.

You tin besides alteration Auto TruePlay here, which volition set the dependable automatically to your environment, updating each fewer minutes due to the fact that the talker perpetually monitors itself. Sonos has told maine that this is little effectual than the afloat Trueplay oregon the Quick Tune enactment connected its newer speakers. I'm not definite it's doing overmuch transformative here, but it's amended than nothing. There is besides the enactment of utilizing 2 Move 2 speakers for a much convincing stereo system, though I don't expect this to beryllium a wildly fashionable enactment astatine this price.

You tin acceptable the dependable power options from the app, either enabling Amazon Alexa oregon Sonos Voice Control, which offers beauteous overmuch lone the quality to prime and play music, but with nary unreality computing, truthful it whitethorn beryllium preferable for the privacy-minded. A power connected the backmost disables the mic completely, if you prefer. On the backmost astatine the bottom, you'll besides find the USB-C port.

Bluetooth pairing is besides turned connected and disconnected utilizing a fastener connected the back, which you clasp briefly. It instantly appeared arsenic an enactment connected my devices aft that. You tin usage the Bluetooth transportation oregon the optional line-in (a abstracted 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter tin beryllium bought) to link to the Move 2, and past broadcast that dependable astir to different Sonos speakers. So, I was capable to link the Move 2 to a Bluetooth root and usage the Sonos app to beam that dependable to my Sonos Arc. It worked wholly seamlessly, done the System presumption of the Sonos app – deed the quadrate "broadcast" icon by the Move 2 to take different Sonos speakers to nonstop the audio to.

• Features score: 4.5/5

Sonos Move 2 review: Sound quality

• Excellent equilibrium and large detail
• No quality betwixt Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
• Not truly stereo sound

Let's get 1 speedy happening retired of the way: I couldn't marque retired immoderate wide quality successful dependable prime betwixt Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (via Apple AirPlay 2 oregon from the Sonos app directly) connected the Sonos Move 2. So immoderate judgement of the dependable applies arsenic to each sources.

It whitethorn not daze Sonos regulars to cognize that the Move 2 sounds great. It's susceptible of large extent astatine the debased extremity successful a mode that makes usage of its size and value – a bass enactment tin thrum and vibrate with richness without ever feeling similar it's getting loose, portion drums deed tightly and sharply. 

Big bass is inactive reasonably communal successful portable speakers though (partly due to the fact that low-end frequencies suffer measurement rapidly and are easy disrupted by reflections/wind), but it tin often consciousness overblown: the instrumentality to the Sonos Move 2 is that that it's balanced truthful expertly, arsenic is accustomed with Sonos gear. The bass carries good outside, but indoors it inactive says successful enactment with with the mid-range and treble.

In the mid-range, instruments person capable country to explicit themselves, and it surely doesn't consciousness similar a tiny soundstage – it diffuses nicely portion inactive having the specificity of peculiar voices oregon tones. I deliberation it struggles astir for clarity present successful peculiar dense tracks. You tin besides get somewhat amended precision from thing similar the HomePod 2, oregon surely from the Sonos Era 300 – some of which are the aforesaid terms oregon cheaper, but besides aren't portable. It doesn't grip things severely astatine all, I conscionable noticed its limits here.

In treble, it's again crisp and successful full control. Little high-end details assistance retired of the mid-range with nary confusion, and again it feels suitable expansive and carries good crossed the room.

As with the Era 100 and its highly akin talker arrangement, I don't deliberation I tin truly accidental that it lives up to Sonos' claims of producing stereo sound. If you are sitting straight facing it astatine an optimal distance, yes, successful tracks with large separation, you'll beryllium capable to perceive it. But that's not truly however the Sonos Move is used; erstwhile it's extracurricular oregon crossed the room, it won't truly matter. But I deliberation the angled drivers bash assistance with the wide soundstage, and that's precise invited successful a talker similar this.

The question astir the Move 2 isn't truly whether it sounds good. It truly does. It's whether it sounds bully capable for the price, which is undoubtedly high. Its dependable is incredibly adjacent to the Sonos Era 100 (I compared them directly), arsenic you mightiness expect fixed their akin audio setups, but you tin bargain two Era 100s for fundamentally the aforesaid terms arsenic 1 Sonos Move.

I besides compared it straight to my favourite Bluetooth speaker, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Gen 2. This is different 1 that's regularly disposable for fractional the terms of the Move 2, and though it lacks immoderate of the features (no Wi-Fi, 18 hours of artillery life), I was amazed astatine however adjacent successful dependable prime they were. The B&O has ever impressed maine with its balance, and though the bass isn't rather arsenic impactful, and the mid-range is simply a small little expressive, the antithetic successful wide euphony enjoyment betwixt them was slim.

However, the quality successful measurement headroom was huge. The Move 2 was capable to deed the aforesaid loudness astatine 25-30% that the B&O was hitting astatine 50%. There's simply much headroom from the overmuch larger machine.

• Sound quality: 4.5/5

Sonos Move 2 review: Design

• Great-feeling physique and materials
• Sleek plan that looks bully arsenic a location speaker
• A existent grip would astir apt beryllium better

The Sonos Move 2 looks incredibly similar the archetypal Move, but with a caller decorativeness to the plastic, a somewhat antithetic curve to its edges, and a new-look apical sheet – each successful enactment with Sonos' caller plan language, introduced with the Era 100 and Era 300 speakers. Following this, the achromatic decorativeness is simply a small different, and successful summation to achromatic oregon white, there's a caller Olive color, which is what I had, and I deliberation it's an fantabulous shade. Neutral without being boring; fashionable but not flashy.

And it doesn't conscionable look similar the original, either; it's fundamentally the aforesaid dimensions and weight. Compared to a genuinely portable speaker, specified arsenic a JBL Flip 6 oregon Sonos' ain Roam, it's damn big, there's nary question. The 6.6 lb / 3kg value besides pushes the explanation of portable a little, depending connected what you privation to bash with it. It's excessively overmuch to adhd to a battalion for a hike, but carrying it to my plot portion I worked connected weeding it was nary hardship. But then, I'm besides a young-ish feline with nary carnal ailments. I'm not definite my parent would transportation it to her tomatoes erstwhile she tends to them astatine this weight, which she mightiness with a lighter speaker.

A origin successful the value is however you transportation it. The recessed conception successful the backmost is perfectly good to grip for me, and feels stone coagulated arsenic a mode to transportation it – but it means the value is unbalanced, truthful again, if idiosyncratic has immoderate grip oregon spot issues, they whitethorn conflict with it. Having this "invisible" grip makes the Move 2 look bully successful the location erstwhile not successful use, but for sheer practicality, a modular over-the-top transportation grip would astir apt beryllium much utile for much people.

The charging dock is the lone portion that doesn't consciousness rather arsenic meticulously engineered arsenic the rest. It's not that there's thing incorrect with it arsenic such, it's conscionable bladed and light. I besides recovered myself nudging it erstwhile re-seating the Move 2 for charging, and past having to double-check it was decidedly successful determination right, due to the fact that it doesn't person the satisfying and unafraid acceptable you get erstwhile putting thing similar AirPods Pro 2 backmost successful their charging case.

The talker is IP56 rated, meaning that it tin instrumentality being sprayed, and lightly submerged, arsenic good arsenic being capable to support against a just magnitude of particulate oregon sand. You'll find that a batch of the best waterproof speakers tin champion this, but it's good for what the Move 2 is truly designed for – it'll instrumentality being rained connected if you permission it outside, oregon sprayed by the kids accidentally.

• Design score: 4/5

Sonos Move 2 review: Value

• It's costly compared to different Sonos speakers
• But it offers a unsocial flexibility and audio prime combination
• Ultimately worthy it, if you request what it offers

I touched connected this taxable astatine the extremity of the dependable prime section, but the contented with the worth of the Sonos Move 2 is truly what you tin get instead. You get a Sonos Era 300, which sounds noticeable better. Or 2 Sonos Era 100 units, which mightiness mean you don't request the portability. Or 1 Era 100 and 1 Sonos Roam, giving you portability and powerfulness successful abstracted units.

However, I don't deliberation the Move 2 is atrocious value, due to the fact that of the peculiar premix of worldly it's offering. The artillery beingness is truly agelong compared to different portable speakers, the dependable prime is truthful enjoyable, and it's truthful flexible with its combo of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (and the quality to beam Bluetooth dependable to different Sonos devices).

So if you privation the Move 2, you person to privation what it offers successful particular. This particular premix of high-quality sound, agelong artillery beingness and connectivity options, and you're blessed not to compromise connected fund to get it.

Taken arsenic a whole, the Move 2 is not atrocious value, but I decidedly won't beryllium enthusing astir what a bargain it is.

• Value score: 3/5

Should I bargain the Sonos Move 2?

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Sonos Move 2 review: Also consider

How I tested the Sonos Move 2

• Tested for implicit a week
• Tested astatine location and successful my yard
• Used chiefly with Apple Music, but besides podcasts

I tested the Sonos Move 2 for implicit a week astatine my home, utilizing it arsenic my main root of euphony during that clip – portion moving from location astatine my desk, indoors astatine a little volume; and portion moving connected my garden, with the measurement turned up higher to flooded the sounds of the neighborhood.

I chiefly utilized it with Apple Music, tested implicit Bluetooth, implicit AirPlay 2, and utilizing the Sonos app astatine antithetic times, to marque definite determination were nary audio prime differences. I besides listened to podcasts connected it a little.

I compared it to the Sonos Era 100 straight successful a head-to-head test, arsenic good arsenic the B&O Beosound A1 Gen 2. I besides had the Sonos Era 300 and Apple HomePod 2 available, truthful I listened to those for much worth comparisons.

• First reviewed: September 2023
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