After it was once launched final yr, the Sonos Roam turned into considered one of our favourite audio system, even nabbing a place as a most sensible Bluetooth speaker in our trying out. The corporate is now set to observe it up with the Roam SL, which, like earlier SL audio system, will have to be offering a identical albeit fairly much less top class revel in than the unique.
Preorders are open now for the Sonos Roam SL, and the speaker will start delivery on March 15. You’ll be able to preorder the speaker in both Shadow Black or Lunar White.
The Wi-Fi- and Bluetooth-enabled Roam SL seems to be nearly just like the common Roam. It includes a vertical triangular design that’s smaller than the typical plastic water bottle and lightweight sufficient to take anyplace. You’ll in finding bodily playback controls at the most sensible and a grippy outer coating for extra sturdiness and simplicity of use. The speaker is IP67 qualified, making it proof against such things as splashes of water or gentle rain. (You must even submerge it in a meter of water for half-hour and it could be OK.)
The Roam SL additionally options the similar speaker device (two amplifiers, a midwoofer and a unmarried tweeter) as the unique, which we discovered to provide colourful sound that works smartly in any setting for just about any monitor. The Roam SL, just like the common Roam, most effective produces sound from the entrance and now not a complete 360 levels like different transportable audio system, even though we didn’t in finding this to be a subject.
The Roam SL is appropriate with Sonos’ S2 instrument so you’ll wirelessly hook up with different Sonos audio system. And just like the common Roam, the Roam SL will have to last as long as 10 hours on a complete fee. The speaker comes with Sonos’ Battery Saver mode, which is able to routinely flip it utterly off should you’re now not the usage of it, and you’ll recharge the speaker the usage of the incorporated USB-A to USB-C cable. Sonos additionally sells an non-compulsory Qi wi-fi charger for $49 that helps the Roam and Roam SL. Nonetheless, you’ll position both speaker on any Qi-enabled charger to refuel it.
The largest problem of the Roam SL is surely the loss of a microphone. Now not most effective can it now not be used as a wise speaker, but it surely additionally gained’t function Sonos’ Computerized Trueplay era, which makes use of a microphone to evaluate the noise to your setting and routinely track your song for the most efficient high quality in any stipulations — one thing we cherished when trying out the unique Roam.
Any other function lacking from the inexpensive speaker is Sound Change. At the Roam, you’ll long-press the play/pause button to in an instant switch your song to the closest Sonos speaker in your house. This permits you to actually take your song anyplace you cross. Sadly, those that select up a Roam SL gained’t have the benefit of the function.
For those who don’t plan on the usage of the transportable speaker for telephone calls or the usage of an assistant like Alexa on it, we’d counsel looking on the Roam SL. It’s inexpensive than the unique Roam and nonetheless integrates closely into the Sonos ecosystem or is a brilliant position to begin. Sonos’ newest speaker is up for preorder now and starts delivery on March 15.
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| Audio system | Two Elegance-H virtual amplifiers, a tweeter and a midwoofer with Adjustable EQ | Two Elegance-H virtual amplifiers, a tweeter and a midwoofer with Computerized Trueplay and Adjustable EQ |
| Microphones | N/A | A much-field microphone array |
| Battery | 18Wh | 18Wh |
| Charging | A USB-C port or Qi-enabled wi-fi charging | A USB-C port or Qi-enabled wi-fi charging |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and AirPlay 2 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and AirPlay 2 |
| Sturdiness | IP67 Resistance | IP67 Resistance |
| Measurement and weight | 6.61 x 2.44 x 2.36 inches; 0.95 kilos | 6.61 x 2.44 x 2.36 inches; 0.95 kilos |
| Colours | Shadow Black or Lunar White | Shadow Black or Lunar White |
| Worth |
$159 |
$179 |
