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Sonos / Pocket-lint
Sonos Roam SL
Our best choice
$170 $180 Save $10
The Sonos Roam SL has the identical design and sound structure because the Sonos Roam, nevertheless it does not supply a microphone and so misses out on a few options.
Execs- Light-weight and transportable
- Nice sound high quality
- Water resistant
Cons- No sensible assistants
- No Sound Swap
- No automated Trueplay tuning
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Sonos / Pocket-lint
Sonos Roam
A wise different
The Sonos Roam is a incredible transportable speaker with loads of options, together with sensible assistants. It has extra options than Roam SL, like Sound Swap, however prices extra.
Execs- Light-weight and transportable
- Water resistant
- Good assistants and options
Cons- A little bit expensive
- No case
- Rubber ends dent
Portability wasn’t at all times a factor at Sonos. Up till the corporate launched the Sonos Transfer 2019, none of the Sonos speakers supplied Bluetooth capabilities and all of them required mains energy. Since Move although, Sonos not solely introduced the tremendous transportable Roam in 2021 and a microphone-free Roam in 2022, nevertheless it now additionally has the wired Era 100 and Era 300 with Bluetooth capabilities in its portfolio.
Whereas we now have compared how the Era 100 and the Roam compare in a separate function, right here we’re specializing in how the Sonos Roam and the Sonos Roam SL examine. What’s totally different between the Sonos Roam and Sonos Roam SL, what options do you miss out on for those who go for the Roam SL and which Roam must you select in your residence and life-style?
Value, specs and availability
The Sonos Roam prices greater than the Sonos Roam SL, which maybe will not be all that shocking. The Roam is $179 in the US and £179 in the UK. The Sonos Roam SL in the meantime, prices $159 in the US and £159 in the UK so that you save a bit bit of cash choosing the microphone-free variant.
The Sonos Roam does come in additional colors than the Roam SL although, supplied in Lunar White, Shadow Black, Sundown, Olive and Wave. The Sonos Roam SL solely is available in Shadow Black and Lunar White, although each these colors are nonetheless nice, they simply aren’t as enjoyable as the colorful choices supplied by Roam.
On the subject of specs, the Roam and Roam SL are just about an identical, apart from a few options and naturally, the shortage of microphones on the Roam SL. We have popped a spec desk comparability under to indicate the variations in specs at a look, however hold studying for extra element on how these two transportable audio system differ.
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Sonos Roam SL Sonos Roam Connectivity Wi-Fi 5.0, Bluetooth Wi-Fi 5.0, Bluetooth Battery 10 hours 10 hours Water Resistance IP67 IP67 Audio Two class-H amplifiers, customized racetrack mid-woofer, tweeter Two class-H amplifiers, customized racetrack mid-woofer, tweeter, far-field mics Voice assistant None Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Sonos Voice Management Colours Shadow Black, Lunar White Shadow Black, Lunar White, Olive, Sundown, Wave Dimensions 168 x 62 x 60mm, 0.43kg 168 x 62 x 60mm, 0.43kg Buttons Tactile Controls, Energy/Bluetooth Button Tactile controls, Energy/Bluetooth button Others Sonos options, Airplay 2 Sonos options, Auto Trueplay tuning, AirPlay 2, Sound Swap
Design and construct
The Sonos Roam and the Sonos Roam SL supply an nearly an identical design, which implies they’re suitable with the same cases. Each have a soft-to-touch end with tactile controls on the highest they usually can each be positioned horizontally or vertically, with small rubber ft permitting for each orientations. Additionally they each have an IP67 water and dust resistance so the 2 transportable audio system can each deal with being close to a pool, on the seashore, out within the rain or within the bathe with out a problem.
They’re additionally an identical of their dimensions, measuring across the similar as a 500ml (18oz) water bottle at 168 x 62 x 60mm. The place the Roam and Roam SL do differ when it comes to design nonetheless, just isn’t solely the color choices we talked about above, however within the controls on the highest. The Roam has a microphone on and off button on the controls on the prime, whereas the Roam SL doesn’t. That is the one distinction you will see on the floor although. The 2 audio system each have a USB-C charging port on the again, although you can even cost them by means of the charging dock accent that’s bought individually, they usually each have an influence button on the rear that doubles as a Bluetooth pairing button.
Sound structure
Pocket-lint
Sound structure is similar between the Sonos Roam and Sonos Roam SL gadgets too, that means they each ship the identical efficiency. Each the Roam and Roam SL include two Class-H digital amplifiers, one tweeter and one mid-woofer and the sound from the Roam and Roam SL is superb for the scale of the audio system.
The principle distinction between the Roam and Roam SL is the shortage of microphone on the Sonos Roam SL, as we talked about. This makes a distinction in relation to a few of the options supplied, together with Trueplay tuning.
The Sonos Roam gives Automatic Trueplay Tuning that means it could use its onboard microphone to analyse the atmosphere it has been positioned into and modify the sound accordingly. Because the Roam SL does not have a microphone, it does not assist Computerized Trueplay Tuning, although it does nonetheless supply commonplace tuning so you’ll be able to nonetheless manually tune the Roam SL by means of the normal Trueplay methodology. This includes the speaker emitting a collection of sounds and also you strolling across the room waving an iOS machine turned the other way up slowly. We have got a separate Trueplay feature that details exactly how that all works.
Options
Apart from Trueplay tuning, there are a few different variations within the options supplied by the Sonos Roam and Roam SL. The Sonos Roam gives a alternative of Alexa, Google Assistant and Sonos Voice Control, whereas the Sonos Roam SL does not have the choice of any of those attributable to its lack of microphone. The Roam SL can nonetheless be managed by way of Alexa, Google Assistant or Sonos Voice Management from one other Sonos machine that gives the assistants inbuilt, or a third-party Alexa or Google Assistant machine, however you do not get native assist on the speaker itself.
Sound Swap is a function that launched on the Sonos Roam however it’s also solely obtainable on the Roam. The function permits you to press and maintain the play/pause button on the Sonos Roam to ship the music you’re taking part in on the transportable speaker to the closest Sonos machine. Ultrasonic waves are used to detect the closest speaker although, which requires a microphone to listen to so the Sonos Roam SL does not supply Sound Swap, once more because of the lack of microphone.
Regardless of these variations, there are a selection of options that switch between each the Roam and Roam SL. Each audio system hook up with the Sonos system the place they provide Sonos Radio, compatibility with over 100 music streaming services, the power to group audio system and the power to regulate the EQ for instance, amongst loads of others, together with Apple AirPlay 2.
You can too stereo pair a Sonos Roam or Roam SL with one other Roam or Roam SL, although neither can be utilized as surrounds. Each audio system do additionally swap between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth routinely although they usually additionally each supply 10 hours of battery life.
Conclusion
The Sonos Roam and Sonos Roam SL are very related, a minimum of when it comes to design, battery life and sound structure. The place they predominantly differ is the shortage of microphone within the Sonos Roam SL, which then sees it lacking out on a few options in comparison with the unique Roam.
Sonos / Pocket-lint
Sonos Roam SL
Our best choice
$170 $180 Save $10
The Sonos Roam SL has the identical design and sound structure because the Sonos Roam, nevertheless it does not supply a microphone and so misses out on a few options.
You do not get inbuilt Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Sonos Voice Management, the Roam SL additionally does not supply Sonos Sound Swap and it additionally does not supply Computerized Trueplay tuning. In any other case, the options are the identical throughout each fashions, together with automated switching between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, integration with the Sonos system and Apple AirPlay 2.
The Sonos Roam SL is after all barely cheaper than the Roam and for many, will probably be a superb alternative as a conveyable Bluetooth speaker. The additional options supplied by Roam are useful however they’re extras, relatively than integral to the general expertise.
Sonos Roam
A wise different
The Sonos Roam is a incredible transportable speaker with loads of options, together with voice assistants. It has a couple of extra options than Roam SL, like Sound Swap, nevertheless it prices extra.
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