Sonos has had an undeniable influence as a premium wireless speaker brand, especially for music streaming enthusiasts. The company’s extensive product lineup aims to have something for everyone, from portable Bluetooth speakers like the Roam to high-end home audio offerings like the Five. The new Sonos Move 2 portable speaker clearly targets the premium end of the market. At $449, it is quite expensive compared to competitors. However, the Move 2 is one of the best portable speakers available for those seeking premium features and outstanding audio performance both at home and on the go.
Sonos, as a brand, has carved a niche for itself in the audio industry. Their commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction has been unwavering. When you invest in a Sonos product, you’re not just buying a speaker; you’re buying into a legacy of excellence. This brand trust often commands a premium, and many loyal customers are willing to pay for this assurance of quality.
Such is the case with their latest offering, the Sonos Move 2 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker, a speaker designed to be more than just an ordinary portable speaker, bringing a sense of style and quality to the portable space. With its rugged design, the Move 2 promises longevity and feels like it was made to last. Whether it’s the rubberized base, metal grill or matte finish, every aspect of the Move 2 screams durability.
This robust construction ensures that the speaker isn’t just a short-term investment but a long-term companion, especially with its IP56 rating for outdoor use in most environments. Despite this premium feel and build quality, the Move 2 retains the sleek and modern look we have come to expect from the audio brand, allowing it to blend seamlessly into most spaces.
“The Sonos Move 2 delivers convincing audio…”
Moving past the look and style, the audio quality is what is the real selling point of this speaker. From my first time setting up the Move 2 with a simple podcast, I was blown away by how well the sound carried, especially considering the size of the speaker. Its stereo driver array is a big improvement on the original Move’s mono setup — now with separate left and right tweeters firing above the mid/bass driver.
This should result in a wider, more expansive soundstage. The Trueplay feature, which is constantly running to give the best possible sound in any room in which it is placed, works wonders, allowing even more complex audio to come through crystal clear, full of colour and depth.
The Sonos Move 2 delivers convincing audio across the frequency range—a nice balance between crisp highs and controlled lows and manages to deliver audio with all speakers working together to make the best sound possible. Vocals come through with great character, and instrumentals shine even on some more complex audio tracks from many of today’s most popular artists, going through the gambit of Taylor Swift all the way to Halsey and Metallica.
The new stereo tweeter setup creates a wider soundstage than the original Move. While there is still a noticeable sweet spot rather than true left/right separation, it never takes away from the audio experience. In testing, the Move 2 sounds great outdoors or in medium to large rooms, although in smaller spaces, the sound can feel confined compared to traditional stereo speakers, lacking room for the speaker’s impact.
Still, for a portable offering, the Move 2’s stereo drivers significantly expand the width and space of the sound compared to other options, especially in this size range. The stereo effect provides an impressive upgrade over the original’s mono output.
The Move 2 managed to deliver sound that feels refined and full of detail, with a level of balance that is often hard to find in portable speakers. Whether you’re listening to the soft strum of a guitar, the powerful beats of a drum, or the subtle nuances of vocals, the Move 2 captures it all with finesse. I tested the Move 2 on a range of audio, from podcasts to metal, and it never failed to impress.
Even unbalanced audio, which podcasts are known to suffer from, came through clearly on the Move 2, something I honestly did not expect. This, combined with how well complex music comes through on the speaker, has quickly made the Move 2 my go-to solution for working at home.
Controlling all the audio is also easy, thanks to Sonos’ excellent app, touch buttons, or voice commands. The app remains the standard that other brands aspire to, with a simple interface that brings all your streaming services together in one place, with everything just a few clicks away. Combined with incredibly robust multi-room capabilities, it has become the gold standard by which many smart speaker apps are measured. It acts as your point of entry for anything Sonos, and this makes all tasks from setup to just throwing on some music easy and intuitive.
Beyond how easy everything is, it is the range of services that makes the Sonos ecosystem hard to beat. The app brings together most services you could want for your new internet-connected speaker. With all major services like Spotify, Sticker, and Google Play Music included, Sonos goes above and beyond and also brings features like Sonos Radio to ensure you always have something to listen to when you want to relax or just get pumped up.
As this is a Sonos speaker, the Sonos Move 2 has everything you could want from a smart audio solution, and much like its predecessor, it still brings with it Bluetooth audio to make it easy to set up, even at a party. The seamless integration of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the support for AirPlay 2, and the enhanced battery life are not mere add-ons; they’re essential features that enhance the user experience.
“…the Sonos Move 2 has everything you could want from a smart audio solution…”
These features, combined with the Sonos ecosystem, offer a level of convenience and versatility that few competitors can match. It can’t be overstated just how easy the Move 2 is to set up. From unboxing to listening, I was fully up and running in around 10 minutes, and that includes the software update.
I’m normally skeptical of any device that requires a backend solution to run, but Sonos has shown that they will support old speakers, and even if they don’t get all the new features, the fact that this hardware will continue to be supported after years is a great peace of mind that many internet-based audio hardware products sadly don’t have. This, combined with the inclusion of Bluetooth, means that even if the servers are turned off tomorrow, the Move 2 will keep being a device you can enjoy for years to come.
With so much tech packed under the surface, I was worried about how long the Move 2’s battery would actually last in day-to-day use; thankfully, Sonos surprised me with just how robust their offering was. Offering up to 24 hours of playback on a single charge it ensures that the music doesn’t stop, whether you’re hosting a day-long event or just lounging around. This is a significant upgrade from the original Move, which offered 11 hours. I had to leave it off the charger to test how long it could last purposely, and considering how easy it is to just drop onto the charger while listening, this was a bit awkward.
Despite the incredible battery life, the Move 2 retains its weight at 6.61 lbs, a testament to Sonos’ commitment to user convenience. The weight, combined with the built-in handle, ensures portability without compromising on performance. Now, don’t get me wrong, the Sonos Move 2 is heavier than many portable speakers on the market, but the handle built into the back of the device makes it easy to carry, with a rubber base making it something you can set down and not worry about moving around due to music or bring jostled.
The Sonos Move 2 has improved in most of the ways that matter, and I have to say Sonos has outdone themselves. Even still, at $449, the Move 2 is undeniably a premium product. While some might be hesitant, the adage is true: you get what you pay for, and the Sonos Move 2 is no different. With the Sonos Move 2’s impeccable sound quality, robust design, enhanced battery life, and seamless connectivity, it promises an audio experience that few portable speakers can match.
While I loved what the Sonos Move brought to the range of smart speakers, giving a new level of mobility to an already fantastic audio ecosystem, the Move 2 raises the bar and makes one of the best portable speakers you can find on the market. It brings a versatile audio experience, a smart speaker ready to be part of your smart home that doubles as something you can use while out at the pool, and it looks good doing both. Sonos has nailed what the Move needed to improve and delivered it in the best possible way.
The Sonos Move 2 is more than just a speaker; it’s a statement of audio quality wrapped in a stylish body. It embodies Sonos’ dedication to delivering top-tier audio experiences for people that to embrace the world of streaming services. Whether you’re an audiophile, a casual listener, or someone who values premium craftsmanship, the Move 2 is a worthy addition to your audio arsenal. It’s not just about listening to music; it’s about experiencing it, and with the Sonos Move 2, that experience is nothing short of exceptional.
