Portable speaker gets an upgrade for 2023
Four years after the original launched, the Sonos Move 2 has been officially announced by the multi-room audio streaming giant.
Verdict: Sonos Move 2 review
Four years is a long time in tech and the Move 2 is testament to advancements in technology, most notably with the battery life, which is up from 10 hours on the original Move to an impressive 24 hours; and all that from a battery than can be removed and replaced when it’s starting to fade.
Unlike its predecessor, it doesn’t require a proprietary charging input; it’s regular old USB-C that juices it up.
What’s more, that USB-C port can serve as a lifeline for your other gadgets, making it your go-to power bank on the go.
When the battery does run low, the included Wireless Charging Base or any USB-PD power supply will get you back in action.
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Another improvement on the original is the sound quality, with the Move 2 being the first portable Sonos speaker to offer stereo sound.
Inside the Sonos Move 2 is a completely revamped dual-tweeter acoustic architecture, alongside a precision-tuned woofer that Sonos tells us produces deep, dynamic bass – perfect for those outdoor parties.
Like Sonos’ other portable speakers, the Move 2 is capable of being a regular Bluetooth speaker, while at the same time able to become part of your regular Sonos system with its Wi-Fi mode.
However, it actually trumps the original Move on the Bluetooth front as, just like the Sonos Roam, it’s able to be on both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi mode at the same time.
Because of that, it can ping a Bluetooth tune around your other Sonos speakers when you’re in range of them.
Essentially, you can use any music app on your phone that you like to send to the Move 2 and then group the Roam with other Sonos speakers.
You can even stream via Bluetooth to a stereo pair of Move 2 speakers when connected to Wi-Fi.
Additionally, the Move 2 can play a part of an AirPlay 2 multi-room system and has both Amazon Alexa and Sonos’ own voice assistant baked in (no sign of Google Assistant unfortunately).
Auto TruePlay is built in, so it adjusts dynamically to its surroundings, registering all of the different reflection patterns of each individual space.
The Move 2 looks a lot like the original, but it features that new volume slider that Sonos introduced on the Era 100 and 300 earlier this year.
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More intuitive than the regular tap buttons you’ll find on older Sonos speakers and the original Move, the slider should make it much easier to achieve a precise desired volume.
As well as the new slider you’ll find the usual array of Sonos touch buttons; play/pause, track skip forward/back and also a button to summon a voice assistant.
Sonos states that the Move 2 reduces idle energy consumption by over 40% and incorporates recycled plastics.
We’re told that the packaging is responsibly designed, using sustainably sourced materials with zero virgin plastic and is curbside recyclable.
Wi-Fi (6E) is also on board and the Move 2 also supports line-in; although you will have to buy a separate adapter ($19 / £19).
You’ll also need an adapter to get Ethernet involved too as it’s just that solitary USB-C port on the back. Sonos is offers a combo adapter for 3.5mm and Ethernet for $25 / £25.
The Sonos Move 2 costs $449 / £449; so $50 / $50 on the original Move (which remains on sale).
It’s available to order now, direct from Sonos. It comes in black, white and a new fancy looking olive green shade.