Sonos Move 2 Review: Two Key Improvements Make for a Better Speaker

8.3

Sonos Transfer 2

Like

• Improved sound and battery life

• Water resistant and dustproof

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

• Hyperlinks with different Sonos speaker for multi-room audio

• Autotuning system calibrates to any atmosphere

• Battery is replaceable

Don’t love

• Pretty dear

• Regardless of having a sturdy design, it might get broken in case you drop it

Sonos’ Transfer 2 moveable speaker is a reasonably easy product to evaluate. That is as a result of it improves upon its already excellent predecessor in a few key methods. Along with providing extra spacious sound because of a brand new dual-tweeter acoustic structure, it additionally delivers a lot improved battery life (as much as 24 hours). Sonos additionally tossed is a few modest design updates, together with new contact controls. Alas, these upgrades include a better worth — the Transfer 2 with an included a wi-fi charging dock prices $449 (£449, AU$799), or $50 greater than the unique. However in case you can afford it, it is a wonderful moveable speaker that makes for a pleasant addition to your property’s Sonos lineup, with the power to journey extra extensively because of its Bluetooth help.

Learn extra: Greatest Bluetooth audio system of 2023

Design

The Transfer 2 is available in three shade choices — white, black and a brand new olive shade that I requested for my evaluate pattern (it is a smart-looking shade). From the entrance, the speaker seems to be primarily the identical as its predecessor. Nevertheless, like Sonos’ new wired Period 100 and Period 300 audio system that had been launched in June, the Transfer 2 options the identical new contact management system on its topside. You should utilize the contact controls to play, pause or skip a monitor, and swipe your finger alongside the quantity slider to regulate the quantity ranges. As earlier than, you’ll be able to management the speaker together with your voice, with each Amazon Alexa or Sonos Voice Management supported, although not Google Voice Assistant. The built-in microphone array can be used when organising the speaker with Sonos’ TruePlay sound calibration system that customizes the sound for a specific area, whether or not it is indoors or outdoors.

In some methods, the Transfer 2 seems to be too good for use as an outside speaker. However an built-in deal with on the again allows you to tote the Transfer 2 round the home, out to the patio and even to the seaside. (It weighs in at 6.61 kilos, or 3 kg, so it is acquired some heft it and seems like a premium-priced speaker ought to.)

With the speaker’s IP56 score, Sonos says the speaker’s sturdy exterior permits it to resist falls, bumps, rain and moisture, mud and grime, UV mild, and excessive temperatures. Whereas I used the speaker within the rain, I did not drop it. With its rubberized base, I do suppose it could be wonderful if it fell straight down. Nevertheless, I believe the speaker’s grill would get dinged up ought to the speaker fall on its facet and hit one thing like a rock or gravel.

For a speaker that one would predominantly use outdoors, that would not be a giant deal. However greater than possible, you will be utilizing this round the home as a part of a Sonos multi-room audio arrange, and most of the people would favor to have their $450 indoor audio system freed from any blemishes. In different phrases, the speaker is certainly sturdy — it ought to proceed working simply wonderful after a fall — however you must nonetheless keep away from dropping it. That will sound apparent, however simply because a product is said sturdy, does not imply it is impervious to break (or will nonetheless look pristine within the aftermath of a spill).

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Each the Transfer and Sonos’ smaller and extra moveable Roam ($179) speaker are designed for use as Bluetooth audio system whenever you’re outdoor away out of your residence however in your Wi-Fi community and built-in into your Sonos multi-room audio system whenever you’re at residence. Nevertheless, it was beforehand slightly difficult to maneuver from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth. With the Transfer 2, Sonos has addressed that situation and I had no hassle pairing the speaker with Bluetooth (there is a Bluetooth button on again on the speaker) after I was out of vary from my residence Wi-Fi community. As soon as I returned to my residence community, the speaker reverted to a Wi-Fi connection and not using a downside.

Apple customers may also straight stream audio from their gadgets to the speaker utilizing AirPlay 2 through Wi-Fi. It is also price noting that the speaker makes use of the AAC audio codec for wirelessly Bluetooth audio streaming, but it surely would not help any of the so-called high-res audio codecs like AptX and LDAC which are out there with many Android gadgets. I do not know if it could matter a lot, however simply noting it.

Large battery life enhancements

As I mentioned, the opposite massive enchancment is to its battery life. The speaker is now rated for as much as 24 hours of use at reasonable quantity ranges, based on Sonos. That is up from the unique Transfer’s 11-hour battery life score.

Like its predecessor, the Transfer 2’s built-in rechargeable battery is person replaceable. Sonos mentioned the unique Transfer’s battery was good for about 900 expenses or about three years of use. It’ll in all probability last more than that except you employ the speaker continually, however it’s reassuring which you can exchange the battery — the substitute prices $79.

Whereas the speaker comes with a wi-fi charging dock, you may as well cost through the USB-C port, which doubles as charge-out port for charging your gadgets. On prime of that, Sonos confirmed that you just use the USB-C port as an audio enter utilizing Sonos’ Line-In Adapter accent, which it sells individually for $19.

Improved sound

As famous within the intro, Sonos says the Transfer 2 is supplied with a brand new dual-tweeter acoustic structure that enables for extra spacious stereo sound. And sure, the soundstage is extra spacious, however the factor you actually discover is that sound has extra depth and readability. The unique Transfer was on on the hotter facet, however the Transfer 2’s sound feels tightened up and extra detailed. You do get a little bit of stereo separation, however there’s solely a lot you may get from a pair of tweeters spaced a couple of inches aside. The brand new driver design is extra about creating wider, broader sound — in case you’re actually in search of stereo separation, wirelessly linking a pair of Transfer 2s in stereo mode is the transfer, excuse the pun.

I in contrast the Transfer 2 to Final Ears equally formed Epicboom speaker, which prices $100 much less and likewise weighs much less (4.36 kilos, or simply underneath 2 kg). The Epicboom sounds excellent for a Bluetooth speaker, however the Transfer 2 clearly sounds higher, with tighter, deeper bass and cleaner, extra detailed sound that holds up properly whilst you push the quantity up. The Transfer 2 has a really nice tonal stability and comes throughout as pretty pure sounding and correct.

Each audio system have an outside mode (on the Sonos you interact “Loudness” within the settings) that helps the audio system sound greater in open environments. On the Sonos, you will wish to flip off loudness when utilizing the speaker indoors (and earlier than utilizing the Trueplay automated tuning function to customized tune the speaker for no matter room you may have it in).

Sonos Transfer 2 ultimate ideas

In terms of moveable audio system, Sonos would not offer you an entire lot of selection. The smaller Roam does sound excellent for its compact measurement (I believe a Roam 2 is within the works that corrects a few of that speaker’s small downsides), however in case you’re in search of a Sonos speaker that delivers the form of audio you count on from the Period 100, the Transfer 2 is a no brainer.

Whereas it would not ship the much more voluminous sound of the Period 300, which additionally value $449, it might probably fill a small- to medium-size room with sound and is simple to hold out to the patio or pool, the place it makes for a wonderful outside wi-fi speaker that delivers virtually as a lot quantity and bass as among the bigger boombox-style Bluetooth audio system. It is a powerful moveable speaker.

Sonos Transfer 2 key specs, based on Sonos

• 6.61 kilos (3 kg)
• Overhauled dual-tweeter acoustic structure permits Transfer 2 to ship stereo sound
• 24 hours of playback on a single cost.
• Costs through USB-C or included Wi-fi Charging Base
• IP56 score (water- and dust-resistant)
• Constructed to resist unintended falls, bumps, rain and moisture, mud, UV rays and excessive temperatures
• Automated Trueplay tuning regularly optimizes the Transfer 2’s sound for its environment
• Contact controls
• Stream through Bluetooth to a stereo pair of Transfer 2 audio system when related to Wi-Fi or seamlessly group Transfer 2 with the remainder of your Sonos system
• Detachable and replaceable battery
• Worth: $449/£449/499 euros/AU$799