Sonos Move review: What can the first portable Sonos speaker do?

At IFA 2019 we saw the first "portable" loudspeaker from Sonos - the Sonos Move. I was able to take a close look at the good piece, where I noticed a lot.

Actually, Sonos is known for a wide range of multi-rooms. The manufacturer's range includes sound bars, small speakers and slightly larger boxes, all of which were previously always intended for use in your own four walls, as no battery has been installed in any model. That changed now with the Sonos Move. Thanks to a rechargeable battery and Bluetooth, it can sometimes leave the home of its own.

Unboxing and initial setup

Sonos put the Move in a very large cardboard box. It is mainly black, and all you can see is a product image, a few logos and various inscriptions. If you open the top of the box, you will first see a quick start guide with all sorts of instructions. If you remove the cardboard part that contained the note, you will see the speaker in a small fabric bag and another box. This contains the pretty good charger with integrated power supply, which I will come back to in more detail later.

Here is a look inside the packaging. (Image: TechnikNews)

The initial setup is done entirely in the Sonos app, which is available for download in the Play Store and App Store. Once opened, the user is asked whether they want to set up a new product - this option must be selected. It is important that the setup device is connected to a WiFi network and that the Sonos speaker is in the charging cradle. Both devices should find each other after a short time. Then the rest of the setup happens automatically. The whole thing should take about 10 minutes.

Sonos S1 controller

Price: Free of charge

Unknown app

Price: Free of charge

Later, the Bluetooth pairing mode, AirPlay and Spotify Connect will also be available.

Design and workmanship

Even at a quick glance, Sonos fans can see that the Move is another product from the manufacturer. The speaker comes in a single color - black -, has a subtle logo on the front and has the obligatory touchpad along with some far-field microphones on the top.

On the top there is a touchpad and microphones. (Image: TechnikNews)

Compared to the Sonos One, however, this model is a little rounder and taller. Nevertheless it should profit easily on any shelf. Other differences become apparent when you take a look at the back. Instead of an Ethernet port and a power cable, there are connectors for the charging station and a USB-C port. Both serve to charge the device, with the charging base being simply a minimalistic black plastic circle that you can easily place the Move in. USB-C is practical when you're on the go, as you can use a power bank to refill the speaker's battery. Sonos only sells the Move in one color, black.

At home, the Move charges in the charging cradle, while on the move via USB-C. (Image: TechnikNews)

portability

And since the word "on the go" has already been mentioned, I would like to briefly talk about the portability of the speaker. First of all: the Sonos Move is not a light product, weighing three kilograms. The integrated handle and the included carrying bag make it easier to transport, but for the swimming pool, for example, I would still use Bluetooth products from Ultimate Ears, JBL or Libratone, as they are much lighter. In my case, the Sonos Move would be used in the garden, where I don't have to carry it for long. It's nice that the product is protected against the ingress of some water and dust in accordance with IP56.

The Sonos Move is no longer a compact speaker. (Image: TechnikNews)

Equipment and sound quality

So that you can now play music on the Move outside where the WLAN is not sufficient, Sonos first installed Bluetooth. To use this, press the Bluetooth button on the back and add the device via the Bluetooth settings. Alternatively, Airplay 2 and Spotify Connect are available, for which a WLAN connection is required again. Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are also on board. If you have several loudspeakers with the assistants in one room, the one with the smallest distance to the user speaks. The battery has a capacity of 36 watt hours, and the manufacturer specifies a runtime of 10 hours. This value roughly corresponds to the truth. In my test, I was able to achieve a usage time of 9,5 hours, with the all-round speaker usually sitting in the charging cradle anyway.

Now the big question still remains: How does it sound? When I first played my absolute favorite song, I was a little disappointed. The higher notes were a little swallowed up by the bass. And that didn't just happen with this song. Other songs on my playlist, such as "Invitation" by Yellow Claw, shone, however, because this song hardly has any high notes. The vocals sound very clear. This also makes podcasts sound great on the device. The maximum volume was sufficient for me at all times; I usually had the control at around 25 percent (and it was still almost too loud).

Sonos app

Then there is of course support for the Sonos app, which can be found free of charge in the Google Play Store or in the Apple App Store. The manufacturer also offers a suitable one for the Mac Version for download.

As I said at the beginning, the app helps with the setup. Once you've done that, the fun really begins. Then you can add your first music services, although it doesn't matter which one you already use, as pretty much every streaming service imaginable is available. From Spotify to Apple Music and YouTube Music to Pandora, everything is represented. This meant that I could often listen to music with Spotify and then switch to Pocket Casts for my podcasts in no time at all. Practical! Does the user already have an existing Sonos system? No problem! Simply add the Move to an existing room and it will play the music from the other speakers.

I particularly liked the fact that the loudspeaker responded immediately to every input via the app, even when I use one device and sometimes the other.

Prices and availability

The recommended retail price for the Sonos Move is 399 euros. You can buy it at Sonos' online shop, on Amazon, at MediaMarkt and at Saturn. By the way: For Black Friday there is at Sonos some offers where the move is also included.

Sonos Move: Conclusion

So, now we’ve reached the end again – the part where I give my opinion about a product.

I have to say that I like the Sonos Move in principle. It looks very similar to other products from the company, which means that the newest speaker in the range looks perfect next to other models. What's more, thanks to the WiFi connection, it's just as good a multi-room speaker as others from the Sonos range. And if you want to listen to music outside, all you have to do is take the Move out of the charging station and maybe put it in the carrying bag. And if the speaker runs out of battery while you're out and about, there's USB-C. Now you can enjoy your music away from a power outlet and WiFi thanks to Bluetooth. Sounds like the perfect all-rounder, doesn't that sound?

Unfortunately, the world is not that perfect either, in my opinion there is still a little bit of fine-tuning. Well, the Move should be portable - but it wouldn't take it any further into the garden than mine. This is due to the heavy weight. Although there is a handle, it does not make the device any lighter. In addition, I don't always find the sound perfect.

Overall, I don't think I would buy this product. But I also think that Sonos fans will get their money's worth here.

Thank you for providing the Sonos Move.

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