Move 2 is the latest edition of the wireless speaker from Sonos, which aims to be better than its predecessor in every aspect, as well as to become a great proposition in the market of this type of equipment. How does it perform in practice and is it worth buying? Today’s review will cover that. I borrowed the speaker for review from the manufacturer.
Sonos Move 2 – First Impressions
The Sonos Move 2 stands out as a versatile and easy-to-use portable speaker, offering more than just high-quality sound. It is almost ready to use right out of the box. In addition to the speaker itself, the package includes a docking station and a charger. A full charge takes about 3 hours, and the manufacturer promises that, unlike the previous generation model, the speaker’s battery life has been extended from 10 to 24 hours. In reality and not under laboratory conditions, the battery lasts for about 11 hours of continuous listening or watching TV. This is a very good result, but it also differs significantly from the manufacturer’s declaration. Additionally, the energy-saving function turns off the speaker after thirty minutes of inactivity, and the ability to charge while playing music adds convenience. We can simply keep it on the docking station in standby mode all the time.
The top of the speaker has buttons for skipping tracks and adjusting the volume, which are simple and intuitive to use. Additionally, in the Sonos mobile app, you can find a short guide showing how to use the built-in buttons. Moreover, on the top of the case, there is a button for activating the voice assistant, and at the back of the case, there are three additional buttons – power, BT, and a microphone switch (so that we can be sure that no one is listening to us when we do not want to use voice recognition functions).
I like the look and shape of this speaker. It comes in white, green, or black with a matte finish. It has an IP56 rating, which means it is protected against dust and high-pressure water jets. It is heavy, weighing up to 3 kilograms, which we will feel when taking it outdoors. It is quite large for a mobile speaker, but quite small for a home speaker. Its height is 241 mm, width 160 mm, and depth 127 mm. The speaker does not have any colorful lighting. The only thing that lights up is a very small LED indicating the status of the device (e.g., that it’s time to charge it).
The recess at the back of the case facilitates gripping when carrying, and with the use of an accessory hanger, it can be hung on the wall. A curiosity is the possibility of relatively easy battery replacement in Sonos speakers, which significantly increases the lifespan of this equipment. I also like the docking station, which is shaped like a small ring. It doesn’t take up much space, and when the Sonos Move2 is placed in it, charging starts immediately. Alternatively, it can be charged via a USB-C port, but the charger should have at least 45W of power.
Sonos Move 2 – Capabilities
The functionality of the entire Sonos system is quite good. We have here a dedicated app that allows for the integration of the speaker with the home network. In this way, the speaker becomes visible to all devices in our network. It can also automatically start, for example, with the TV or computer. This is a very convenient solution that I liked. There is the possibility of connecting several speakers into an audio system, or connecting two for good stereo. Sonos Move 2 also supports voice assistants, both Alexa and Google Assistant, providing easy voice control. The microphone of the speaker can be easily turned off with one button, which is beneficial for privacy.
Move2 is equipped with three class D digital amplifiers, two angled tweeters, and one mid-low speaker, which surprisingly plays very well. Its ability to drop bass down to 36 Hz makes it great for most music genres. You can feel the good, soft bass, and the vocals are separated and clear, which is good not only for listening to music but also for watching movies. Dialogues are very clear and there is no such feeling of muffled sound, as is the case with the unsuccessful new line of Sony XE speakers. I would compare its sound to the JBL Authentic series I tested earlier, which I really liked, but these speakers are much larger and not all models have a built-in battery to use them without external power.
It is worth mentioning that both the previous generation and Move 2 have a built-in True Play option. Auto Trueplay is an acoustic correction function that automatically optimizes the speaker’s sound reproduction depending on the acoustics of the room. Import
antly, the speaker calibrates itself when moved, eliminating the need for manual correction. If the microphone is muted, this function will not work. In my opinion, it works much better in Move2 than in the previous generation of this speaker. If we want to manually change the sound settings, in the app we have a slider responsible for boosting low and high tones, as well as a switch for additional bass enhancement. It’s a pity that we don’t have a graphical equalizer here, but I haven’t encountered such an option in either JBL or Sony. It is also worth mentioning the multi-room function, which allows playing different music in different rooms at the same time. However, these things are available only when the speaker is connected to the home network, because, to my surprise, we do not have access to the equalizer at the level of the BT connection.
Sonos Move vs Sonos Move 2 – Differences
Sonos Move 2, although at first glance resembles its previous model, in reality, differs significantly from it inside. Sonos improved the sound capabilities of Move 2, thanks to the use of three class D amplifiers and two angled tweeters. That’s one more amplifier and tweeter than in the previous model, while both models have a common mid-range speaker. The low-frequency speaker has also been precisely tuned to deliver deep basses, which should not be too overwhelming. In other words – there is no banging, only playing. And that’s actually audible.
Sonos Move 2 has the same dimensions and weight as the previous generation. This speaker maintains the styling of its predecessor, with subtle changes that improve overall ergonomics and ease of use. The shape of the speaker remained similar to the original Move – cylindrical with slightly rounded edges. In theory, in the second generation, the manufacturer improved the battery, but it performs almost the same as its predecessor. Both speakers offer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, allowing easy switching between the home Sonos system and portable use. In the app, we can still pair two speakers in stereo mode, but surprisingly – only the same ones. So, we cannot pair Move with Move 2. However, in Spotify, I easily set it to play music on both devices simultaneously using the Sonos scene. The sound quality is much higher when using the device via Wi-Fi.
Sound Quality
In my opinion, Sonos Move 2 plays better than its predecessor. The bass goes lower and you can feel its pleasant acoustic pressure. It works well in many different music genres and importantly, at different volume levels. There is no noticeable high compression or artifacts, and the dynamic range is quite large. It can easily power a party in even a larger room. I tested the speaker during a house party in a living room of about 30 square meters. Interestingly, the speaker was hidden in the corner, but guests were asking what was playing so well. And indeed, it must be admitted that Sonos Move 2 plays great, but not only in music does it do a good job. I also paired it with a smart TV, where we used it to watch movies and series. I can confidently say that having experience in testing soundbars and BT speakers, choosing today between a soundbar at a similar price and Sonos Move 2 – I would choose Sonos. It’s also worth adding that I put both speakers at another party and alternately turned one of them on and off. Interestingly, each of the invited guests stated in the blind test that Move2 plays better – it is cleaner and more pleasant to listen to.
