Customers are pleased with the Roam SL Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker's sound quality, portability, and battery life. Many also appreciate its size and the convenience of Bluetooth connectivity. While some users noted the bass could be improved and experienced issues with the app, the overall feedback highlights a positive user experience. The speaker's water resistance and price point also received favorable comments.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 421 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Size, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Bass
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great portable speaker
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Its a great compact speaker. The technology is great as Supports both wifi and bluetooth. The vocals are crystal clear but it lacks bass.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Bluetooth, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Bass
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Highly Recommended - An Easy Win From Sonos
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Typical Sonos quality here... First observation was it's a little "heftier" than comparably sized Bluetooth speakers... not in a negative way, but immediately felt higher quality... magnets are heavy and good speakers have them...
The sound quality is a beautiful balance of highs/mids with balanced lows. I would definitely say the tuning is less bass-heavy, but with a speaker this size, I think that's to be expected.
I'm listening to it right now... i have a full Sonos surround setup in my family room and in my bedroom, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE being able to take the Roam with me for a shower or bring it over to my desk... Brought it to Cabo and it helped broadcast the world cup to the resort pool with great success.
Overall, the volume is lower than I might have imagined, but it's capped in a way so that the full volume range is clean and usable. That being said, it would be great for outdoor situations where you're not trying to blanket an entire backyard with music... but if you're 5-10 feet away, it's great for outdoors.
One last favorite thing... I love it... but bluetooth on it works amazing and I LOVE that I have a Sonos speaker with bluetooth now for different use cases.
My only con aligns with my con for all my Sonos purchases... I feel like you can as good quality sound for less money... so if money is tight, maybe don't go this route yet... but if you're a little more comfortable financially, the entire Sonos platform is just so convenient and delightful.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portability, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Sonos Roam Reaction
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Sonos Roam Speaker is a bit pricey but worth every penny. It’s small and very portable with a surprisingly big sound.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Jam on with the Sonos
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Very clean setup out of the box. Great battery life… Awesome sound quality!
This review is from Sonos - Roam SL Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker - Lunar White
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Highly recommend
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I bought this for my screened in porch, it’s perfect! The sound is great just like my Sonos move and play. The only thing I wish it had was voice control but you can’t beat the sound for th money.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Sonos Roam 2
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Fantastic product, seamless integration with other devices and incredible sound quality
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Size, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Bass
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Superb
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Let me start by saying I like Sonos products, I have the Sonos One and Sonos SL in my office. Initially I did not like their unifying software, but now that it supports Airplay, Casting and Bluetooth it really does a good job. The ability to set up all your streaming services in one place is most convenient. But it is a closed ecosystem, it will only communicate with Sonos products. So when I went to compare this Sonos Roam Speaker to other portable speakers I have, it was not as easy as I anticipated.
Let’s start with the packaging. All parts come wrapped in a thin felt like cover. The does a great job of preventing scratches, and can be reused to transport your speaker inside a briefcase or beach bag. I wish it had a Velcro closure rather than a sticker, but it makes the package look/feel like a premium product. Their boxes are very strong, and protect the product(s) very well. I got the roam speaker with the Roam Wireless Charger. The Roam Speaker comes with USB-A to USB-C charging cable and a (10w) charger [email protected] (10W). The Wireless charger is 5V@1A (5W), so it will charge slower but the convenience of just setting it down, versus plugging it in was a feature I wanted to have (I didn’t know when I got it that it was slower). Neither box indicated the power ratings. The wireless charger does have some magnetic connectivity, so it can be used horizontally or vertically.
After I got the speaker I charged it up (it came about 50% charged – normal for Lithium-Ion batteries). I was able to easily pair the speaker with the Sonos app. All of my existing music sources (8) became immediately available. I then took the speaker out to my pool and played Boston's first album. Immediately, the clairity of the sound was apparent. So was the not so surprising, mono output (why small speakers can’t output Stereo sound is beyond me, I had small stereo radios in the 70s/80s, why modern speakers can't do this is a source of constant frustration (I know just buy another)). The sound was full and crisp with a bit of low end presence, considering I was in a large outdoor space. I tried the speaker horizontally and vertically, the bass output was more solid when the speaker was horizontal, radiating the sound off the solid table I’d placed it on. I moved to the other side of the pool, about 20' from away from the speaker, the sound exceptionally clean. The sound was very good, turned up all the way there was no distortion whatsoever. The overall sound was nicely balanced, but in this large area, there was no deep bass. But from a speaker 6.5” wide and 2.5” tall expectations had to be reasonable. And the quality of clean output was exceptional. I did more listening. Foreplay-Long Time breezed in and to my surprise the initial low vocals were front and center. The soundstage was in front of the speaker, not coming from it, a good thing (considering its mono). As the beat built, it was pleasant, easy to listen to, and at the transition to Long time I was able to hear most of the subtleties, something missing from many smaller speakers. Clearly this little Sonos speaker is doing something to improve the sound quality. The more I listened, the cleaner the music seemed, this little speaker really brings the vocals out, and they’re quite clean. Snare and tom-tom drums have a bit of kick and ring to them. But the horns are really spectacular. I was accustomed to using Trueplay with Sonos speakers, but this roam speaker claims to have Automatic Trueplay. Where it automatically adapts its sound to the content and environment/surroundings. Whatever it’s doing, it is improving the sound quality.
This speaker claims to get 10 hours of playing time (a 50% volume with WiFi streaming). I got a bit over 7 at nearly full volume with Apple Play. The speaker comes in numerous colors. It is water and dust resistant (IP67). The speaker comes in two versions, the Roam and Roam SL the only difference between the two is the Roam SL does not support voice control (which I find I rarely use, I prefer controlling via my iPhone).
I took the speaker inside to my family room (16x30). I listened to Pink Floyd DSOTM, the speaker filled the room fairly well once it was high enough (fireplace mantel) the floor. But again the bass was thin. But I detected a different tone to the speaker inside. Maybe Trueplay was changing the sound based on it detecting different room acoustics…. Whatever, there was some magic making many of the subtle sounds have more presence. I used SiriusXM to stream some music and it sounded exceptional. The Clocks in “Time” had a superb ring to them. The swirling voices in “The Great Gig in the Sky” didn’t have the R/L stereo effect, but they could be heard clearly/distinctly. And in the fade up out of “Eclipse”, every word could be heard.
So how would this little Roam SL compare to several other portable speakers I have (only using BT connections). I took them all outside and tried to set them up with similar conditions. In terms of just volume level the Roam was about the same volume as the largest speaker, but not quite as loud as my oldest BT speaker (front left). The pair of cylinder (R & L back) speakers, set up as a stereo pair, had the best bass response. Sounding fuller than the bigger speaker in the center. But in terms of the cleanest vocals the Roam was in a class of its own, only the stereo pair was even close. The biggest speaker, not surprisingly had the most richness, but it's vocals and highs didn’t soar like the Roam. Then I found that My IPhone could send more than one at a time. I could send the same signal to all 5 speakers at the same time. Really nice, it filled the backyard much better. And I found I could literally pick out the sound of each speaker.
I like this speaker. I like it so much I might just get another to get the Stereo output that my 80's boombox had. It has the cleanest output of any portable (battery powered) speaker I’ve tried. It does not have the battery life of some of the others but it’s smaller, a clear tradeoff.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Shower Sonos
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Easy setup, Sounds great. Nice addition to my existing Sonos system. I put them in the showers and will use them for travel.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Sonos Roam Sl
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
One of the best portable speakers to own. The crystal clear vocals and best mids and low you could get.
This review is from Sonos - Roam SL Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker - Lunar White
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Size, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Love this one
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I move from Bose to Sonos.i love sonos compare to Bose.very hi tech and the sound is really a game changer.a bit expensive but worth it.i tried this Sonos Roam this portable speaker even so small can give big sound with lots of functions.i love it.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Sonos Roam
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Sonos Rome is the absolute best wireless speaker(s) on the market. The battery life is incredible, easy to use and set-up. I would highly recommend this product.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Portability, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Bass
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
For listening at home or the go
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This small thing packs a punch! The highs and mids are great and the low frequency are great if you keep the volume below 70%. This small portable speaker is excellent to take with you on a trip or anywhere to be honest with you since it’s small, compact and very light weight. Even though the Roam is light and compact it is water resistant and shock absorbent so no need to worry when it takes a little dip or you drop it when you’re out and about. The construction of the Roam is nice and solid and feels like a premium product which is expected from Sonos. The battery life depends on how you’re using it and at what volumes, if you’re using it at full volume than expect about hour and a half less than the advertised 10 hours otherwise it will get close to the 10 mark on a single charge. The Sonos app lets you make a few adjustments to help perfect your listening experience and it does make a small difference for you audiophiles. I would say everything is great on the Roam except for the base response once you push it over a certain volume but if you’re in Sonos eco system it is a must have and if you’re just wondering if Sonos is right for you this is the perfect product to see if you want to get into the Sonos eco system.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Can’t go wrong for AirPlay
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Can’t go wrong with Sonos SL. Very clear and straightforward integration with Apple airplay. My main reason for the purchase.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portability
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Decent
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I like the portability of this speaker and its integration into my Sonos system. It lacks big sound, expected more for the price.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Bluetooth, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Sonos Portable Speaker option
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Sonos Rome SL is a wireless portable speaker that integrates with your Sonos system. The speaker itself is a small triangular form factor that can be used vertically or horizontally. The speaker measures 6.61 in (168 mm) H x 2.44 in (62 mm) W x 2.36 in (60 mm) D and weighs 0.95 lb (0.43 kg). The speaker can charge wirelessly with the Sonos wireless pad (or other QI wireless pad) or by USB C with the included charging cord. Sonos claims 10 hours of continuous playback on a single charge when listening at moderate volumes. The Roam SL will automatically switch into sleep mode to conserve power lasting up to 10 days. The speaker takes about 2 hours to fully recharge on USB or 4 hours wirelessly. This speaker is well suited for outdoor use, the IP 67 rating means it is water and dust resistant and can theoretically be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes without damage. The speaker has siliconized ends and control buttons and a cloth like material covering the rest of the speaker. The finish looks good and appears durable.
Volume and play pause buttons are on one end and the USB C power port and power/Bluetooth button are on the back.
Sound is supplied by one tweeter and one mid/woofer giving good sound for a speaker this size. Sonos has tuned this speaker well and I was surprised with the base although it is limited.
The on boarding is performed using the Sonos app on your smartphone. The app allows you to connect the speaker to your WiFi and adjust the settings on the speaker and shows how much battery charge is left. If you have other Sonos speakers set up you just add the Roam SL. You can group or stereo pair Sonos speakers and play content from Sonos Radio and other streaming services.
The Sonos ecosystem is great for whole home sound and this speaker is a great portable addition if you have a Sonos system. It can be used solo and sounds great but there are less expensive alternatives if you are just looking for a portable speaker.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Bluetooth, Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great for In, Around AND Outside the Home
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Summary:
For those with an existing Sonos system or wanting to build a Sonos system at home, the Roam SL is an awesome portable speaker for both home and away use. It has all of the same sound and build quality as the regular Sonos Roam but drops a bit of cost by removing the microphone. It work equally well in, outside and away from your home system.
Pros:
* Sounds amazing!
* Great battery life.
* Small and compact.
* Automatic roaming (pun intended) between your home Sonos (WiFi) and away (Bluetooth) use.
Cons:
* No automatic sound tuning (TrueTone) due to removed microphone.
* No Voice control (due to removed microphone).
* No use as a speakerphone via Bluetooth (due to removed microphone).
Setup:
If you’ve recently set up a Sonos product, you know how easy it is via the comprehensive Sonos app. It guides you through initial setup, pairing, configuration and system updates. Whether you’re a seasoned pro with a large Sonos system or a beginner setting up your first Sonos product, the app walks you through everything to quickly get it set up and playing your favorite music.
Once set up using the app on your phone, the Roam connects to your home’s WiFi and joins your Sonos audio system. You can leave it plugged in to power and have it fill in sounds in a smaller room, or unplug it and take it anywhere in or around your home. When you leave the range of your home Sonos system, it can be easily switched over to be a Bluetooth speaker for your phone or other compatible device.
All setup and configuration is via the app but there are a few shortcuts with the buttons on the Roam itself. You can even have the Roam join a nearby Sonos speaker to quickly create a group of speakers without even touching the app.
Typical Usage:
The Roam SL is essentially the same as the non-SL version of the Sonos Roam with the removal of the built-in microphone (and a few dollars of cost). The microphone was basically used for 3 things; voice control through Google, Alexa or Sonos’ own voice command systems, as a speakerphone when connected to your Android or iPhone as a Bluetooth device, and lastly for automatic sound tuning. If none of those things matter to you, then you’ll likely enjoy the Roam SL and its cost savings.
I have a mid-sized Sonos system at home and this Roam joined right in easily playing whatever I chose for it. I just was on a vacation where I took my Roam with me for the hotel room. Even with my phone disconnected from my home WiFi, the app still connected to my Roam and showed battery status and other connections. It easily connected to my phone and sounded great on the trip, and then it re-joined my Sonos system when I returned home.
Battery life is really good, too. It has a USB-C port for charging but can also use the Sonos-designed charging pad or any other qI charger for easier grab-and-go use. Charging wirelessly is convenient but slower than via the cable, as it usually is.
There are buttons on the top (or left if lying flat on a table) for Volume Up/Down, Play/Pause and power if you want to use the local control versus the app and your phone.
While the Roam may cost a bit more than a similarly-sized regular Bluetooth speaker, it does double-duty as a part of your greater Sonos system when connected to WiFi at home which is something that a regular Bluetooth speaker cannot do.
I frequently take my Roam outside to listen to my Sonos system while gardening or working on my car. That’s really convenient to have the speaker stream music over WiFi rather than connecting directly to my phone while I’m home. It’s also great to have that portability at home and have the capability to take the speaker with me when I leave home.
Conclusion:
I have absolutely no complaints with the Sonos Roam SL. If you need a portable Bluetooth speaker but also want to stream music around your home over WiFi, you cannot go wrong with Sonos. If you need the microphone for voice control or like the self-tuning, get the regular Roam, but either way, the Sonos Roam is a great speaker for use in, around and away from your home.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
So pretty speaker!
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I love the sound of this! You can adjust the setting on your phone through app! And the airplay option is the best! I basically use this as a speaker for my mac because I want to listen with a heavier bass than my imac! And it looks stunning with my setup!
This review is from Sonos - Roam SL Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker - Lunar White
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Bluetooth, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Compact and capable portable speaker
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Sonos Roam SL wireless portable speaker is a great little speaker for anyone who wants to take their tune outside or around the house. Overall I have been very impressed by the audio quality of this compact portable speaker. Setup is simple and easy using the Sonos S2 app. After using the app to set up the Wi-Fi connection I was able to seamlessly play music from my iPhone phone and then later connect to my Apple TV to get better audio than the standard tv speakers. The lightweight and compact form factor makes it easy to move around with you but doesn't compromise on sound. The ability to orient the speaker vertically or horizontally is convenient when space is at a premium. 10 hours of playback, IP67 water resistance, and shock absorbent means you don't need to worry when taking it fireside, poolside, or tossing it in your backpack. To replenish the battery there are multiple charging options available. You can charge wired via USB-C or wirelessly with a compatible Qi charger. Another available option is the custom Sonos wireless charger (sold separately) provides a clean look when charging.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Absolute piece of junk.
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Return window passed and it has orange light visble sometimes. Maybe used aboht 5 times total. Doesnt power on and nothing else working. Absolute piece of junk and waste of 100 some dollars. Im not buying any other sonos product ever again. This has been the most frustrating experice in recent years when this product is supposed to work seamlessly with ease. I am so mad i just dont know what else to write.
This review is from Sonos - Roam SL Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker - Lunar White
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Bluetooth, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great portable speaker
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Sonos Roam is a compact and versatile portable speaker that delivers impressive sound quality. With its sleek design and durable build, it's perfect for on-the-go music enthusiasts. The Roam seamlessly connects to your devices via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, allowing you to effortlessly stream music from various platforms. Its Trueplay feature adapts the sound to the surroundings, ensuring optimal audio performance wherever you go. The battery life is excellent, providing up to 10 hours of continuous playback. Additionally, the Roam is water-resistant, making it ideal for outdoor adventures. Overall, the Sonos Roam is a fantastic portable speaker that delivers exceptional audio in a compact package.