sound has a large catalog of audio devices focused on multi-room sound. Its system is one of the most advanced, and, although they are not exactly cheap devices, Sonos has managed to gain a foothold in the market thanks to its quality and the simplicity of its products. The latest speaker to join the Sonos family is the Roam SLa somewhat more affordable team than the Roam that they presented last year, but that loses one of its main functionalities.
Sonos Roam SL, the Roam for those who do not depend on Alexa
Last 2021, Sonos launched the sonos roam, an ultra-compact speaker with high-quality sound and ready to go on an adventure. Was waterproof thanks to your certificate IP67it did not need cables to work and its battery gave it a range of about 10 hours. In addition, the equipment could be combined with other Sonos equipment and thus make a more complex and stereo equipment. The spark and magic of the original Roam was provided by its integrated microphone. Thanks to this functionality, the smallest of the entire huge Sonos family became an affordable way to have connection and compatibility with intelligent voice assistants.
Sonos’ new product is virtually identical to last year’s Roam, just with one difference. As is the case with all Sonos SL models, the Roam SL loses its microphone. This means that we will not be able to use the device to use Alexa or Google Assistant. And, although it has Bluetooth connectivity, we will not be able to use it hands-free to answer phone calls either, since it will not be able to pick up the sound of our voice as it does in the original Roam.
As we said, it is not the first time that Sonos has done this strategy. The same goes for the One speaker and the One SL. This decision was also harshly criticized in its products that it manufactures in its collaboration with Ikea, whose speakers are all based precisely on the One SL, which condemns the first and second generation Ikea Symfonisk lamps to not have connectivity with Alexa, something that It could be justified a few years ago, but that makes you lose points in the current model.
Cheaper and available very soon
If you were wondering, the Sonos Roam SL does not come to replace the Sonos Roam of last year, but rather to complement it. Sonos has removed the microphone on this new model, but it’s also cheaper. It will cost €179 compared to the 200 that the normal Roam usually costs in stores.
all others characteristics of its predecessor have been maintained, such as the design, the 10-hour battery with the possibility of remaining up to 10 days in standby, its class H amplifiers and its high-quality speaker distribution. The Roam SL can be a great option for those who are looking for a quality portable speaker and absolutely do not need a microphone built into the device. Regarding availability, the launch of the Sonos Roam SL is scheduled for next Tuesday March, 15th.
