Sonos has taken its first step out of the home with Sonos Move, a durable, battery-powered smart speaker for audio indoors, outdoors, and on the go. A full part of the Sonos system on Wi-Fi with the added range of Bluetooth, Sonos claims Move is a powerful product that resets the bar for portable speakers. Availability starting September 24, costing for £399.
As part of the Sonos universe Move supports the same streaming services, multiple voice assistants, AirPlay2 as the rest of the line-up and it one of three new products launching this autumn, joined by Sonos Port and Sonos One SL, further building on the company’s smart system of speakers and components.
“Since the very beginning, Sonos has been giving listeners unparalleled freedom of choice. Our platform gives you the freedom to play any song you want, any way you want,” says Patrick Spence, CEO, Sonos. “Move takes freedom of choice to the next level. For the first time, you can take Sonos anywhere. Move marks the beginning of a new era for Sonos—one where brilliant sound not only fills your home, but extends to every part of your day.”
Sonos claims Move resets the bar from what you’d expect from a portable speaker with smart, adaptable sound, surprisingly deep bass and a wide sound profile. Suited for indoor listening and sound on the go, Sonos says Move offers powerful wireless range, and also is company’s first product with Bluetooth audio streaming, making it simple to play audio directly from a phone or tablet.
On this product, Sonos adds that it has built on it’s Trueplay tuning technology with the introduction of automatic Trueplay where the speaker tunes itself to perfectly balance the sound for the environment it finds itself in.
Move features an oval shadow-black design and its durable exterior is designed to withstand falls, bumps, rain and moisture, dust and dirt, UV and extreme temperatures, featuring a rating of IP56.
Move’s battery allows for up to ten hours of continuous play time on a single charge and at home, Move easily slides on and off the included indoor charging base to connect ensuring it is always ready for listening. Suspend mode, enabled automatically when not in use or by tapping the power button, reserves the battery for up to five days.
As the first company to support both leading voice assistants, like other voice-enabled Sonos devices, the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are built in, so users can play music, check the news, control smart home devices and ask questions.
One SL and Port
Further rounding out the Sonos family is the One SL, a smart speaker without integrated voice assistants, but with access to all the other familiar Sonos content access and operational features.
One SL replaces Play:1 and is available globally starting September 12 for £179. Available in all-black and all-white, One SL features two Class-D amplifiers, as well as the original Sonos Trueplay tuning technology. For single use or as a stereo pair, or even as part of a surround sounds set up, the speaker is designed to be the workhorse of the family.
From any source to any speaker, Port brings Sonos streaming to a stereo or receiver. The successor to the original Connect, Sonos says the Port delivers richer sound and extends Sonos’s sound platform to traditional home audio equipment. Port will be available in limited quantities starting 12 September, with broad global availability starting January 2020 for £399.
Designed with the professional installer community in mind, its maker says Port features a versatile design and matte black finish to fit on a shelf or be stacked in an AV rack.
Optimised for sound and ease of use, Port includes an updated digital-to-analogue converter and 12V trigger, which automatically turns on an amplifier when signalled from the Sonos app. Users can control content using AirPlay 2, voice control with Alexa or the Google Assistant when wirelessly connected with smart devices, and integrate with a smart home.
The product allows the user to stream music, podcasts, audiobooks, and internet radio on amplified audio equipment and with a line-in option, stream vinyl, CDs, and stored audio files to other Sonos speakers to enjoy listening in more rooms.