Sonos Move 2 Review 2024: Double The Performance, Double The Price
The Sonos Move 2 is a new outdoor portable speaker that was released on September 6, 2024. While the original Sonos Move is an excellent portable speaker, this new juiced-up version costs double the original! While on paper, one might wonder why, it seems they have a good reason to make the Move 2 so expensive.
Read this Sonos Move 2 review to find out why the price is double that of the original and find out whether you should buy it.
Sonos Move 2 Specifications And Price
The primary Sonos Move 2 specs are:
| Processor | Quad Core A55 1.4 GHz |
| Memory | 1 GB SDRAM |
| Speakers | 2x Angled Tweeter Stereo Speakers, 1x Mid-Woofer |
| Microphone | Yes |
| Connectivity | Wireless (WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0) |
| Battery | 44 Wh |
| Charging | USB Type-C |
| Controls | Capacitive Touch Controls |
| Protection Rating | IP56 |
| Dimensions (H x W X D) | 241 mm x 160 mm x 127 mm |
| Weight | 6.6 lbs (3 kg) |
| Colors | Black, White, Olive Green |
| Finish | Matte |
The Sonos Move 2 price in the USA now is $449 – double the price of the original. However, some outlets might sell it for less. This makes it more expensive than the Google Home Max White.
You can buy the Sonos Move 2 from various retail outlets. In addition, you will also get it online from Amazon, BestBuy, and Walmart in the USA.
Sonos Move 2 Review: My Experience
I was excited to try out these new Sonos speakers, which I used for three days for this Sonos Move 2 review. At first glance, I thought it would more or less be the same as the Sonos Move since they look exactly the same.
However, when I turned it on – I finally understood why it cost $499.
Design
The Sonos Move 2 design remains almost identical to the original Sonos Move. It still needs to look like an outdoor speaker; it looks more like a premium indoor speaker.
However, the Move 2 is bigger in terms of size. Therefore, this has both good and bad sides to it. For one, the speakers are bigger due to the increase in size. In addition, the Move 2 is also heavier and bulkier, making it less portable than its predecessor.
Therefore, portability can become complicated if you are not carrying a four-wheeler. While you cannot sling it like a laptop, the 6.6 pounds weight will feel heavier after some time. However, you will find a smartly placed recess on its back, allowing you to pick it up with one hand.
Regarding its looks, it still retains the premium looks of the former. It has a minimalistic design that will appeal to Apple users. Therefore, if you keep it in line with products like the Apple iMac Pro i7 4k and the MacBook 12in M7, everyone will think it’s a new Apple speaker! Honestly, it looks more like an Apple product than the Apple HomePod Mini does!
Additionally, I love the Green finish of the Sonos Move 2, which is the color I got. You get the USB-C port on the back for plugging in the charger.
Moreover, it feels heavy and durable. Therefore, even if you drop it from your hand, it’s doubtful that it will shatter into pieces. Overall, this is a premium-looking speaker with a sturdy build quality.
In addition, you also get an IP56 rating for protection against dust and rain to some extent. This makes it perfect for an outdoor speaker.
Connectivity
The Sonos Move 2 has two primary ways to connect your audio streaming device (like your smartphone or laptop). One way is by using WiFi, while the other uses Bluetooth.
However, connecting the Sonos Move 2 with another device can be a hassle. This is due to its weird connectivity setup process. To connect the Move 2 with a Bluetooth device, you must have the Move 2 connected to the WiFi. Having a Bluetooth setup process like this makes no sense at all.
However, once it’s done, it will be smooth sailing for you. After the initial connection phase is set up, you can connect it with any other Sonos device around you!
Controls
There are three switches on its rear – the Power button, Bluetooth pairing button, and the Microphone toggle button. Moreover, on the top, you get the volume slider and the three playback buttons (play/pause, next track, previous track). Therefore, the Sonos move controls remain the same.
Apart from this, everything else is controlled using Sonos Voice Control and the Sonos App for smartphones. Moreover, you can control it using Apple AirPlay 2 as well! Therefore, there is an obvious focus on integration with Apple products.
Moreover, Voice Recognition using Alexa or Siri felt great. It perfectly understood my weird English accent, and I had no problem using voice control. However, Android phones using Google Assistant might have a problem here since the Sonos Move 2 has no Assistant support.
Sonos App
You can download the Sonos App from both Google Play and Apple Stores. The app is good at doing what it’s supposed to do – helping us control and connect the Sonos Move 2. However, it has some new bells and whistles.
For starters, I like the integration of a music player in the app itself. While it cannot be integrated with YouTube Music or Apple Music Classical, you can play any downloaded MP3 and FLAC tracks using the player.
In addition, it can connect your smartphone, like the iPhone SE 2024 or your Moto Razr, to all Sonos speakers in your vicinity. Therefore, this lets you use all of them together. My iPhone 14 Pro Max worked flawlessly with this app and the speaker itself.
Battery
The Sonos Move 2 battery life is the segment where I saw the biggest improvements. The Sonos Move 2 has double the battery life compared to its processor. Yes, you read that right.
The original Move has a battery life of 12 hours. However, the Sonos Move 2 doubles down for a whopping 24 hours of battery life. That’s the biggest improvement I have seen on any speakers between generations!
Sound Quality
Apart from the battery life, the Sonos Move 2 doubles down on its speakers and sound quality as well. Instead of one speaker and woofer, you now have two “tweeter” speakers, which are angled perfectly to provide maximum output. Therefore, it provides better stereo sound quality than the former.
Regarding the Sonos Move 2 sound quality, it has improved a lot. The equalization is perfect, with neither the bass nor the treble overpowering the other – something I experience with other speakers.
Moreover, the quality of every aspect of the music – the vocals and the instruments – has been tweaked to perfection. I listened to Dream Theater’s Metropolis, and it sounds as expansive and epic as it should.
Moreover, watching movies here while connecting to the MacBook Air M1 feels like a mini-home theater in itself! I had a blast listening to the sweeping crescendos of Nolan’s Dunkirk, which made the experience feel more visceral.
Overall, both the sound quality and the output volume have been significantly improved since the previous model. It even surpasses other similarly priced Sonos products like the Sonos Era 100 and the Sonos Era 300.
Sonos Move 2: Deal Or No Deal?
Overall, the Sonos Move 2 is an amazing outdoor speaker that you can use for all purposes. Whether it’s for a picnic outside or a small grill-fest by the beach, its output is loud, and the bass is punchy enough to make everyone dance. Therefore, I recommend getting this deal if possible, even if you already have a Sonos Move.
However, its Bluetooth connectivity setup and its premium $499 price point can be a turn-off for many. However, it’s worth the investment if you can invest some into creating a Sonos-only sound system with other sub-speakers.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| • Higher sound output • Better sound quality • Double the battery life of the original • Sturdy build quality with IP56 rating | • Higher sound output • Better sound quality • Double the battery life of the original • Sturdy build quality with an IP56 rating |
