They’re not the long-rumored headphones, but Sonos has announced the new Move 2, the second-generation version of its portable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker.
It’s been four years since the original Move speaker hit the scene in 2019, so the Move 2 is long overdue. Fortunately, Sonos has packed the smart speaker with a tweaked design that takes cues from the Sonos Era 300 and Era 100, new stereo sound, and a battery that lasts more than twice as long.
Available in black, white, and “Olive” green, and priced at $449 ($50 more than the Move) when it comes out on September 20, the Move 2 looks mostly the same as its predecessor; there’s still a built-in handle on the back for quick grab-and-go access, IP56 water and dust-resistance, and a USB-C port.
Look at the top, though, and you’ll find the new touch-sensitive bar for controlling volume lift from the Era 300 and Era 100. I liked the volume bar on the Era 300 speaker so it’s good to see it on the Move 2.
What you can’t see are the dual tweeters and woofer inside of the speaker that pump out stereo sound or the custom waveguides that help disperse the audio. The original Move speaker is a mono speaker, believe it or not. Sonos says the Move 2 speakers deliver dramatically better vocals and bass. I’ve yet to hear the Move 2 in person, but it’s not hard to believe — going from mono to stereo is a difference anybody can hear. You can pair two Move 2 speakers together over Wi-Fi to get more immersive stereo sound or if you have Sonos speakers, you’ll be able to add the Move 2 into the system like any of the company’s other speakers.
All of the things that Sonos speakers are known for are present as well. That includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth audio streaming, and AirPlay 2 support. The Move 2 has the same great automatic Trueplay tuning that adjusts the audio quality to whatever environment it’s placed in, whether that’s indoors reflecting off walls, or outdoors. There’s also Sonos’ signature Voice Command.
Sonos says it has more than doubled battery life on the Move 2 with up to 24 hours of playback; the Move only lasts up to 11 hours, which is on the puny side considering the size of the speaker and weight (six pounds). We’ll have to wait for a teardown to see whether there’s a bigger battery or not, though, one way the Move 2 is getting its extra endurance is through a 40 percent reduction in power usage when the speaker is idle.
Like the first-gen Move, the Move 2 has a built-in USB-C port for charging (and line-in via a dongle) and comes with a wireless charging dock.
When I reviewed the original Move speaker, I struggled to understand who would pay $399 for a six-pound mono speaker with weak battery life. I concluded that it was for rich people with patios or backyards — basically the smiling families that Sonos plastered all over its marketing.
The Move 2 is more expensive, but it seems to address both the sound and battery life that was so severely lacking, which should make it more appealing. I still think most people will find greater value in the more portable Roam Sonos Roam speaker, but I’ll have to try out the Move 2 before I can make that call.
