Is The Sonos Move 2 A Worthwhile Upgrade?
The secret to a successful sequel is all in the execution. So, as a portable speaker billed with double the battery life, dual tweeters for stereo sound, expanded USB-C functionality and a refreshed design, there’s no doubt that the Sonos Move 2 is set to be a worthy upgrade on its predecessor. But, we will be uncovering whether it really warrants upgrading from the original Sonos Move (Gen 1) and if it's worth its more premium price tag of £449 throughout this review.
The original Sonos Move, which launched back in 2019, was a staple example of what we’d call a ‘hybrid portable speaker’ that was equally as comfortable playing music in the bedroom as it is in the garden. Sonos have since released the Sonos Roam and Roam SL which are more lightweight, portable speaker options and come with a more affordable price tag for those looking under the £200 price point.
The Move 2 sits in the middle ground between the range of Sonos portable speakers and Sonos wireless speakers, bringing blended functionality to perform impressively both indoors and out.
| Sonos Move 2 Price: £449 (See Latest Pricing) |
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Powerful stereo sound ✅ Brilliant battery life when playing & idle ✅ Impressive stereo sound and upgraded bass response ✅ WiFi 6 & Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity ✅ USB-C connectivity & power bank charging | ❌ No support for Google Assistant ❌ No Sonosnet ❌ Bluetooth disabled when used as rears |
Want to find out more? Watch our Sonos Move 2 Review: What Sonos Didn't Tell You... Again video on YouTube
Design
Side by side, you’d be forgiven for thinking there’s not a huge difference between the original Move and the Sonos Move 2. It’s still got all the same dimensions and weight, as well as the same silicone base, wraparound grille and integrated carry handle on the back. However, there have been a few reviews and revisions made that are worth pointing out.
Firstly, the Move 2 has experienced a slight colour change. Shifting away from the original ‘Lunar White’ (that was really more of an off-grey colour), the Move 2 now neatly matches the ‘Sonos White’ that we see on the rest of the wireless speakers in their lineup, which helps to make the speaker’s branding feel slightly more discreet.
Sonos has also released an ‘Olive Green’ model that will sit nicely alongside the standard black and white options to offer even more choice within the range to suit your style.
On the top panel, along with the usual touch controls, Sonos have also added the volume slider that was introduced with the Sonos Era products, as well as a speech bubble icon to turn off voice assistants. Alternatively, you can use the switch at the rear of the device to completely cut the power to the mics to ensure total privacy.
Along with the aesthetic and functional changes to the speaker itself, Sonos has also upgraded the Sonos Move charging base in order to improve general day to day usage.
The Move 2's new charging dock follows a pretty similar blueprint to the original charging base but instead features a smaller and detachable plug. It sounds like a small change, but the original Move plug wasn’t the easiest to fit behind a unit or bedside table and was always a bit bulky to throw into a bag, so it’s a welcome addition in our eyes.
Durability
Much like the original Sonos Move, the Move 2 hasn’t been designed as an out and out portable speaker. It is made from durable materials to withstand the inevitable knocks and drops we all experience on a day-to-day basis though.
We tested this out fully during our Sonos Move 2 Review on YouTube, and although we noticed some slight scuffs and scratches on the top edges of the speaker after some big drops, the metal grille and rubber base were left totally unscathed, which was a big plus.
In terms of the Move 2’s ability to withstand all weathers, we also tested its IP56 rating outside in a heavy rain shower. Just like its predecessor, the Move 2 performed really well, which is great news if you’re looking to take this speaker outdoors, especially in the British summertime.
Connectivity
The original Move already ticked a lot of boxes when it came to connectivity. However, the Move 2 now steps up to WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for the best of both worlds when at home or out and about.
With Move 2, there’s still control via the Sonos S2 app, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2 and we also have voice control options with both Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice. However, Google Assistant isn’t available due to ongoing relationship issues between the two brands.
This won’t be ideal for those of you who have other Sonos speakers using Google Assistant, as you can only use Amazon Alexa or Sonos Voice control when you’re connected over WiFi. There’s also no functionality to use your voice to control your playback over Bluetooth just yet either, so that's something to bear in mind.
Now, just as with the Sonos Era products, there’s also no Sonosnet on the Move 2, but with Wi-Fi 6 and the rumours of Matter Thread in the future, we think you’ll be more than future-proofed connectivity-wise around the home.
Additional Features
The headline feature of the Sonos Move 2 is its enhanced battery life, making an already great companion for partying throughout your home, even better. For reference, the Move (Gen 1) launched with a battery life of 10 hours, which was later upgraded to 11 hours via a software update.
However, the Sonos Move 2 trumps this, benefitting from a more powerful battery, which is supposedly capable of up to 24 hours of playback when listening at moderate volumes, connected over Wi-Fi and with voice assistant enabled.
We put this to the test and found that Move 2 lasted 22 hours with those same parameters. It's worth noting that this was in our colder studio with the Wi-Fi power saving mode turned off. So, in a warmer environment with that mode turned on, we’d suggest the Move 2 would achieve the expected 24 hour battery life, if not exceed it.
We also checked the recharge time and found that a 2 hour charge restores you to 100 percent, which was better than we initially expected. Unfortunately, there’s no quick charge feature on this model, which would’ve been a nice plus, but overall, we’ve been happy with the performance.
An additional plus for the Move 2 is its power bank charging capabilities via the USB-C port, meaning you can charge a phone or smart device when on the go. In our testing, we charged a phone for two hours and it gained 66% battery during that same timeframe, the Move 2 lost 18% battery. Its worth noting the Move wasn't playing music during this period, so we’d expect it to lose more if this were the case.
The other USB-C upgrade for the Move 2 is that you can now use this as a line-in to connect up a turntable, computer or other audio source. However, you will need to get your hands on an additional Sonos Line-In Adapter to do so.
We've tried other USB-C adapters but haven’t found one that works yet. Previously, if you wanted to use your Move to connect to a turntable, you would have needed to use Bluetooth, so this new functionality gives you much more versatility, and we can see this being a popular option for bringing vinyl into your Sonos ecosystem.
This is a great use case for this speaker, in our opinion and from testing it out via Bluetooth, it’s safe to say it worked really well with no delay whatsoever. It’s worth knowing that this did disable the mic on the Move for Zoom calls, which could be a problem if you use these often.
The new Move 2 is also set to be 40% more energy efficient than the original, and in our testing, we found this to be true with the below results.
Internals
Internally, the Sonos Move 2 has undergone a full-scale refresh in order to deliver stereo sound. Featuring three Class-D amplifiers powering dual tweeters and a mid-bass woofer, this new-look speaker offers a completely different performance from the mono Sonos Move 1 which offers a single tweeter and single woofer.
Sonos have also added custom waveguides to the Move 2, which have been optimally designed to control both the direction and dispersion of frequencies to give us a wider and more balanced soundstage.
Sound Performance
| ✅ Well balanced, powerful sound performance ✅ Wider stereo soundstage ✅ Impressive details and track separation ✅ Improved mid-bass performance |
In signature Sonos style, the Move 2 is an impressively balanced unit that's more than powerful enough to fill a decent-sized space and pack a punch when you’re outside too.
The dual tweeter configuration helps to effortlessly distribute a wider and bigger sound than its predecessor. The vocals feel more open and projected, and they come through tracks cleaner and with more prominence.
We’ve been really impressed with the details of the stereo sound presentation, and we’ve found the separation between the layers of tracks to be great too.
Of course, choosing to stereo pair two Sonos Move 2s will deliver an even more accurate stereo sound performance and take the soundstage width to another level. But we think you’ll be more than happy with this speaker's performance as a standalone unit too.
Sonos Move vs. Sonos Move 2 - Which Portable Speaker Is Better?
After numerous hours spent listening side-by-side to a variety of different tracks and genres of music, there’s no doubt that the Sonos Move 2 is a significant upgrade on its predecessor.
Catching us well and truly off guard, we‘ve been pleasantly surprised by the bass performance of this new-look portable. Given both the original Move and the Sonos Move 2 have a single woofer (and there haven't been any mentions of upgrades in this department), we weren’t expecting any difference here. However, it definitely feels like there's a better mid-bass performance on the Sonos Move 2.
The bass output on both Moves is punchy and powerful, but it feels tighter on Move 2 and the extra mid-bass almost gives an extra layer to tracks that makes the overall performance feel even more impressive.
Unfortunately, as we found with the Sonos Move 1, the bass output does seem to get clipped at higher volumes. The low end still sounds great at around 75% volume, but once we push past that 80% mark, there is slight clipping in the performance. We think the bass will still be enough to satisfy the majority of you, but it's something to bear in mind nonetheless.
So, should you upgrade from your original Sonos Move? Our initial thought is no. I don’t think there’s a big enough jump in performance to warrant an upgrade here, and I still think the Move (Gen 1) offers a great experience and sounds great too.
However, if you think that the Move 2 ticks a big box for you, such as the USB-C line-in functionality, then you might want to add one to your home, and you could always look to sell your older generation Sonos Move on.
Given how much we like to use the Move away from the dock, having double the battery life with the Move 2 is a big plus for us and would be what tempts us.
Sonos Move 2 vs. Sonos Era 100 vs. Sonos Era 300
The Sonos Move 2 sits right in the middle of the Sonos Era 100 and Era 300, and you could argue it's almost the perfect ‘Era 200’ when it comes to sound performance.
There’s a step up in performance when it comes to power and bass from Era 100 to Move 2, and then another step up again when it comes to Era 300, which offers a far wider and more room filling sound.
The Move 2 is £200 more expensive than the Era 100, and we would say it’s around £100 better in terms of sound performance, so you’re paying a £100 premium there for portability, which makes sense.
The Era 300 is also £449, so you have to weigh up if you want a more premium sound performance and the ability to experience spatial audio with the Era 300 or if you’ll get more for your money with a speaker that you can move around and make the most of in multiple rooms of your home, as well as take away with you for the weekend.
Watch our dedicated Sonos Era 100 Review and Sonos Era 300 Review on YouTube.
Our Verdict - Is THe Sonos Move 2 Worth It?
Offering some promising upgrades over its predecessor, this portable addition to your Sonos home is jam-packed with the latest functionality and provides impressive, powerful sound performance to match. So, if you’re in the market for a speaker that is equally comfortable around the home as it is in the garden, then the Sonos Move 2 is going to be a great option for you.
Is it worth £449? Well, that’s still up for debate. But if you were happy with the price tag of the original Move, which retailed at £399, then it’s definitely worth the additional £50 upgrade. However, if you’re the type of person who thought the Gen 1 version was a little pricey, then chances are you’ll have similar thoughts about this one.
If you put it into the context of the Sonos Era 100, although it’s a step up in price, it's also a step up in performance and because of the added portability, you’ll reap the benefits of having a (more powerful) Era 100 in your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and garden.
Of course, Move 2 isn’t going to be for everyone. You are paying a premium for the Sonos ecosystem, and if you’re not already invested in it, you may be better served with a different heavy duty portable speaker option such as the JBL Xtreme 3 or Marshall Middleton.
There will be some of you out there who might not be as bothered by portability and would rather spend £449 on an Era 300 and benefit from a superior sound experience.
Ultimately, this speaker is for those who have been waiting for Sonos’ premium portable speaker to tick certain boxes or for new Sonos users looking to take the plunge in a way that gives Sonos sound in multiple areas of their home without needing to fork out for 4 or 5 speakers at once.
Sonos MOVE 2 FAQ's
Can you stereo pair the Sonos Move 2 with a Sonos Move (Gen 1)?
While you can group the Sonos Move 2 with the Sonos Move (Gen 1), you won’t be able to make a dedicated stereo pair as one of the speakers is mono and the other is stereo.
Can you use a pair of Sonos Move 2s as rear speakers in a Sonos Home Cinema?
Unfortunately, you cannot use a pair of Sonos Move 2 speakers as rear speakers in a Sonos Home cinema. Sonos has said this is because you could take one away and it would cause issues with the setup, but our gut feeling is that they’d prefer to sell you a set of speakers as rears, such as the Era 100s or 300s, and then sell you another speaker for use as a portable Sonos speaker.
Can you add a subwoofer?
You can’t add either the Sonos Sub Mini or Sonos Sub (Gen 3) with the Sonos Move 2. Again, Sonos has said this is because you could take your Move out of the room, which would then cause connectivity issues and break the bond between the two products.
Can you stereo pair Sonos Move 2s over Bluetooth?
No, you can’t stereo pair two Sonos Move 2 speakers over Bluetooth. You must be connected to Wi-Fi to use a pair of Move 2s in a stereo pair; however, as long as you’re at home and connected to Wi-Fi you can then send audio via Bluetooth, which can then also be sent to any other Sonos speakers in your network.
Other uSeful Content
Video: Sonos Move 2 Announced: First Impressions
Video: Sonos Move: What Sonos Didn't Tell You (In-Depth Review)
Blog: Sonos Move 2 First Look: Launching 20th September for £449
Blog: Sonos New Products 2023: Sonos News
We hope you find this helpful, but if you have any more questions we are more than happy to assist with any queries you may have.
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