Sonos Move 2 Review

Our Sonos Move 2 Experience

We are obsessed with this speaker's pristine, intoxicating sound. We rotated faithfully through our lineup, giving each speaker an equal chance to shine, but we'll admit that it was hard to put this one away when it was time to move on to the next. We used Sonos' “Trueplay” in multiple rooms, a high-tech feature used to optimize the sound reverberation after scanning the objects in the room, and it customized its sound to each room perfectly.

At one point, home alone, we thought we heard someone tapping a wooden spoon on the coffee table behind us. Turns out it was the clicking of drumsticks at the intro of a song coming from the Sonos. We were startled, and then seriously blown away. That's how lifelike the sound is.

We'll admit we were terrified of putting this speaker through our drop test, envisioning it shattering into a million pieces upon impact with the concrete floor. It definitely looks like something that is to be treated with care. To our wincing surprise, it survived multiple drops from ~3 ft, clattering across the floor, making horrendous sounds, but losing no pieces and playing music all the while. The only remaining mark is a scratch/small dent on the top edge of the speaker. Honestly shocking.

With that daunting experience out of the way, we were able to use the Move 2 as normal - on a stable surface, tucked out of reach of rambunctious kids or pets - and the speaker quickly became a staple in our daily routine. It definitely upgrades getting ready, cleaning the house, workouts, shower karaoke, and making art, or literally anything else you do within ear's reach.

We set it up in a central spot in the living room on its circular base, which serves as a home station and charger for the device. The entire time we had the Sonos in our home, we never had to go out of our way to plug it in and never ran out of battery.

For the most part, we didn't feel the need to move it from its base. The sound projected well throughout the living room, and it reached our kitchen and a nearby bedroom as well. The inverted handle on the rear made it a bit easier to carry, but it's still not portable in the sense that some of the other speakers we tested are. We could never get a super sturdy grip on the handle, and generally took a two-handed approach when taking the Move 2 outside or upstairs.

Ultimately, we don't throw around recommendations willy-nilly, especially with a price tag like this. But for the right person, the Sonos Move 2 is definitely worth it. We could see it replacing an outdated home sound system, or being a buy-it-for-life type of investment for those who love quality audio.

Analysis and Test Results

Sound Quality

If we had to point to a single reason to buy the Sonos Move 2, sound quality would be it. The Move 2 offers up a listening experience that can only be described as lush, immersive, and expansive. The sound spreads out in all directions, delights with its smooth profile, and rings with clarity at any volume. It never sounds distorted or compressed, even when at its loudest. At its quietest, we can still make out unique details of each song it plays.

The bass is noticeably powerful, while remaining tight and controlled. The mids are lively, and the treble is precise. High-fidelity vocals bring it all together, providing an exhilarating experience for those lucky enough to be listening.

This speaker's bass feels classy, yet powerful, and never veers into being too aggressive or thumpy. Instead, it offers warmth and richness to tracks like “Bigger than the Whole Sky” by Taylor Swift. It handles funky, beat-driven tracks like 'Comes & Goes' by BigXthatPlug & Tommy Newport just as well, and is more punchy than other Sonos models we have listened to.

In the mid-range, the vocals are incredibly clear and realistic. There's a transparency and intimacy, especially in sparse tracks like 'Sunsets For Somebody Else' by Jack Johnson, that make you feel like you're listening to a live performance where he's singing into a lone mic not too far from where you're seated. For dramatized audiobook listeners, the Move 2 drops you right into the story. The background noise conveys the drama of the scene without overwhelming the vocals or requiring you to babysit the volume.

The highs are clean and precise, and remain balanced within the mix even in dynamic songs that prove challenging for other speakers. Instruments that push the envelope - like hi-hats, harmonica, high-pitched synth, or even human voices hitting high notes - stay comfortably true to life, never pitchy or shrill. Our wee complaint is that we noticed only a light sparkle in the highs, which could use a bit more emphasis.

There doesn't seem to be a “front” side for this speaker. Two angled tweeters help to balance sound throughout the room rather than beaming it in one direction, and we heard consistent quality from all angles we listened to. The speaker also creates more height. While listening to 'Hail Mary' by Tupac, we enjoyed the way the church bell ominously floats over the beat like a solemn hip hop funeral dirge while Tupac's voice comes through clean and clear, commanding attention. So good!

Portability

The Move 2 is portable in the sense that it can play music without needing to be plugged in, but it would take a stretch of the imagination to call it an on-the-go speaker. It weighs 7 pounds, or about as much as a personal-sized watermelon, and we wouldn't dream of carrying it around all day in a backpack or tote bag. It has a discreet, inverted carrying handle that works for moving it from room to room, but that's the farthest we typically like to take it. You can buy travel bags separately if you end up taking the speaker out more often.

Volume

The Sonos Move 2 can belt out a song like no one's business, reaching 98.2 decibels. For reference, this is about as loud as being at an actual live concert, or hanging out at a nightclub.

While most speakers lose their clarity at max volume, the Sonos retains a realistic, natural sound from the lowest to the highest volumes. We noticed a very slight loss of detail when we hit the upper volume limit, but it still remained much clearer than other premium speakers we tested.

At the end of the day, this speaker is not designed to blast out a warehouse, but for most people it will do the trick, playing loud enough to bump the music at a holiday house party, or supplying a groovy milieu for a poolside BBQ.

Durability

Sonos claims that the Move 2 has some shock resistance for falls and drops. We were skeptical of this claim at first. Because of its hefty weight and lack of soft, rubbery padding, we expected it to come flying apart when we pushed it off a countertop. We even played Celine Dion's “My Heart Will Go On” as its send-off song. Despite the horrendous clattering noise it made as it hit the concrete, the Move 2 kept playing Celine Dion as if nothing happened. We only noticed some light scuff marks and a very minor dent in one corner. After multiple rounds of this, we now have full faith in Sonos drop claims. Best of all, the sound quality reamains unchanged.

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Assuming you won't be intentionally knocking this off the side of your desk, the heft of the speaker keeps it pretty stable, and base is coated with grippy silicone that keeps it from sliding around. The hard plastic upper doesn't scream durable or unbreakable, but the Sonos proves that looks can be deceiving.

This IP56 speaker cannot be submerged in water, but can withstand some light rain or splashing. While it offers okay protection against dust and water, it is marginal compared to most other high-end speakers we tested, and we wouldn't go as far as to call it rugged. We will reiterate that the Sonos is most at home… at home.

Battery

While the manufacturer claims that the battery life can last up to 24 hours, we found that at 75% volume, it only lasts for 12 hours and 14 minutes. Still, this was enough to listen for about a couple of hours a day, each day for a week, on a single charge.

In our experience, the speaker spends most of its time on the charger base anyway. We never ran into a situation where a drained battery kept us from jamming out. In fact, charging the speaker rarely crossed our mind.

Ease of Use

The Sonos Move 2 isn't as plug-and-play as we would like. The setup took longer than most, since we had to create a Sonos account and register our speaker before we could use it. Luckily, this is a one-time thing. Every phone we paired after that took a few seconds, and no one had to download an app. All we have to say is: bless.

While playing music via Bluetooth, no one on our team had any connectivity issues. However, if you want to use the Sonos app to customize the sound mix or connect to other Sonos speakers, you'll have to connect it to your home wifi, which can be a more finicky process and, even if you manage to get it connected, it is generally less reliable than using Bluetooth.

The Move 2 is one of the most feature-packed speakers we've tested - if you get the app. You can adjust the sound equalization (emphasizing bass, mids, and treble), group two or more Sonos speakers, pair multiple phones for shared jam sessions, and even use Apple AirPlay. We were also able to enable and manage voice assistance via the app. We love that Sonos gave us the option to switch off the mic, which offers peace of mind for those worried about privacy. An aux port tops off the list of features for those who want true lossless audio or want to connect an old projector or record player.

We don't love that buttons on the speaker are touch function, and don't give any tactile or audible feedback when pressed.

Should You Buy the Sonos Move 2?

If you're looking for a top-tier sound experience and a speaker that can sound track a dinner party or simply fill your mornings with beautiful, high-fidelity music, this is the best choice. That said, it's quite pricey and pretty heavy. There are plenty of other options that are easier to take along for outdoor adventures and still sound great, for hundreds of dollars less. But we're suckers for good sound, and we can't get over the incredible offerings of the Move 2. If money is no issue, this is hands down our top recommendation for truly immersive, experiential listening.

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