Sonos Roam SL launches as brand's cheapest portable Bluetooth speaker yet

By Becky Roberts
last updated

A more affordable Sonos Roam without voice control

Sonos Roam SL
(Image credit: Sonos)

The Sonos Roam is the latest product to be given the company's 'SL' ('speechless') treatment. The Sonos Roam SL follows in the footsteps of the Sonos One SL and Arc SL as a more affordable, microphone-less version of its original, aimed at those who would prefer to save a few bucks over having Alexa or Google Assistant voice control at their disposal.

To that end, the Sonos Roam SL launches on 15th March priced at £159 / AU$269, compared to the standard Roam's £179 / AU$299 RRP. It is available for pre-order today on sonos.com.

Sonos Roam SL

(Image credit: Sonos)

Everything else that makes the Roam an attractive Bluetooth speaker carries over, including its portability (courtesy of a 10-hour battery life and IP67 dust- and waterproof rating), wi-fi connectivity complete with network streaming, and the ability to stereo pair with another Roam or, indeed, Roam SL. The Roam SL should also benefit from the standard version's sound quality, which, while not the last word in musicality, has plenty of appeal with its full-bodied and clear nature.

If the 'SL' version of the Roam works as a proposition as well as the One SL (and why wouldn't it?), we should have another highly recommendable Sonos speaker on our hands come mid-March.

MORE:

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Becky Roberts
Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.