Sonos Play vs Sonos Roam

Last updated: October 12, 2026

Short answer: the Sonos Play. It ranks #60 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality (rated 3.5/5) at $299 and is still sold new; the Sonos Roam ranks #96 (rated 3.1/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Sonos Roam’s replacement, the Sonos Roam 2, is rated 3.2/5 at $179.

Sonos Play vs Sonos Roam

Buy the Sonos Play. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Sonos Roam is discontinued.

Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.

Specifications Side By Side

Sonos Play Sonos Roam
Price$299.00$169.99 Discontinued
Ranked#60 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers#96 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers
AppYesSonos S2 App
Battery Life24 hours (Manufacturer specified)10 hours (Manufacturer specified)
BluetoothYesYes
Bluetooth Version5.35.0
Bluetooth CodecsSBCSBC, AAC
Built-in MicrophoneYesYes
Voice AssistantsAmazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in)Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control
Dimensions7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm)2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm)
Driversmid-woofer, 2x angled tweetersDual full-range drivers + passive radiators
EQNoYes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode)
IP RatingIP67IPX5
Party ModeNo-
Power BankNo-
Power InputUSB-CUSB-C
StereoYesNo
OmnidirectionalNoNo
TWSYesYes
Weight2.9 lbs (1.3 kg)0.9 lbs (429 g)
Wi-FiYesYes
Digital Aux InputNoNo
Aux InputYesNo
Bass Extension (-10dB)-63Hz
Maximum SPL-95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
Strap-No

How Sonos Play compares with other leading options:

Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

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The Two Speakers In Full

Sonos Play: $299.00 Amazon $299.00 Sonos $299.00 eBay

Sonos Play ranking card

Pros: Genuinely wide, clean stereo dispersion off-axis thanks to the two angled tweeters, holding up from the side far better than most portables. Loudness processing keeps it sounding full-bodied at low volume. 24-hour user-replaceable battery with an included wireless charging base, IP67 waterproof and dustproof, and full Sonos WiFi multi-room with AirPlay 2 on top of Bluetooth 5.3.

Cons: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app. Sounds boxy and short on clarity next to cheaper competitors.

ReleasedMar 2026 (7 months ago)
AppYes
Aux InputYes
Battery Life24 hours (Manufacturer specified)
BluetoothYes
Bluetooth CodecsSBC
Bluetooth Version5.3
Built-in MicrophoneYes
Digital Aux InputNo
Dimensions7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm)
Driversmid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters
EQNo
IP RatingIP67
OmnidirectionalNo
Party ModeNo
Power BankNo
Power InputUSB-C
StereoYes
TWSYes
Voice AssistantsAmazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in)
Weight2.9 lbs (1.3 kg)
Wi-FiYes

Sonos Roam: $169.99 Discontinued Amazon $169.99 eBay

Sonos Roam ranking card

Newer model: the Sonos Roam 2, ranked higher, rated 3.2/5, released May 2024. See every Sonos Roam generation.

Pros: Very neutral. IP67 rated at ~1 lb. Wireless (Qi) charging: rare for a portable speaker. Works with Alexa/Sonos Voice Control and the wider Sonos ecosystem over Wi-Fi. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted if you turn up the bass. Discontinued.

ReleasedMar 2021 (5 years ago)
AppSonos S2 App
Aux InputNo
Bass Extension (-10dB)63Hz
Battery Life10 hours (Manufacturer specified)
BluetoothYes
Bluetooth CodecsSBC, AAC
Bluetooth Version5.0
Built-in MicrophoneYes
Digital Aux InputNo
Dimensions2.4” x 6.6” x 2.4” (62 x 168 x 60 mm)
DriversDual full-range drivers + passive radiators
EQYes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode)
IP RatingIPX5
Maximum SPL95dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
OmnidirectionalNo
Power InputUSB-C
StereoNo
StrapNo
TWSYes
Voice AssistantsAmazon Alexa or Google Assistant (choose one) plus Sonos Voice Control
Weight0.9 lbs (429 g)
Wi-FiYes