Short answer: the Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021. It ranks #4 of 135 medium speakers by sound quality at $60; the Sonos Roam 2 ranks #71 and costs $177, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
In the Sonos Roam 2’s favor: it’s very neutral and has a dedicated pairing button instead of sharing one with power. Working against it: the sound quality is exactly the same as the original Roam, bass extension isn’t very good, it’s not stereo, and it distorts as you turn up the bass.
The pitch for the Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021: it’s a very neutral, good sounding, inexpensive small speaker with quite deep bass for its size, and this version adds USB-C over the old micro USB. On the downside: a slight DSP tuning issue makes the bass get lighter at times at very low volumes.
Buy the Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sonos Roam 2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonos Roam 2 | Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $177.00 | $60 |
| Ranked | #71 of 135 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #4 of 135 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 429 g | 1.3 lbs / 590 g |
| Wifi | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) | 8" x 2.8" x 2.7" (204 x 72 x 69 mm) (7.7 x 2.5 x 2.6 inches) |
| App | Sonos S2 App | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) | Yes (9 band) |
| Drivers | 1x ~45mm racetrack mid-woofer + 1x tweeter + 2x passive radiators | 1.75" (44mm) x 2 active drivers and one passive radiator |
| IP Rating | IPX5 | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 95dB | 99dB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 150ms |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Output Power | - | 20W (10W × 2) |
The Two Speakers In Full
Sonos Roam 2: $177.00 Amazon
Pros: Very neutral. Additional button for pairing instead of being shared with power button
Cons: Exact same sound quality as the original Roam. Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted as you turn up the bass.
Full Sonos Roam 2 review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x ~45mm racetrack mid-woofer + 1x tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 429 g |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021: $60 Amazon
Pros: A very neutral good sounding inexpensive small speaker with quite deep bass for the size. This upgraded version has a usb-c port while the old one has micro usb.
Cons: Slight DSP tuning issue which makes bass get lighter at times at very low volumes, examples in oluv’s video.
Full Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 150ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8" x 2.8" x 2.7" (204 x 72 x 69 mm) (7.7 x 2.5 x 2.6 inches) |
| Drivers | 1.75" (44mm) x 2 active drivers and one passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes (9 band) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Output Power | 20W (10W × 2) |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 590 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion 300 or JBL Flip 6 or Soundcore Boost v2? we all have issues!
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs Maxsound Plus and Soundcore Boost - ultimate travel speaker!
- Alan Ross Reviews: 2x Soundcore Boost (stereo) vs Motion Boom and Motion+ - Best Soundcore speaker? 😋
- Speakertech: Anker soundcore Boost (Upgraded) vs minirig mini in stereo /2.0 (and changing the equalizer)
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bogasing G4 spot cheap speaker - I was NOT expecting this!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex vs Soundcore Boost vs Bogasing M4 - cheap or Bose?
- Reddit Search for Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons