Sonos Transfer 2 Assessment: Two Key Enhancements Make for a Higher Speaker

8.3

Sonos Transfer 2

Like

• 
  Improved sound and battery life
• 
  Water resistant and dustproof
• 
  Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
• 
  Hyperlinks with different Sonos speaker for multi-room audio
• 
  Autotuning system calibrates to any surroundings
• 
  Battery is replaceable

Do not like

• 
  Pretty expensive
• 
  Regardless of having a sturdy design, it may get broken in case you drop it

Sonos’ Transfer 2 transportable speaker is a fairly easy product to assessment. That is as a result of it improves upon its already superb predecessor in a few key methods. Along with providing extra spacious sound due to a brand new dual-tweeter acoustic structure, it additionally delivers a lot improved battery life (as much as 24 hours). Sonos additionally tossed is a few modest design updates, together with new contact controls. Alas, these upgrades include the next value — the Transfer 2 with an included a wi-fi charging dock prices $449 (£449, AU$799), or $50 greater than the unique. However in case you can afford it, it is a superb transportable speaker that makes for a pleasant addition to your house’s Sonos lineup, with the flexibility to journey extra extensively due to its Bluetooth help.

Learn extra: Greatest Bluetooth audio system of 2023

Design

The Transfer 2 is available in three coloration choices — white, black and a brand new olive coloration that I requested for my assessment pattern (it is a smart-looking coloration). From the entrance, the speaker seems to be basically the identical as its predecessor. Nevertheless, like Sonos’ new wired Period 100 and Period 300 audio system that have been launched in June, the Transfer 2 options the identical new contact management system on its topside. You should utilize the contact controls to play, pause or skip a monitor, and swipe your finger alongside the quantity slider to regulate the quantity ranges. As earlier than, you possibly can management the speaker together with your voice, with each Amazon Alexa or Sonos Voice Management supported, although not Google Voice Assistant. The built-in microphone array can be used when establishing the speaker with Sonos’ TruePlay sound calibration system that customizes the sound for a selected area, whether or not it is indoors or exterior.

In some methods, the Transfer 2 seems to be too good for use as an out of doors speaker. However an built-in deal with on the again permits you to tote the Transfer 2 round the home, out to the patio and even to the seaside. (It weighs in at 6.61 kilos, or 3 kg, so it is acquired some heft it and seems like a premium-priced speaker ought to.)

With the speaker’s IP56 score, Sonos says the speaker’s sturdy exterior permits it to resist falls, bumps, rain and moisture, mud and dust, UV mild, and excessive temperatures. Whereas I used the speaker within the rain, I did not drop it. With its rubberized base, I do suppose it will be tremendous if it fell straight down. Nevertheless, I believe the speaker’s grill would get dinged up ought to the speaker fall on its facet and hit one thing like a rock or gravel.

For a speaker that one would predominantly use exterior, that would not be a giant deal. However greater than doubtless, you will be utilizing this round the home as a part of a Sonos multi-room audio arrange, and most of the people would favor to have their $450 indoor audio system freed from any blemishes. In different phrases, the speaker is certainly sturdy — it ought to proceed working simply tremendous after a fall — however you need to nonetheless keep away from dropping it. That will sound apparent, however simply because a product is asserted sturdy, does not imply it is impervious to wreck (or will nonetheless look pristine within the aftermath of a spill).

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 

Each the Transfer and Sonos’ smaller and extra transportable Roam ($179) speaker are designed for use as Bluetooth audio system once you’re outdoor away out of your residence however in your Wi-Fi community and built-in into your Sonos multi-room audio system once you’re at dwelling. Nevertheless, it was beforehand somewhat difficult to maneuver from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth. With the Transfer 2, Sonos has addressed that situation and I had no bother pairing the speaker with Bluetooth (there is a Bluetooth button on again on the speaker) after I was out of vary from my dwelling Wi-Fi community. As soon as I returned to my dwelling community, the speaker reverted to a Wi-Fi connection with out a downside.

Apple customers also can straight stream audio from their units to the speaker utilizing AirPlay 2 by way of Wi-Fi. It is also value noting that the speaker makes use of the AAC audio codec for wirelessly Bluetooth audio streaming, however it does not help any of the so-called high-res audio codecs like AptX and LDAC which can be obtainable with many Android units. I do not know if it will matter a lot, however simply noting it. 

Massive battery life enhancements

As I stated, the opposite massive enchancment is to its battery life. The speaker is now rated for as much as 24 hours of use at reasonable quantity ranges, in response to Sonos. That is up from the unique Transfer’s 11-hour battery life score.

Like its predecessor, the Transfer 2’s built-in rechargeable battery is consumer replaceable. Sonos stated the unique Transfer’s battery was good for about 900 prices or about three years of use. It can in all probability last more than that except you utilize the speaker continuously, however it’s reassuring that you would be able to change the battery — the alternative prices $79.  

Whereas the speaker comes with a wi-fi charging dock, you can even cost by way of the USB-C port, which doubles as charge-out port for charging your units. On high of that, Sonos confirmed that you just use the USB-C port as an audio enter utilizing Sonos’ Line-In Adapter accent, which it sells individually for $19. 

Improved sound

As famous within the intro, Sonos says the Transfer 2 is supplied with a brand new dual-tweeter acoustic structure that enables for extra spacious stereo sound. And sure, the soundstage is extra spacious, however the factor you actually discover is that sound has extra depth and readability. The unique Transfer was on on the hotter facet, however the Transfer 2’s sound feels tightened up and extra detailed. You do get a little bit of stereo separation, however there’s solely a lot you may get from a pair of tweeters spaced a couple of inches aside. The brand new driver design is extra about creating wider, broader sound — in case you’re actually in search of stereo separation, wirelessly linking a pair of Transfer 2s in stereo mode is the transfer, excuse the pun. 

I in contrast the Transfer 2 to Final Ears equally formed Epicboom speaker, which prices $100 much less and likewise weighs much less (4.36 kilos, or simply below 2 kg). The Epicboom sounds superb for a Bluetooth speaker, however the Transfer 2 clearly sounds higher, with tighter, deeper bass and cleaner, extra detailed sound that holds up properly whilst you push the quantity up. The Transfer 2 has a really nice tonal steadiness and comes throughout as pretty pure sounding and correct. 

Each audio system have an out of doors mode (on the Sonos you have interaction “Loudness” within the settings) that helps the audio system sound larger in open environments. On the Sonos, you will wish to flip off loudness when utilizing the speaker indoors (and earlier than utilizing the Trueplay automated tuning characteristic to customized tune the speaker for no matter room you’ve gotten it in).

Sonos Transfer 2 last ideas

In relation to transportable audio system, Sonos does not provide you with a complete lot of alternative. The smaller Roam does sound superb for its compact dimension (I believe a Roam 2 is within the works that corrects a few of that speaker’s small downsides), however in case you’re in search of a Sonos speaker that delivers the sort of audio you anticipate from the Period 100, the Transfer 2 is a no brainer.

Whereas it does not ship the much more voluminous sound of the Period 300, which additionally price $449, it will possibly fill a small- to medium-size room with sound and is simple to hold out to the patio or pool, the place it makes for a superb outside wi-fi speaker that delivers virtually as a lot quantity and bass as a number of the bigger boombox-style Bluetooth audio system. It is a formidable transportable speaker. 

Sonos Transfer 2 key specs, in response to Sonos

• 6.61 kilos (3 kg)
• Overhauled dual-tweeter acoustic structure permits Transfer 2 to ship stereo sound
• 24 hours of playback on a single cost.
• Fees by way of USB-C or included Wi-fi Charging Base
• IP56 score (water- and dust-resistant)
• Constructed to resist unintentional falls, bumps, rain and moisture, mud, UV rays and excessive temperatures
• Computerized Trueplay tuning frequently optimizes the Transfer 2’s sound for its environment
• Contact controls
• Stream by way of Bluetooth to a stereo pair of Transfer 2 audio system when related to Wi-Fi or seamlessly group Transfer 2 with the remainder of your Sonos system
• Detachable and replaceable battery 
• Value: $449/£449/499 euros/AU$799