Bluetooth - Page 20 of 72

Yamaha SR-C20A

Our Verdict

For those simply looking to improve on the sound of their TV for just a couple of hundred pounds, the Yamaha SR-C20A is a great option

For

Focused, clear presentation
Rich tone
Great size

Against

Could be more expressive

As with any market that becomes congested, manufacturers are trying every trick in the book to make their soundbar stand out. For only a few hundred pounds these days you can have it all: mile-long bar, massive sub and every 3D sound technology so far invented.

Sound quality, however, is often secondary. After all, if you can sell a cheap soundbar before anybody’s heard it then you’re unlikely to get many returns – unless it sounds absolutely atrocious.

Build

(Image credit: Yamaha)

It’s almost a relief, then, when we receive an affordable product such as the SR-C20A and find it to be free of frills, almost basic. It suggests Yamaha has focused on designing a great-sounding compact soundbar that will improve your TV’s sound with little fuss. And if you take a look at our 2020 Award winners, you’ll see that is an approach we like a lot.

At only 60cm wide and 6.4cm tall, the SR-C20A will have little trouble sitting beneath any TV (a 32-inch set is about 70cm in width) or, as Yamaha suggests, a computer monitor for more immersive gaming. Not that it is content sounding that small.

Features

(Image credit: Yamaha)

The SR-C20A promises volumes and depth belying its stature thanks to its pair of 46mm full-range drivers and integrated 75mm subwoofer with dual passive radiators. Though there is no attempt made here to deliver counterfeit height channels, it does use Yamaha’s Virtual Surround Technology to help create room-filling sound you might not readily associate with a soundbar of its size.

Yamaha SR-C20A tech specs

(Image credit: Yamaha)

Bluetooth version 5.0

Output power 100W

AirPlay No

Dolby Audio Yes

Inputs/outputs HDMI, optical x2, analogue audio

Dimensions (hwd) 6.4 x 60 x 9.4cm

Weight 1.8kg

Things are kept simple at the back of the unit, too. Between the keyholes for wall mounting are two optical inputs, one 3.5mm analogue in and an HDMI ARC out – there is also a USB socket, for updates only. And if you don’t want to connect your new soundbar to anything but the power, Bluetooth 5.0 is on board for wireless streaming.

You’ll also find a few touch controls on top of the SR-C20A for source selection, power and volume, and LEDs at the front signifying the source in use, but otherwise, this is a pleasingly clean soundbar. In fact, you’ll find much more going on with the remote than the unit itself.

Yamaha has its own Sound Bar Remote App from which you can control all aspects of the SR-C20A, but we’re pleased to have a physical controller in the box as well. As well as the basics, you can use this remote to tweak subwoofer levels and select from four sound modes: Stereo, Standard, Movie and Game.

There are also buttons for Bass Extension, should you want to give more emphasis to the lower frequencies, and Clear Voice, which picks out dialogue and allows it to be more audible when otherwise it may get lost in a busy scene.

All potentially useful, though inevitably the SR-C20A sounds its best in its standard settings, with the bass dialled back depending on the surface the unit is placed on. Leave it to do its work in its most basic mode, and this is a cost-effective soundbar well worth your attention.

Sound

(Image credit: Yamaha)

The SR-C20A delivers that rich Yamaha tone, immediately promising a performance it’d be difficult to dislike. The midrange in particular is full-bodied and clear, the SR-C20A’s woofer making itself known by providing solid foundations, if not exactly rumbling the walls of the room.

There is a commendable level of detail on offer for a soundbar at this price, too, and overall clarity is good. Yamaha is clever enough to know why people buy products such as these, and has succeeded in delivering a clear and focused presentation that will improve on that of any regular flat-screen TV. The SR-C20A’s dimensions mean the sound is a little closed in at times – when scenes become particularly busy and at higher volumes – but never to the extent it becomes messy or unintelligible.

The main area in which it lacks a little something is in terms of dynamic expression. This Yamaha is indeed quite interesting – you couldn’t go as far as to accuse it of being flat – but it doesn’t quite convey the lilts and emphases of dialogue in a way we’d want in order to give it a full five stars.

That affects its use as a wireless speaker for music too, or for watching music shows on TV, as does a slightly pedestrian sense of timing. It’d be harsh to compare the SR-C20A directly with a sole-purpose speaker at the same price, but rhythmically we’d still like a little more energy and impetus. It’s why the Sonos Beam is well worth the extra outlay if you can afford it.

Verdict

But that doesn’t mean this soundbar is unworthy of our recommendation. It is still a clear step up from the sound of most TVs, while its price and dimensions make it easy to accommodate in just about every way.

Of course, there are better soundbars out there, but you’d have to be willing to spend a chunk more. At this price, the Yamaha SR-C20A is a worthy contender for a spot in your living room.

SCORES

Sound 4
Features 5
Build 5

MORE:

Read our guide to the best soundbars

Read our Sonos Beam review

Read our Yamaha SR-B20A review

Read our JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam review

Goldtouch Go!2 Bluetooth Wireless Mobile Keyboard Review

Introduction

You may not have heard of Goldtouch before, but you probably have used one of their products. The company makes ergonomic peripherals used by over 90% of the Fortune 1000 companies worldwide, including Dell, Apple, Intel, and Microsoft to name a few. Indeed, this is arguably the largest keyboard brand I have experienced to date, with a retail channel in over 180 countries, and the brand that is behind so many OEM HID solutions globally. Somewhat ironically, I was living a short drive away earlier (well, relative to the USA anyway), but Goldtouch now had to send the keyboard across an ocean. Thanks again to the company for sending a review sample to TechPowerUp!

The company has a wide plethora of ergonomic products for work, but today, we are taking a look at one of their more interesting keyboards for mobile travel while retaining an ergonomic fit. The Go!2 Bluetooth Wireless Mobile keyboard name might be a handful and then some, which is why I will refer to it as the Goldtouch Go!2 in this review henceforth, though its full name explains the nature of the keyboard well. The image above does an even better job of showcasing how this is a split ergonomic keyboard, too. The low-profile, wireless nature combined with these features might be bringing up dollar signs in your minds, but there is a pleasant surprise at the end of the review which begins with a look at the specifications in the table below.

Specifications

Goldtouch Go!2 Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard
Layout:	75% form factor in a modified US ANSI layout, other languages supported dependent on your region
Material:	ABS plastic case and keycaps
Macro Support:	No
Weight:	0.5 kg/1.1 lbs.
Wrist Rest:	No
Anti-ghosting:	6-Key rollover Bluetooth
Media Keys:	Available as a layered function
Dimensions (when together):	152 (L) x 343 (W) x 23 (H) mm
Cable Length:	1 ft
Software:	No
Switch Type:	Scissor-style membrane switch
Backlighting:	No
Interface:	Bluetooth 3.0
Warranty:	One year

Technics Ottava F SC-C70 MK2

Our Verdict

It might work for those who need a CD player and streaming in one box, but there are far better alternatives if you can compromise on features

For

Plenty of weight to sound
Good timing
CD player can be useful

Against

Dynamically uninteresting
Bass detail is poor

With vinyl sales having overtaken those of the CD for the first time in 35 years, and cassette tapes enjoying a similar resurgence to the black disc, it is almost novel to be testing an all-in-one system such as the Technics Ottava F SC-C70 MK2 in 2021.

We’re very much in favour of any physical media inclusion in a sector that is increasingly geared towards streaming, of course; it’s just a pleasant surprise when there’s a wireless speaker asking us to dig into our racks of CDs.

This is actually the second generation of Technics’s most premium Ottava wireless speaker, adding features such as Auto Space Tune along with a complete retune for its new drivers. We didn’t get our hands on the first one, but did spend some time with the four-star Ottava S SC-C30 – the baby of the group – so feel justified in having some high expectations.

That said, you shouldn’t really need any prior knowledge of the range to expect something for the money you’ll have to pay. A price tag of £799 ($999, AU$1649) certainly isn’t the weightiest among the wireless speakers we’ve tested, but it does place the SC-C70 MK2 in a premium bracket.

We’ve heard plenty of speakers that can comfortably account for prices doubling that of this Technics, even without bonuses such as the CD player. But to get an idea of how stiff competition is here, we only dished out one 2020 What Hi-Fi? Award to a wireless speaker costing more than £500, and that one is £50 cheaper than the SC-C70 MK2. Essentially, this is a lot of money to spend, and you’re well within your rights to expect something special in return.

Build

(Image credit: Technics)

There are certainly some aspects of the SC-C70 MK2’s construction that resonate with its price. Opening the packaging reveals a thick aluminium top panel – either grey or black, depending on which of the two finishes you’ve chosen – and the speaker’s weight as you lift it from the box is equally reassuring.

It looks pretty good, too. There’s an industrial stylishness to its straight lines and vent-like grille, which stands out just enough while hopefully not dating it too much into the future; a speaker such as this should have some staying power.

The OLED display is small, but functional, while that top plate also houses a few well-engineered push buttons alongside a row of touch controls for playback. You probably won’t be up this close often, though, thanks to the included remote and ability to work the SC-C70 MK2 via its app.

Around the back, there are inputs for aux-in, optical and USB, alongside connections for the included radio antenna, power and wired internet. These are all sandwiched between a pair of reflex ports that complement a quintet of drivers inside.

Most notably, the SC-C70 MK2’s downward-firing subwoofer, which you’ll feel if you stroke the speaker’s undercarriage. It’s a 12cm driver aiming to add some serious depth to the pair of forward-firing 8cm drivers taking care of the speaker’s midrange.

Technics F Ottava SC-C70 MK2 tech specs

(Image credit: Technics)

Power 30W + 30W (40W sub)

Inputs Aux-in, optical digital, USB-A

Headphone out Yes

Finishes x2

Dimensions (hwd) 14.3 x 45 x 28cm

Weight 8kg

In this second-generation SC-C70, these woofers are said to benefit from the reduced weight of their voice coil, enhanced airflow and increased rigidity of their diaphragm, and aren’t the only component to have undergone a major revamp.

The pair of 2cm dome tweeters are much changed, too, with a lighter silk diaphragm and optimised acoustic lens for improved dispersion. And each section has its own JENO Engine full digital amp unit, delivering 30W to the tweeters and midrange drivers and 40W to the sub.

There’s a lot packed in, and it becomes evident that it’s the SC-C70 MK2’s interior, along with the top plate, providing most of the weight. Unfortunately, the rest of the outside is rather plasticky to the touch. That might not be of great importance, given you’ll rarely touch the speaker’s sides, but it’s a feature that extends to the swiveling CD lid. Our initial hope that this might be glass is soon quashed, and a less than smooth finish on the edge only compounds the disappointment.

Features

(Image credit: Technics)

At least we can’t fault the feature list. Built-in Google Chromecast means the SC-C70 MK2 is primed for multi-room use, while Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth also offer wireless playback options. That is, of course, along with the CD drive, DAB+ and FM radio, and analogue and digital inputs.

Less ordinary, though, is Technics’s Space Tune technology, and more importantly this speaker’s new automatic function. The MK1 offered pre-sets of Free, Near the Wall, and Near the Corner; all of those are present again for quick EQing, depending on where your speaker is placed, but the new Auto function can do that more precisely by using test tones and on-board mics for optimal sound.

You can even go further, using the Technics Audio Center app to adjust settings depending on your listening position. iOS devices can also be used to measure room noise and acoustic conditions as well as further calibrating sound characteristics.

Sound

(Image credit: Technics)

Some tuning could be vital, depending on your room, as there’s a lot of power coming from the SC-C70 MK2 that needs to be kept tame. Most notably in the low end, where that subwoofer proves a sound investment early on for those who like a lot of bass.

The key, of course, is finding a good balance; the Auto Space Tune does a good job of that, and the ability to further tweak is welcome. But you won’t be criticising this Technics speaker for not having enough in the way of bass weight.

Detail levels are generally okay as well, giving enough information to keep that full-bodied presentation from becoming soft – in the upper registers at least. Unfortunately, though, the other side of all that bass is that the mix is a bit of a blunt object and rather bereft of detail.

Despite that slightly corpulent low end, timing is still surprisingly good. It is an aspect with which a lot of really bassy-sounding products often struggle, appearing slow or muddled, but the SC-C70 MK2 is actually rather good at keeping time.

However, because that accurate timing is betrayed by a real dearth of dynamic expression, it fails to deliver any great sense of rhythm. This is our main gripe: there is such a lack of expression it quickly becomes a wearing listen.

(Image credit: Technics)

We sit there willing the SC-C70 MK2 to appear a little more interested in the music we’re sharing with it, but it has made up its mind. It’s even more of a shame when you consider all the power it flaunts delivering those bass frequencies; even if just a little more of that was directed at giving some punch, this would be a more entertaining listen.

And as we noted earlier, the SC-C70 MK2 has entered the market among some seriously talented rivals. If we were underwhelmed with its performance at first, the Technics only loses more ground when we compare it with the Award-winning Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation.

There’s no CD player here, of course, but you should ask yourself whether you really need one; the Naim is leagues ahead in terms of detail, rhythmic sense and excitement. And you can always put the money saved towards a CD transport later on if necessary.

You’d even get a better all-round performance by going for a micro system such as the Denon D-M41DAB. Again there are compromises – the stereo speakers are separate, so it isn’t a on-box solution, and your only wireless streaming is via Bluetooth – but if CD is your main concern, then it’s a no-brainer in terms of sonic performance and value.

For anyone considering buying the Technics SC-C70 MK2, our advice would be to go back to the drawing board and think about what you’re willing to compromise. Our choice would always be features or space, rather than compromising on sound.

Verdict

Regardless of whether or not there is a true like-for-like alternative, the Technics Ottava F SC-C70 MK2 is just too expensive to sound this lifeless. A re-tune may be able to solve its issues – the feature set and building blocks of a good performance are here, but at the moment you’d need some fairly specific requirements to consider this a worthy buy.

SCORES

Sound 3
Features 5
Build 4

MORE:

Read our guide to the best all-in-one systems

Read our Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation review

Read our Denon D-M41DAB review

Asus’ new ROG Phone 5 Ultimate has 18GB of RAM and a rear-facing OLED screen

Asus is going big with its latest gaming phones. The ROG Phone 5 lineup will start shipping this month across the globe, costing 799 euros (around $950) for the base configuration with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage. Every configuration has a 6.78-inch FHD+ OLED screen with a 144Hz refresh rate and a 300Hz touch sampling rate. Also, the headphone jack has made a comeback after being absent from the ROG Phone 3, this time with a quad DAC in tow for hi-res audio. (In case you’re wondering where the ROG Phone 4 went, Asus skipped over the number four, like OnePlus did, due to its similarities with the word “death” in some Asian languages.)

The most notable changes from the last generation are exclusive to some even more expensive configurations, the ROG Phone 5 Pro and Ultimate (which I published a review of) that release in April for 1,199 euros (approximately $1,420) and in May for 1,299 euros (about $1,583), respectively. Both of these models have double the storage and more RAM (starting at 16GB in the Pro and going all the way up to 18GB in the Ultimate); come in limited edition colors; and have two additional ultrasonic touch sensors than the standard model, located near where your ring fingers might rest while holding the phone in landscape mode. You’ll also get a case and a clip-on AeroActive Cooler 5 fan attachment with purchase with either the Pro or Ultimate phone (which adds two more buttons attached to the fan.)

The new Asus gaming phones aren’t huge departures from their predecessors, though the hardware and software are more refined. I reviewed the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate, and while it delivers on its promises to be a spec and feature juggernaut in some clever ways, paying $1,580 for it seems steep. Even the $950 base configuration isn’t what I’d consider affordable.

The Ultimate and Pro include “ROG Vision,” a feature that pushes premade or custom text or graphics to its rear-facing OLED screen. It’s a spin on Asus’ “Anime Matrix” effect used in the Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop, allowing you to personalize your phone if you want. The standard ROG Phone 5 simply has a backlit ROG logo, which some might find to be just enough pizazz.

I go into all of the features in the review. But if you’re just passing by and want to know all about the specs, I’ve attached a handy table just for you.

Asus ROG Phone 5 lineup specs

Comparison	ROG Phone 5 Ultimate	ROG Phone 5 Pro	ROG Phone 5
Comparison	ROG Phone 5 Ultimate	ROG Phone 5 Pro	ROG Phone 5
Colors	Matte white	Glossy black	Phantom black or Storm white
Price	1,299 Euros (approx. $1,583)	1,199 Euros (approx. $1,420)	Starts at 799 Euros (approx. $950)
Processor	Snapdragon 888	*	*
OS	Android 11 with ROG UI	*	*
Display	6.78-inch 2448 x 1080 OLED with 144Hz refresh rate	*	*
RAM	18GB LPDDR5	16GB LPDDR5	8GB,12GB or 16GB LPDDR5
Storage	512GB UFS 3.1	*	256GB UFS 3.1
Extra touch sensors	Yes	*	No
Rear-facing cameras	64-megapixel with F/1.8 aperture, 13-megapixel 125-degree ultra-wide with F/2.4 aperture, and a 5-megapixel macro lens with F/2.0	*	*
Front-facing camera	24-megapixel with F/2.45 aperture	*	*
ROG Vision support	Yes, monochromatic	Yes, color	No
Battery	6,000mAh	*	*
Included charger	65W	*	*
Dimensions	172.8 x 77.2 x 10.29 mm	*	*
Weight	238 grams	*	*
Connectivity	LTE and sub-6GHz 5G on AT&T and T-Mobile, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2	*	*
Included accessories	AeroActive Cooler 5, Aero case	*	No cooler included
			* represents the same spec as the Ultimate

Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge

Sonos Move update means Auto TruePlay now works over Bluetooth

(Image credit: Sonos)

The Sonos Move is receiving a firmware update to enhance its Auto TruePlay calibration feature, bringing it in-line with the improved version that has been introduced by the just-announced Sonos Roam portable speaker.

Sonos’ Auto TruePlay calibration technology, which debuted in the Move, uses the speaker’s microphones to automatically measure the frequency response of its surroundings and optimise sound quality accordingly, whenever the speaker is placed in a new location. This feature has required a wi-fi network, meaning it can only self-calibrate outdoors when within range of your home network, but now, courtesy of this new update, this process can work over a Bluetooth connection too – as it also can with the Roam.

Given the portability of both the Move and Roam – the fact they’re likely to be placed on different surfaces and in different environments, rather than just stationary in one place – Auto TruePlay is a worthwhile feature. We were impressed with the results during our testing of the Move: “We move from our soundproofed test room to a noisy office environment and outdoors. The speaker’s real-world transformation is audible, the Move never sounding out of place once it reconfigures itself. When outside, there’s a definite sense of the Move’s sonic presentation opening up while retaining the clarity and balance of its indoor performance, which is typically Sonos.”

The fact it can now work over Bluetooth gives owners an optimised audio experience in places they may not have been able to before, such as the bottom of their garden or out in the park – providing it works just as effectively as it does over wi-fi.

MORE:

Read our full Sonos Move review

Here’s the A-Z on the new Sonos Roam: release date, price, features

Sonos Move gets longer battery life and new white colourway

Our pick of the best Bluetooth speakers 2021

Sonos Roam vs Sonos Move: how Sonos’ Bluetooth speakers compare

(Image credit: Sonos)

Sonos has just announced a new Bluetooth portable speaker. The Roam is only the firm’s second-ever, following the 2019-launched Sonos Move and marking another break away from its traditional at-home Sonos system. It’s smaller and consequently more portable than Move – cheaper, too. And it’s shaping up to be a real challenger to the best Bluetooth speakers around.

But what does it bring to the already crowded Bluetooth speaker market? And how does it compare to its larger, pricier sibling?

Sonos Roam is official – and the cheapest, smartest Sonos speaker yet

Sonos Roam vs Sonos Move: price

The Sonos Roam is essentially a smaller, more portable Move and so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s more affordable. The Roam costs £159 ($169, AU$279, €179), making it the cheapest Sonos speaker ever (apart from those made in collaboration with IKEA), sitting below the slightly pricier Sonos One SL. That’s also in the ballpark of many of the best Bluetooth speakers around, although for its size (albeit not feature set) there are plenty around asking half that price.

The six-times-the-size Move costs more than twice that at £399 ($399, AU$649), so yes, there’s quite a difference in cost. This might rule the Move out for people’s some budgets, but it’s still worth knowing what you’re getting (or not getting) if you choose either one.

Sonos: everything you need to know

Sonos Roam vs Sonos Move: design

(Image credit: Sonos)

As soon as you clap eyes on it, you’ll see the Roam is a very different beast to the Move. It’s triangular, for a start, like a Toblerone. And it’s a lot smaller – six times smaller in fact, measuring just 16.8 x 6.2 x 6cm. That’s smaller than a water bottle. Naturally, it’s lighter, too, tipping the scales at 430g.

The comparative specs for the Move are dimensions of 24 x 16 x 12.6cm and a weight of 3kg.

One of the biggest criticisms of the Move is that its bulk and heft pushes the definitions of portability. Whereas the majority of Bluetooth speakers are designed to be tossed in a bag and taken to the park, picnic, pool or beach (just as the Roam is), the Move is more of a home speaker that can be moved from room to room or into the garden.

In light of its ultra-portable, outdoor-friendly design, the Roam also more resistant to the elements than the Move. It’s IP67-rated, meaning it can be completely submerged in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It’s completely impervious to dust, too. The Move is only IP56-rated, which means it’s only protected from ‘harmful dust’ and ‘strong water jets from all directions’.

The names of both devices are quite apt, then: the Move is intended to be moved from room to room, and the Roam to be taken with you on your wider travels.

Which Sonos speaker should you buy?

Sonos Roam vs Sonos Move: features

While the Roam is a very different proposition to the Move, it does share some of the same traits. For example, it also has both Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity, so you can stream tunes to it offline from a phone or tablet, or over the internet using a service like Spotify or Tidal, like the rest of the Sonos speaker range. Wi-fi also means it can work as part of a Sonos multi-room system (as the Move can too); it’s as much a member of the family as every other speaker, also controlled by the Sonos S2 app.

Like the Move, the Roam has a rechargeable battery, and despite its much smaller size, it manages to match the Move’s 10-hour run time. In that context it’s impressive, although note that (not-so-fruitfully-featured) Bluetooth speakers do often offer longer battery lives.

To juice it up, the Roam comes with a USB-C cable (but not a power adaptor). Sonos has also launched a $49 dedicated wireless charging base that the Roam clips onto using magnets, although Roam is compatible with any Qi wireless charger.

The Move also has a USB-C cable, with a charging base that comes in the box. Its battery is also swappable, should you need to replace it (it will be a lot cheaper than buying a whole new speaker). Sonos hasn’t yet mentioned such functionality with the Roam, but as the consumer tech world is moving towards more sustainability, we wouldn’t be surprised if it was an option for Roam – if its design even allows for it.

Also like the Move, the Roam has voice control via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, as well as Apple’s AirPlay 2. Neither the Move nor Roam can work as a home cinema surround with the Sonos Arc, Playbar, Playbase, Beam or Sub – that remains the job of the One SL and IKEA speakers.

Right, so that’s enough similarities; let us tell you how the two devices differ.

The first new feature the Roam offers is the automatic switching between wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity and connected devices. That means when you leave the house it can connect to a Bluetooth device without you having to initiate pairing. You don’t have to do anything, in fact. Just grab it and go.

‘Sonos Swap’ is also new and exclusive to the Roam. This lets you ‘hand off’ whatever music the Roam is playing to another Sonos speaker (the nearest to it) by long-pressing its play/pause button. So if you come home from a long afternoon’s picnicking you can seamlessly swap what’s playing to your home system. Neat. (It’s also a feature we’re expecting to work with the highly anticipated Sonos wireless headphones, due later this year.)

Auto TruePlay is on board, too – and introduces improvements over the version that launched with the Move. For the uninitiated, this is automatic calibration technology that uses the speaker’s microphones to measure the frequency response of its surroundings and adjust sound accordingly, whenever it detects being placed in a new location. Move the speaker from a bookshelf to a coffee table, say, and it’ll recalibrate its sound to its new surroundings to give you the best audio possible. This tech was first seen in the Move, but the Roam moves it along by letting it work in a Bluetooth domain as well as a network one. This feature is coming to the Move via a firmware update.

Ultimately, while there’s plenty familiar about the Roam, there’s plenty new too. And it could be the smartest Bluetooth speaker of its size ever made.

Sonos Roam vs Sonos Move: sound

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, for all the bells and whistles, a speaker sinks or swims by its sound quality. The Sonos Move managed to impress us in this area, with a sonic profile similar to the excellent Sonos One: think weighty, full-bodied audio, with a tonality that’s nicely even-handed and not bereft of solid, deep bass.

The Move’s ample size gives it plenty of scale and space – put it at the centre of your garden party, and you won’t be disappointed. But volume never comes at the expense of quality – the audio stays composed even when pushed to the limit of what’s socially acceptable. You can expect similar sonic satisfaction from Bluetooth playback too.

But while we’ve pored over the features and design of the Sonos Roam, we haven’t given it a through going over in our test rooms yet – watch. this. space – so we can’t comment on its sound quality. Sonos speakers are renowned for their sonic competitiveness – the company’s reputation is not only built on seamless integration and user experience but also performance – so we’re expecting big things, even from a relatively small package.

While we don’t expect the Roam to match the much bigger Move’s scale of sound, our expectations regarding pound-per-performance value are high. If we get the same Sonos sonic character but just smaller in scale and lighter on bass, the Roam shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

Not that the Roam will have an easy time of it; competition is fierce where the Roam is positioned. To make its mark, it’ll have to compare to the likes of the JBL Flip 5 (currently number one in our list of best Bluetooth speakers), Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen), Audio Pro Addon C3, and UE Megablast. No mean feat, although the Roam’s extra and Sonos-centric features will have to be accounted for.

All of these best-in-class portable Bluetooth speakers are superb options from established players in the market, and each of these manufacturers has a lot of experience of making such devices. Sonos is a big name in multi-room audio, but portable products are a different kettle of fish.

We’ll have a full review for you as soon as we can.

Sonos Roam vs Sonos Move: early verdict

On paper, the Roam looks like a great device, addressing the criticisms of the Move by being more portable and cheaper. It shouldn’t exactly undermine the Move, though, as the two are quite different propositions: the Roam is a proper portable for taking out with you and by design will have its sonic limitations, while the Move is a Sonos speaker you can take to the garden or another room and get a decent scale of excellent sound from.

The great thing about the Sonos ecosystem is that consumers, and especially Sonos loyals, may well have valid reason to choose both.

MORE:

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Sonos Roam is official – and the cheapest, smartest Sonos speaker yet

(Image credit: Sonos)

Sonos has just unveiled its cheapest and most portable speaker yet. The new Sonos Roam, which you might already have been acquainted with courtesy of several pre-launch leaks, is the company’s answer to the likes of the JBL Flip 5 and Ultimate Ears Boom 3 portable Bluetooth speakers. But while it shares the same goal in offering an easily transportable, durable way to play music on the go, it naturally boasts some unique, Sonos-centric features that make it stand out from the crowd.

You can predominantly think of the Sonos Roam as a miniature, more affordable Sonos Move, which arrived in late 2019 as the company’s first ‘portable’ speaker. (Here’s how the two Sonos Bluetooth speakers compare.) Like its hybrid sibling, the new Roam has both Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity, allowing owners to simply pair it with a phone or tablet over the former, or tap into the wide world of music streaming and/or use it within a wider Sonos system.

Its portability is mostly defined by two things: a form that is smaller than a water bottle (16.8 x 6.2 x 6cm), weighs less than a pound (or 430g if you’re more metric-oriented), is IP67-rated for complete water and dust resistance (it can be immersed in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes), and has a built-in rechargeable battery that offers 10 hours of music playback (or can last 10 days in an automatic sleep mode).

On that note, the Sonos Roam comes with a USB-C charging cable (although not a power adapter) and is compatible with standard Qi wireless chargers. Sonos is also launching its own charging base ($49, £tbc), to which the Roam snaps magnetically.

Sonos Roam vs Sonos Move: how Sonos’ Bluetooth speakers compare

(Image credit: Sonos)

The Roam supports Bluetooth 5.0 for connection to a phone, tablet or any other Bluetooth-toting music player, but while that’s often the limit of a Bluetooth speaker’s connectivity, aside from perhaps a 3.5mm input, the Roam can also connect to a home network, opening up at-home accessibility to streaming services such as Spotify, Amazon Music and Tidal, as well as voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. AirPlay 2 is available when connected to wi-fi, too, as is control via the Sonos S2 app.

To that end, the Roam has a few Sonos-centric tricks up its sleeve. Firstly, the Roam can automatically switch between wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity and connected devices, so when you leave the house it can connect to a Bluetooth device without the owner having to initiate pairing, and vice versa. You “just grab it and go,” as a Sonos representative said in the media briefing.

(Image credit: Sonos)

Then there’s the all-new Sonos Swap feature, which lets owners hand off whatever music the Roam is playing to the nearest Sonos speaker by long-pressing the play/pause button. Neat. (It’s something we thought might debut in the highly anticipated Sonos wireless headphones, expected later this year.)

Auto TruePlay – the automatic calibration technology that uses the speaker’s microphones to measure the frequency response of its surroundings and adjust sound accordingly, whenever it detects being placed in a new location – is on board following its debut in the Move, too. This time, however, it can work in a Bluetooth domain as well as a network one – functionality that’s also now available for the Move via a new software update.

(Image credit: Sonos)

Sonos has confirmed that the Roam can’t be used as a surround speaker with the company’s Beam or Arc soundbars, though, leaving that job to the Sonos One SL and Sonos IKEA speakers.

Of course, while the Roam enters the market as perhaps the smartest and best connected Bluetooth speaker of its size and price, it will need to sound good to seal a favourable fate. Handling the sonic duties is a custom-designed racetrack woofer and tweeter pairing, driven by two Class H amplifiers and with an adjustable EQ output.

And that’s all, folks. The Sonos Roam is priced £159 ($169, AU$279, €179), making it the most affordable Sonos speaker yet (if you discount the Sonos IKEA collaborative models), undercutting the One SL by the price of a round of drinks.

The Roam is available to pre-order now, with shipping beginning on 20th April.

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Jacob Pustilnik built his first electric bike when he was 17 because he was tired of showing up at school drenched in sweat. Texas is notoriously humid, but Pustilnik only lived a few miles from his school in Houston and was reluctant to abandon his trusty Trek mountain bike. At first, he thought putting a milk crate on the rear rack for his backpack would be enough to eliminate the dreaded back sweat, but it was only a half measure. Eventually he settled on a much more challenging solution: converting his whole bike to run on an electric motor.

“I think I just knew about the idea of an electric bike, but not very much — just that they existed,” he said.

Jacob Pustilnik on his e-bike that he built from a kit.

Photo by Mary Kang for The Verge

After mulling it over for a couple of months, Pustilnik did what any enterprising teenager would do when they needed some engineering guidance: he went on YouTube. From there, he found someone online willing to sell him a used $800 conversion kit — essentially a kit to convert a traditional bike into a battery-powered one — at a discount. Over the course of a weekend, he transformed his hardtail mountain bike into a throttle-assisted e-bike capable of speeds of up to 20 mph. He would arrive at school soggy no longer.

Conversion kits have been around for years, but have gained popularity as the number of e-bikes sold around the world has exploded. Also, with more how-tos and tutorials available through platforms like YouTube, many people feel like they can gain the skills they need to convert their bikes on the go. There are a variety of types of kits, from wheel kits, to mid-drive motors, to friction or chain kits. But the outcome is generally the same: transforming your human-powered bicycle into one supercharged with electrons.

Building your own e-bike can be more affordable than buying one, especially with most good e-bikes costing between $1,400 and $3,000. The really dirt-cheap kits can be had for around $100 or more. But it’s not without its pitfalls. Inexpensive kits often beget bikes that are lacking in power and performance. Sourcing and building your own battery can be challenging, especially for anyone without basic electrical and soldering skills. And occasionally you can end up spending way more money than you originally intended.

Photo by Mary Kang for The Verge

Pustilnik said he was motivated to do it himself partly by saving money — most of the e-bikes he was interested in cost over $2,000 — but also by a sense of freedom. “I like being able to tinker with things,” he said. “And to be able to fix stuff myself as opposed to buying expensive OEM [original equipment manufacturer] parts, or have to wait for someone else to fix it.”

For many DIY e-bike enthusiasts, it’s mostly just a hobby. But there’s also a tacit understanding that if they do an amazing job and really nail that conversion, they can earn some clout on social media, maybe start taking orders from other people — family, friends, perhaps even strangers — who want to buy one of their e-bikes, and suddenly they may find themselves at the helm of a multimillion-dollar e-bike empire.

That’s what happened to Mike Radenbaugh, founder and CEO of Seattle’s Rad Power Bikes. Over the last couple of years, Radenbaugh’s company has risen to the top ranks of e-bike makers in the US thanks to its ability to churn out fast, fun, and affordable products. And it all started very similarly to Jacob Pustilnik’s story, with the need to get to school on time.

Mike Radenbaugh on an original Rad Power bike.

Photo: Rad Power

Radenbaugh built his first e-bike as a teenager growing up in the rural Northern California town of Garberville, where he and his family lived “sort of off-grid,” he said. He was 16 miles from school, but rather than continue to dump money into an old car that kept breaking down, he opted to build an electric bike using his mountain bike as a foundation.

He spent a lot of time on online forums like Endless Sphere, where e-bike enthusiasts trade tips and talk shop. But he didn’t have a conversion kit to make the transformation easy. Instead he relied on skills he picked up at a local auto body shop to convert a mess of motorcycle parts, moped motors he ordered from Japan, and other odds and ends he had laying around, into a throttle-powered 35-mph e-bike. It was all held together with electrical tape, pipe clamps, bungee cords — and probably a healthy dose of hubris.

“The first one was built just for me,” he said, “and the next ones were built for word-of-mouth sales. I started selling them on Craigslist and I worked my way into the local newspaper with a free advertisement because I think that person running advertising there felt bad trying to charge a 16-year-old.”

And the results were far from perfect. “The parts didn’t fit well, and they didn’t perform well because they were just pulled over off the shelf from other applications,” Radenbaugh recalled. Sensors were getting fried, wires were melting, and the bike was generally falling apart. This reveals a central and uncomfortable truth about DIY e-bikes: a project that is conceived around saving money can sometimes end up costing you way more than if you’d just bought something off-the-shelf.

“You end up spending a lot of money getting to a product that is reliable,” Radenbaugh said, “when you go the DIY route.”

Other e-bike entrepreneurs have discovered this as well. Hong Quan built his first bike in his garage in Palo Alto in the mid-2010s, and from there started his own company, Karmic Bikes. He argues that building your own e-bike as a way to save money can be misguided, especially when you end up with something crappy that defeats the purpose.

“They’ll buy a cheap battery, a cheap motor, and they’ll put it on a cheaper bike,” Quan said. “That’s fine if you want to do that, but you’re not going to get any performance, you’re not going to get any range, you’re not going to get any of the real benefits of having an e-bike.”

For those who aren’t motivated by saving money, the impulse to build their own e-bike seems mostly to stem from a desire to ride faster and farther than most current models allow. YouTube, Reddit, and other forums are bursting with builders bragging about their overpowered e-bikes traveling at motorcycle speeds.

It’s a high wire act, considering the dangers associated with riding a custom-built bike that can match pace with a Ducati. Sure, there are a lot of YouTube views associated with bigger, bolder-looking e-bikes that pack more power than they should. And when you’re building something in your garage, your ability to make the right decisions can be obscured by the amplified voices of online commenters egging you on to build bigger, go faster, and screw the rules.

Until you do it, and immediately regret it. “Never again!” one YouTuber yelped in a video posted in 2017. He could barely be heard above the rushing wind after hitting speeds well in excess of 70 mph on a self-made e-bike he describes as “the most dangerous and unsafe bike ever.”

“Well, it had to be done,” he added. “I wouldn’t be Tony if I did it the usual way!” (Tony, the YouTuber, could not be reached for comment.)

Others are aware of the pitfalls, and are fine with them. Javi Hernandez, a 39-year-old stay-at-home dad who lives in Southern California, has over 19,000 subscribers on YouTube, where he publishes under the handle “Javi’s Boom Tech.” He mostly posts videos about Bluetooth speakers, but lately he’s gotten into building his own e-bikes. His latest, which he calls “Cirkit,” could best be described as an homage to 1970s-era Taco minibikes. The upright handlebars, long banana seat, parallelogram-shaped frame, and Day-Glo green accents are a noticeable contrast to most DIY e-bikes, with their rat’s nest of wires and comically incongruous parts.

One of Javi Hernandez’s Cirkit e-bikes.

Photo by Javi Hernandez

Hernandez says he got help from a friend who he describes as “the Rain Man of e-bikes,” who taught him how to build batteries, controllers, and other necessary parts. The batteries, in particular, were difficult to build from scratch. Carefully placing dozens of 18650 lithium-ion battery cells inside a pack, and then wiring, spot welding, and soldering everything together takes a lot of skill, he said.

“That’s the heart and soul of the bike,” Hernandez said. “If the battery can’t output the power that it’s being requested, then it doesn’t matter what you have, as far as controller and motor.”

In the end, he ended up with a 7,000W motor and a 70-volt battery pack capable of 300 continuous amps. In other words, “a beast,” Hernandez said. Compare that to Rad Power Bikes’ cargo bike, the RadWagon, which has a power rating of 750W and a 48-volt battery pack.

“Long story short, we finished the bike and it went from a top speed of 15, 16 miles an hour to about 45 miles per hour,” Hernandez chuckled. “A little rocket.”

Most e-bike companies stick to the US classification system, which caps speed at 28 mph for a Class 3 bike. But Hernandez says he relishes zooming around Los Angeles on his rule-defying Cirkit bike. Recently, he was stopped at a red light when a motorcycle pulled up alongside. The two exchanged glances, and when the light turned green, Hernandez gunned it.

Javi Hernandez with one of his Cirkit e-bikes.

Photo: Javi Hernandez

The front wheel, he recalled, just started squealing like crazy and spewing smoke. The biker burst out laughing. “He wasn’t expecting that from this tiny little bike that looks like a kid should be riding it,” Hernandez said.

But Hernandez wasn’t embarrassed. Far from it, actually. “It’s a total blast.”

ASUS ROG Keris Wireless
Size:	118 mm x 62 mm x 39 mm
Size (inches):	4.65″ x 2.44″ x 1.54″
Ambidextrous:	No
Weight:	79 g
Number of Buttons:	7 (including wheel click)
Main Switches:	ROG Micro Switch (70 M)
Wheel Encoder:	Mechanical
Sensor:	PixArt PAW3335
Resolution:	100–16,000 CPI
Polling Rate:	125/250/500/1000 Hz
Cable:	2 m, braided
Software:	Yes
Price:	$99.99
Warranty:	2 years

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