Sonos Transfer 2 evaluate

Sonos has a number of speakers within its portfolio, and that portfolio has modified fairly considerably over the previous couple of years. The corporate introduced the original Move back in 2019, and on the time, it was the primary to supply Bluetooth capabilities and portability, making it an enormous deal for the corporate and its followers.

Quick ahead 4 years and we have not solely received the Sonos Roam and Roam SL providing portability and Bluetooth in a smaller format than Transfer, however the wired Period 100 and Period 300 even have Bluetooth on board, giving customers a breadth of alternative.

The Sonos Transfer 2 replaces the unique Transfer, bringing various refined enhancements to the unique transportable Sonos speaker, however must you purchase it? Here is what I assumed after just a few weeks of testing.

Sonos Transfer 2

Advisable

The Sonos Transfer 2 is all about refinements, which add as much as huge enhancements over the unique Transfer. In case you’re after a Sonos speaker that delivers wonderful efficiency throughout sound, options and battery life – while additionally providing a flexible design that enables for indoor and outside use – the Transfer 2 is the one.

Execs

• Nice design refinements
• Glorious efficiency total
• Excellent battery life

Cons

• No Google Assistant
• Value improve over Transfer

Versatile design

The design of the Sonos Transfer 2 is just about similar to the unique Transfer, aside from a few small variations. That is in no way a criticism although. The unique Transfer’s design labored properly, and the identical might be mentioned for the Transfer 2. There is a strong and durable construct right here, with a rubber part on the base, an built-in deal with on the rear and a slim high housing the controls.

The speaker grille spans across the entrance and sides of the Transfer 2, leaving a panel on the rear for the built-in deal with and numerous controls. There is a energy button like the unique Transfer, however instead of the Wi-Fi to Bluetooth change, there’s now only a Bluetooth button and beneath that, instead of the pairing button, there is a microphone on/off {hardware} change – one thing the Era 100 and Period 300 launched earlier in 2023.

Elsewhere on the rear, there a USB-C port for charging and line-in, and charging pins on the base for when the Transfer 2 is positioned on the wi-fi charging base.

The controls on the highest of the Transfer 2 have modified barely from the unique Transfer as properly, once more borrowing from the Period 100 and Era 300. Meaning there is a microphone on/off change on high too, which has an LED gentle above to point standing, and you may additionally discover a quantity trough that provides a simplified manner of controlling quantity.

Beforehand on older Sonos speakers with capacitive controls, quantity was adjusted by tapping the buttons both facet of the play/pause button. With the Transfer 2, the buttons both facet of the play/pause button have switched to permitting you to skip a observe or return a observe, with quantity managed through the brand new swipeable bar.

This feels far more intuitive, particularly for brand new customers, and makes the Transfer 2 all of the less difficult to make use of and management.

By way of end, the Transfer 2 gives the premium high quality you’d anticipate from Sonos audio system. They don’t seem to be low-cost – particularly not within the Transfer 2’s case the place there’s been a value improve – and with that value comes a stage of expectation. The Transfer 2 does rise to fulfill this although, oozing the extent of high quality I’d anticipate.

There’s an IP54 rating right here so whereas the Transfer 2 cannot be dunked in a pool just like the Ultimate Ears Epicboom, it might probably deal with being rained on, dropped or thrown round slightly. It is not the lightest – weighing 3kg like the original Move – and it is fairly substantial by way of measurement too, so this is not a speaker you’d shove in a backpack for the park essentially. What it’s excellent for, nevertheless, is transferring from an indoor speaker to a again backyard or again yard speaker, and vice versa. I mentioned the identical in regards to the unique Transfer and this nonetheless applies. On its Wi-fi Dock, the Transfer 2 blends into my dwelling like all my different Sonos audio system, nevertheless it’s much more versatile due to its capacity to simply decide it up and transfer it outdoors.

I’ve the white end in for my Transfer 2 evaluate unit, although there’s a black possibility too – with these two colors being customary for Sonos audio system – and there is additionally a Inexperienced color. Sonos sometimes does not provide colored choices for its audio system – the Roam being the one present exception to that rule – so it is nice to see some extra choices for the Transfer 2 to cater to those who need one thing slightly extra thrilling.

{Hardware} and specs

Transferring past the design is the place a few of the largest adjustments might be discovered between the unique Transfer and the Transfer 2. Firstly, the Transfer 2 provides a further tweeter, permitting for stereo sound in comparison with mono. That is one thing the corporate additionally did with the Period 100, providing a barely wider soundstage from a single field – I am going to discuss efficiency in a second.

There’s additionally an additional driver packed into the Transfer 2 in comparison with the unique Transfer so the acoustic structure has been redesigned, whereas the exterior design sees the extra refined adjustments I discussed beforehand. It is a totally different method than the one the corporate took with the Sonos One and Play:1 again in 2017, the place it retained the acoustic structure however redesigned the shell greater than what we see right here, and a unique method from the Era 100 and Sonos One extra lately, the place each components noticed an enormous change.

With that in thoughts, packed underneath the Transfer 2’s hood, are dual-angled tweeters to deal with vocals and better frequencies, one mid-woofer to take care of these midrange vocals and deep bass frequencies that Sonos audio system are famend for, and three Class-D digital amplifiers to energy all of it. There are additionally some customized waveguides in that blend, designed to ship higher dispersion.

By way of connectivity, the Sonos Transfer 2 packs itself out right here too, with Apple AirPlay 2 support, Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 6. There’s additionally the USB-C port I discussed that not solely permits for charging, however you should use it to cost your gadgets too, in addition to join it to an exterior audio supply like a turntable or pc. Elsewhere on the spec desk, the Sonos Transfer has a quad-core processor operating the present, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of reminiscence.

Options

All that {hardware} is used to ship a plethora of options, and it delivers them properly too. When on Wi-Fi, the Transfer 2 acts as a traditional Sonos speaker, which suggests it has compatibility with over 100 music streaming services, the flexibility to regulate EQ settings and the flexibility to stereo pair two Sonos Transfer 2 audio system collectively. There are a variety of different Sonos options too, like grouping the Transfer 2 with different Sonos audio system in your house for seamless multi-room audio, or alternatively, having totally different audio taking part in concurrently in several rooms.

Bluetooth is simple to activate – merely press and maintain the Bluetooth button on the rear of the Transfer 2 to place it into pairing mode and you need to simply have the ability to discover it within the listing of obtainable gadgets within the Bluetooth settings of your gadget. I take advantage of predominantly Apple gadgets, so AirPlay is one thing I take advantage of greater than Bluetooth, although Bluetooth labored with no drawback on the Sonos Transfer 2 in my expertise.

There’s voice management on board too, although that is one function that has taken a step backwards in comparison with the unique Transfer. The unique Transfer supplied a alternative of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, while additionally providing Sonos Voice Control. The previous choices provide entry to good dwelling management, calendars, and normal info, like what the climate is like. Sonos Voice Management, in the meantime, is extra about management of the speaker itself. Nevertheless, Transfer 2 does not provide Google Assistant as an possibility anymore, identical to Period 100 and Period 300 additionally do not.

You all the time had to decide on between Alexa and Assistant, in contrast to the latest JBL Authentics speaker that runs each concurrently, nevertheless it was nonetheless nice to have the selection, so it is disappointing (although not shocking) to see the Transfer 2 take away that. Sonos Voice Management continues to be on board although, delivering simple management of the Transfer 2 utilizing your voice, whether or not that is taking part in a sure observe, grouping the Transfer 2 to a different Sonos speaker in your house, or turning the quantity up, whereas Alexa is helpful for good dwelling management and different normal duties.

Additionally making the most of the far-field microphone array is Automatic Trueplay tuning. Trueplay is a function Sonos launched with the Sonos 5 again in 2015, although it has turn out to be far more refined since then. Trueplay tuning is designed to assist a Sonos speaker adapt to the surroundings it’s in, to be able to make sure you get the very best sound from it, whether or not it is behind a settee or in an open house.

The Transfer 2 does not require you to stroll across the room waving an iPhone although (sure that’s the process for traditional Trueplay tuning) – as an alternative it does it mechanically everytime you decide it up and transfer it round, much like Apple’s HomePod (2nd Generation). It implies that you need to get the very best from the Transfer 2 wherever you place it, with out you having to do something, although you’ll be able to all the time modify the EQ settings if it does not sound fairly proper.

Sound and efficiency

Talking of sounding proper, the Sonos Transfer 2 nails it on the efficiency entrance. Sonos claimed double the battery life for the Transfer 2 in comparison with its predecessor at 24 hours and I’ve to say, I’ve been exceptionally impressed with the way it has carried out throughout my time with it. I can play the radio all day, from 9AM to 6PM and the battery share solely diminishes by round 25 per cent. Particularly, throughout a BBQ that went on from 2PM to 8PM outdoors, with numerous tracks being examined and the quantity cranked proper up, the battery dropped by 30 per cent, so slightly greater than radio taking part in demanded, however nonetheless delivering greater than what many would want.

By way of sound efficiency, Transfer 2 greater than delivers in relation to quantity. It’s loud – so loud the truth is that you simply would not be standard along with your neighbours when you push it to its limits. Exterior, I had it on round 30 per cent quantity and I used to be nonetheless aware that was too loud to be respectful – however the capabilities are there when you want them, as you’d anticipate for a speaker that’s designed for outside use in addition to indoor.

There is a beautiful large soundstage with the Transfer 2 as properly and it copes properly with midrange, treble and vocals. Hearken to the Transfer 2 in comparison with the Transfer and there’s extra scope and higher separation due to the extra tweeter, although there have been some tracks the Transfer 2 struggled with, in comparison with its siblings.

Taylor Swift’s Wildest Goals has some critical bass originally of the observe that you simply actually really feel in your intestine with some audio system, just like the Period 300, however the bass will get slightly misplaced on the Transfer 2 compared. It nonetheless sounds nice, however there is not as a lot depth as I anticipated. The truth is, I by no means thought I might say it, however I needed extra from the low finish within the Transfer 2 than it supplied, even with the EQ ranges adjusted.

That mentioned, it nonetheless sounds wonderful total. Glass Animals House Ghost Coast to Coast is a observe I usually use to check a speaker’s capabilities, and whereas the Transfer 2 does not provide Atmos assist or Spatial Audio assist, it nonetheless delivers sound throughout a large soundstage, with nice readability by the midrange all the way in which into the treble.

The improve to stereo is obvious in that beneficiant soundstage, although that is nonetheless a single field speaker so you’ll – as all the time – have to just accept some compromises. For tracks like Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and The Eagles’ Lodge California, the place some components actually make use of stereo separation, you will not hear them as precisely positioned as you’d with two separate stereo-paired audio system for instance. Nevertheless, the enhancements in contrast with the unique Transfer are clear, with the sound feeling extra immersive and concerned, with an total extra spacious presentation.

All of this provides as much as the truth that, total, the Transfer 2 sounds sensible, taking part in 95 per cent of the tracks I examined rather well. There is a critical quantity of energy underneath its hood, that means it gives quantity in abundance – and the sound efficiency does not depreciate as you flip it up both.

It is a enjoyable, energetic and total satisfying hear that works properly with all genres, serving up the right musical background for any celebration or get collectively, and with versatility up its sleeve too.

Verdict

The Sonos Transfer 2 is all about refinements, and people refinements add as much as some huge enhancements over the unique Transfer. The changes to its design make it extra intuitive to make use of, while additionally bringing some additional options, and the upgrades to the acoustic structure make for a greater sounding speaker total.

The Transfer 2 is not as transportable because the Roam, however it’s extra highly effective with higher sound efficiency. On the flip facet, it is not as capable as the Era 300 by way of sound efficiency, however it’s extra versatile, while nonetheless providing most of the identical options, like USB-C line-in and Bluetooth.

With that, when you’re after a Sonos speaker that delivers wonderful efficiency – by way of sound, options and battery life – while additionally providing a flexible design that enables for indoor and outside use, the Transfer 2 is arms down the one to decide on. In case you do not assume you may use it open air all that a lot, it is price contemplating the Period 300 given it is the identical value and has extra scope by way of efficiency.