The Roam can breathe underwater for 30 minutes but only at a depth of one metre, so we wouldn’t risk it floating around the pool on a lilo, but we’ve used ours on a drizzly day along the British coast and neither rain nor sand has stopped it working yet. In fact, there is probably only a handful of companies that could hope to have similar impact without some truly game-changing feature. Because, though Sonos is almost synonymous with wireless speakers – in mass-market terms at least – it has taken until 2021 to release one that is fully portable and geared totally towards outside living. You can, but only via wi-fi and the Sonos app; this can’t be done using only Bluetooth. That isn’t the end of the world if you want to do so outside, but it does make things a bit more difficult enjoying a proper stereo mix out in the wilderness.

For the uninitiated, Sonos S2 is the latest app and operating system – essentially a complete update to the software side of the ecosystem. Which voice assistants can I use with Sonos Roam?Large items (delivered by two people, such as appliances and furniture) can be returned using our Home Collection service.

It doesn’t have really thumping bass, and while it is certainly loud enough for personal listening or in small groups – anything louder than 30% while on a table in front of you is really more than enough – it isn’t up to smashing out the beats for a large outdoor party. But its separate mid and tweeter speakers give a real vibrancy and depth to music that is often poorly reproduced on competitors of this size. It will handle anything from high-energy electronica to a string quartet with aplomb. Given its nomadic ambitions, the Roam cannot rely on wi-fi alone for its music streaming, so Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 are also on board. Connecting via Bluetooth is as simple as holding down the Roam’s power button and waiting for the Sonos to pop up in your available devices. Sonos works with all your favourite streaming services for music, podcasts, audiobooks, and more, while Sonos Radio gives you access to more than 60,000 live stations from around the world.The Roam can stand upright on its end or lay down with little silicon feet on one side to keep it from vibrating against a table. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian On that note, the Roam comes with a USB-C charging cable – though not a power adaptor –and is compatible with standard Qi wireless chargers. Sonos is also launching its own charging base, to which the speaker snaps magnetically. Trueplay is a Sonos technology that has been around for a while, allowing its speakers to tweak EQ settings automatically depending on where they’re placed –in open space or near to a wall, for example. For anyone who hasn’t used the Sonos app before: it’s simply the best out there. It’s simple to use, and as well as being vital for set-up is where you can control a number of features, such as compatible voice assistants and Trueplay tuning.

I decided I don't really need a portable speaker to be part of my Sonos system and so went for the Charge 5 since it has double the battery life, faster charge and has the power bank feature. It sounds good with some EQ adjustment too. It isn’t the biggest or the loudest and doesn’t have thumping bass or super-long battery life. But the Roam produces quality, well-rounded sound with a clarity unmatched by rivals. Outdoors it functions just like any rugged, water-resistant Bluetooth speaker. Inside it works like Sonos’s other excellent wifi speakers, compatible with practically every music service available and with a choice of voice assistants too. It even looks great as a sleek piece of premium electronics, and like other Sonos speakers will be supported for a very long time.Slim and versatile, Roam blends into the home. When vertical, it delivers room-filling sound while taking up little room. Or you can position it horizontally on uneven surfaces like grass for extra stability. Solidly constructed and rated IP67, it's drop-resistant, waterproof up to three feet for 30 minutes, and impervious to dust.

The Roam has three LED status lights: one on the top showing when the mics are turned on, one just above the Sonos logo showing when the speaker is turned on and one at the bottom showing when it’s charging. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian Creation Consumer Finance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Register no. 311518). Precision-engineered acoustics deliver clarity, depth, and fullness, such as you would expect from a much larger speaker. Using Trueplay tuning, the sound adapts, both to the environment, and to what you're listening to, for always-optimised audio. This Sonos product is compatible with the Sonos app S2 only. Most Sonos products are compatible with the Sonos app S2. The following historical Sonos products are compatible with the earlier Sonos app S1 only: Bridge, CR200, Connect (Gen 1), Connect:Amp (Gen 1), Play:5 (Gen 1), and ZonePlayer products. A listen to other portable Bluetooth speakers around this price also confirms that we could be expecting more in terms of timing and dynamics. There is plenty of punch to the Roam’s performance, but it is far less expressive than the competition here, and can also seem quite sluggish. VerdictThough you can’t use the Roam as a surround speaker, because the Roam is part of Sonos’s multi-room family you can still play the same audio as is playing on any other Sonos speaker on your home network. That includes the Arc and the Beam. The Roam is easily one of the best portable speakers and, unlike the majority of the competition, it works even better indoors. Again, don’t take what Sonos says as a challenge, but the Roam should withstand a number of bashes, bangs and falls. So no, you shouldn’t need a case unless you can’t bear scuffing the ends.