Hi-Res Audio? Maybe Not

Despite Sonos’ efforts to maintain the Move 2’s technical specification beneath wraps, it’s doable to tease out a element or two in the course of the course of an prolonged hear. For occasion, utilizing Apple gear to stream to the Sonos (an iPhone 14 Pro and a MacBook Pro working Colibri software program) means utilizing AirPlay 2—and the Move 2 is very happy to take receipt of lossless audio information. But there’s no means of understanding the decision they find yourself without delay the Sonos DAC has accomplished its factor, in fact.

Switching to Bluetooth streaming from an Android Nothing Phone (2), although, reveals that the Move 2 is appropriate solely with the bog-standard SBC and AAC codecs—so regardless of the actual fact the Phone (2) is able to hand over audio information utilizing the higher-resolution aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC codecs, the Sonos will not be ready to simply accept them. So is that this, in actual fact, a high-resolution audio gadget? It appears unlikely, and Sonos simply isn’t saying.

In any case, the technical specs don’t let you know as a lot a couple of speaker’s efficiency as sitting down and listening to it does. And whereas Sonos has made issues troublesome for the Move 2 in quite a few methods (its measurement, its weight, and its value, to call a couple of), there’s no query that this can be a speaker that by no means sounds lower than good, and in the suitable circumstances it may possibly sound superb certainly.

If you are listening indoors, be certain that loudness is switched off within the management app earlier than Trueplay does its factor. (Indoors, it makes the speaker sound muscle-bound and plodding; outdoors, the shortage of bodily boundaries makes loudness a good suggestion). And that’s concerning the extent of the preparation that’s required. After that, simply stream your favourite tunes utilizing your most well-liked technique, and the Move 2 has a whole lot of pertinent observations to make about them.

Convincing, Unified Sound

From the antiquated charms of Fanny’s “Hey Bulldog” as a Bluetooth stream by way of TIDAL to the marginally extra up to date attract of “Two Weeks” by FKA Twigs delivered as a hi-res file by way of the laptop computer, the Sonos is an observant, detailed, and periodically fairly insightful hear. It retains a detailed eye on the minor and transient occurrences in a recording, giving them acceptable weight and context—and because of this, you by no means really feel as for those who’re lacking out on any very important info.

Tonality is convincing from the highest of the frequency vary to the underside, with a pleasant evenhandedness that makes the Move 2 sound unified slightly than a set of a number of particular person parts. There’s substance to enhance the chunk and shine on the high of the frequency vary, good management of the underside finish (so long as the loudness management guidelines have been noticed), in order that rhythmic expression is naturalistic and convincing, and a correct diploma of perception and understanding via the midrange. No matter how achieved (or in any other case) a vocalist could be, the Sonos grants them a stack of character and expression—so even FKA Twigs’ whispered and muttered imprecations are disclosed in full.