The battery is not user-replaceable, but the company will offer a factory replacement service similar to most smartphones. As we’ve said, if you aren’t already invested in the Sonos multi-room family then you might be better off looking elsewhere for your portable wireless speaker needs. To use it outdoors you simply pair it with your phone via Bluetooth like a regular portable speaker. The Aztopa Silicone Protective Skin is a lightweight option that guards the speaker from all sides, including the front speaker grille, with a mesh design said to not impede sound quality.

The sleeve maximises shock absorption in drops and you get a bit of extra protection around the speaker's outer edges. You must set up the Roam on wifi using the Sonos app before you can use it as a Bluetooth speaker, but it only takes a couple of minutes.

Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian The Sonos Roam looks and sounds great both indoors and out with wifi and Bluetooth, water resistance and a 10-hour battery. It's a great option for people who want to elevate their speakers or place them in areas without a countertop or shelf. These are powered by separate Class H digital amplifiers, but there’s no attempt at any audio tricks that could see the Roam fall flat on its face; this is straightforward mono designed to have an impact in any scenario. The speaker sounds its best when playing something grand and melodic over wifi cranked up to at least 20% volume.

That bass weight is kept well in check, too, ensuring some presence and punch without muddying up the mix. Here is everything we think you need to know to get the best out of Sonos’s latest release – and make it worth that long, long wait.As with any Sonos product, you can tweak the EQ of the Roam, but this is naturally quite a bass and mid-heavy presentation. The neat thing is that it's available in every color that Sonos makes the Roam in, including the three new vibrant blue, green and orange.