{Photograph}: Sonos
Hello-Res Audio? Perhaps Not
Regardless of Sonos’ efforts to maintain the Transfer 2’s technical specification beneath wraps, it’s attainable to tease out a element or two in the course of the course of an prolonged hear. As an illustration, utilizing Apple gear to stream to the Sonos (an iPhone 14 Professional and a MacBook Professional working Colibri software program) means utilizing AirPlay 2—and the Transfer 2 is very happy to take receipt of lossless audio information. However there’s no approach of realizing the decision they find yourself without delay the Sonos DAC has carried out its factor, in fact.
Switching to Bluetooth streaming from an Android Nothing Cellphone (2), although, reveals that the Transfer 2 is appropriate solely with the bog-standard SBC and AAC codecs—so regardless of the actual fact the Cellphone (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 just accept them. So is that this, the truth is, a high-resolution audio gadget? It appears unlikely, and Sonos simply isn’t saying.
In any case, the technical specs don’t inform you as a lot a few speaker’s efficiency as sitting down and listening to it does. And whereas Sonos has made issues troublesome for the Transfer 2 in various methods (its dimension, 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 best circumstances it will possibly sound superb certainly.
In the event you’re listening indoors, make certain loudness is switched off within the management app earlier than Trueplay does its factor. (Indoors, it makes the speaker sound muscle-bound and plodding; exterior, the dearth of bodily boundaries makes loudness a good suggestion). And that’s in regards to the extent of the preparation that’s required. After that, simply stream your favourite tunes utilizing your most popular technique, and the Transfer 2 has numerous 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 consequently, you by no means really feel as should you’re lacking out on any very important data.
Tonality is convincing from the highest of the frequency vary to the underside, with a pleasant evenhandedness that makes the Transfer 2 sound unified quite than a group of a number of particular person parts. There’s substance to enrich the chunk and shine on the prime 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 by way of the midrange. Regardless of how completed (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.
