My Sonos Move 2 has sat by my bedside pretty much from the moment the speaker arrived on my doorstep. I unboxed it, did my testing, and then realised "that's the perfect shape and size for my nightstand."
So onto my nightstand it did go, one of the best Bluetooth speakers available at the tap of a button; Until now. A new speaker, from Wiim, has taken its place. The beguiling screen on the front is part of my shift, but there are other reasons why my poor Move 2 has been relegated to spare bedroom music duties.
Why I got tired with the Move 2
Don't get me wrong, the Move 2 is a great speaker. I like that it's portable, and I'm a big fan of the sound quality. It's big and rich, and the Sonos app finally feels like it's worth its salt.
But there are cracks appearing in our relationship that I'm not sure can be fixed with therapy (or app updates). As much as the Sonos app has improved, I still prefer using my whole-home music streaming service, Roon. The Move 2 and Roon are... not friends. At all.
They were at one point — the Move 2 connected easily to the service and played music when told to. Then something happened, and I've not been able to get it to work since. That, in my eyes, is a bit of a deal breaker. A great cosmic shame.
Then there's the charging dock that keeps it powered and filled with battery. In theory, it's great. You don't need to remember to plug it in when you've finished using it around the house. Placing it in the charging dock ring will juice it back up, and keep it going when you need it.
Until it doesn't. I've found that dust and other assorted schmutz on the speaker and the docks' contact points can put a kibosh on charging and power, leaving me high and dry when I want to listen to something heavy upon waking up.
I love the Sonos Move 2. It's still one of the greatest Bluetooth speakers you can buy right now — there are just significant pain points that have necessitated its eviction from my nightstand.
That, and there's something shiny and new that wants to take its place.
The replacement
This handsome devil that has captured my heart is the Wiim Sound. It already had my attention from the first unveiling of the speaker — I adore Wiim and pretty much everything the brand produces. The Wiim streaming app is one of the best around, and while I prefer Roon, it's a fantastic free alternative.
The Wiim sound is the brand's first foray into powered speakers, and it's taking the fight directly to Sonos, Amazon, and even the Apple HomePod line. That's a busy, highly contested market, but I think there are plenty of reasons to choose one of Wiim's speakers instead.
For one, the Wiim Sound has a screen on it. It's only little, but it's super clear and very flexible. I like that it can show a clock when the speaker is in standby. If you choose, you can forgo the screen entirely and have it turned off — but then you'd miss the super-fun spinning disc of album artwork it can show!
I don't have to worry about charging and power anymore, either; it's perma-plugged into the wall, drinking power from a wall socket. It works when I need it to work, no questions asked.
It works seamlessly with Roon as well, so I don't need to dip into a different app to play any of my music at home. I can set alarms for the morning, just as I could with the Sonos Move 2.
Thankfully, the sound quality matches well with my sonic sensibilities. I actually like the sound more than the Move 2. It's more refined, with greater high-end clarity and detail retrieval. The bass is clear and direct. I had to make sure I did the room correction in the Wiim app to make sure it sounds its best.
The Wi-Fi connection is solid, and I really like the addition of an Aux port next to the Ethernet port on the back, so that you can plug other devices in. You can even connect several for stereo playback — although I'd suggest picking up the screen-free variant, the Wiim Sound Lite, so that you're not all screened out.
Not all plain sailing
That's not to say my new love hasn't been without its pain points. There are bugbears here. For one, I leave the screen on overnight. The light doesn't bother me at all — until it decides to turn off. And then back on again a minute later. I'm not sure what's going on there, but I'm hoping there's a software update in the future to get it fixed.
I'm also getting used to not having a speaker I can pick up and carry everywhere. Now, when I want my music to follow me around, I have to pick up a Bluetooth speaker and take it with me instead. It's a minor thing, but I did have to get used to it.
I also can't command the speaker with my voice without the remote control. The Sonos Move 2 has mics built in all over the place so that it can hear commands from anywhere, while the Wiim needs you to press the little mic button on the controller for voice control. Irritating, but not the biggest dealbreaker.
Either way, the Wiim Sound is here to stay with its little OLED display, excellent sound, and great connectivity. I'm sure we can work out our few differences in time.
Until, perhaps, something even shinier comes along.
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