Sonos Roam power button - poor implementation

Hello Roamulans

While we are at it, i would like to bring up a couple other power button issues. I have recently acquired the Roam as my first Sonos device - and it is fairly positive - good sound, good aesthetics, and wifi + bluetooth connectivity is brilliant for a portable. I agree the power button is a weakness - i have been unsure of what my (attempted) presses were doing since i started using the Roam.  

One thing i wonder about is why the Sonos app does not have a function to put the Roam into standby, and wake it up from standby - i also have a Naim QB2 wireless speaker and the Naim app does that.  If the Sonos app had that, it would eliminate a certain amount of dealing with the sketchy power button.

Another curious thing i have experienced, which sort-of relates to the power button - after a few times powering down, and hearing the 2 second bluetooth chime and the 5 second “off” chime, i stopped hearing the chime when pressing the power button to standby or power down. (which made me even more uncertain if i was pressing the power buttom properly)  This was a mystery until i realized i had to press the physical volume up buttons on the Roam to increase the unit volume again - even though it was playing at normal volumes when using it on wifi through an app connected by Upnp.  This happened multiple times, so it wasn’t a one time errant volume “down” button press.  This may not be a Sonos issue - eg maybe the Upnp application zeroes the Roam physical volume control for its own purposes - but my point is, in addition to the physical power button issue previously reported, it is also possible to inadvertently lose the audio chime cues from the Roam that tell you where you are in the power down cycle.

But even after all that, Roam - I still like you.

I have just been onto the helpline, and the lady explained everything about this button.

Firstly, this is how the button is meant to be. It does not click.

Out of the box you’re supposed to hold it down for 5 seconds and release. This switches it on.

For Bluetooth mode you hold it down for two seconds and let go. (and the LED on the front above the logo flashes blue). This takes some practice. Getting it out of Bluetooth you repeat: 2 second press.

And to switch off it’s a 5 second press. I thought you just pressed it, but no. That explains a lot. Just pressing it I think just disconnects it or stops what it’s doing. It does not switch it off.

Understanding the chimes -- its language! -- it’s like Close Encounters!.

But, the lady on the Sonos helpline did say that it was a tricky button. But once used to it, it is now fine for me.

Pressing the button for short (sleep), 2s (bt connect) and 5+seconds works fine. 

However. Roam does not stay off, when buttons is pressed 5+ seconds and the off-chime sounded. It shows offline in the Sonos App, and after a few minutes, returning to the app and looking at the devices, it is back online.

This has resulted many times in drained battery, which is a bit disappointing when the Roam has been advertised with long-lasting batterylife.

At first I thought, the battery of my device just wasn’t very good. Even when only using the provided (extra ordered) Sonos Wireless Charger. But then I found, the device turns itself back on… and draines battery without being used. Is this just because there are other Sonos devices in the app which are being used more often?

Anyway, nice product, but I hope Sonos will improve power management and consumption...