13.3 Update - Roam Improvements!

  • 21 September 2021
  • 10 replies
  • 3571 views

Userlevel 7

13.3 Release Notes:

  • We’ve improved Roam’s power management to help extend Roam’s battery life when it’s not actively being used.
     
  • The Sonos app will now alert you when your Roam is connected to a charger that isn’t providing enough power to charge the battery.
     
  • When your Roam is in sleep mode, you can now wake it up using the top playback buttons (in addition to the power button on the back).
     
  • Two Roams in a stereo pair will now automatically rebond to each other if one of them unexpectedly disconnects from the network and then reconnects.

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3521?language=en_US


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10 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +9

But they didn’t fix the one thing that will REALLY help extend battery life in sleep mode.  Simply using the Sonos App for other speakers should NOT wake your Roam from sleep mode.  It still does with 13.3.   

The App should only wake the Roam from sleep, when you want to actively use the Roam, to either play by itself or group with other speakers.   Now, it wakes regardless.  So simply checking your music library or using any other Sonos speakers wastes Roam’s battery.

So I’m in my office all day, using my app to control my office Sonos speakers -- it wakes the Roam constantly.  This is THE biggest problem  -- not fixed.

I know Sonos thinks that it is a feature (it isn’t, it’s a bug).  

Sure, I could power it OFF completely.  Then I have to go upstairs and physically use the power button to turn it back on.  Not an ideal solution.

I think the issue lies with the fact that it has no way of knowing which speaker you are going to use, and makes all available. I would even welcome having a setting to reduce the amount of idle time before it goes to sleep. 

After 2 days I can’t say I’ve noticed any improvement in standby battery; it still drains at a rate of roughly 20-25% per day. I’ve pretty much given up and am resigned to just charging the damn thing every 3 days when it was supposed to remain in the bathroom and charged once a week (comfortably under the advertised 10 day battery life) when doing chores.

The App should only wake the Roam from sleep, when you want to actively use the Roam, to either play by itself or group with other speakers.   Now, it wakes regardless.  So simply checking your music library or using any other Sonos speakers wastes Roam’s battery.

It’d make little difference because the standby battery drain is excessive, barely better than when it’s awake (but not playing music).

Sonos also still hasn’t fixed Google Assistant on the Roam. Well, at least those who have 2 can maintain a stereo pair now. It’s frustrating that after almost 6 months we’ve only gotten 1 meaningful fix.

I’m having the exact same experience as @JoeJoe405. Last night when I went to bed it was over 90% and this morning when I woke up it was down to 80%. The App would not have woken the Roam from sleep as it wasn’t opened overnight. 

I have done a number of time-based checks over the last couple of days and it consistently loses about 25% per day in sleep/standby. This was true before the 13.3 update, and I haven’t seen any change after installing the 13.3 update. 

Userlevel 5
Badge +8

I used my Roam yesterday for the first time since it updated to the latest version and I know that I powered it down completely afterwards.. I remember specifically because it took 3 attempts with the annoying fiddly button - first 2 times it went into bluetooth mode and only on the 3rd attempt did it go into completely powered off mode. I further tested it was fully powered off by pressing the play button on the Roam and making sure it didn’t power up.

I’ve just put my system on this morning and noticed that the Roam was showing as online so I had to power it off again.

It has never done this before the update.

 

Userlevel 5
Badge +8

Well the Roam hasn’t powered on again since I posted a few days ago. The only thing I can think of that might have caused it is that when I started up my Windows PC Sonos App it tried and failed to update twice (error 1101) before it then just started up OK. Then when the desktop app started I noticed it was showing the Roam online. I don’t know if it was online before this but I know that I’d powered it off completely the last time it was used

 

Userlevel 1
Badge +2

Useless product…… Sonos should be embarrassed its so bad.  

Userlevel 7

Useless product…… Sonos should be embarrassed its so bad.  

Many Roam users, including myself, actually enjoy using the Roam and think it is a well-made and great-sounding portable speaker. Perhaps you should describe the problems you are experiencing so someone could possibly assist you.

If you want the battery charge to last longer, turn off the Roam completely by pressing and holding the button on the back for five seconds until you hear a descending chime. Turning off the microphone can also prolong battery life.

New roam user, now on third replacement - first had major battery issues, second was a refurbished one sent in error, third brand new replacement and does not wake after being in sleep mode. Power button is poorly designed and takes some effort to hold it in place to turn it off, sometimes it turns the bluetooth light on instead so have to start again.

Like JoeJoe45, I wanted Roam as a smart battery speaker in the bathroom, do not mind switching it completely off in between uses but was shocked at how far away the battery reality is v Sonos claims. Also, turning off the microphone will disable truplay so not as good sound. Speaking of sound, needs to be at around 50% for a decent volume for music - the assistant (google) is positively shouting at 50% volume - needs to have a seprate assistant volume. I also agree with others that my roam will wake up needlessly when I open the app to adjust my ARC/SUB or play music downstairs through ARC.  

Pretty disillusioned, support has been an uphill struggle and the returns process beggars belief - and from all accounts on here the paperwork we are expected to print off in triplicate is ignored by UPS or not completed correctly by Ivytech in Poland who handle Sonos returns, the items then get returned back to the customer. I’m dropping 2 roams off at the UPS access point on Monday so will wait and see wether they make it to Poland or not.

I have resorted to going back to my Bose soundlink mini 2 and ask siri to play music from Apple music etc, the Bose sound quality and battery life puts the Roam to shame. Too many issues and caveats that just annoy and frustrate. Pity as it could have been great. Perhaps I will just have to wait until they release a second generation Roam.

Userlevel 1

I’ve been having the same problem of the Roam’s battery draining at 20-25% per day without any use whatsoever. It turns out that it isn’t only the app that is waking up the roam but the voice assistant as well.

We have Alexa turned on with several of our Sonos speakers and the one in the kitchen is constantly used to set timers while cooking. So, every time I set a time while making dinner, the Roam which is in an upstairs bathroom is turning on! This is just very very poor implementation of “sleep” mode and should be addressed.

You shouldn’t need to turn off the speaker completely every time you are done using it so that it isn’t constantly being turned on by events happening in other parts of the house.