Image: Ben Patterson/Foundry
Interest in Sonos’s smallest portable speaker is heating up—literally—following word that at least one of the units came close to catching fire.
A Sonos user on Reddit posted images of the “singed” and “bulging” USB port on the back of his Roam, a portable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker that doubles as a smart speaker.
Sonos has acknowledged the problem, admitting to a “very low” number of complaints about overheating Roam units, according to Bloomberg (by way of 9to5Google).
The issue appears focused on the first-generation Roam, although Bloomberg notes that some second-gen Roam units may also have suffered from the glitch.
The Sonos owner discovered the simmering Roam situation after noticing a “funny smell” in the room where the speaker was sitting.
“After a few hours, the smell was getting worse, and I could then recognize the smell as burning plastic,” the user wrote.
Responding to a query from TechHive, Sonos offered a statement similar to the one it gave Bloomberg:
We care deeply about product quality and safety and are extremely proud of our record. We’ve closely tracked a limited number of reports involving the USB-C charging connection on some first-generation Sonos Roam speakers. While the overall incidence rate is very low, and environmental conditions appear to play a role, we’ve taken several proactive steps to even further reduce the likelihood of this issue, including software updates and accessory improvements.
First released back in 2021, the Sonos Roam is a nifty little speaker, when it works.
Capable of connecting to Wi-Fi networks as well as Bluetooth, the Sonos Roam is roughly the size of a water bottle and weighs just six ounces, making it ideal for tossing into a knapsack for a trip to the park. I also thought the Roam sounded exceptional given its diminutive form factor.
But in the months following the Roam’s release, reports began cropping up of charging issues with the speaker, particularly if the unit was left on its charger. (The Roam supports wireless charging from its base as well as USB-C charging via its rear charging port.)
My own Roam never caught fire, but it did stop responding one day after I’d left it sitting on its wireless charging station for (apparently) too long. The unit’s orange charging light would turn on and it felt noticeably warm to the touch, but it never worked again.
Sonos replaced the faulty Roam with a second unit, but several months later, it too stopped working after exhibiting the same symptoms. I wound up switching to an Anker-made Soundcore speaker, which has proved much more resilient.
This article is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers.
Updated shortly after publication with a statement from Sonos.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben’s articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men’s Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master’s degree in English literature.
