These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen ranks #12 of 15 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the Harman Kardon Citation 200 ranks #13 of 117 large speakers by sound quality at $130.
What the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen does well: A small, affordable Alexa speaker with a temperature sensor, eero Wi-Fi extender support and a mic mute switch. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Harman Kardon Citation 200 lacks. It links with other speakers (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa), which the Harman Kardon Citation 200 cannot. The catch: What Hi-Fi’s one real complaint was distortion at higher volumes, and bass force and detail both fall off at the low end, typical for a speaker not much bigger than a hockey ball.
The Harman Kardon Citation 200 is the battery-powered, tougher pick. A portable smart speaker with Wi-Fi, Google Assistant and deep bass for its size, now discontinued but worth buying used. Its battery is rated for 8 hours, while the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen needs an outlet. It is rated IPX4, while the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen has no water resistance. Watch for: Overly boomy by default, you can short press the Bluetooth and volume down buttons simultaneously to decrease the bass, and the Bluetooth and volume up buttons simultaneously to increase it.
Worth knowing: the Harman Kardon Citation 200 is discontinued, though it still ranks #13 of 117 large speakers by sound quality, so a used unit beats most of what is still sold new.
Buy the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen ($79.99) for a powered desktop speaker; the Harman Kardon Citation 200 ($130) suits a large speaker instead.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
A small, affordable Alexa speaker with a temperature sensor, eero Wi-Fi extender support and a mic mute switch.
A portable smart speaker with Wi-Fi, Google Assistant and deep bass for its size, now discontinued but worth buying used.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen | Harman Kardon Citation 200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 each | $130 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #12 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #13 of 117 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes (Harman Kardon app) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | No |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver | 5” woofer, 1” tweeter |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | - |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | No | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | No | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 3.9” x 3.9” x 3.5” (100 x 100 x 89 mm) (H x W x D) | 7” x 8.6” x 6.8” (178 x 219 x 172 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 4.2 |
| Frequency Response | - | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 50W |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
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