These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen ranks #6 of 9 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $79.99; the Sonos Roam 2 ranks #74 of 142 medium speakers by sound quality at $179.

The case for the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen: What Hi-Fi rated it 5 stars for sound, calling it expansive for its size with great Alexa integration and an understated look, from a single 44mm front-firing driver. The tradeoff: 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 case for the Sonos Roam 2: Very neutral. The tradeoff: Exact same sound quality as the original Roam.
Buy the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen at $79.99 for a powered desktop speaker, or the Sonos Roam 2 at $179 for a medium speaker instead.
Water resistance is not close: the Sonos Roam 2 is rated at IPX5 (water jets), well ahead of the Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen at no water resistance.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen | Sonos Roam 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 each | $179.00 |
| Ranked | #6 of 9 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #74 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IPX5 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) | - |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | Yes |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Sonos S2 App |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | Yes |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver | 1x ~45mm racetrack mid-woofer + 1x tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| Discontinued | No | - |
| 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 | - |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 3.9" x 3.5" (100 x 100 x 89 mm) (H x W x D) | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 63Hz |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Maximum SPL | - | 95dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sonos Roam 2:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Sonos Roam 2
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Sonos Roam 2
- Sonos Roam 2 vs Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021
- Minirig 4 vs Sonos Roam 2
- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs Sonos Roam 2
Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 AM 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen: $79.99 each Amazon eBay
Pros: What Hi-Fi rated it 5 stars for sound, calling it expansive for its size with great Alexa integration and an understated look, from a single 44mm front-firing driver. It has a room temperature sensor, works as an eero Wi-Fi extender, and includes a mic mute switch alongside dedicated volume and action buttons.
Cons: 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. Engadget’s own head-to-head against the step-up Echo Dot Max found that speaker louder and bassier, from a 2.5-inch woofer and dedicated tweeter versus this speaker’s single small full-range driver. It is mono in a single unit, has no 3.5mm output, no battery, and needs Wi-Fi and an Amazon account for its smart features.
Full Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Alexa) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute switch, temperature sensor) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 3.9" x 3.5" (100 x 100 x 89 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 44mm front-firing driver |
| EQ | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (DC jack) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (340 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Google Nest Audio
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs B&O Beosound 2
- See all 23 comparisons
Sonos Roam 2: $179.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Very neutral. Additional button for pairing instead of being shared with power button. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Exact same sound quality as the original Roam. Bass extension isn’t very good. Not stereo. Gets distorted as you turn up the bass.
Full Sonos Roam 2 review and specifications →
| App | Sonos S2 App |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 63Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 2.4" x 6.6" x 2.4" (62 x 168 x 60 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x ~45mm racetrack mid-woofer + 1x tweeter + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app, limited in Bluetooth mode) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (429 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons

