These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Amazon Echo Dot Max ranks #5 of 15 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $119.99; the Sonos Play ranks #56 of 178 medium speakers by sound quality at $299.
What the Amazon Echo Dot Max does well: An affordable Alexa smart speaker with an excellent far field microphone, louder and bassier than the standard Dot. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Sonos Play lacks. It links with other speakers (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa Home Theater), which the Sonos Play cannot. Watch for: Engadget’s main complaint was that it is a real step down from the discontinued Amazon Echo (4th Gen) it effectively replaces at the same price: that older speaker paired a 3-inch woofer with dual 0.8-inch tweeters, against the Dot Max’s single 2.5-inch woofer and one tweeter, and frequencies felt smushed together without a clean bass-to-treble separation.
The Sonos Play is the battery-powered, tougher option. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. Its battery is rated for 24 hours, while the Amazon Echo Dot Max needs an outlet. It is rated IP67, while the Amazon Echo Dot Max has no water resistance. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Amazon Echo Dot Max lacks. Watch for: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
Buy the Amazon Echo Dot Max ($119.99) for a powered desktop speaker; the Sonos Play ($299) suits a medium speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
An affordable Alexa smart speaker with an excellent far field microphone, louder and bassier than the standard Dot.
A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support.
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 Max | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $119.99 each | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #5 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #56 of 178 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa Home Theater) | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute) | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | Yes |
| Drivers | 2.5in woofer, 1x tweeter | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| 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 4.4” x 4.9” (99 x 112 x 124 mm) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| Weight | - | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
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