Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It ranks #5 of 22 powered desktop speakers by sound quality (rated 4.0/5) at $297.71 and is still sold new; the Apple HomePod ranks #18 (rated 3.5/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The Apple HomePod 2nd Gen is the better-sounding choice. What Hi-Fi gave it a perfect 5 stars for sound and a What Hi-Fi Award, calling it natural, solid and energetic with a spacious, three-dimensional presentation on Dolby Atmos content. The tradeoff: What Hi-Fi’s own comparison found the pricier Sonos Era 300 has more power, punch and detail, and Siri cannot launch Spotify, Tidal or other non-Apple services directly, only Apple Music by voice; everything else has to be sent over AirPlay from a phone.
What the Apple HomePod does well: A Wi-Fi smart speaker with a 4” high-excursion woofer, seven horn-loaded tweeters arranged in a ring and a six-microphone array it uses to measure the room and adjust its sound. Watch for: The on-axis response is uneven (1.15 average deviation), for a preference score of 4.09 that reaches 4.99 with an ideal subwoofer.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Apple HomePod is no longer sold new.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | Apple HomePod | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $297.71 each | $299 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #5 of 22 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #18 of 22 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | - |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | Yes (Apple Home) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) | Yes (six-microphone array) |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) | Yes (automatic room correction) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 4” high-excursion woofer, 7x horn-loaded tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 5.6” x 5.6” (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 6.8”H x 5.6”W x 5.6”D (172 x 142 x 142 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | Apple Siri |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 26.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | about 22.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 4.09 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 4.99 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Apple HomePod 2nd Gen compares with other leading options:
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Audio Pro C5 MkII
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Woburn III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Edifier D12
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore IV
Prices on this page were last checked October 6, 2026 at 10:23 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Apple HomePod 2nd Gen: $297.71 each Amazon eBay
Older model: the Apple HomePod (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5).
Smaller model: the Apple HomePod Mini (rated 3.3/5).
Pros: What Hi-Fi gave it a perfect 5 stars for sound and a What Hi-Fi Award, calling it natural, solid and energetic with a spacious, three-dimensional presentation on Dolby Atmos content. A 4-inch high-excursion woofer moves 20mm of travel, paired with five angled horn-loaded tweeters, and the S7 chip continuously measures the room and re-tunes the output in real time, even as you move the speaker. “Hey Siri” is reliably heard from across a room even at full volume, and two units can be stereo-paired for a genuinely bigger sound.
Cons: What Hi-Fi’s own comparison found the pricier Sonos Era 300 has more power, punch and detail, and Siri cannot launch Spotify, Tidal or other non-Apple services directly, only Apple Music by voice; everything else has to be sent over AirPlay from a phone. There is no way to stream to it over Bluetooth at all, no 3.5mm or other wired input, no battery, and no IP rating, so it’s an AC-only speaker for an already-committed Apple household.
Full Apple HomePod 2nd Gen review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Apple Home) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 5.6” x 5.6” (170 x 142 x 142 mm) |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Edifier D12
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Woburn III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore IV
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs JBL Authentics 200
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Audio Pro C5 MkII
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Acton III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore II
- See all 38 comparisons
Apple HomePod: $299 each Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen, ranked higher, rated 4/5.
Pros: A Wi-Fi smart speaker with a 4” high-excursion woofer, seven horn-loaded tweeters arranged in a ring and a six-microphone array it uses to measure the room and adjust its sound. Audio Science Review’s measurements show remarkably deep bass for its size, 26.4Hz (-3dB), and very even sound in every direction, so where it sits in a room matters little. Measured bass extension of 26.4Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The on-axis response is uneven (1.15 average deviation), for a preference score of 4.09 that reaches 4.99 with an ideal subwoofer. Music arrives only over AirPlay 2 or from Apple Music by voice: Bluetooth is used for setup, and there is no wired input. Apple discontinued it in 2021 and later released the HomePod 2nd Gen.
Full Apple HomePod review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Apple Home) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 22.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 26.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (six-microphone array) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.8”H x 5.6”W x 5.6”D (172 x 142 x 142 mm) |
| Drivers | 4” high-excursion woofer, 7x horn-loaded tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (automatic room correction) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Bank | No |
| RCA Input | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.09 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 4.99 |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples