Short answer: the Audio Pro C5 MkII. It ranks #1 of 17 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.5/5, at $300; the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen ranks #5, rated 4.0/5, at $297.71. The price gap is small enough that the sound-quality ranking should decide it.
Why pick the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen: 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 Audio Pro C5 MkII does well: At 2.4 kg, Audio Pro C5 MkII combines 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters with Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA. Watch for: Bass is limited by its 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Buy the Audio Pro C5 MkII. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $2.29 you would save on the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | Audio Pro C5 MkII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $297.71 each | $300 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 17 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #1 of 17 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) | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | No | Partially |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)) |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) | - |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | No |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 4" woofer, 2x 0.75" tweeters |
| Discontinued | No | - |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | Yes |
| 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 | Yes, 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 5.6" x 5.6" (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 9.8" x 5.1" x 5.9" (250 x 130 x 150 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | - |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast |
| Outputs | - | Subwoofer line out |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 4.2 |
| Frequency Response | - | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 41W (2x8W + 25W) |
| Subwoofer Output | - | Yes |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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
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) |
| Discontinued | No |
| 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 JBL Authentics 200
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Woburn III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Acton III
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Denon Home 250
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Google Home Max
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Sonos Era 100
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Audio Pro C5 MkII: $300 each Amazon eBay
Pros: At 2.4 kg, Audio Pro C5 MkII combines 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters with Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA. Ac-powered operation and limited-stereo playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use.
Cons: Bass is limited by its 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Full Audio Pro C5 MkII review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 41W (2x8W + 25W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.8" x 5.1" x 5.9" (250 x 130 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 4" woofer, 2x 0.75" tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA |
| Optical Input | No |
| Outputs | Subwoofer line out |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially |
| Streaming Services | Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Woburn III
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Woburn II
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Edifier D12
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs JBL Authentics 200
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Acton III
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Denon Home 250
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Sonos Era 100
- See all 12 comparisons