Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It ranks #5 of 28 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $349. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #14, rated 3.7/5, at $299, $50 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
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 catch: 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 Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker does well: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen lacks. The tradeoff: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $50 you would save on the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker does not close the gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
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.
Amazon $349.00 eBay
Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers.
Amazon $299.00 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 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
| Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 each | $299.00 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 28 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #14 of 28 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | AC power cord |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | Yes (Bose) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 5.6” x 5.6” (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
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