Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It ranks #5 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality (rated 4.0/5) at $349 and is still sold new; the Denon Home 150 ranks #6 (rated 3.5/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Denon Home 150’s replacement, the Denon Home 200, is rated 3.6/5 at $399.
The case for the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen: A compact smart speaker with natural, spacious sound that tunes itself to the room, ideal for Apple Music and AirPlay users. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Denon Home 150 lacks. 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.
Why pick the Denon Home 150: A compact smart speaker with built in Alexa, easy HEOS setup and stereo pairing with a second unit. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen lacks. The tradeoff: Tom’s Guide’s own complaints are that it costs more than the Sonos One and has no automatic room tuning to correct for placement.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Denon Home 150 is discontinued.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
A compact smart speaker with natural, spacious sound that tunes itself to the room, ideal for Apple Music and AirPlay users.
A compact smart speaker with built in Alexa, easy HEOS setup and stereo pairing with a second unit.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | Denon Home 150 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 each | $249 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #5 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #6 of 15 in Small 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 (HEOS multi-room, stereo pair with a second Home 150) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | External AC adapter |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.7 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (2.4/5GHz) |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | Yes (HEOS) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | No |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 1x 1-inch tweeter, 1x 3.5-inch mid/bass driver |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, 3.5mm aux |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes |
| 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) | 4.7” x 7.4” x 4.7” (120 x 187 x 120 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | Amazon Alexa |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | HEOS app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, SoundCloud, SiriusXM, TuneIn), AirPlay 2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.4 |
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