Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It ranks #5 of 17 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $297.71; the Marshall Stanmore III ranks #6, rated 3.8/5, and costs $345.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
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.
The case for the Marshall Stanmore III: At 4.4 kg, Marshall Stanmore III combines 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, RCA, Aux. The catch: Bass is limited by its 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Marshall Stanmore III and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | Marshall Stanmore III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $297.71 each | $345.99 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 17 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #6 of 17 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) | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | No | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | No |
| 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 | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | No |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 5" (midrange/woofer), 1x 5" midrange, 2x 0.75" Dome tweeters |
| Discontinued | No | - |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux |
| 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, 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 5.6" x 5.6" (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 13.8" x 8" x 7.4" (350 x 203 x 188 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | - |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Frequency Response | - | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Amplifier Power | - | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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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 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 Audio Pro C5 MkII
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Denon Home 250
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Google Home Max
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Sonos Era 100
- See all 32 comparisons
Marshall Stanmore III: $345.99 each Amazon eBay
Pros: At 4.4 kg, Marshall Stanmore III combines 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, RCA, Aux. 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 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Full Marshall Stanmore III review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.8" x 8" x 7.4" (350 x 203 x 188 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" (midrange/woofer), 1x 5" midrange, 2x 0.75" Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn I
- Marshall Stanmore III vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn III
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Denon Home 250
- See all 12 comparisons