Short answer: the Marshall Woburn III on measured sound quality, the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen on price. The Marshall Woburn III ranks #2 of 29 powered desktop speakers, rated 4.1/5, at $599.99. The Apple HomePod 2nd Gen ranks #5, rated 4.0/5, at $349, $250.99 cheaper.
What the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen does well: A compact smart speaker with natural, spacious sound that tunes itself to the room, ideal for Apple Music and AirPlay users. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Woburn III cannot. It links with other speakers (AirPlay 2 multi-room), which the Marshall Woburn III cannot. 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 Marshall Woburn III: A big, loud stereo home speaker with classic Marshall styling and an HDMI ARC input that makes it a capable TV speaker too. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Marshall Woburn III if sound quality matters more than the price.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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 | Marshall Woburn III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 each | $599.99 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #2 of 29 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 | Yes |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 16.4 lbs (7.44 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 | - |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | No |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 6” woofer, 2x 2” midranges, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Bluetooth, HDMI ARC, 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 | Yes |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 5.6” x 5.6” (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 15.7” x 12.5” x 8” (400 x 317 x 203 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | - |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | ~45Hz |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Frequency Response | - | 35Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Amplifier Power | - | 150W (Woofer: 90W, Midrange: 2x15W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 100.5dB @ 1m |
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