Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen on measured sound quality, the Sonos Era 100 on price. The Apple HomePod 2nd Gen ranks #5 of 16 powered desktop speakers at $297.71. The Sonos Era 100 ranks #12 at $219, $78.71 cheaper.
The case for 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 Sonos Era 100: RTINGS lists room correction tools and bass/treble adjustments as its real strengths, and its balanced midrange suits a wide range of genres, with wider stereo separation than the mono Sonos One SL it replaced thanks to two angled tweeters plus a 25% larger mid-woofer than the original Sonos One. The tradeoff: RTINGS’ own two listed cons are not loud enough for larger rooms and very little low-bass thump, so genres like EDM and hip-hop lack rumble even with the tone adjustments.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Sonos Era 100 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Skip the Sonos Era 100 if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 16 powered desktop speakers.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | Sonos Era 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $297.71 each | $219.00 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 16 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #12 of 16 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 (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | External AC adapter |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| 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/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| Discontinued | No | No |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes, 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 6.7" x 5.6" x 5.6" (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 7.2" x 4.7" x 5.1" (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | Amazon Alexa |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Sonos Era 100 vs Sonos Play
- Sonos Era 100 vs Sonos Move
Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 AM 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 JBL Authentics 200
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- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
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Sonos Era 100: $219.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: RTINGS lists room correction tools and bass/treble adjustments as its real strengths, and its balanced midrange suits a wide range of genres, with wider stereo separation than the mono Sonos One SL it replaced thanks to two angled tweeters plus a 25% larger mid-woofer than the original Sonos One. Alexa is built in with a far-field mic, and it ties into the wider Sonos S2 app ecosystem for multi-room audio.
Cons: RTINGS’ own two listed cons are not loud enough for larger rooms and very little low-bass thump, so genres like EDM and hip-hop lack rumble even with the tone adjustments. There’s no Google Assistant, the USB-C line-in needs a separately purchased adapter, and there’s no battery.
Full Sonos Era 100 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 4.7" x 5.1" (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| USB Input | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonos Era 100 vs Google Home Max
- Sonos Era 100 vs JBL Authentics 200
- Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Sonos Era 100 vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Sonos Era 100 vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Sonos Era 100 vs B&O Beosound 2
- See all 23 comparisons