Short answer: the Sonos Era 300. It ranks #4 of 5 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $499; the B&O Beosound 2 ranks #5 and costs $4000, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The case for the B&O Beosound 2: A beautifully made, compact Wi-Fi speaker with omnidirectional playback, Chromecast, AirPlay, Bluetooth with AAC/aptX, optical and aux inputs, app EQ, voice control and Beolink multiroom. The tradeoff: Its bass-forward balance can recess the mids, and its 94dB maximum level is modest for a speaker intended to fill larger spaces.
The case for the Sonos Era 300: RTINGS calls it an excellent choice for voice assistants: built-in Alexa has no trouble hearing commands from a distance or in a noisy room, with a mic mute button on the back. The tradeoff: RTINGS’ one listed con is some compression at max volume.
Buy the Sonos Era 300. It ranks higher for sound quality than the B&O Beosound 2 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound 2 | Sonos Era 300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4,000.00 each | $499.00 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 5 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #4 of 5 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~45Hz | - |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Party Mode | Yes (Beolink Multiroom) | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | External AC adapter |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| Weight | 9 lbs (4.1 kg) | 9.9 lbs (4.47 kg) |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | - |
| Dimensions | 11.8" x 11.8" (300 x 300 mm) | 7.3" x 10.2" x 6.3" (185 x 260 x 160 mm) |
| EQ | Yes (via app) | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| Frequency Response | 37Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux, Optical, Chromecast | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Stereo | 360-degree | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Yes (Google Assistant) | Amazon Alexa |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Drivers | 1x 5.5" + passive radiator woofer | 4x tweeters (1 forward, 2 side, 1 upward-firing), 2x angled woofers |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | - |
| Amplifier Power | 200W | - |
| Maximum SPL | 94dB | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | Yes | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.3 | Yes, 5.0 |
| IP Rating | - | None |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Discontinued | - | No |
| Streaming Services | - | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2, Dolby Atmos Music |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Sonos Era 300:
- JBL Authentics 500 vs Sonos Era 300
- B&O Beosound 2 vs Brane X
- B&O Beosound 2 vs Sonos Move 2
- B&O Beosound 2 vs JBL Authentics 500
- B&O Beosound 2 vs Google Home Max
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
B&O Beosound 2: $4,000.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: A beautifully made, compact Wi-Fi speaker with omnidirectional playback, Chromecast, AirPlay, Bluetooth with AAC/aptX, optical and aux inputs, app EQ, voice control and Beolink multiroom. Reviews praise its even scaling at low volume, spacious room-filling presentation and convincing bass for a single 4.1kg enclosure. Measured bass extension of ~45Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Its bass-forward balance can recess the mids, and its 94dB maximum level is modest for a speaker intended to fill larger spaces. There is no battery or water rating, so this is a mains-powered indoor product; its luxury design and streaming feature set matter more than outright value or neutral hi-fi accuracy.
Full B&O Beosound 2 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 200W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~45Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.8" x 11.8" (300 x 300 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 5.5" + passive radiator woofer |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| Frequency Response | 37Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux, Optical, Chromecast |
| Maximum SPL | 94dB |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Beolink Multiroom) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | 360-degree |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Yes (Google Assistant) |
| Weight | 9 lbs (4.1 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- B&O Beosound 2 vs JBL Authentics 500
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- B&O Beosound 2 vs B&O Beosound Level
- B&O Beosound 2 vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- B&O Beosound 2 vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- B&O Beosound 2 vs Amazon Echo Pop
- B&O Beosound 2 vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- B&O Beosound 2 vs Google Home Max
- See all 24 comparisons
Sonos Era 300: $499.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: RTINGS calls it an excellent choice for voice assistants: built-in Alexa has no trouble hearing commands from a distance or in a noisy room, with a mic mute button on the back. Six drivers, one forward-firing tweeter, two side-firing tweeters, one upward-firing tweeter, and two angled woofers, each with its own Class D amp, give real stereo separation plus Dolby Atmos spatial audio on supported content. Trueplay room correction (now including a quicker Android tuning option) is a genuine strength, and it pairs with Sonos soundbars like the Arc Ultra for a home theater setup.
Cons: RTINGS’ one listed con is some compression at max volume. Out of the box the tuning leans bass-heavy enough that vocals can get shrouded in the mix on some tracks, though Trueplay largely corrects this. There’s no Google Assistant, no battery, and at $499 it’s the most expensive speaker in this ecosystem comparison.
Full Sonos Era 300 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 | 7.3" x 10.2" x 6.3" (185 x 260 x 160 mm) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 4x tweeters (1 forward, 2 side, 1 upward-firing), 2x angled woofers |
| 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, Dolby Atmos Music |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| USB Input | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa |
| Weight | 9.9 lbs (4.47 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonos Era 300 vs JBL Authentics 500
- Sonos Era 300 vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Sonos Era 300 vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Sonos Era 300 vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Sonos Era 300 vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Sonos Era 300 vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Sonos Era 300 vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Sonos Era 300 vs Google Home Max
- See all 23 comparisons