These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #14 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $279; the Sonos Play ranks #56 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality at $299.
Why pick the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: A compact smart speaker with an up firing driver for taller sound, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2, Google Cast and an aux input. It links with other speakers (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast), which the Sonos Play cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Sonos Play lacks. Watch for: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
The Sonos Play is the battery-powered, tougher pick. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. Its battery is rated for 24 hours, while the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker needs an outlet. It is rated IP67, while the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker has no water resistance. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. The catch: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
Buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker at $279 for a powered desktop speaker, or the Sonos Play at $299 for a medium speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.00 each | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #14 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #56 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Bose) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) | Yes |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | - |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | No | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
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