Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Brane X ranks #4 of 117 large speakers by sound quality at $549; the Sonos Play ranks #56 of 178 medium speakers by sound quality at $299.
Why pick the Brane X: A portable speaker with extraordinarily deep bass for its size, plus Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa and a low latency aux input. It supports aptX HD Bluetooth, which the Sonos Play lacks. It links with other speakers (Brane app, up to 8 speakers), which the Sonos Play cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Sonos Play lacks. The catch: The front-facing design has only moderate dispersion, so sound changes noticeably off to the sides or behind it.
The Sonos Play is the longer-running, lighter pick. A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. It is rated for 24 hours of battery against 12 for the Brane X. At 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) it weighs much less than the Brane X at 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg). The tradeoff: 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 Brane X ($549) for a large speaker; the Sonos Play ($299) suits a medium speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A portable speaker with extraordinarily deep bass for its size, plus Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa and a low latency aux input.
A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 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
| Brane X | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549.00 | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #4 of 117 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #56 of 178 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 295ms default, 33ms with aux pass-through | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC | SBC |
| IP Rating | IP57 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Brane app, up to 8 speakers) | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| App | Yes (Brane app) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Dimensions | 9.3” x 7” x 6.1” (236 x 178 x 155 mm) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5” midrange, 2x 0.75” tweeters + 6.5”x9” subwoofer | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 200W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| Strap | No | - |
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