Short answer: the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro on measured sound quality, the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker on price. The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro ranks #1 of 10 powered desktop speakers, rated 4.4/5, at $899. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #14, rated 3.7/5, at $279, $620 cheaper.
The case for the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro: A stylish wireless home speaker with wide, deep sound and AirPlay and Spotify Connect, for indoor use only. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. Watch for: Same price as the standard Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin for a fairly modest tweeter/DAC upgrade.
The case for 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 keeps a wired aux input, which the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro lacks. It links with other speakers (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast), which the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro cannot. 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.
Buy the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker if the price matters more than sound quality.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home 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
| Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $899.00 each | $279.00 each |
| Ranked | #1 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #14 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | No | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 25.6” x 8.3” x 7.6” (650 x 210 x 194 mm) | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 150mm woofer, 2x 90mm FST midrange drivers, 2x 25mm Titanium Dome tweeters | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| EQ | Yes (Dynamic EQ) | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| TWS | No | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.6 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| DSP | Yes | - |
| Amplifier Power | 240W (80W woofer, 2x 40W midrange, 2x 40W tweeter) | - |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
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