Short answer: the B&W Zeppelin Pro. It ranks #1 of 7 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.4/5, at $639. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #12, rated 3.7/5, at $299, $340 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The case for the B&W Zeppelin Pro: Titanium dome tweeters and an improved 24-bit DAC over the standard Zeppelin for slightly better high-frequency detail on hi-res streams. Watch for: Same price as the standard Zeppelin for a fairly modest tweeter/DAC upgrade.
The case for the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. 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 B&W Zeppelin Pro. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $340 you would save on the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&W Zeppelin Pro | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $639.00 each | $299.00 each |
| Ranked | #1 of 7 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #12 of 19 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 | - |
| 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, 5.3 |
| 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+ |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How B&W Zeppelin Pro compares with other leading options:
- B&W Zeppelin vs B&W Zeppelin Pro
- B&W Zeppelin Pro vs Sonos Five
- B&W Zeppelin Pro vs JBL Authentics 500
- Sonos Era 300 vs B&W Zeppelin Pro
- B&O Beosound 2 vs B&W Zeppelin Pro
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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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The Two Speakers In Full
B&W Zeppelin Pro: $639.00 each Amazon eBay
Older model: the B&W Zeppelin (ranked lower, rated 4.3/5).
Pros: Titanium dome tweeters and an improved 24-bit DAC over the standard Zeppelin for slightly better high-frequency detail on hi-res streams. Dynamic EQ DSP. Customizable downward-firing light. Same wide soundstage and deep bass extension as the standard Zeppelin.
Cons: Same price as the standard Zeppelin for a fairly modest tweeter/DAC upgrade. Nothing besides the lack of battery, lack of waterproofing, high cost and the Earfun Uboom X that’s so close to it in terms of sound quality for 7x less money. Basically an indoor only speaker. At this price point the Top Recommended Bookshelf Speakers are the better buy, with even better soundstage.
Full B&W Zeppelin Pro review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 240W (80W woofer, 2x 40W midrange, 2x 40W tweeter) |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| DSP | Yes |
| Dimensions | 25.6” x 8.3” x 7.6” (650 x 210 x 194 mm) |
| Drivers | 150mm woofer, 2x 90mm FST midrange drivers, 2x 25mm Titanium Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Dynamic EQ) |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.6 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: $299.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. Stuff gave it the edge over the Sonos Era 100, and TechRadar called its tonal balance fairly neutral, with tight bass control and high detail. Alexa, including Alexa+, is built in, and RTINGS found its microphones picked up commands easily from across a noisy room. It streams over AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 5.3, keeps a 3.5mm aux input that the Era 100 lacks, and two units can be stereo paired or used as rear surrounds with the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar.
Cons: 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. Deep bass is limited: Engadget found the low end restrained and preferred the Denon Home 200’s sound, Stuff noted it can’t separate sub-bass from the bassline and that DSP pulls bass back at maximum volume, and TechRadar heard a slight toothiness in the treble that needed EQ to calm. The EQ is only bass, mid and treble with no automatic room calibration. Bose warns the aux and Bluetooth inputs add lip sync delay for TV use, it has no battery or IP rating, and both SoundGuys and Engadget needed several restarts to get stereo pairing working.
Full Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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