Short answer: the Sonos Era 300, if you are buying new. The B&W Zeppelin ranks higher than it (#2 vs #5 of 7 powered desktop speakers, 4.3/5 vs 4.0/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Sonos Era 300 is still sold new at $479.99.
Why pick the B&W Zeppelin: Amazingly neutral, quite a wide soundstage due to the width. It supports aptX Adaptive Bluetooth, which the Sonos Era 300 lacks. Watch for: 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.
Why pick 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. It links with other speakers (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2), which the B&W Zeppelin cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the B&W Zeppelin lacks. Watch for: RTINGS’ one listed con is some compression at max volume.
Buy the Sonos Era 300 new; the B&W Zeppelin is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&W Zeppelin | Sonos Era 300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $899 each Discontinued | $479.99 each |
| Ranked | #2 of 7 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #5 of 7 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | No | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~32Hz | - |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 25.6” x 8.3” x 7.6” (650 x 210 x 194 mm) | 7.3” x 10.2” x 6.3” (185 x 260 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 150mm woofer, 2x 90mm FST midrange drivers, 2x 25mm Decoupled Double-Dome aluminium tweeters | 4x tweeters (1 forward, 2 side, 1 upward-firing), 2x angled woofers |
| EQ | No | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | External AC adapter |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2, Dolby Atmos Music |
| TWS | No | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs (6.6 kg) | 9.9 lbs (4.47 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| DSP | No | - |
| Amplifier Power | 240W (80W woofer, 2x 40W midrange, 2x 40W tweeter) | - |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- B&W Zeppelin vs B&W Zeppelin Pro
- B&W Zeppelin vs JBL Authentics 500
- Sonos Era 300 vs B&W Zeppelin Pro
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- Denon Home 350 vs Sonos Era 300
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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: $899 each Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the B&W Zeppelin Pro, ranked higher, rated 4.4/5.
Pros: Amazingly neutral, quite a wide soundstage due to the width. Bass extension deeper than all others in category. Measured bass extension of ~32Hz (-10dB).
Cons: 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. Discontinued.
Full B&W Zeppelin review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 240W (80W woofer, 2x 40W midrange, 2x 40W tweeter) |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~32Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| DSP | No |
| 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 Decoupled Double-Dome aluminium tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| 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
Sonos Era 300: $479.99 each Amazon eBay
Smaller model: the Sonos Era 100 (rated 3.6/5).
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 $480 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 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| 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) |
| 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