Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Denon Home 150 ranks #4 of 10 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $249; the JBL Authentics 300 ranks #32 of 75 boombox speakers by sound quality at $299.95.
The case for the Denon Home 150: A compact mono smart speaker with a 1-inch tweeter and a 3.5-inch mid/bass driver that Tom’s Guide called great-sounding, with bass performance that belies its size. The tradeoff: Tom’s Guide’s own complaints are that it costs more than the Sonos One and has no automatic room tuning to correct for placement.
The case for the JBL Authentics 300: Integrates both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant simultaneously (rare for smart speakers). The tradeoff: Narrow sounding, bass not as deep as others.
Buy the Denon Home 150 at $249 if you want a powered desktop speaker. Buy the JBL Authentics 300 at $299.95 if you want a boombox speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Denon Home 150 | JBL Authentics 300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $249 each | $299.95 |
| Ranked | #4 of 10 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #32 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (HEOS multi-room, stereo pair with a second Home 150) | Yes (Wi-Fi Multi-Room) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | No | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.7 kg) | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4/5GHz) | Yes |
| App | Yes (HEOS) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (App EQ) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 1-inch tweeter, 1x 3.5-inch mid/bass driver | 1" tweeter + 4" woofer + passive radiators |
| Discontinued | No | - |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, 3.5mm aux | - |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | No | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | Yes | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.4 | - |
| Dimensions | 4.7" x 7.4" x 4.7" (120 x 187 x 120 mm) | 13.5" x 7.7" x 7.1" (342 x 195.6 x 180.3 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) |
| Streaming Services | HEOS app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, SoundCloud, SiriusXM, TuneIn), AirPlay 2 | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 45Hz |
| Maximum SPL | - | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| USB Playback | - | Yes |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
| Amplifier Power | - | 100W |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Denon Home 150: $249 each Amazon eBay
Pros: A compact mono smart speaker with a 1-inch tweeter and a 3.5-inch mid/bass driver that Tom’s Guide called great-sounding, with bass performance that belies its size. The touch controls light up via a proximity sensor for quick-select presets, Wi-Fi setup through the HEOS app is straightforward, and Amazon Alexa is built directly into the speaker rather than relayed from another device. A second Home 150 can be paired for stereo.
Cons: Tom’s Guide’s own complaints are that it costs more than the Sonos One and has no automatic room tuning to correct for placement. It’s a single small driver plus tweeter, so it won’t fill a large room or go especially deep without pairing a Denon subwoofer.
Full Denon Home 150 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (HEOS) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.4 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.7" x 7.4" x 4.7" (120 x 187 x 120 mm) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 1x 1-inch tweeter, 1x 3.5-inch mid/bass driver |
| EQ | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, 3.5mm aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (HEOS multi-room, stereo pair with a second Home 150) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | HEOS app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, SoundCloud, SiriusXM, TuneIn), AirPlay 2 |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.7 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4/5GHz) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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JBL Authentics 300: $299.95 Amazon eBay
Pros: Integrates both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant simultaneously (rare for smart speakers). Retro seventies design with leather and Quadrex grille. 100-watt amp, carries well with leather-trimmed handle. Rechargeable battery rated ~8 hours. Measured bass extension of 45Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Narrow sounding, bass not as deep as others. Peaky upper mids. No TWS. No IP rating. Not as loud as others. Not much battery life.
Full JBL Authentics 300 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 45Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.5" x 7.7" x 7.1" (342 x 195.6 x 180.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 1" tweeter + 4" woofer + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi Multi-Room) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Authentics 300 - sound quality test More from Oluv’Sone →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: Not quite! JBL Authentics 300 review and sound test vs Boombox 3, Encore and Stormbox Blast More from alanrossreviews →
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