Short answer: the Audio Pro C5 MkII. It ranks #1 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.5/5, at $325; the Denon Home 250 ranks #13, rated 3.7/5, and costs $549, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Denon Home 250 does well: A Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo sound from one cabinet, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2 and HEOS multiroom. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Audio Pro C5 MkII lacks. Watch for: Trusted Reviews’ own complaints are a slightly disjointed hand-over between the bass and midrange, and a safety-first treble response that avoids sounding harsh at the cost of outright detail.
The Audio Pro C5 MkII is the better-sounding option. An excellent sounding medium home speaker, with fairly neutral sound, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming, and an RCA input for a turntable. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Denon Home 250 lacks.
Buy the Audio Pro C5 MkII. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Denon Home 250 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Denon Home 250 | Audio Pro C5 MkII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549.00 each | $325 each |
| Ranked | #13 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #1 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (HEOS multi-room, stereo pair with a second Home 250) | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Partially |
| Weight | 8.2 lbs (3.7 kg) | 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4/5GHz) | Yes (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)) |
| App | Yes (HEOS) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | No | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| TWS | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Class D, combined) | 41W (2x8W + 25W) |
| Drivers | 2x 19mm tweeters, 2x 102mm mid-bass drivers, 133mm passive radiator | 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, 3.5mm aux | Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | Yes | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 11.8” x 8.7” x 4.7” (300 x 220 x 120 mm) | 9.8” x 5.1” x 5.9” (250 x 130 x 150 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | - |
| Streaming Services | HEOS app streaming (Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, SoundCloud, TuneIn), AirPlay 2 | Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast |
| Outputs | - | Subwoofer line out |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Frequency Response | - | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Subwoofer Output | - | Yes |
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