Short answer: the Denon Home 250. It ranks #13 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality (rated 3.7/5) at $549 and is still sold new; the Google Home Max ranks #15 (rated 3.6/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
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 plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Google Home Max. 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.
Why pick the Google Home Max: A large Google smart speaker with two woofers, automatic room tuning and stereo pairing, praised by owners for its bass. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Denon Home 250 lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Denon Home 250 lacks. The tradeoff: Discontinued by Google since 2020, so it can no longer be bought new; used and refurbished stock is what remains, and RTINGS calls its soundstage mediocre despite the driver count.
Buy the Denon Home 250. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Google Home Max is discontinued.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
A Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo sound from one cabinet, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2 and HEOS multiroom.
A large Google smart speaker with two woofers, automatic room tuning and stereo pairing, praised by owners for its bass.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Specifications Side By Side
| Denon Home 250 | Google Home Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $549.00 each | $399 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #13 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #15 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (HEOS multi-room, stereo pair with a second Home 250) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | AC power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Weight | 8.2 lbs (3.7 kg) | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4/5GHz) | Yes (2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| App | Yes (HEOS) | Yes (Google Home) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes (6 far-field mics for Smart Sound room correction) |
| EQ | No | Yes (Media EQ + Room EQ, automatic via Smart Sound) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) |
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Class D, combined) | 6x Class-D amplifiers |
| Drivers | 2x 19mm tweeters, 2x 102mm mid-bass drivers, 133mm passive radiator | 2x 4.5in high-excursion woofers, 2x 0.7in tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, 3.5mm aux | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Aux, USB-C |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | Yes | Yes |
| 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) | 7.5” x 13.2” x 6.1” (190 x 336 x 154 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | HEOS app streaming (Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, SoundCloud, TuneIn), AirPlay 2 | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Denon Home 250: