Short answer: the Denon Home 350. It ranks #9 of 10 powered desktop speakers by sound quality (rated 3.6/5) at $749 and is still sold new; the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen ranks #14 (rated 2.9/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen’s replacement, the Google Home Speaker, is rated 3.0/5 at $99.99.
What the Denon Home 350 does well: A large Wi-Fi smart speaker that plays loud, with lossless streaming, built in Alexa that hears you well, and app tone controls. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen. Watch for: RTINGS measured a slightly boomy sound profile out of the box and disappointing directivity, so the sound changes noticeably off to the side of the cabinet, plus compression artifacts as it nears max volume.
What the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen does well: A tiny Google Assistant speaker that responds quickly, raises its volume over background noise and has a mic mute switch. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Denon Home 350 lacks. Watch for: Digital Trends’ main complaint was that maximum volume could be louder, and RTINGS’ independent review agrees, naming it their one real weakness.
Buy the Denon Home 350. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen is no longer sold new.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
A large Wi-Fi smart speaker that plays loud, with lossless streaming, built in Alexa that hears you well, and app tone controls.
A tiny Google Assistant speaker that responds quickly, raises its volume over background noise and has a mic mute switch.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Denon Home 350 | Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $749.00 each | $119.00 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #9 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #14 of 15 in Small 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 350) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | External AC adapter (15W, DC jack) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Weight | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) | 0.4 lbs (181 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4/5GHz) | Yes |
| App | Yes (HEOS) | Yes (Google Home) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field) | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble sliders) | Yes (Bass/Treble, via Google Home app) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) |
| Drivers | 2x 0.75-inch tweeters, 2x 2-inch midrange drivers, 2x 6.5-inch woofers | 40mm driver |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB, 3.5mm aux | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| 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 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 15” x 9.1” x 7.1” (380 x 230 x 180 mm) | 1.7” x 3.9” x 3.9” (42 x 98 x 98 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | Google Assistant / Gemini for Home |
| Streaming Services | HEOS app streaming (Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer, SoundCloud, TuneIn), AirPlay 2, Roon | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
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