Short answer: the Denon Home 350 if sound quality matters most, the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen if price matters most. The Denon Home 350 ranks #6 of 6 powered desktop speakers at $749. The Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen ranks #9 at $109.95, $639.05 cheaper.
The case for the Denon Home 350: RTINGS measured it getting pretty loud with lossless streaming support from platforms like Roon, Tidal and Spotify, and found its Alexa voice assistant support outstanding, with hands-free far-field mics built directly into the speaker. The tradeoff: 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.
The case for the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen: Digital Trends’ review found it responds quickly, automatically raises music and response volume over background noise, and is built from recycled plastic. The tradeoff: 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 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen if the price is the priority over sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen. It ranks near the bottom of the 10 powered desktop speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Denon Home 350 | Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $749 each | $109.95 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #6 of 6 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #9 of 10 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 |
| Discontinued | No | Yes |
| 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, 5.4 | Yes, 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 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen compares with other leading options:
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Amazon Echo Dot Max vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Denon Home 150 vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Google Nest Audio vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Apple HomePod Mini vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
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 350: $749 each Amazon eBay
Pros: RTINGS measured it getting pretty loud with lossless streaming support from platforms like Roon, Tidal and Spotify, and found its Alexa voice assistant support outstanding, with hands-free far-field mics built directly into the speaker. Two 0.75-inch tweeters, two 2-inch midrange drivers and two 6.5-inch woofers are each driven by their own Class D amp, six in total, and the companion app adds bass and treble sliders for room-to-room tuning.
Cons: 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. Bluetooth latency measured extremely high on both iOS and Android, making it a poor match for watching video over Bluetooth, and there’s no battery, so it’s an indoor, mains-powered speaker only.
Full Denon Home 350 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 (far-field) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 15" x 9.1" x 7.1" (380 x 230 x 180 mm) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 2x 0.75-inch tweeters, 2x 2-inch midrange drivers, 2x 6.5-inch woofers |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble sliders) |
| 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 350) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Streaming Services | HEOS app streaming (Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer, SoundCloud, TuneIn), AirPlay 2, Roon |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa |
| Weight | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (2.4/5GHz) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Denon Home 350 vs B&O Beosound 2
- Denon Home 350 vs Sonos Era 300
- Denon Home 350 vs JBL Authentics 500
- Denon Home 350 vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Denon Home 350 vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Denon Home 350 vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Denon Home 350 vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Denon Home 350 vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- See all 26 comparisons
Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen: $109.95 each Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Digital Trends’ review found it responds quickly, automatically raises music and response volume over background noise, and is built from recycled plastic. Its 40mm driver is clearer through the midrange and treble than the larger-driver Amazon Echo Dot 3rd Gen it was tested against, though the Echo had more bass and outright volume. A physical microphone mute switch is on the side.
Cons: Digital Trends’ main complaint was that maximum volume could be louder, and RTINGS’ independent review agrees, naming it their one real weakness. There is no 3.5mm or other wired audio input of any kind. This model has been discontinued by Google in favor of the newer Google Home Speaker, so current retail listings run well above the original $49 launch price as remaining stock sells through resellers. Discontinued.
Full Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Google Home) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (3 far-field mics, hardware mute switch) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 1.7" x 3.9" x 3.9" (42 x 98 x 98 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 40mm driver |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble, via Google Home app) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (15W, DC jack) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant / Gemini for Home |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs (181 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen vs Google Home Speaker
- Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen vs Google Nest Audio
- Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen vs Denon Home 150
- Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- See all 26 comparisons