Short answer: the Edifier D12. It ranks #7 of 19 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $179.99; the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #12, rated 3.7/5, and costs $299, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Edifier D12: At 4.6 kg, Edifier D12 combines 2x 4” woofers, 2x 19mm silk dome tweeters with Bluetooth, Aux, RCA. The catch: Bass is limited by its 57Hz specification.
The case for the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. The tradeoff: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
Buy the Edifier D12. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier D12 | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.99 each | $299.00 each |
| Ranked | #7 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #12 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 57Hz | - |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux, RCA | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Outputs | Subwoofer line out | - |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cable | AC power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Drivers | 2x 4” woofers, 2x 19mm silk dome tweeters | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| TWS | No | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs (4.6 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| App | No | Yes (Bose) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes, 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | - |
| Dimensions | 14.1” x 6.3” x 8” (359 x 159 x 203.5 mm) | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble controls) | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| Frequency Response | 54Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| Amplifier Power | 70W (R/L treble: 15W+15W, R/L mid-bass: 20W+20W) | - |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
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- Edifier D12 vs Marshall Stanmore III
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Edifier D12: $179.99 each Amazon eBay
Pros: At 4.6 kg, Edifier D12 combines 2x 4” woofers, 2x 19mm silk dome tweeters with Bluetooth, Aux, RCA. Ac-powered operation and stereo playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use. A very good value for a desktop speaker. Measured bass extension of 57Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 57Hz specification. There is no companion app.
Full Edifier D12 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 70W (R/L treble: 15W+15W, R/L mid-bass: 20W+20W) |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 57Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 14.1” x 6.3” x 8” (359 x 159 x 203.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 4” woofers, 2x 19mm silk dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble controls) |
| Frequency Response | 54Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux, RCA |
| Optical Input | No |
| Outputs | Subwoofer line out |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cable |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs (4.6 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: $299.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. Stuff gave it the edge over the Sonos Era 100, and TechRadar called its tonal balance fairly neutral, with tight bass control and high detail. Alexa, including Alexa+, is built in, and RTINGS found its microphones picked up commands easily from across a noisy room. It streams over AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 5.3, keeps a 3.5mm aux input that the Era 100 lacks, and two units can be stereo paired or used as rear surrounds with the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar.
Cons: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair. Deep bass is limited: Engadget found the low end restrained and preferred the Denon Home 200’s sound, Stuff noted it can’t separate sub-bass from the bassline and that DSP pulls bass back at maximum volume, and TechRadar heard a slight toothiness in the treble that needed EQ to calm. The EQ is only bass, mid and treble with no automatic room calibration. Bose warns the aux and Bluetooth inputs add lip sync delay for TV use, it has no battery or IP rating, and both SoundGuys and Engadget needed several restarts to get stereo pairing working.
Full Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Denon Home 250
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Sonos Era 100
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Acton III
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs JBL Authentics 200
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Klipsch The One II
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Woburn III
- See all 33 comparisons