Short answer: the Sonos Era 300 for better sound quality, the JBL Authentics 200 for the lower price. The Sonos Era 300 ranks #6 of 10 powered desktop speakers, rated 4.0/5, at $499. The JBL Authentics 200 ranks #10, rated 3.7/5, at $199.95, $299.05 cheaper.
Why pick the JBL Authentics 200: A retro styled Wi-Fi speaker that plays surprisingly loud and runs Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Sonos Era 300 lacks. The catch: Bass not as deep as others.
What the Sonos Era 300 does well: A Wi-Fi smart speaker with real stereo and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, excellent Alexa voice pickup and Trueplay room tuning. The catch: RTINGS’ one listed con is some compression at max volume.
Buy the JBL Authentics 200 when the price outweighs sound quality for you, and the Sonos Era 300 when sound quality outweighs the price instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
A retro styled Wi-Fi speaker that plays surprisingly loud and runs Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time.
A Wi-Fi smart speaker with real stereo and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, excellent Alexa voice pickup and Trueplay room tuning.
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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Authentics 200 | Sonos Era 300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 each | $499.00 each |
| Ranked | #10 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #6 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Wifi, Aux, USB (US only) | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room) | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Drivers | 5” full-range woofer, 2x 25mm tweeters; 6-inch down-firing passive radiator; 6-inch down-firing passive radiator; 6-inch down-firing passive radiator; 6-inch down-firing passive radiator | 4x tweeters (1 forward, 2 side, 1 upward-firing), 2x angled woofers |
| TWS | No | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| Weight | 9.3 lbs (4.2 kg) | 9.9 lbs (4.47 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4GHz/5GHz)) | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~50Hz | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 10.5” x 6.8” x 6.6” (266.3 x 171.7 x 167.4 mm) | 7.3” x 10.2” x 6.3” (185 x 260 x 160 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Power Input | AC Power Cable (100-240V) | External AC adapter |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa MRM | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2, Dolby Atmos Music |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) | Amazon Alexa |
| Amplifier Power | 90W | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | Yes | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
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