These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The JBL Authentics 300 ranks #46 of 112 boombox speakers by sound quality at $299.95; the Sonos Era 300 ranks #6 of 10 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $499.
The Authentics 300 is a portable smart speaker with retro styling. It runs Alexa and Google Assistant at the same time, has Wi-Fi multi-room and an app EQ, and a battery rated for about 8 hours lets you carry it by its leather handle. Its sound is narrow, its upper mids peaky, and it has no water rating. Alan Ross measured 100dB.
The Era 300 is a stay-at-home Atmos speaker. Six drivers, including side and upward-firing tweeters, give real stereo separation and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, and Trueplay room correction tunes it to the room. It works with AirPlay 2, Alexa and Sonos soundbars. Its default tuning is bass-heavy enough to cover vocals until Trueplay corrects it, and it has no battery.
Buy the JBL Authentics 300 ($299.95) for a boombox speaker; the Sonos Era 300 ($499) suits a powered desktop speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings and Powered Home rankings.
A retro styled smart speaker with both Alexa and Google Assistant, a leather handle and battery power.
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 300 | Sonos Era 300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.95 | $499.00 each |
| Ranked | #46 of 112 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #6 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 45Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | No Battery |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi Multi-Room) | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable | External AC adapter |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | - |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| Weight | 10.8 lbs (4.9 kg) | 9.9 lbs (4.47 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| USB Playback | Yes | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 100W | - |
| Dimensions | 13.5” x 7.7” x 7.1” (342 x 195.6 x 180.3 mm) | 7.3” x 10.2” x 6.3” (185 x 260 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 1” tweeter + 4” woofer + passive radiators | 4x tweeters (1 forward, 2 side, 1 upward-firing), 2x angled woofers |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) | Amazon Alexa |
| Strap | No | - |
| Inputs | - | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| XLR Input | - | No |
| RCA Input | - | No |
| TRS Input | - | No |
| Optical Input | - | No |
| Coaxial Input | - | No |
| USB Input | - | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| HDMI Input | - | No |
| AES Input | - | No |
| Streaming Services | - | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2, Dolby Atmos Music |
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