Short answer: the Marshall Stanmore IV if sound quality matters most, the Sonos Era 100 if price matters most. The Marshall Stanmore IV ranks #8 of 20 powered desktop speakers, rated 3.8/5, at $429.99. The Sonos Era 100 ranks #15, rated 3.6/5, at $219, $210.99 cheaper.
The case for the Marshall Stanmore IV: A 5 inch woofer on a 60W amplifier and two 0.75 inch tweeters on 25W each, now with waveguides and a redesigned bass port, and Marshall rates it down to 36Hz. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Sonos Era 100 lacks. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Sonos Era 100 lacks. The tradeoff: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked.
The case for the Sonos Era 100: It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Stanmore IV cannot. The catch: RTINGS’ own two listed cons are not loud enough for larger rooms and very little low-bass thump, so genres like EDM and hip-hop lack rumble even with the tone adjustments.
Buy the Marshall Stanmore IV if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Sonos Era 100 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Stanmore IV | Sonos Era 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $429.99 each | $219.00 each |
| Ranked | #8 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #15 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) | - |
| App | Yes (Marshall) | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 13.8”W x 7.3”D (203 x 350 x 185 mm) | 7.2” x 4.7” x 5.1” (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 5” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| Frequency Response | 36Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, 3.5mm aux | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| USB Input | No | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Weight | 8.8 lbs (3.99 kg) | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa |
| Streaming Services | - | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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
Marshall Stanmore IV: $429.99 each Estimated Amazon eBay
Older models: the Marshall Stanmore III (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the Marshall Stanmore II (ranked lower, rated 3.7/5).
Smaller model: the Marshall Acton IV (estimated 3.7/5).
Pros: A 5 inch woofer on a 60W amplifier and two 0.75 inch tweeters on 25W each, now with waveguides and a redesigned bass port, and Marshall rates it down to 36Hz. Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3, multipoint, Auracast for linking more speakers, and both 3.5 mm aux and RCA inputs for a turntable. The Marshall app adds EQ and room calibration, and the new M-button jumps to a saved EQ or Spotify Tap.
Cons: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked. One woofer serves both channels, so its stereo is limited to the tweeters. It needs mains power, with no battery, and it has no Wi-Fi streaming and no microphone for voice control.
Full Marshall Stanmore IV review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) |
| App | Yes (Marshall) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 13.8”W x 7.3”D (203 x 350 x 185 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 5” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) |
| Frequency Response | 36Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, 3.5mm aux |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 8.8 lbs (3.99 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Woburn III
- See all 11 comparisons
Sonos Era 100: $219.00 each Amazon eBay
Larger model: the Sonos Era 300 (rated 4/5).
Pros: RTINGS lists room correction tools and bass/treble adjustments as its real strengths, and its balanced midrange suits a wide range of genres, with wider stereo separation than the mono Sonos One SL it replaced thanks to two angled tweeters plus a 25% larger mid-woofer than the original Sonos One. Alexa is built in with a far-field mic, and it ties into the wider Sonos S2 app ecosystem for multi-room audio.
Cons: RTINGS’ own two listed cons are not loud enough for larger rooms and very little low-bass thump, so genres like EDM and hip-hop lack rumble even with the tone adjustments. There’s no Google Assistant, the USB-C line-in needs a separately purchased adapter, and there’s no battery.
Full Sonos Era 100 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.7” x 5.1” (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| USB Input | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonos Era 100 vs Google Home Max
- Sonos Era 100 vs Marshall Acton II
- Sonos Era 100 vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
- Sonos Era 100 vs Denon Home 250
- Sonos Era 100 vs Klipsch The Three II
- Sonos Era 100 vs Klipsch The Three Plus
- Sonos Era 100 vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Sonos Era 100 vs Marshall Acton III
- See all 41 comparisons