Short answer: the Marshall Acton III. It ranks #11 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $298.99. The Sonos Era 100 ranks #16, rated 3.6/5, at $217.99, $81 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The Acton III is the better plain stereo speaker. A 4-inch woofer, a midrange and two tweeters on 60W give it fuller sound, Marshall rates it down to 45Hz, and it has an aux input and bass and treble controls. It has no Wi-Fi, so it plays over Bluetooth or a cable.
The Era 100 is the smart, networked choice. Two angled tweeters and a mid-woofer give some stereo width, Trueplay room correction adjusts it to the room, and it works with AirPlay 2, Alexa and Sonos multi-room. RTINGS found it short on low bass and not loud enough for big rooms, and its line-in needs a separate USB-C adapter.
Buy the Marshall Acton III. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $81 you would save on the Sonos Era 100 does not close the gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sonos Era 100 | Marshall Acton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $217.99 each | $298.99 each |
| Ranked | #16 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #11 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | - |
| Stereo | Yes | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) | No |
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) | - |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) | No |
| Drivers | 2x angled tweeters, 1x mid-woofer | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) | Bluetooth, Aux |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.7” x 5.1” (182.5 x 120 x 130.5 mm) | 10.2” x 6.7” x 5.9” (260 x 170 x 150 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa | - |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 | - |
| Frequency Response | - | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Amplifier Power | - | 60W (Woofer: 30W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
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