Short answer: the Marshall Stanmore III. It ranks #6 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $388.99. The Sonos Era 100 ranks #16, rated 3.6/5, at $217.99, $171 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
What the Sonos Era 100 does well: A compact Wi-Fi smart speaker with stereo from two angled tweeters, Trueplay room tuning, Alexa and Sonos multiroom. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Stanmore III cannot. It links with other speakers (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2), which the Marshall Stanmore III cannot. Watch for: 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.
Why pick the Marshall Stanmore III: A mid size home speaker with classic Marshall amp styling, Bluetooth, and RCA and aux inputs for a turntable or other source. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Sonos Era 100 lacks.
Buy the Marshall Stanmore III. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $171 saving on the Sonos Era 100 is not enough to make up the difference.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Sonos Era 100 | Marshall Stanmore III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $217.99 each | $388.99 each |
| Ranked | #16 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #6 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 | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs (2.02 kg) | 9.7 lbs (4.4 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 | 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | Yes |
| 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) | 13.8” x 8” x 7.4” (350 x 203 x 188 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 | - | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
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