Short answer: the Sonos Five. It ranks #3 of 7 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $594.99. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #12, rated 3.7/5, at $299, $295.99 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The case for the Sonos Five: Independently measured by Audio Science Review, it has deep bass for a wireless speaker, reaching 38.5Hz at -3dB and about 25.5Hz at -10dB, with a 3.92 preference score and 5.56 with an ideal subwoofer. The catch: A 4.8dB reference band means the midrange and treble are less even than the best speakers, so tonal balance benefits from EQ.
The case for the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. The tradeoff: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
Buy the Sonos Five. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $295.99 you would save on the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker does not close the gap.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonos Five | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $594.99 each | $299.00 each |
| Ranked | #3 of 7 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #12 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Drivers | 3x mid-woofers, 3x tweeters (2 angled), 6 Class-D amplifiers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Stereo | Yes (horizontal orientation) | No |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 14.3”W x 6.1”D (203 x 364 x 154 mm) | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Weight | 14 lbs (6.36 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes, 5.3 |
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) | Yes (Bose) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Power Input | Built-in AC | AC power cord |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, 3.5mm line-in | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm line-in) | Yes |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 38.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review data on spinorama.org) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 25.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review data on spinorama.org) | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.92 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.56 | - |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Sonos Five compares with other leading options:
- B&W Zeppelin Pro vs Sonos Five
- Sonos Five vs JBL Authentics 500
- Sonos Five vs Sonos Era 300
- Marshall Woburn III vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
- JBL Authentics 500 vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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
Sonos Five: $594.99 each Amazon eBay
Pros: Independently measured by Audio Science Review, it has deep bass for a wireless speaker, reaching 38.5Hz at -3dB and about 25.5Hz at -10dB, with a 3.92 preference score and 5.56 with an ideal subwoofer. A 2.22 directivity-index deviation means the sound stays consistent around the room. Three woofers and three tweeters on six amplifiers play in stereo when placed horizontally, and Trueplay tuning, AirPlay 2 and a 3.5mm line-in add flexibility. Measured bass extension of 38.5Hz (-3dB).
Cons: A 4.8dB reference band means the midrange and treble are less even than the best speakers, so tonal balance benefits from EQ. It has no Bluetooth and no microphone for voice assistants, and at 6.36kg it is a large box for a desk.
Full Sonos Five review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm line-in) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 25.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review data on spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 38.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review data on spinorama.org) |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 14.3”W x 6.1”D (203 x 364 x 154 mm) |
| Drivers | 3x mid-woofers, 3x tweeters (2 angled), 6 Class-D amplifiers |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Ethernet, 3.5mm line-in |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Built-in AC |
| RCA Input | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.92 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.56 |
| Stereo | Yes (horizontal orientation) |
| 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 | No |
| Weight | 14 lbs (6.36 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: $299.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. Stuff gave it the edge over the Sonos Era 100, and TechRadar called its tonal balance fairly neutral, with tight bass control and high detail. Alexa, including Alexa+, is built in, and RTINGS found its microphones picked up commands easily from across a noisy room. It streams over AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 5.3, keeps a 3.5mm aux input that the Era 100 lacks, and two units can be stereo paired or used as rear surrounds with the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar.
Cons: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair. Deep bass is limited: Engadget found the low end restrained and preferred the Denon Home 200’s sound, Stuff noted it can’t separate sub-bass from the bassline and that DSP pulls bass back at maximum volume, and TechRadar heard a slight toothiness in the treble that needed EQ to calm. The EQ is only bass, mid and treble with no automatic room calibration. Bose warns the aux and Bluetooth inputs add lip sync delay for TV use, it has no battery or IP rating, and both SoundGuys and Engadget needed several restarts to get stereo pairing working.
Full Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Denon Home 250
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Sonos Era 100
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Acton III
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs JBL Authentics 200
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Edifier D12
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Klipsch The One II
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