Short answer: the Sonos Five. It ranks #3 of 7 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $594.99. The Sonos Era 300 ranks #5, rated 4.0/5, at $493, $101.99 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
What the Sonos Five does well: 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 tradeoff: A 4.8dB reference band means the midrange and treble are less even than the best speakers, so tonal balance benefits from EQ.
Why pick the Sonos Era 300: RTINGS calls it an excellent choice for voice assistants: built-in Alexa has no trouble hearing commands from a distance or in a noisy room, with a mic mute button on the back. The tradeoff: RTINGS’ one listed con is some compression at max volume.
Buy the Sonos Five. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $101.99 saving on the Sonos Era 300 is not enough to make up the difference.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonos Five | Sonos Era 300 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $594.99 each | $493.00 each |
| Ranked | #3 of 7 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #5 of 7 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Drivers | 3x mid-woofers, 3x tweeters (2 angled), 6 Class-D amplifiers | 4x tweeters (1 forward, 2 side, 1 upward-firing), 2x angled woofers |
| Stereo | Yes (horizontal orientation) | Yes |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 14.3”W x 6.1”D (203 x 364 x 154 mm) | 7.3” x 10.2” x 6.3” (185 x 260 x 160 mm) |
| Weight | 14 lbs (6.36 kg) | 9.9 lbs (4.47 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes, 5.0 |
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) | Yes (Bass/Treble + Trueplay room correction) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) | Yes (Sonos multi-room, AirPlay 2) |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| Power Input | Built-in AC | External AC adapter |
| 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, USB-C (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm line-in) | No |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Streaming Services | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2 | Sonos app streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and more), AirPlay 2, Dolby Atmos Music |
| 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 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Discontinued | - | No |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon 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
- JBL Authentics 500 vs Sonos Era 300
- Sonos Era 300 vs B&W Zeppelin Pro
- Denon Home 250 vs Sonos Era 300
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
Sonos Era 300: $493.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: RTINGS calls it an excellent choice for voice assistants: built-in Alexa has no trouble hearing commands from a distance or in a noisy room, with a mic mute button on the back. Six drivers, one forward-firing tweeter, two side-firing tweeters, one upward-firing tweeter, and two angled woofers, each with its own Class D amp, give real stereo separation plus Dolby Atmos spatial audio on supported content. Trueplay room correction (now including a quicker Android tuning option) is a genuine strength, and it pairs with Sonos soundbars like the Arc Ultra for a home theater setup.
Cons: RTINGS’ one listed con is some compression at max volume. Out of the box the tuning leans bass-heavy enough that vocals can get shrouded in the mix on some tracks, though Trueplay largely corrects this. There’s no Google Assistant, no battery, and at $499 it’s the most expensive speaker in this ecosystem comparison.
Full Sonos Era 300 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sonos S2) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.3” x 10.2” x 6.3” (185 x 260 x 160 mm) |
| Discontinued | No |
| Drivers | 4x tweeters (1 forward, 2 side, 1 upward-firing), 2x angled woofers |
| 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, Dolby Atmos Music |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Sonos app) |
| USB Input | Yes (line-in adapter sold separately) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa |
| Weight | 9.9 lbs (4.47 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonos Era 300 vs B&O Beosound 2
- Sonos Era 300 vs JBL Authentics 500
- Sonos Era 300 vs Denon Home 350
- Sonos Era 300 vs B&W Zeppelin Pro
- Sonos Era 300 vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Sonos Era 300 vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Sonos Era 300 vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Sonos Era 300 vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
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