Short answer: the Xiaomi Sound Party. It ranks #20 of 177 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $149.99; the Sonos Play ranks #56, rated 3.5/5, and costs $299, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The Xiaomi Sound Party is the better-sounding pick. A versatile outdoor speaker with warm, balanced sound, fully waterproof build, long battery life, a phone charging port and a handy retractable handle. It links with other speakers (Party Connect, up to 100 speakers), which the Sonos Play cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Sonos Play lacks. The tradeoff: The sound evidence is mixed rather than universally glowing.
The case for the Sonos Play: A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Xiaomi Sound Party lacks. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Xiaomi Sound Party. Watch for: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
Buy the Xiaomi Sound Party. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Sonos Play and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
A versatile outdoor speaker with warm, balanced sound, fully waterproof build, long battery life, a phone charging port and a handy retractable handle.
A Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with wide stereo sound, a long lasting swappable battery, waterproofing and full Sonos multiroom support.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Xiaomi Sound Party | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.99 | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #20 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #56 of 177 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 54Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 26 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect, up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, 5V/3A) | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 10” x 3.6” x 3.6” (255 x 92 x 92 mm) | 7.6” x 4.4” x 3” (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm woofers (35W total) + 2x 15mm tweeters | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Maximum SPL | 102dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Weight | 2.6 lbs (1200 g) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | - |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/2A) | USB-C |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
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