The Stanmore 3 is a stationary speaker built for home use, with no battery or water resistance—it runs purely on AC power and delivers 80 watts through a 2.1 setup (50W woofer and two 15W tweeters), all wrapped in a classic retro design with physical knobs for tone control. The Sonos Move 2, on the other hand, is a portable smart speaker with up to 24 hours of battery life, dual tweeters for stereo separation, and IP56 weather resistance. It supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, voice assistants, and even Apple AirPlay 2. I’d say the Stanmore 3 is for those who want a more analog, tactile sound experience in a fixed spot, while the Move 2 is perfect for someone who wants high-quality sound that moves from room to garden to beach without skipping a beat.
Specs Comparison
The Marshall Stanmore 3 plugs into AC only and has no internal battery, so it’s not meant to move around unlike the Sonos Move 2. It uses a 2.1 setup with a 50-watt Class D amplifier for the woofer and two 15-watt amps for the tweeters, delivering a total of 80 watts. The sound is tailored for indoor use, and it gives me direct control over bass and treble with physical knobs on top. It uses Bluetooth 5.2 and supports LE Audio, but it doesn’t have Wi-Fi or voice assistants built in. For someone like me who enjoys adjusting sound manually and keeping a setup visually consistent in one place, the Stanmore feels like a grounded, focused choice.
The Sonos Move 2 is more versatile and portable. It has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, so I can stream over my network or pair directly from a phone. It also supports Apple AirPlay 2, voice control through Alexa and Sonos Voice, and it integrates seamlessly with other Sonos products. The internal battery gives it up to 24 hours of playback and it charges through either a USB-C port or a magnetic charging base, which is a nice convenience. The sound system uses dual angled tweeters for real stereo separation and a single mid-woofer for bass and mids, powered by a trio of Class-D amps. While Sonos doesn’t list wattage, I can say it easily fills a medium-sized room or an outdoor patio with clean, dynamic sound. It’s also IP56 rated, so I didn’t worry about rain or dust while using it outside.
In terms of specs and use case, the Stanmore 3 is more about giving me a solid Hi-Fi listening experience with tactile controls and vintage design. The Move 2 feels more like a flexible all-rounder that bridges smart functionality with quality sound. If I were setting up a stationary listening corner, I’d lean toward the Stanmore. But if I needed one speaker to handle indoors, outdoors and multi-room streaming, the Move 2 makes more sense technically and practically.
Table Comparison
| Specification | Marshall Stanmore 3 | Sonos Move 2 |
| Power Output | 80W total (1x 50W woofer, 2x 15W tweeters) | Not officially disclosed, but includes 3 Class-D digital amplifiers (1 for woofer, 2 for tweeters) |
| Frequency Response | 45 Hz – 20,000 Hz | Not specified |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.2 (LE Audio ready) | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Wi-Fi Support | No | Yes (802.11a/b/g/n/ac, dual band 2.4/5GHz) |
| Smart Assistant Support | No | Yes (Amazon Alexa, Sonos Voice Control) |
| Apple AirPlay 2 | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | Not applicable (AC powered only) | Up to 24 hours |
| Charging | AC only | USB-C or wireless charging base |
| Water/Dust Resistance | None | IP56 (resistant to dust and splashes) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 350 x 203 x 188 mm (13.78 x 8.00 x 7.40 in) | 160 x 241 x 127 mm (6.29 x 9.49 x 4.96 in) |
| Weight | 4.25 kg (9.37 lbs) | 3.1 kg (6.83 lbs) |
| Connectivity Options | Bluetooth, 3.5 mm input, RCA input | Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C (line-in with adapter), AirPlay 2 |
| Additional Features | Analog knobs for volume, bass, and treble; Placement Compensation; Dynamic Loudness | True stereo (dual tweeters); Voice assistant support; Automatic Trueplay; Sonos multi-room streaming |
Sound Comparison
The first track I played to test both the Marshall Stanmore 3 and the Sonos Move 2 was “River” by Leon Bridges, and both speakers have very different sound signatures and sound presentation. The Stanmore 3, with its 80 watts split across a 50-watt woofer and dual 15-watt tweeters, gave the song this warm and vintage-leaning presentation. The vocals felt rich and centered while the background harmonies were smooth and slightly rolled off in the highs, which gave it a mellow character I actually enjoyed in a quiet room. The analog knobs let me dial in just a touch more bass to fill out the bottom end without muddying the mids. It’s a very “sit down and listen” kind of sound, where everything feels cohesive and room-filling without trying to show off.
Switching to the Sonos Move 2 with “Roslyn” by Bon Iver and St. Vincent, I noticed it gave me more spatial awareness, likely because of the dual angled tweeters handling left and right channels. The Move 2’s sound was crisp and more focused in the upper mids and treble. Acoustic instruments had a bit more bite and detail, which brought out the layering in the song’s ambient textures. The Move 2 doesn’t list wattage, but the three Class-D amps—one for the woofer and one for each tweeter—clearly deliver more than enough power to fill a space, especially when using it on Wi-Fi where the source quality was a bit higher. It also adapts to its environment through automatic Trueplay tuning, and I could hear subtle shifts in how it balanced itself when I moved it to different spots around the house.
For a final check, I queued up “Pink + White” by Frank Ocean. On the Stanmore 3, the bass line felt more grounded and blended with the mix in a pleasing way. On the Move 2, the highs were more pronounced and gave the vocals more edge, but the low end didn’t feel as dense. Personally, I think the Stanmore 3 is better suited for focused music listening where tone and balance matter more than convenience. The Move 2 sounds very good and adds stereo separation and smart features that make it great for moving around or filling different spaces. But if I had to choose one for purely sitting down with a record or playlist, I’d lean toward the Stanmore for its smoother, more relaxed sound.
Design Comparison
The Stanmore 3 has a retro vintage design wrapped in textured vinyl with a metal mesh front and brass-colored knobs that give it the feel of an old-school guitar amp. It’s heavier than it looks at 4.25 kilograms and doesn’t try to be portable. There’s no battery or weather sealing—it’s built purely to live on a shelf or sideboard and deliver sound from a fixed spot. I actually like that about it. The weight, the materials and the analog controls all come together to give it a sense of permanence. It’s a speaker that feels like it belongs in the room, not something I’d ever think of picking up and moving around.
The Sonos Move 2 feels much more modern and sleek in comparison. It has a smooth, pill-like design with clean lines and a matte finish that’s easy to grip. At just over 3 kilograms, it’s not exactly light, but it feels compact enough to carry around with one hand. The built-in handle cut into the back is subtle but functional. I used it quite a bit while moving the speaker from my living room to the balcony. It’s IP56 rated, so I didn’t have to worry about a bit of dust or a splash of water either. The top panel has capacitive touch controls that respond quickly without needing pressure, and the USB-C and charging base options make it easy to dock or charge wherever I leave it. It doesn’t have the handcrafted feel of the Stanmore, but it’s clearly been engineered to go places and handle more scenarios.
Personally, I think the Stanmore 3 feels more like a statement piece, while the Move 2 is more about practicality and flexibility and is designed to be a portable speaker rather than a standalone home speaker.
The Verdict?
Personally, I would go with the Marshall Stanmore 3 in a fixed home setup. It delivers a warm, balanced sound with an analog charm that really suits quieter, more intentional listening for those who enjoy Hi-Fi audio. I like having the physical control over bass and treble, and the 80 watts of power spread across a 50-watt woofer and two 15-watt tweeters gives it a warm, room-filling tone that doesn’t feel forced. It’s heavier, more grounded and clearly not built for portability—but that’s part of what makes it feel like a proper piece of audio gear. The design is more than aesthetic—it reflects how this speaker is meant to live in one place and do its job well.
That said, I think the Sonos Move 2 is the better choice if flexibility is the priority. It sounds impressive for a portable speaker and brings smart integration into the mix with Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, voice assistants and 24 hours of battery life. It’s the kind of speaker that adapts to wherever you take it, and the dual tweeters give it better stereo imaging than most portable options I’ve used. The build feels solid and practical, and it’s a real all-rounder in terms of function. Overall, I’d say the better speaker depends on how you listen. If you want sound that’s rooted and classic, go with the Stanmore 3. If you need something that moves with you and keeps the smart features intact, then the Move 2 is the smarter pick. For me, I’d still lean toward the Stanmore 3—it just feels more like a dedicated listening experience.