Between the Link Music and Five, the Link Music comes out ahead in output, while the Five wins on several specs. Overall, the Link Music scores 39.4 and the Five scores 35 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Link Music edges ahead on the Mars Score (39.4 vs 35), but the 4.4-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Link Music if you care most about output. The biggest gaps in its favor are output.
The Five similarly doesn't carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable dolby atmos, matter / thread, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Why JBL - Link Music wins
- ▲Output: 20 W vs 0 W.
Why Sonos - Five wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Audio
| Spec | JBL - Link Music | Sonos - Five |
|---|---|---|
| Output | 20 Wlead | 0 W |
| Stereo pairing | true | true |
| Dolby Atmosⓘ | false | false |
Assistant & Smart Home
| Spec | JBL - Link Music | Sonos - Five |
|---|---|---|
| Voice assistant | Google Assistant | Alexa |
| Matter / Thread | false | false |
| Zigbee hub | false | false |
Spec-level deep dives
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