Between the Five and Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2), the Five comes out ahead in several specs, while the Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2) wins on several specs. Overall, the Five scores 35 and the Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2) scores 35 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are evenly matched on the broad strokes; the decision sits on which individual spec advantages weigh more for your use.
The Five does not pull ahead on any single popular-comparison spec — its strengths sit in the spec-table groups rather than the headline advantages.
The Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2) similarly does not carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable output, voice assistant, dolby atmos, so those specs do not 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 says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Sonos - Five or Sonos - Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2)?
The two products are effectively tied on the current Mars Score.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare the highlighted specifications against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Sonos - Five if…
Sonos - Five does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
Choose Sonos - Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2) if…
Sonos - Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2) does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Sonos - Five wins
- No decisive advantages.
Why Sonos - Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2) wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Audio
| Spec | Sonos - Five | Sonos - Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Output | 0 W | 0 W |
| Stereo pairingⓘ | true | true |
| Dolby Atmosⓘ | false | false |
Assistant & Smart Home
| Spec | Sonos - Five | Sonos - Symfonisk Bookshelf (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Voice assistant | Alexa | Alexa |
| Matter / Thread | false | false |
| Zigbee hub | false | false |