Short answer: the Beats Pill 2024. It ranks #61 of 135 medium speakers by sound quality at $99.95; the Marshall Emberton III ranks #98 and costs $165.05, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Beats Pill 2024 offers: Doubles as a power bank (USB-C charge-out). 24 hour battery life; a 10 min quick-charge gives 2 hours. Watch for: Boosted upper bass, somewhat thuddy.
What the Marshall Emberton III offers: 30 hour battery life - among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. Watch for: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
Buy the Beats Pill 2024. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Emberton III and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Beats Pill 2024 | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.95 | $165.05 |
| Ranked | #61 of 135 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #98 of 135 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~56Hz | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 680 g | 1.5 lbs / 673 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 8.6" x 2.8" x 2.8" (219 x 71 x 70 mm) | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x drivers with dual passive radiators | 2x 2" full-range cone drivers + 2x 2" passive radiators |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Output Power | - | 20W |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Marshall Emberton II vs Soundcore Glow
- Marshall Emberton II vs Cleer Audio Scene
- Marshall Emberton II vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Beats Pill 2024 vs Sonos Roam
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Marshall Emberton III
The Two Speakers In Full
Beats Pill 2024: $99.95 Amazon
Pros: Doubles as a power bank (USB-C charge-out). 24 hour battery life; a 10 min quick-charge gives 2 hours. IP67 rated. Stereo pairs with a second Pill.
Cons: Boosted upper bass, somewhat thuddy. Slightly recessed mids. Rolled off treble.
Full Beats Pill 2024 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~56Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 8.6" x 2.8" x 2.8" (219 x 71 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x drivers with dual passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 680 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: New Beats Pill 2024: sound demo
- Oluv Patreon: Beats Pill 2024 - first & last impression
- DailyTekk: NEW Beats Pill First Impressions & Sound Test - Worth $149?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beats Pill vs Harman Luna vs Bose Flex vs Soundcore Motion Plus
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Beats Pill (by Apple) 2024 version review vs JBL and Soundcore!
- Reddit Search for Beats Pill 2024 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Marshall Emberton III: $165.05 Amazon
Pros: 30 hour battery life - among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. IP67 rated, durable rubbery build using 50% recycled plastic.
Cons: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Not very loud. Not really any different from the Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Full Marshall Emberton III review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" full-range cone drivers + 2x 2" passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 673 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons