Short answer: the B&O Beosound A5 for better sound quality, the Marshall Middleton II for the lower price. The B&O Beosound A5 ranks #12 of 120 large speakers, rated 4.5/5, at $1,650. The Marshall Middleton II ranks #31, rated 4.1/5, at $279.99, $1,370.01 cheaper.
The B&O Beosound A5 is the better-sounding option. A premium, dust and waterproof Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with fairly neutral sound and a big woofer for real bass.
The Marshall Middleton II is the longer-running, lighter option. A waterproof stereo speaker with very deep bass for its size, a long battery, a power bank and an app EQ. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 12 for the B&O Beosound A5. At 4 lbs (1.8 kg) it weighs much less than the B&O Beosound A5 at 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg). It is rated IP67 against IP65 for the B&O Beosound A5. The tradeoff: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
Buy the B&O Beosound A5 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Marshall Middleton II if the price matters more than sound quality.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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
| B&O Beosound A5 | Marshall Middleton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,650.00 | $279.99 |
| Ranked | #12 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #31 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| IP Rating | IP65 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Beolink Multiroom) | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| App | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (5 band) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 11.2” x 7.4” x 5.1” (285 x 187 x 130 mm) | 9.1” x 3.9” x 4.3” (230 x 98 x 110 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 280W | 80W |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Battery Life | 12+ hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | No | Yes (detachable strap) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 38Hz |
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