Short answer: the B&O Beosound A5 if sound quality matters most, the Marshall Middleton if price matters most. The B&O Beosound A5 ranks #12 of 120 large speakers, rated 4.5/5, at $1,650. The Marshall Middleton ranks #33, rated 4.0/5, at $257.52, $1,392.48 cheaper.
The B&O Beosound A5 is the better-sounding pick. A premium, dust and waterproof Wi-Fi and Bluetooth portable with fairly neutral sound and a big woofer for real bass.
The Marshall Middleton is the longer-running, lighter option. A waterproof stereo speaker with very deep bass for its size, a long battery, a power bank and a detachable strap. It is rated for 20 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 IPX7 against IP65 for the B&O Beosound A5. Watch for: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz.
Buy the B&O Beosound A5 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Marshall Middleton when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,650.00 | $257.52 |
| Ranked | #12 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #33 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| IP Rating | IP65 | IPX7 |
| 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 | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 11.2” x 7.4” x 5.1” (285 x 187 x 130 mm) | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 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 | 50W |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (Manufacturer specified) | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Battery Life | 12+ hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | No | Yes (detachable strap) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 39Hz |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
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