Short answer: the B&O Beosound A5 for better sound quality, the Marshall Stockwell III for the lower price. The B&O Beosound A5 ranks #12 of 102 large speakers, rated 4.5/5, at $1,650. The Marshall Stockwell III ranks #76, rated 3.0/5, at $249.99, $1,400.01 cheaper.
The B&O Beosound A5 is the better-sounding option. Ip65 protection, up to 101db and mono playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use.
The Marshall Stockwell III is the longer-running, lighter pick. 40+ hour battery life with a user-replaceable battery, strap, sleeve and grilles. It is rated for 40 hours of battery against 12 for the B&O Beosound A5. At 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) it weighs much less than the B&O Beosound A5 at 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg). It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the B&O Beosound A5 lacks. The tradeoff: Highs are recessed by default and need the treble control maxed to compensate, still lacking detail even then.
Buy the B&O Beosound A5 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Marshall Stockwell III if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound A5 | Marshall Stockwell III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,650.00 | $249.99 |
| Ranked | #12 of 102 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #76 of 102 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| IP Rating | IP65 | IP55 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Beolink Multiroom) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Partially |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| App | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LE Audio with LC3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | No | Yes (parametric, via app) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 11.2” x 7.4” x 5.1” (285 x 187 x 130 mm) | 7.1” x 6.4” x 2.9” (180 x 162 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter | 1x 3” woofer, 2x 1.75” wide-band drivers |
| Frequency Response | 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 54Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 280W | 44W |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Battery Life | 12+ hours (Manufacturer specified) | 40+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Strap | No | Yes (detachable strap) |
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More worthwhile head-to-heads for B&O Beosound A5:
- Vifa Helsinki vs B&O Beosound A5
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs B&O Beosound A5
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs B&O Beosound A5
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs B&O Beosound A5
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Marshall Stockwell II
Prices on this page were last checked October 7, 2026 at 9:25 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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The Two Speakers In Full
B&O Beosound A5: $1,650.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: At 3.86 kg, B&O Beosound A5 combines 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter with Bluetooth and aux. Ip65 protection, up to 101db and mono playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use. Reviews find the sound fairly neutral.
Cons: Bass is limited by its 32Hz to 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification. There is no companion app. No EQ adjustment.
Full B&O Beosound A5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 280W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 11.2” x 7.4” x 5.1” (285 x 187 x 130 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange, 0.8” tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 32Hz - 23kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP65 |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Beolink Multiroom) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.86 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Marshall Stockwell II
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Soundcore Boom 2
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Bose SoundLink Max
- B&O Beosound A5 vs JBL Xtreme 3
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Soundcore Motion X600
- B&O Beosound A5 vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- B&O Beosound A5 vs JBL Xtreme 5
- See all 17 comparisons
Marshall Stockwell III: $249.99 Marshall eBay
Older model: the Marshall Stockwell II (ranked higher, rated 4.5/5).
Pros: 40+ hour battery life with a user-replaceable battery, strap, sleeve and grilles. Doubles as a USB-C power bank. IP55 dust/water resistance. App includes parametric EQ, a Soundstage widening control, and wall/corner placement compensation. Endless-rotation control knobs.
Cons: Highs are recessed by default and need the treble control maxed to compensate, still lacking detail even then. Bass tends to sound resonant and boomy, with reported frequency cancellation and phase issues on complex material that EQ doesn’t fully resolve. Oluv’s A/B testing against the outgoing Stockwell II finds the default tuning muffled and muddy enough to prefer the seven-year-old original out of the box, and output loses dynamics and bass while turning harsh well below maximum volume. No aptX support.
Full Marshall Stockwell III review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 44W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 40+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LE Audio with LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1” x 6.4” x 2.9” (180 x 162 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 3” woofer, 2x 1.75” wide-band drivers |
| EQ | Yes (parametric, via app) |
| Frequency Response | 54Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP55 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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