Short answer: the Marshall Emberton II for battery life at a lower price, though neither ranks well in its class. It runs 30 hours, among the best in its class, with a 20 minute quick-charge good for 4 hours, at $144.99 against the Beosound Explore’s $294.99, though it has a strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration and bass not as deep as competitors. The Explore is IP67 rated with a rugged ‘seatbelt’ strap but has a huge lack of bass extension and overly hot ringing treble. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 164 medium speakers, and the Earfun Uboom L, ranked #2 at $49.79, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
Buy the Marshall Emberton II. It is rated higher for sound quality than the B&O Beosound Explore and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| B&O Beosound Explore | Marshall Emberton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $294.99 | $144.99 |
| Ranked | #132 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #123 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~70Hz | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (631 g) | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Dimensions | 3.2” x 4.9” x 3.2” (81 x 124 x 81 mm) | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.8” (46mm) full-range drivers | 2x 2” full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 60W | 20W |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| App | Yes (Bang & Olufsen app) | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| Strap | Yes (carabiner) | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 80ms |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Emberton II compares with other leading options:
- Marshall Emberton II vs Earfun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Marshall Emberton II
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Marshall Emberton II vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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 Explore: $294.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated with a rugged ‘seatbelt’ strap and carabiner hook. Real-world battery life around 20-24 hours. Distinctive anodized-aluminum design. Measured bass extension of ~70Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Huge lack of bass extension compared to competitors, overly hot ringing treble. Colored midrange. Just not great sounding overall.
Full B&O Beosound Explore review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 60W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bang & Olufsen app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~70Hz |
| Battery Life | 27 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 3.2” x 4.9” x 3.2” (81 x 124 x 81 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.8” (46mm) full-range drivers |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (carabiner) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs (631 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Marshall Emberton II: $144.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Emberton III, ranked higher, rated 2.7/5.
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. Measured bass extension of 62Hz (-10dB).
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.
Full Marshall Emberton II review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs Marshall Stockwell 2 - little guy goes louder?? 🤓 More from alanrossreviews →
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- Passione Speaker: Bass Test Marshall Emberton 2 vs Emberton 3
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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