Short answer: the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, if you are buying new. The Marshall Stanmore II measures as well as it (#11 vs #13 of 20 powered desktop speakers, 3.7/5 vs 3.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is still sold new at $299.
The case for the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Stanmore II cannot. It links with other speakers (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast), which the Marshall Stanmore II cannot. The tradeoff: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
What the Marshall Stanmore II does well: Marshall Stanmore II uses 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” midranges, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters. The tradeoff: Bass is limited by its 55Hz specification.
Buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, since the Marshall Stanmore II is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | Marshall Stanmore II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.00 each | $300 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #13 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #11 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | No | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) | 10.3 lbs (4.65 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | No |
| App | Yes (Bose) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) | - |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) | Yes |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver | 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” midranges, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux, Optical |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | Yes |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) | No |
| Optical Input | No | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) | 13.8” x 7.9” x 7.3” (350 x 200 x 185 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | None |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 55Hz |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, aptX |
| Frequency Response | - | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Amplifier Power | - | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
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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
Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: $299.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. Stuff gave it the edge over the Sonos Era 100, and TechRadar called its tonal balance fairly neutral, with tight bass control and high detail. Alexa, including Alexa+, is built in, and RTINGS found its microphones picked up commands easily from across a noisy room. It streams over AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 5.3, keeps a 3.5mm aux input that the Era 100 lacks, and two units can be stereo paired or used as rear surrounds with the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar.
Cons: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair. Deep bass is limited: Engadget found the low end restrained and preferred the Denon Home 200’s sound, Stuff noted it can’t separate sub-bass from the bassline and that DSP pulls bass back at maximum volume, and TechRadar heard a slight toothiness in the treble that needed EQ to calm. The EQ is only bass, mid and treble with no automatic room calibration. Bose warns the aux and Bluetooth inputs add lip sync delay for TV use, it has no battery or IP rating, and both SoundGuys and Engadget needed several restarts to get stereo pairing working.
Full Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Denon Home 250
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Sonos Era 100
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- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Stanmore IV
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Marshall Stanmore II: $300 each Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Stanmore IV, ranked higher, estimated 3.8/5.
Pros: Marshall Stanmore II uses 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” midranges, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters. Its 4.65 kg, aux input and limited-stereo playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 55Hz specification. Discontinued.
Full Marshall Stanmore II review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.8” x 7.9” x 7.3” (350 x 200 x 185 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” woofer, 2x 2” midranges, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux, Optical |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | None |
| Weight | 10.3 lbs (4.65 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Stanmore II vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Stanmore II vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Stanmore II vs Marshall Stanmore IV
- Marshall Stanmore II vs Sonos Era 100
- Marshall Stanmore II vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Stanmore II vs Marshall Acton II
- Marshall Stanmore II vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Stanmore II vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
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