Short answer: the Marshall Emberton II for battery life, the Bose SoundLink Color II for feel, though neither ranks well in its class. The Emberton II runs 30 hours, among the best in its class, and a 20 minute quick-charge gives 4 hours, but it has a strange unnatural echo-like coloration and its bass is not as deep as competitors. The Color II’s soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes, though its bass is boosted. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 151 medium speakers; for better sound, the Earfun Uboom L ranks #1 at $49.79.
Buy the Marshall Emberton II new; the Bose SoundLink Color II is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Battery life favors the Marshall Emberton II: rated for 30 hours against 8 hours for the Bose SoundLink Color II.
If water resistance matters to you, the Marshall Emberton II at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Bose SoundLink Color II at IPX4 (splashing).
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Color II | Marshall Emberton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $139.00 Discontinued | $144.99 |
| Ranked | #110 of 151 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #112 of 151 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (600 g) | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 5.2” x 5” x 2.2” (132 x 127 x 56 mm) | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers | 2x 2” full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 62Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 80ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Amplifier Power | - | 20W |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Bose SoundLink Color II compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- JBL Charge 6 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- JBL Flip 6 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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 SoundLink Color II: $139.00 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes. IPX4 splashproof. Supports multipoint pairing to two devices at once.
Cons: Boosted bass on Color II. Not as deep of bass as other models. Lacking midrange detail. Rolled off treble. Discontinued.
Full Bose SoundLink Color II review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Bose Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.2” x 5” x 2.2” (132 x 127 x 56 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm full-range drivers |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (600 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- 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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