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 172 medium speakers; for better sound, the EarFun Uboom L ranks #2 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.
Soft-touch rubber coating is comfortable to hold and tough enough for bumps and scrapes.
Amazon $104.99 eBay
30 hour battery life: among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours.
Amazon $144.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 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
| Bose SoundLink Color II | Marshall Emberton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $104.99 Discontinued | $144.99 |
| Ranked | #122 of 172 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #124 of 172 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 |
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