Short answer: the Bose SoundLink Plus. It ranks #22 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $199; the Marshall Middleton II ranks #28 and costs $330, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Bose SoundLink Plus gets right: IP67 rated, IP67 water/dustproof. The catch: Boosted thuddy bass, but not as deep as the SoundLink Flex and you should probably just buy one of those instead if you want a Bose.
On the Marshall Middleton II side: Very deep bass for the size/weight. Set against that: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
Buy the Bose SoundLink Plus. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Middleton II and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Marshall Middleton II is rated for 30 hours versus 20 hours for the Bose SoundLink Plus.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Plus | Marshall Middleton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.00 | $330 |
| Ranked | #22 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #28 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg | 4 lbs / 1.8 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | No | Yes (5 band) |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.9" x 3.4" (231 x 99 x 86 mm) | 9.1" x 3.9" x 4.3" (230 x 98 x 110 mm) |
| Output Power | Specs not published by manufacturer | 80W |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5" (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78" (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625" tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 38Hz |
| Frequency Response | - | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Sonos Move vs Marshall Middleton
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Sonos Move
- JBL Partybox 110 vs Mee audio PartySPKR
- Marshall Middleton II vs Sony ULT Field 5
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Marshall Middleton II
The Two Speakers In Full
Bose SoundLink Plus: $199.00 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated, IP67 water/dustproof. Close to 20 hour battery life. Vibrant sound with booming bass, clean mids. Bluetooth 5.4 with good range. Premium tactile grille, smooth silicone. Quality build at $269.
Cons: Boosted thuddy bass, but not as deep as the SoundLink Flex and you should probably just buy one of those instead if you want a Bose.
Full Bose SoundLink Plus review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.9" x 3.4" (231 x 99 x 86 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5" (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78" (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Soundcore Motion X500
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Soundcore Motion X600
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Sonos Move 2
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs JBL Xtreme 3
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Bose SoundLink Max
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs Sonos Move
- Bose SoundLink Plus vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- See all 20 comparisons
Marshall Middleton II: $330 Amazon
Pros: Very deep bass for the size/weight.
Cons: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange. Dip around 200hz, peak at 1khz, dipped at 1.6khz. Strange frequency response through the mids.
Full Marshall Middleton II review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.9" x 4.3" (230 x 98 x 110 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625" tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs / 1.8 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Middleton II vs Sonos Move
- Marshall Middleton II vs LG Xboom Bounce
- Marshall Middleton II vs Sonos Move 2
- Marshall Middleton II vs Marshall Middleton
- Marshall Middleton II vs Ultimate Ears Everboom
- Marshall Middleton II vs Soundcore Motion X500
- Marshall Middleton II vs Marshall Kilburn II
- Marshall Middleton II vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- See all 16 comparisons