Short answer: the Bose SoundLink Plus for better sound quality, the Marshall Stockwell III for the lower price. The Bose SoundLink Plus ranks #22 of 78 large speakers at $269. The Marshall Stockwell III ranks #56 at $249.99, $19.01 cheaper.
What the Bose SoundLink Plus offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Marshall Stockwell III offers: 40+ hour battery life with a user-replaceable battery, strap, sleeve and grilles. Doubles as a USB-C power bank. IP55 dust/water resistance. App includes parametric EQ, a Soundstage widening control, and wall/corner placement compensation. Endless-rotation control knobs. Watch for: Highs are recessed by default and need the treble control maxed to compensate, still lacking detail even then. Bass tends to sound resonant and boomy, with reported frequency cancellation and phase issues on complex material that EQ doesn’t fully resolve. Oluv’s A/B testing against the outgoing Stockwell 2 finds the default tuning muffled and muddy enough to prefer the seven-year-old original out of the box, and output loses dynamics and bass while turning harsh well below maximum volume. No aptX support.
Buy the Bose SoundLink Plus when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Marshall Stockwell III when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Battery life favors the Marshall Stockwell III: rated for 40 hours against 20 hours for the Bose SoundLink Plus.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Bose SoundLink Plus | Marshall Stockwell III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $269.00 | $249.99 |
| Ranked | #22 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #56 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 40+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP55 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LE Audio with LC3 |
| EQ | No | Yes (parametric, via app) |
| Stereo | Yes | Partially |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.9" x 3.4" (231 x 99 x 86 mm) | 7.1" x 6.4" x 2.9" (180 x 162 x 74 mm) |
| Amplifier Power | Specs not published by manufacturer | 44W |
| Drivers | 1x 2.5" (63.5mm) woofer + 1x ~0.78" (20mm) tweeter + 4x passive radiators | 1x 3" woofer, 2x 1.75" wide-band drivers |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 54Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM 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 Plus: $269.00 Amazon eBay
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 →
| Amplifier Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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) |
- Links
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Marshall Stockwell III: $249.99 Marshall eBay
Pros: 40+ hour battery life with a user-replaceable battery, strap, sleeve and grilles. Doubles as a USB-C power bank. IP55 dust/water resistance. App includes parametric EQ, a Soundstage widening control, and wall/corner placement compensation. Endless-rotation control knobs.
Cons: Highs are recessed by default and need the treble control maxed to compensate, still lacking detail even then. Bass tends to sound resonant and boomy, with reported frequency cancellation and phase issues on complex material that EQ doesn’t fully resolve. Oluv’s A/B testing against the outgoing Stockwell 2 finds the default tuning muffled and muddy enough to prefer the seven-year-old original out of the box, and output loses dynamics and bass while turning harsh well below maximum volume. No aptX support.
Full Marshall Stockwell III review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 44W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 40+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LE Audio with LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 6.4" x 2.9" (180 x 162 x 74 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 3" woofer, 2x 1.75" wide-band drivers |
| EQ | Yes (parametric, via app) |
| Frequency Response | 54Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP55 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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