Short answer: the JBL Charge 2. It ranks #69 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $149; the Marshall Emberton III ranks #99 and costs $165.04, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the JBL Charge 2 offers: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. ~10-12 hour battery life. Social Mode pairs up to 3 phones; works as a speakerphone. Watch for: Bass compression at higher volumes. Warm sound. slightly rolled off treble. Not as loud as other speakers.
What the Marshall Emberton III offers: 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. Watch for: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Not very loud. Not really any different from the Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Buy the JBL Charge 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Emberton III and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Marshall Emberton III is rated for 32 hours, the JBL Charge 2 only 12 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge 2 | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149 Discontinued | $165.04 |
| Ranked | #69 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #99 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 3.0 | 5.3 |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm fullrange | 2x 2" full-range cone drivers + 2x 2" passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 15W RMS | 20W |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| App | No | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg | 1.5 lbs / 673 g |
| IP Rating | IPX5 | IP67 |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 62Hz |
| TWS | - | No |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Yamaha True X Speaker 1A vs Marshall Emberton II
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Marshall Emberton II
- Marshall Emberton II vs Sony ULT Field 3
- Yamaha True X Speaker 1A vs Marshall Emberton III
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony ULT Field 3
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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
JBL Charge 2: $149 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a 6000mAh power bank. ~10-12 hour battery life. Social Mode pairs up to 3 phones; works as a speakerphone.
Cons: Bass compression at higher volumes. Warm sound. slightly rolled off treble. Not as loud as other speakers. Discontinued.
Full JBL Charge 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 3.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.5" x 3.4" x 3" (216 x 86 x 76 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 15W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Marshall Emberton III: $165.04 Amazon eBay
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.
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. Not really any different from the Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Full Marshall Emberton III review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" full-range cone drivers + 2x 2" passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 673 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Emberton III vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Marshall Emberton II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Marshall Emberton III vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Marshall Emberton III vs Tribit Stormbox
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