Short answer: the JBL Charge Essential. It ranks #68 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $73.99; the Marshall Emberton III ranks #99 and costs $165.04, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL Charge Essential offers: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential. Watch for: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
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 Essential. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Emberton III and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Marshall Emberton III is rated for 32 hours versus 20 hours for the JBL Charge Essential.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Charge Essential | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $73.99 | $165.04 |
| Ranked | #68 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #99 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB | USB-C |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g | 1.5 lbs / 673 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 | 5.3 |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange | 2x 2" full-range cone drivers + 2x 2" passive radiators |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 20W RMS | 20W |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 62Hz |
| TWS | - | No |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| Aux Input | - | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs JBL Charge 3
- Tribit Stormbox Pro vs JBL Charge 2
- Marshall Emberton II vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- JBL Charge Essential vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- JBL Flip 4 vs Marshall Emberton III
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 Essential: $73.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Doubles as a power bank. IPX7 rated. Supports true wireless stereo pairing with a second Charge Essential.
Cons: Less clarity than the Flip 4, highs rolled off. An overpriced rebranded Charge 3 for people who want stereo sound.
Full JBL Charge Essential review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.4" x 3.5" x 3.4" (213 x 89 x 87 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 20W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 770 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Flossy Carter: JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Charge 4 vs JBL Charge Essential More from FlossyCarter →
- Techder Audios: JBL EXTREME 3 VS JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL More from techderaudios →
- The Tech Files: JBL CHARGE ESSENTIAL VS CHARGE ESSENTIAL 2 COMPARATIVO AMBIENTE EXTERNO
- Reddit Search for JBL Charge Essential Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 3
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Charge 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip Essential
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- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam 2
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sony XB23
- JBL Charge Essential vs Sonos Roam
- JBL Charge Essential vs JBL Flip 4
- See all 74 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
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- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB20
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- See all 74 comparisons