Short answer: the Flip 7, and it costs less too. It ranks #15 of 164 medium speakers against the Emberton III’s #122, a 107 place gap, while costing $10.04 less.
The Flip 7 measures close to neutral, the Emberton III does not. The Flip 7’s pros describe it as a very neutral speaker with just slightly more treble than the well-regarded Flip 6, with its cons limited to a small bump at 4kHz. The Emberton III’s cons are more serious: a strange, unnatural echo-like sound coloration and bass that is not as deep as competitors. Its own notes add that it is not really any different from the Emberton II except for slightly reduced treble.
Battery life is where the Emberton III wins outright. It is rated for 32 hours against the Flip 7’s 14 hours, and a 20 minute quick-charge adds 4 hours. If you need a speaker that goes days between charges, that is a genuine advantage worth weighing against the sound quality gap.
What the Flip 7 adds:
- IP68 water and dust resistance, tougher than the Emberton III’s IPX7.
- A 7-band EQ, versus the Emberton III’s 3 fixed presets.
- Auracast party mode and USB-C digital audio input, both absent on the Emberton III.
What the Emberton III keeps: true stereo output and Marshall’s own multi-speaker Stack mode, plus an omnidirectional design, versus the Flip 7’s non-stereo, front-firing layout.
Buy the Flip 7 for the better sound and the lower price. This is one of the rare cases where you are not actually trading anything to get the higher-ranked speaker.
Buy the Emberton III only if all-day battery life and Marshall’s stereo, omnidirectional design matter more to you than measured sound accuracy.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Flip 7 | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $119.95 | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #15 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #122 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (560 g) | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Drivers | 45x80mm racetrack driver + 16mm tweeter | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators |
| Amplifier Power | 35W total (25W main + 10W tweeter) | 20W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.7” x 2.8” (182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5 mm) | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V 7.5W-15W) | USB-C |
| Strap | Yes (detachable PushLock accessory) | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 5, 2026 at 10:21 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 Flip 7: $119.95 Amazon eBay
Older models: the JBL Flip 6 (ranked higher, rated 4.2/5), the JBL Flip 5 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5) and the JBL Flip 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.3/5).
Pros: A very neutral speaker, very small, almost pocket size. Just slightly more treble than the Flip 6 which was already a great speaker. Slightly deeper bass than the Flip 6. IP68 protection, a 7-band app EQ, Auracast and a USB-C digital audio input. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-10dB).
Cons: A little bit of a bump at 4kHz, not quite as neutral as the Flip 6. On balance it is the slightly worse of the two.
Full JBL Flip 7 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 35W total (25W main + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 59Hz |
| Battery Life | 14 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 2.7” x 2.8” (182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 45x80mm racetrack driver + 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V 7.5W-15W) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable PushLock accessory) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (560 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs Flip 7 vs Charge 6 – The ULTIMATE JBL Speaker Showdown! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 7 is screech-fest heaven! vs Flip 6!
- Chrispy Things [EDC]: JBL Flip 7: My thoughts & sound test VS the Flip 6!
- GYMCADDY: JBL Flip 7 Review - Is It Worth Upgrading Over The JBL Flip 6 Or Flip 5? More from GYMCADDY →
- Musou1: JBL flip 7 vs KEF muo vs Bose flex 2
- FishBee Product Reviews: LG XBOOM Grab (2025) by Will.i.am - BETTER Than JBL Flip 7?? More from FishBee Product Reviews →
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Marshall Emberton III: $129.99 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Marshall Emberton II (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5).
Smaller model: the Marshall Willen II (rated 4/5).
Larger model: the Marshall Middleton (rated 4/5).
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. Measured bass extension of 62Hz (-10dB).
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 →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Marshall Emberton III vs Marshall Emberton II
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- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Marshall Emberton III vs Tribit Stormbox
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- See all 140 comparisons