Short answer: the Marshall Bromley 450. It ranks #24 of 44 party speakers by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $649.95. The Soundboks Rider ranks #27, rated 3.4/5, at $599, $50.95 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The Marshall Bromley 450 is the better-sounding pick. A balanced, warm sound with a flat midrange that keeps vocals and instruments clear, plenty of bass rumble and enough treble for energetic vocals, per RTINGS’ lab tests. It links with other speakers (Auracast), which the Soundboks Rider cannot. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Soundboks Rider. The catch: It is the quietest of its rivals: both the Soundboks Mix and Teufel Rockster Air 2 play louder, and near max volume the bass recedes and the sound gets less composed.
The Soundboks Rider is the lighter option. At 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) it is the lightest Soundboks yet, with a carry handle, IP66 dust and water protection, and the same swappable 100Wh battery as the Mix and Soundboks 4, rated for 35 hours at mid volume and 8 hours at maximum. At 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) it weighs much less than the Marshall Bromley 450 at 27.1 lbs (12.3 kg). Watch for: Its sealed 8in woofer runs out of real bass at high volume: Xander measured the -6 dB point rising to roughly 75 to 85 Hz at maximum, with 40 Hz some 20 dB down, and M1M heard the bass pulled back toward the upper bass above mid volume.
Buy the Marshall Bromley 450. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $50.95 with the Soundboks Rider does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Bromley 450 | Soundboks Rider | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $649.95 | $599.00 |
| Ranked | #24 of 44 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #27 of 44 in Party Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Amplifier Power | 400W | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5” woofers, 4x 2” full-range drivers, 2 passive radiators | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Battery Life | 40+ hours (Manufacturer specified) | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Charging Time | 3.5 hours | - |
| Removable Battery | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP55 | IP66 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | - |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm, RCA) | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Microphone Input | Yes (2x XLR/6.35mm combo) | - |
| XLR Input | Yes (2x combo) | - |
| Guitar Input | Yes | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C (65W fast charging) |
| App | Yes (Marshall Bluetooth app) | Yes (Soundboks) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No (no TeamUp) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| USB Playback | No | - |
| Wi-Fi | No | - |
| TWS | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Weight | 27.1 lbs (12.3 kg) | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
| Dimensions | 14.4” x 19.4” x 10.3” (366 x 492 x 261 mm) | - |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Strap | No | No |
| Wheels | No | - |
| Maximum SPL | - | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Marshall Bromley 450:
- Sony ULT Tower 7 vs Marshall Bromley 450
- JBL Partybox 330 vs Marshall Bromley 450
- JBL Partybox Stage 320 vs Marshall Bromley 450
- JBL Partybox 310 vs Marshall Bromley 450
- Sony ULT Tower 5 vs Marshall Bromley 450
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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
Marshall Bromley 450: $649.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: A balanced, warm sound with a flat midrange that keeps vocals and instruments clear, plenty of bass rumble and enough treble for energetic vocals, per RTINGS’ lab tests. Drivers on all four sides keep the tonal balance nearly the same from any angle, and M1M Tech Channel found it more open and airy than the Soundboks Mix and Teufel Rockster Air 2, with deeper bass than both. RTINGS measured 18.8 hours of battery from a swappable LiFePO4 pack shared with the Bromley 750, and it adds IP55 protection, two XLR/6.35mm combo inputs, USB-C audio, Auracast and physical bass and treble knobs.
Cons: It is the quietest of its rivals: both the Soundboks Mix and Teufel Rockster Air 2 play louder, and near max volume the bass recedes and the sound gets less composed. The warm tuning lacks some fine treble detail. There is no graphic EQ, only bass and treble knobs, and its stereo spreads left and right channels around the cabinet, so panned elements can land on the wrong side. At 12.3 kg it has a carry handle but no wheels.
Full Marshall Bromley 450 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 400W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Marshall Bluetooth app) |
| Aux Input | Yes (3.5mm, RCA) |
| Battery Life | 40+ hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Charging Time | 3.5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 14.4” x 19.4” x 10.3” (366 x 492 x 261 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 6.5” woofers, 4x 2” full-range drivers, 2 passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 42Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP55 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (2x XLR/6.35mm combo) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 27.1 lbs (12.3 kg) |
| Wheels | No |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| XLR Input | Yes (2x combo) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- RTINGS: Marshall Bromley 450 Review More from Rtings.com →
- M1M Tech Channel: The best in its class? Marshall Bromley 450 vs. Soundboks & Teufel More from M1MTechChannel →
- HeadphoneCheck: Marshall Bromley 450 test
- Tom’s Guide: Marshall Bromley 450 vs Bromley 750 face-off
- Smart Home Sounds: Marshall Bromley 450 review More from Smart Home Sounds →
- Storytripper HD: JBL Partybox 120 vs Marshall Bromley 450 (Indoor) More from storytripperhd →
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Bromley 450 vs Marshall Bromley 750 (outdoor)
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Woburn III vs Marshall Bromley 450
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Bromley 450 vs Klipsch Gig XXL
- Marshall Bromley 450 vs Samsung MX-ST50B
- Marshall Bromley 450 vs W-King T12
- Marshall Bromley 450 vs Soundboks Mix
- Marshall Bromley 450 vs Soundboks Go
- Marshall Bromley 450 vs Tronsmart Halo 300
- Marshall Bromley 450 vs Onn Large Party gen 2
- Marshall Bromley 450 vs Sony SRS-XV500
- See all 28 comparisons
Soundboks Rider: $599.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: At 6.5 kg it is the lightest Soundboks yet, with a carry handle, IP66 dust and water protection, and the same swappable 100Wh battery as the Mix and Soundboks 4, rated for 35 hours at mid volume and 8 hours at maximum. Xander’s measurements found its flat profile genuinely flat, with distortion around 0.2 percent at moderate volume and below 2 percent from 500 Hz to 10 kHz even at full output, and the Indoor profile reaching down to 40 Hz at moderate volume. Both Xander and M1M Tech Channel preferred its punchy, controlled kick bass to the larger Soundboks Mix, and the app adds a six-band EQ with saveable presets.
Cons: Its sealed 8in woofer runs out of real bass at high volume: Xander measured the -6 dB point rising to roughly 75 to 85 Hz at maximum, with 40 Hz some 20 dB down, and M1M heard the bass pulled back toward the upper bass above mid volume. It measured 107 dB(C) outdoors for Xander and 113.2 dB(C) for M1M, about 3 dB below the Soundboks Mix and well short of the claimed 118 dB. There is no TeamUp, so it cannot link with other Soundboks speakers, the strap and charger are sold separately, and Xander found the grille causes dispersion artifacts around 5 kHz and judged the price too high for what it delivers.
Full Soundboks Rider review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 92W RMS (72W woofer + 20W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Soundboks) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 35 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Drivers | 8” woofer (sealed), 1.2” dome tweeter in horn |
| EQ | Yes (6-band EQ + Bass+, Indoor and Outdoor profiles) |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP66 |
| Maximum SPL | 113.2dB(C) (measured by M1M Tech Channel) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No (no TeamUp) |
| Power Input | USB-C (65W fast charging) |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 14.3 lbs (6.5 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundboks Rider vs Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
- Soundboks Rider vs Soundboks Mix
- Soundboks Rider vs Samsung MX-ST50B
- Soundboks Rider vs Soundboks Go
- Soundboks Rider vs Klipsch Gig XXL
- Soundboks Rider vs Onn Large Party gen 1
- Soundboks Rider vs W-King T12
- Soundboks Rider vs Soundcore Rave 3S
- See all 42 comparisons