Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4. It ranks #88 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $105; the Marshall Emberton II ranks #100 and costs $159.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Marshall Emberton II offers: 30 hour battery life, among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. Set against that: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
The case for the Ultimate Ears Boom 4: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. The catch: Not much improvement over the old ones.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 4. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Emberton II and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Marshall Emberton II is rated for 30 hours versus 15 hours for the Ultimate Ears Boom 4.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Emberton II | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 | $105 |
| Ranked | #100 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #88 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms | - |
| Max Volume | 88dB | 85dBC |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | - |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 700 g | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) | Yes (via app) |
| Built in Microphone | No | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Output Power | 20W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Bose SoundLink Color II vs Marshall Emberton III
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Marshall Emberton III
- Marshall Emberton III vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Marshall Emberton II vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Emberton II: $159.99 Amazon
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.
Full Marshall Emberton II review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 88dB |
| 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 / 700 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs Marshall Stockwell 2 - little guy goes louder?? 🤓 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex vs Minirig MK3 and Marshall Emberton - best bluetooth speaker?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs Marshall Emberton review - mono or pseudo surround sound? 🤷♀️
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Passione Speaker: Bass Test Marshall Emberton 2 vs Emberton 3
- Reddit Search for Marshall Emberton II Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Emberton II vs Marshall Emberton III
- Marshall Emberton II vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Marshall Emberton II vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Marshall Emberton II vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Marshall Emberton II vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Marshall Emberton II vs Soundcore Flare 2
- Marshall Emberton II vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton II vs Tribit Stormbox
- See all 24 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $105 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 85dBC |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox
- See all 23 comparisons