Short answer: the Marshall Emberton II, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #127 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 2.7/5, at $144.99; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ranks #170, rated 2.1/5, and costs $200, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 175 medium speakers; for better sound, the EarFun Uboom L ranks #2 at $49.79.
The Marshall Emberton II is the better-sounding, longer-running option. 30 hour battery life: among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 20 for the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4. At 1.5 lbs (700 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 at 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg). It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4. Watch for: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
What the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 does well: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. The catch: A lot of distortion at higher volumes.
Buy the Marshall Emberton II. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Emberton II | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $144.99 | $200 |
| Ranked | #127 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #170 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (700 g) | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) | 3.4” x 3.4” x 8.9” (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) | Yes (via app) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 20W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | Yes (built-in loop) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Marshall Emberton II vs EarFun Uboom L
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- Soundcore Motion+ vs Marshall Emberton II
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Marshall Emberton II vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 Emberton II: $144.99 Amazon $144.99 eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Emberton III, ranked higher, rated 2.7/5, released Aug 2024. It adds built-in mic.
Older model: the Marshall Emberton (ranked lower, estimated 2.6/5). See every Marshall Portable Speakers generation.
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.
Full Marshall Emberton II review and specifications →
| Released | May 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs Marshall Stockwell 2 - little guy goes louder?? 🤓 More from alanrossreviews →
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- 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
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Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4: $200 Amazon $200 eBay
Older model: the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 (ranked higher, rated 3/5). See every Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Boom and Megaboom generation.
Same family: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5) and the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 (smaller model, ranked higher, rated 2.9/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together.
Cons: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4” x 3.4” x 8.9” (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 91dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs Sony ULT Field 1 😧 $200 vs $128 Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker Matchup More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ultimate Ears MegaBoom 4 vs W-King D320 🔋Does Paying More Get You Less? 😧
- Smart Home Sounds: UE Everboom Review PLUS All-New Wonderboom 4, Boom 4 & Megaboom 4 More from Smart Home Sounds →
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