Short answer: the Marshall Emberton II. It ranks #100 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $160.23; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ranks #132 and costs $200, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Marshall Emberton II 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.
What the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together. Watch for: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Buy the Marshall Emberton II. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4. It ranks near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Marshall Emberton II is rated for 30 hours, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 only 20 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Emberton II | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $160.23 | $200 |
| Ranked | #100 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #132 of 136 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 | - |
| Max Volume | 88dB | 91dB |
| 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 Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | 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 | - |
| Output Power | 20W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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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
Marshall Emberton II: $160.23 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.
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 |
- 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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- 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
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Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4: $200 Amazon eBay
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 →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 91dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| 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? 😧
- Reddit Search for Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 Review
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