Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. It ranks #86 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $80; the Marshall Emberton II ranks #100 and costs $159.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Marshall Emberton II: 30 hour battery life, among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. The catch: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
On the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 side: IP67 rated and floats. Watch for: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. 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 12 hours for the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Emberton II | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 | $80 |
| Ranked | #100 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #86 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz | 82Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms | - |
| Max Volume | 88dB | 88dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 700 g | 0.9 lbs / 420 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) | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) | No |
| Built in Microphone | No | No |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Output Power | 20W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Marshall Emberton III vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Marshall Emberton II vs Soundcore Glow
- Marshall Emberton II vs Soundcore Flare 2
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 Wonderboom 2: $80 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated and floats. Compact and light enough to toss in a bag.
Cons: Not stereo, barely any bass, recessed treble. Slightly boosted 93hz upper bass Dip at 9khz. You can tell from the micro USB that they are just feeding you the same crap hardware over and over, this is inexcusable for a product released in 2019. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 82Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1" x 3.8" (104 x 95.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm active drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 88dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs / 420 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs LG Xboom Grab
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- See all 27 comparisons