Short answer: the Marshall Emberton III for better sound quality, the Dayton Audio Boost for the lower price, though neither ranks well in its class. The Marshall Emberton III ranks #104 of 144 medium speakers, rated 2.7/5, at $160.03. The Dayton Audio Boost ranks #123, rated 2.4/5, at $29.98, $130.05 cheaper. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 144 medium speakers, so if sound quality matters, consider the Earfun Uboom L instead, ranked #1 at $49.79.
The case for the Marshall Emberton III: 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.
What the Dayton Audio Boost does well: Compact soda-can design, dual passive radiators, IPX5 waterproof, wireless stereo pairing capability, MicroSD card support. Watch for: Some midrange peaks, treble slightly rolled off.
Buy the Marshall Emberton III if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Dayton Audio Boost if the price matters more than sound quality.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Marshall Emberton III is rated for 32 hours, the Dayton Audio Boost only 6 hours.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Emberton III | Dayton Audio Boost | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $160.03 | $29.98 |
| Ranked | #104 of 144 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #123 of 144 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz | 87Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | - |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (673 g) | 0.9 lbs (426 g) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) | 3.5” x 3.5” x 4.3” (88.9 x 88.9 x 109.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators | 2x 1.5” full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) | No |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Amplifier Power | 20W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Marshall Emberton III:
- Marshall Emberton III vs Earfun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Soundcore Motion+ vs Marshall Emberton III
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Marshall Emberton III vs Minirig 4
Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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 III: $160.03 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Marshall Emberton II (rated 2.7/5).
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. Not really any different from the Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Full Marshall Emberton III review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Emberton III vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Marshall Emberton II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Marshall Emberton III vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Marshall Emberton III vs Tribit Stormbox
- Marshall Emberton III vs Soundcore Flare 2
- See all 114 comparisons
Dayton Audio Boost: $29.98 Amazon eBay
Pros: Compact soda-can design, dual passive radiators, IPX5 waterproof, wireless stereo pairing capability, MicroSD card support. Measured bass extension of 87Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Some midrange peaks, treble slightly rolled off. Not much bass. Same hardware as the Boat Stone 350/352/358
Full Dayton Audio Boost review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 87Hz |
| Battery Life | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.5” x 3.5” x 4.3” (88.9 x 88.9 x 109.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.5” full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (426 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Dayton Audio Boost vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Dayton Audio Boost vs Marshall Emberton II
- Dayton Audio Boost vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
- Dayton Audio Boost vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Dayton Audio Boost vs Soundcore 2
- Dayton Audio Boost vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Dayton Audio Boost vs Tribit Xsound Go
- Dayton Audio Boost vs JBL Grip
- See all 14 comparisons