Short answer: whichever one is cheaper on the day you buy, since the III’s own notes admit it is not really any different from the II, though neither ranks well in its class. These rank #111 and #112 out of 151 medium speakers, essentially tied, at essentially the same price. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 151 medium speakers; for better sound, the Earfun Uboom L ranks #1 at $49.79.
The generation gap here is smaller than the naming suggests. The Emberton III’s own cons state it is not really any different from the Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit. Both share the identical strange, unnatural echo-like sound coloration and the same shallower bass relative to competitors, and neither is technically a 360 degree speaker, both fire front and rear only rather than all around. Passione Speaker ran a direct bass test between the two and treated them as close enough to compare side by side rather than as a clear upgrade and a clear downgrade.
The III does add a few small things: a built-in microphone for calls that the II lacks, a newer Bluetooth 5.3 radio versus the II’s 5.1, and a slightly longer 32 hour battery rating against the II’s 30 hours (both still charge to 4 hours of playback in 20 minutes).
Everything else is identical: the same IP67 rating, the same rubbery recycled-plastic build, the same 20W output, the same Marshall Stack pairing, and the same 3 EQ presets through the app.
Buy the Emberton III if you want the microphone for calls and don’t mind paying the same price for a marginal treble tweak.
Buy the Emberton II if you can find it for less, since neither speaker offers a meaningfully different listening experience from the other.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Emberton III | Marshall Emberton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.99 | $144.99 |
| Ranked | #111 of 151 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #112 of 151 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (673 g) | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators | 2x 2” full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 20W | 20W |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 80ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Emberton III compares with other leading options:
- 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 October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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: $129.99 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Marshall Emberton II (ranked lower, 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 | Yes |
| 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 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
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XE300
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Marshall Emberton II: $144.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Emberton III, ranked higher, 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.
Full Marshall Emberton II review and specifications →
| 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 →
- 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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- 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 W-King D8 Mini
- Marshall Emberton II vs Tribit Stormbox
- See all 134 comparisons