Short answer: the Marshall Emberton III, narrowly, for the 30 hour battery, though neither ranks well in its class. It ranks #122 of 164 medium speakers against the Flare 2’s #128 of 164, and a 20 minute quick charge gives 4 hours, though it costs $49.99 more. The Soundcore Flare 2 has a suggested EQ worth trying but has rolled off treble, thuddy bass and only fires front and rear rather than as a true 360 speaker. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 164 medium speakers; for better sound, the Earfun Uboom L ranks #1 at $49.79.
Buy the Marshall Emberton III. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Soundcore Flare 2 is no longer sold new.
If battery life is a priority, the Marshall Emberton III is rated for 32 hours versus 12 hours for the Soundcore Flare 2.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Emberton III | Soundcore Flare 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.99 | $80 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #122 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #128 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (673 g) | 1.3 lbs (600 g) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| 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 6.3” (89 x 89 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators | 2x full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | Pointing up |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 20W | 20W |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 80ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Lights | - | Yes |
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 3, 2026 at 10:26 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).
Smaller model: the Marshall Willen II (rated 4/5).
Larger model: the Marshall Middleton (rated 4/5).
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 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 Sony SRS-XE300
- See all 134 comparisons
Soundcore Flare 2: $80 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Try Alan Ross’s EQ for it. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Rolled off treble. Thuddy bass. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Discontinued and no longer sold new.
Full Soundcore Flare 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.5” x 3.5” x 6.3” (89 x 89 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (600 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs W-King D8 Mini
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs B&O Beosound Explore
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini+
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Sony SRS-XE200
- Soundcore Flare 2 vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- See all 74 comparisons