Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4. It ranks #88 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $105; the Marshall Emberton III ranks #99 and costs $129.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Marshall Emberton III offers: 30 hour battery life, among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. Set against that: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
The case for the Ultimate Ears Boom 4: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. The catch: Not much improvement over the old ones.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Boom 4. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Emberton III and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Marshall Emberton III is rated for 32 hours versus 15 hours for the Ultimate Ears Boom 4.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Emberton III | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.99 | $105 |
| Ranked | #99 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #88 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | - |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 673 g | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" full-range cone drivers + 2x 2" passive radiators | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) | Yes (via app) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Output Power | 20W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Max Volume | - | 85dBC |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Marshall Emberton II vs Cleer Audio Scene
- Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton II vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton III vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Emberton III: $129.99 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. Not really any different from the Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Full Marshall Emberton III review and specifications →
| 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 |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 673 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- 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 22 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $105 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 85dBC |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Sony SRS-XE300
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox
- See all 23 comparisons