Short answer: the Marshall Emberton III. It ranks #99 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $165.04; the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 ranks #132 and costs $200, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Marshall Emberton III offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together. Watch for: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Buy the Marshall Emberton III. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Marshall Emberton III is rated for 32 hours, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 only 20 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Emberton III | Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $165.04 | $200 |
| Ranked | #99 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #132 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 673 g | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" full-range cone drivers + 2x 2" passive radiators | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) | Yes (via app) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Output Power | 20W | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Max Volume | - | 91dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Marshall Emberton II vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- JBL Charge 6 vs Marshall Emberton II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Harman Kardon Esquire 2
- JBL Charge 6 vs Marshall Emberton III
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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: $165.04 Amazon eBay
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 |
- 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
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Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4: $200 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally uses USB-C charging. 20 hour battery life. ‘PartyUp’ feature syncs multiple UE speakers together.
Cons: A lot of distortion at higher volumes. Rolled off treble. Not very loud. They really screwed this up
Full Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 3.4" x 8.9" (87 x 87 x 225 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50x50mm full-range + 2x 55x86mm passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 91dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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