Short answer: the Ultimate Ears Everboom. It ranks #32 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $178.99; the Marshall Kilburn II ranks #36 and costs $279, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Marshall Kilburn II: It packs a 20W Class D amp with dual 8W tweeters, over 20 hours of battery life with a 20 minute quick charge good for 3 hours, a rugged build with a leather handle and reinforced corners, and Bluetooth 5.0 with a 30ft range, and it thrives with rock music. The catch: it has boosted upper bass, isn’t very detailed, doesn’t go as deep in the bass as competitors, peaks in the upper mids, carries only a low IPX2 water rating, and charges via AC power.
In favor of the Ultimate Ears Everboom: There’s limited data so far, with its ranking possibly shifting as more sound samples come in. The downside: it has an upper bass boost, a warm tuning with rolled off treble, and bass that doesn’t go very deep.
Buy the Ultimate Ears Everboom. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Kilburn II and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If water resistance matters to you, the Ultimate Ears Everboom at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Marshall Kilburn II at IPX2 (light drips).
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Kilburn II | Ultimate Ears Everboom | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.00 | $178.99 |
| Ranked | #36 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #32 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX2 | IP67 |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs / 2.49 kg | 2.1 lbs / 949 g |
| App | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Output Power | 36W | 14W |
| Dimensions | 9.6" x 6.4" x 5.5" (243 x 162 x 140 mm) | 8.1" x 3.3" x 4.3" (205 x 85 x 110 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4" (102mm) woofer + 2x 20mm dome tweeters | 2x 56.6mm x 56.2mm fullrange transducers + 2x passive radiators |
| Max Volume | 102dB | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.1 |
The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Kilburn II: $279.00 Amazon
Pros: 20W Class D amp + dual 8W tweeters. 20+ hour battery with quick-charge (20 min charges 3 hours of play). Rugged design with leather handle and reinforced corners, IPX2 rated. Thrives with rock music. Bluetooth 5.0 with 30ft range.
Cons: Boosted upper bass, not very detailed, not as deep bass as competitors, upper mids peak. Very low IPX2 water rating. AC charging
Full Marshall Kilburn II review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.6" x 6.4" x 5.5" (243 x 162 x 140 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4" (102mm) woofer + 2x 20mm dome tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX2 |
| Max Volume | 102dB |
| Output Power | 36W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs / 2.49 kg |
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Ultimate Ears Everboom: $178.99 Amazon
Pros: This speaker may move around as we get better sound samples
Cons: Has an upper bass boost and is tuned warm with rolled off treble. Not very deep bass.
Full Ultimate Ears Everboom review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.1" x 3.3" x 4.3" (205 x 85 x 110 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 56.6mm x 56.2mm fullrange transducers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Output Power | 14W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyUp up to 50 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs / 949 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons