Short answer: the Vifa Oslo for better sound quality, the Marshall Kilburn II for the lower price. The Vifa Oslo ranks #8 of 77 large speakers at $550. The Marshall Kilburn II ranks #36 at $279, $271 cheaper.
The case for the Marshall Kilburn II: a 20W Class D amp with dual 8W tweeters, 20+ hours of battery with quick-charge, a rugged leather-handled build with reinforced corners, and it thrives with rock music over Bluetooth 5.0’s 30ft range. The catch: the upper bass is boosted and not very detailed, bass doesn’t go as deep as competitors, there’s an upper mids peak, the IPX2 water rating is very low, and it charges over AC.
What the Vifa Oslo gets right: extreme treble detail paired with decent bass, full natural accurate sound at higher volumes, rich bass from its opposing 65mm woofers, and a premium Kvadrat wool and aluminum build with 10 hours of battery life. Set against that: a dip at 270Hz, and the cheaper Vifa Helsinki is generally more neutral if you specifically want a Vifa, while the Uboom L offers 95% of the sound quality for a lot less money.
Buy the Marshall Kilburn II if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Vifa Oslo if sound quality matters more than the price.
If battery life is a priority, the Marshall Kilburn II is rated for 20 hours versus 8 hours for the Vifa Oslo.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Kilburn II | Vifa Oslo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.00 | $550 |
| Ranked | #36 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #8 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX2 | None |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs / 2.49 kg | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| App | No | No (official app is broken, 3rd party android app only) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | aptX, SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Output Power | 36W | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| Dimensions | 9.6" x 6.4" x 5.5" (243 x 162 x 140 mm) | 10.6" x 7.1" x 3.5" (268 x 181 x 90 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4" (102mm) woofer + 2x 20mm dome tweeters | 2x 50mm fullrange, 2x 80mm woofers + passive radiators |
| Max Volume | 102dB | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 4.1 |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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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Vifa Oslo: $550 Amazon
Pros: Extreme treble details with decent bass. Full, natural, accurate sound at higher volumes. Rich, full bass from opposing 65mm woofers. Premium Kvadrat wool fabric with aluminum handle. 10 hour battery life.
Cons: Dip at 270hz. The Vifa Helsinki is cheaper and generally has a more neutral frequency response, I’d highly recommend getting one of those instead if you specifically want a Vifa. Not sure I can recommend this one generally these days, the Uboom L has 95% of the sound quality with more features and a way cheaper price.
Full Vifa Oslo review and specifications →
| App | No (official app is broken, 3rd party android app only) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.6" x 7.1" x 3.5" (268 x 181 x 90 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 50mm fullrange, 2x 80mm woofers + passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Output Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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