Short answer: the Marshall Kilburn II for better sound quality, the W-King D8 for the lower price. The Marshall Kilburn II ranks #36 of 77 large speakers at $279. The W-King D8 ranks #43 at $69.99, $209.01 cheaper.
The case for the Marshall Kilburn II: A 20W Class D amp paired with dual 8W tweeters, 20+ hours of battery with a quick charge that gets you 3 hours of playback in 20 minutes, a rugged leather-handled build with reinforced corners, strong Bluetooth 5.0 range, and a sound that thrives with rock music. The catch: boosted upper bass without much detail, not as deep as competing speakers, a peak in the upper mids, a very low IPX2 water rating, and it charges over AC power.
What the W-King D8 gets right: It’s decent sounding. Set against that: mids are slightly recessed and it distorts at high volumes.
Buy the Marshall Kilburn II if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the W-King D8 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If water resistance matters to you, the W-King D8 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Marshall Kilburn II at IPX2 (light drips).
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Kilburn II | W-King D8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.00 | $69.99 |
| Ranked | #36 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #43 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz | 49Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX2 | IPX7 |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs / 2.49 kg | 5.4 lbs / 2.43 kg |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Output Power | 36W | 90W max / 50W RMS |
| Dimensions | 9.6" x 6.4" x 5.5" (243 x 162 x 140 mm) | 12.6" x 4.8" x 4.7" (320 x 121.9 x 119.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4" (102mm) woofer + 2x 20mm dome tweeters | 2x 70mm woofers + 2x 31mm tweeters + passive radiators |
| Max Volume | 102dB | 101dB |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
W-King D8: $69.99 Amazon
Pros: Decent sounding.
Cons: Slightly recessed mids. Distorted at high volumes.
Full W-King D8 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6" x 4.8" x 4.7" (320 x 121.9 x 119.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers + 2x 31mm tweeters + passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 101dB |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Output Power | 90W max / 50W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 5.4 lbs / 2.43 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King D8 speaker review 50 watts power against JBL xtreme 2 and soundcore Motion plus
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King D10 speaker vs the D8, D9 and X10 WKing speakers 👀
- Alan Ross Reviews: W King D8 vs W-King D9 - budget boombox battle!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion Boom vs W-King D8 and D9 - boom boom! 🥳
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King D8 Mini vs Anker Soundcore Motion Plus Speaker
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb43 JBL Xtreme 2 W-King d8 Dockin D Fine
- Reddit Search for W-King D8 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons