These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Marshall Middleton II ranks #31 of 120 large speakers by sound quality at $279.99; the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #14 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality at $279.
The Marshall Middleton II is the battery-powered, tougher option. A waterproof stereo speaker with very deep bass for its size, a long battery, a power bank and an app EQ. Its battery is rated for 30 hours, while the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker needs an outlet. It is rated IP67, while the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker has no water resistance. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. The catch: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
Why pick the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: A compact smart speaker with an up firing driver for taller sound, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2, Google Cast and an aux input. The tradeoff: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II ($279.99) for a large speaker; the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ($279) suits a powered desktop speaker instead.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings and Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 AM 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton II | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.99 | $279.00 each |
| Ranked | #31 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #14 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | No Battery |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC power cord |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | - |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 4.3” (230 x 98 x 110 mm) | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Inputs | - | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| XLR Input | - | No |
| RCA Input | - | No |
| TRS Input | - | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | - | No |
| Coaxial Input | - | No |
| USB Input | - | No |
| HDMI Input | - | No |
| AES Input | - | No |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
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