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 Portable Smart Speaker ranks #75 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality at $399.
The Marshall Middleton II is the longer-running, tougher pick. A waterproof stereo speaker with very deep bass for its size, a long battery, a power bank and an app EQ. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 12 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It is rated IP67 against IPX4 for the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Bose Portable Smart Speaker lacks. The catch: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is the lighter choice. A smart speaker with Alexa and Google Assistant built in that streams over Wi-Fi at home and Bluetooth on the go. At 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) it weighs much less than the Marshall Middleton II at 4 lbs (1.8 kg). It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Marshall Middleton II lacks. The catch: RTINGS found the out of the box tuning boomy and says it doesn’t get very loud; the app’s bass and treble sliders help, and SoundGuys recommended cutting bass by 10 to 20 steps to balance it.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II at $279.99 for a large speaker, or the Bose Portable Smart Speaker at $399 for a medium speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
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 Portable Smart Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.99 | $399.00 |
| Ranked | #31 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #75 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose Music) |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes (far-field mic array, mic mute button) |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX4 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (Bose Music multi-room, SimpleSync, AirPlay 2) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 2.3 lbs (1.06 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 4.3” (230 x 98 x 110 mm) | 7.6” x 4.7” x 4.1” (192 x 119 x 104 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 1x high-excursion driver with 360-degree deflector + 3x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Amazon Music, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn |
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