Short answer: the Brane X if sound quality matters most, the Marshall Middleton II if price matters most. The Brane X ranks #4 of 78 large speakers at $500. The Marshall Middleton II ranks #28 at $330, $170 cheaper.
What the Marshall Middleton II offers: Very deep bass for the size/weight. Watch for: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange. Dip around 200hz, peak at 1khz, dipped at 1.6khz. Strange frequency response through the mids.
What the Brane X offers: The Brane X pairs a dedicated RAD subwoofer with two midrange drivers and two tweeters to achieve extraordinary low bass for a 3.5kg portable: its measured -10dB extension is 31Hz. Independent testing finds it loud, with well-balanced mids, a smooth treble balance and useful bass-level controls; Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa, quality Bluetooth codecs and low-latency aux pass-through make it unusually versatile. Watch for: The front-facing design has only moderate dispersion, so sound changes noticeably off to the sides or behind it. Bass response shifts at maximum volume, the default aux mode has very high latency, and some listeners find the upper register edgy or need EQ to achieve their preferred balance. Its claimed 12-hour runtime and premium cost make it more of a compact high-end system than a carefree all-day speaker.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II when the price outweighs sound quality for you, and the Brane X when sound quality outweighs the price instead.
Battery life favors the Marshall Middleton II: rated for 30 hours against 12 hours for the Brane X.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton II | Brane X | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $330 | $500 |
| Ranked | #28 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #4 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | 31Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP57 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (Brane app, up to 8 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power brick |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.9" x 4.3" (230 x 98 x 110 mm) | 9.3" x 7" x 6.1" (236 x 178 x 155 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625" tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x 2.5" midrange, 2x 0.75" tweeters + 6.5"x9" subwoofer |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 200W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 295ms default, 33ms with aux pass-through |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Brane X compares with other leading options:
- Brane X vs Vifa Helsinki
- Brane X vs JBL Xtreme 5
- Brane X vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- Brane X vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
- Brane X vs Minirig 3 with subwoofer
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 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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The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Middleton II: $330 Amazon eBay
Pros: Very deep bass for the size/weight. Measured bass extension of 38Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange. Dip around 200hz, peak at 1khz, dipped at 1.6khz. Strange frequency response through the mids.
Full Marshall Middleton II review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.9" x 4.3" (230 x 98 x 110 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625" tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) |
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Brane X: $500 Amazon eBay
Pros: The Brane X pairs a dedicated RAD subwoofer with two midrange drivers and two tweeters to achieve extraordinary low bass for a 3.5kg portable: its measured -10dB extension is 31Hz. Independent testing finds it loud, with well-balanced mids, a smooth treble balance and useful bass-level controls; Wi-Fi, AirPlay, Alexa, quality Bluetooth codecs and low-latency aux pass-through make it unusually versatile. Measured bass extension of 31Hz (-10dB).
Cons: The front-facing design has only moderate dispersion, so sound changes noticeably off to the sides or behind it. Bass response shifts at maximum volume, the default aux mode has very high latency, and some listeners find the upper register edgy or need EQ to achieve their preferred balance. Its claimed 12-hour runtime and premium cost make it more of a compact high-end system than a carefree all-day speaker.
Full Brane X review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 295ms default, 33ms with aux pass-through |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.3" x 7" x 6.1" (236 x 178 x 155 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5" midrange, 2x 0.75" tweeters + 6.5"x9" subwoofer |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP57 |
| Maximum SPL | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Brane app, up to 8 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: This speaker left me shocked! Brane X, they said it defies the laws of physics! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Brane X vs JBL Xtreme 5: Maximum Bass, No Mercy
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