These sit in different size classes, so this is not a straight ranking comparison. The Marshall Middleton II ranks #31 of 82 large speakers by sound quality at $330; the JBL Boombox 4 ranks #20 of 76 boombox speakers by sound quality at $429.95.
Why pick the Marshall Middleton II: Very deep bass for the size/weight. The tradeoff: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
The case for the JBL Boombox 4: Pretty insane output capability for the size. The tradeoff: Pretty overpriced for the category.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II at $330 for a large speaker, or the JBL Boombox 4 at $429.95 for a boombox speaker instead.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton II | JBL Boombox 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $330 | $429.95 |
| Ranked | #31 of 82 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #20 of 76 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | 41Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 28 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | Yes (7 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP68 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-C, up to 30W) |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power cord |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 13.2 lbs (5.98 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, LC3, AAC |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 4.3” (230 x 98 x 110 mm) | 20.1” x 10.2” x 8.3” (510 x 260 x 210 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x 123mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters with passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 210W AC / 200W battery |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | AAC 144ms, SBC 48ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 115dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Removable Battery | - | Yes |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 PM 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
Older model: the Marshall Middleton (rated 4/5).
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 |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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JBL Boombox 4: $429.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Older models: the JBL Boombox 3 (rated 3.8/5), the JBL Boombox 2 (rated 3.5/5) and the JBL Boombox (rated 2.9/5).
Pros: Pretty insane output capability for the size. IP68 protection and Auracast pairing with other current JBL speakers. Measured bass extension of 41Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Pretty overpriced for the category. Better than the Boombox 3 mostly because there are more 7 EQ bands instead of just 3 and it can be better tuned. Try Oluv’s EQ for it. Out of the box sounds worse than the Boombox 3. No Aux input.
Full JBL Boombox 4 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 210W AC / 200W battery |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz |
| Battery Life | 28 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, LC3, AAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | AAC 144ms, SBC 48ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 20.1” x 10.2” x 8.3” (510 x 260 x 210 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 123mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters with passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Maximum SPL | 115dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, up to 30W) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 13.2 lbs (5.98 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Boombox 4 vs Boombox 3 - old one sounding better? 🤔 More from Oluv’Sone →
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Boombox 4 vs Earfun UBoom X - sound test
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Boombox 4 vs Boombox 3 - any improvement?
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Boombox 4 vs Partybox Encore 2 - outdoor loudness & basstest
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Boombox 4 - finally a real BOOMbox from JBL 👏
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 4 HUMILIATES Brane X?! Ultimate Bass Battle! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 4 Compared to Boombox 3 & 3 WiFi – Worth the Upgrade?
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- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- M1MTechChannel: JBL BOOMBOX 4 - Einfach komplett GEISTESKRANK
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