Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Marshall Middleton II ranks #31 of 120 large speakers by sound quality at $279.99; the JBL Charge 5 Wifi ranks #29 of 179 medium speakers by sound quality at $139.95.
The Marshall Middleton II is the deeper-bass, longer-running choice. A waterproof stereo speaker with very deep bass for its size, a long battery, a power bank and an app EQ. Its bass reaches about 38Hz before falling 10dB, against 53Hz for the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 20 for the JBL Charge 5 Wifi. It keeps a wired aux input, which the JBL Charge 5 Wifi lacks. The tradeoff: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
The JBL Charge 5 Wifi is the lighter pick. A rugged waterproof speaker with punchy, warm sound plus Wi-Fi streaming over AirPlay and Chromecast, long battery life and a phone charging port. At 2.2 lbs (1 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. Watch for: Shouty upper mids.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II ($279.99) for a large speaker; the JBL Charge 5 Wifi ($139.95) suits a medium speaker instead.
Want more options? Browse the full 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 | JBL Charge 5 Wifi | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.99 | $139.95 |
| Ranked | #31 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #29 of 179 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes (dual microphones) |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 2.2 lbs (1000 g) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 4.3” (230 x 98 x 110 mm) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 97 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 40W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Alexa Multi-Room Music |
| Maximum SPL | - | 99dB (Manufacturer specified) |
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