Short answer: the Marshall Middleton II. It ranks #28 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $330; the JBL Xtreme 4 ranks #37 and costs $380, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Marshall Middleton II: Very deep bass for the size/weight. The tradeoff: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
What the JBL Xtreme 4 gets right: Removable battery. The catch: High priced.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Xtreme 4 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton II | JBL Xtreme 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $330 | $380 |
| Ranked | #28 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #37 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | Yes (5 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Weight | 4 lbs / 1.8 kg | 4.6 lbs / 2.1 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| 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) | 11.7" x 5.9" x 5.6" (297 x 149 x 141 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625" tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 19mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 44Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 80W | 100W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 220ms |
| Max Volume | - | 106dB |
| Removable Battery | - | Yes |
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- Sonos Move 2 vs Marshall Middleton II
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The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Middleton II: $330 Amazon
Pros: Very deep bass for the size/weight.
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 →
| 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 |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs / 1.8 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Middleton II vs Sonos Move
- Marshall Middleton II vs LG Xboom Bounce
- Marshall Middleton II vs Sonos Move 2
- Marshall Middleton II vs Marshall Middleton
- Marshall Middleton II vs Ultimate Ears Everboom
- Marshall Middleton II vs Soundcore Motion X500
- Marshall Middleton II vs Bose SoundLink Plus
- Marshall Middleton II vs Marshall Kilburn II
- See all 16 comparisons
JBL Xtreme 4: $380 Amazon Bhphotovideo
Pros: Removable battery. Slightly deeper bass than Xtreme 3. Use this EQ for the best sound quality.
Cons: High priced. Some bass boost. Dip in the upper bass to midrange makes it sound strange which cannot be EQd out. Some upper mids and treble boost at high levels.
Full JBL Xtreme 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 220ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 5.9" x 5.6" (297 x 149 x 141 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 19mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) |
| Frequency Response | 44Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 106dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 100W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4.6 lbs / 2.1 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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