Short answer: the Marshall Middleton II if you want deeper bass in a smaller package, the Sony ULT Field 5 if you’d rather save money and get a more balanced feature set. The Marshall ranks #31 and the Sony #49 out of 93 large portable speakers, and the price gap between them is $18.
Both speakers chase bass at the expense of the midrange, though the Marshall goes further with it. Its bass is genuinely deep for its size and weight, reaching down to 38Hz, but that low end is boosted enough to drown out the midrange, with a dip around 200Hz, a peak at 1kHz, and another dip at 1.6kHz creating what reviewers describe as a strange overall frequency response through the mids. The Sony leans into bass by design with its two ULT modes for deeper or punchier presentations, but reviews find its upper mids and highs subdued, with limited stereo separation and soundstage depth, and its bass, while substantial, is less authoritative in practice than the enclosure size suggests.
On raw specs, the Marshall punches above its weight. It’s rated at 80W against the Sony’s 27W despite weighing roughly half as much (4 lbs versus 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg)), and it claims 30 hours of battery life to the Sony’s 25. The Sony counters with broader codec support (SBC, AAC, and LDAC versus the Marshall’s SBC only) and a more granular 10-band app EQ compared to the Marshall’s 5-band control, which matters if you plan to dial out either speaker’s bass emphasis.
Both are IP67 rated and share aux input, a built-in microphone, USB-C power-bank output, and app control, so ruggedness and basic connectivity aren’t a differentiator here.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II if you want the deepest bass in the smallest, lightest package and don’t mind a midrange that needs EQ work to sound right.
Buy the Sony ULT Field 5 if you want to save money, prefer LDAC support and a finer EQ, and can live with bass that’s more about volume than authority.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton II | Sony ULT Field 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $330 | $348.00 |
| Ranked | #31 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #49 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | Yes (App + ULT button) |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| 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) | 12.6” x 5.7” x 4.9” (320 x 144 x 125 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x 46mm tweeters + 1x 79mm x 107mm woofer |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 27W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Middleton II compares with other leading options:
- Marshall Middleton II vs Vifa Helsinki
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Marshall Middleton II
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Marshall Middleton II
- Marshall Middleton II vs Brane X
- Marshall Middleton II vs Minirig 4 with subwoofer
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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 (ranked lower, 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 | Yes |
| 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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Sony ULT Field 5: $348.00 Amazon eBay
Older models: the Sony SRS-XB43 (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5) and the Sony SRS-XG300 (ranked lower, rated 3.1/5).
Pros: A tough 3.3kg portable with IP67 protection, LDAC/AAC support, aux input, a 10-band app EQ, Party Connect, USB-C power-bank output and a claimed 25-hour battery. Reviews find it energetic and dynamic with substantial bass, enough volume for a yard, and two ULT modes that let bass-focused listeners choose a deeper or punchier presentation.
Cons: It prioritizes bass and loudness over fidelity: reviews find the upper mids and highs subdued, with limited stereo separation and soundstage depth. Deep bass is less authoritative than the enclosure suggests, and the loud confirmation tone when pressing the ULT button is an unnecessary annoyance. Use the app EQ and audition it before buying for detail-focused music.
Full Sony ULT Field 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 27W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 25 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6” x 5.7” x 4.9” (320 x 144 x 125 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 46mm tweeters + 1x 79mm x 107mm woofer |
| EQ | Yes (App + ULT button) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable shoulder strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Danny Pops: Don’t TOUCH that ULT Button! Sony ULT Field 5 Review More from DannyPops →
- Mark Ellis Reviews: Sony just changed summer sound 🤨 | Sony ULT Field 5 & 3 Review
- Dominik Reviews: Sony ULT Field 5 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - Outdoor Sound Test - Sony shines or not? More from Dominik Reviews →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Sony ULT Field 5 vs Anker SoundCore Boom 2 - listening test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Mateusz Cholewa: SONY ULT Field 5 vs BOGASING S8 PRO MAX More from Mateusz Cholewa →
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