Short answer: the Marshall Middleton II. It ranks #31 of 105 large speakers by sound quality (rated 4.1/5) at $329.99 and is still sold new; the Soundcore Rave Neo ranks #90 (rated 2.7/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Soundcore Rave Neo’s replacement, the Soundcore Rave Neo 2, is rated 4.2/5 at $84.99.
The Marshall Middleton II is the better-sounding, deeper-bass choice. Very deep bass for the size/weight. Its bass reaches about 38Hz before falling 10dB, against 60Hz for the Soundcore Rave Neo. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 18 for the Soundcore Rave Neo. At 4 lbs (1.8 kg) it weighs much less than the Soundcore Rave Neo at 7.7 lbs (3.49 kg). Watch for: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
What the Soundcore Rave Neo does well: 50W powerful bass-heavy sound with clear mids and highs. Watch for: Muddy with treble rolloff.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Soundcore Rave Neo is discontinued.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton II | Soundcore Rave Neo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 | $80 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #31 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #90 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | 60Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 7.7 lbs (3.49 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 4.3” (230 x 98 x 110 mm) | 11” x 6” x 7” (279.4 x 152.4 x 177.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 1x 102mm woofer, 1x 51mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 50W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Lights | - | Yes |
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 12, 2026 at 4:13 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: $329.99 Amazon $329.99 eBay
Older model: the Marshall Middleton (ranked lower, rated 4/5). See every Marshall Portable Speakers generation.
Same family: the Marshall Willen II (smaller model, rated 4/5), the Marshall Emberton III (smaller model, rated 2.7/5), the Marshall Stockwell III (larger model, ranked lower, rated 3/5) and the Marshall Kilburn III (larger model, ranked lower, rated 3.8/5).
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 →
| Released | Jul 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| 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
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton II - better with EQ? More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton II - first impressions
- Dominik Reviews: Marshall Middleton II vs Middleton I - Huge Differences? - Sound Test More from Dominik Reviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Marshall Kilburn 3 vs Marshall Middleton 2 Opinion in Subtitles More from Mateusz Cholewa →
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Soundcore Rave Neo: $80 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Soundcore Rave Neo 2, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5, released Oct 2022. See every Soundcore Rave Neo generation.
Pros: 50W powerful bass-heavy sound with clear mids and highs. IPX7 waterproof design with float capability. 18-hour battery life at moderate volumes. Beat-driven RGB lights, carry handle, USB-C charging, PowerIQ port charges devices, can link 100+ speakers via PartyCast. Measured bass extension of 60Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Muddy with treble rolloff. Discontinued.
Full Soundcore Rave Neo review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11” x 6” x 7” (279.4 x 152.4 x 177.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 102mm woofer, 1x 51mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 7.7 lbs (3.49 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion Boom Plus or Soundcore Rave Neo (Trance Go) - best Soundcore speaker?? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Motion Boom vs Rave Neo - Boombox Battle!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Rave Neo vs Rave Mega - best party speaker 2021?
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King t9 party speaker vs Soundcore Rave Neo and Trance (Rave Mega) 🥳
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