Short answer: the Marshall Middleton II, if you are buying new. The Vifa Helsinki ranks higher than it (#1 vs #31 of 115 large speakers, 4.8/5 vs 4.1/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Marshall Middleton II is still sold new at $279.99.
The Marshall Middleton II is the deeper-bass, longer-running pick. 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 48Hz for the Vifa Helsinki. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 8 for the Vifa Helsinki. It is rated IP67, while the Vifa Helsinki has no water resistance. The tradeoff: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
The Vifa Helsinki is the better-sounding, lighter choice. A superb sounding battery powered speaker, with exceptionally clean mids and treble, now discontinued but worth buying used. At 3.1 lbs (1.4 kg) it weighs noticeably less than the Marshall Middleton II at 4 lbs (1.8 kg). It supports aptX Bluetooth, which the Marshall Middleton II lacks. Watch for: No TWS pairing, looks like a purse, requires a hacked Vifa app (Android only post #48) to enable night mode to sound good.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II new; the Vifa Helsinki is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
A waterproof stereo speaker with very deep bass for its size, a long battery, a power bank and an app EQ.
A superb sounding battery powered speaker, with exceptionally clean mids and treble, now discontinued but worth buying used.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton II | Vifa Helsinki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $279.99 | $449.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #31 of 115 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #1 of 115 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No (official app is broken, 3rd party android app only) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | 48Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power brick |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 3.1 lbs (1.4 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | aptX, SBC |
| Stereo | Yes | Partially (shared woofer) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 4.3” (230 x 98 x 110 mm) | 6.1” x 8.3” x 2.8” (156 x 210 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x 50mm fullrange, 2x 66mm woofers + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 58Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 50W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (built-in strap) |
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