Short answer: the Marshall Middleton II. It ranks #31 of 105 large speakers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $329.99. The W-King D9 ranks #91, rated 2.5/5, at $71.24, $258.75 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The Marshall Middleton II is the better-sounding, deeper-bass option. Very deep bass for the size/weight. Its bass reaches about 38Hz before falling 10dB, against 47Hz for the W-King D9. It links with other speakers (Marshall Stack), which the W-King D9 cannot. It has an adjustable EQ, which the W-King D9 lacks. The catch: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
The W-King D9 is the longer-running option. A compact 4.4 lbs (2 kg) boombox with 60W RMS output, a claimed 106dB maximum level, a measured 47Hz -10dB bass point, IPX6 protection, power-bank output, USB-C charging, aux and microSD playback. It is rated for 40 hours of battery against 30 for the Marshall Middleton II. Watch for: Treble rolls off early, limiting air and fine detail, while owner reports note Bluetooth interference and some noise at maximum speaker volume.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $258.75 with the W-King D9 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton II | W-King D9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 | $71.24 |
| Ranked | #31 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #91 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX6 |
| 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) | 4.4 lbs (2.0 kg) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 4.3” (230 x 98 x 110 mm) | 4.7” x 12.4” x 4.7” (120 x 315 x 120 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x 40mm drivers + passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 80Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 60W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Maximum SPL | - | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Marshall Middleton II:
- 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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W-King D9: $71.24 Amazon $71.24 eBay
Pros: A compact 2kg boombox with 60W RMS output, a claimed 106dB maximum level, a measured 47Hz -10dB bass point, IPX6 protection, power-bank output, USB-C charging, aux and microSD playback. Long-term owners praise its loud, punchy character and useful indoor/outdoor voicing for casual outdoor listening. Measured bass extension of 47Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Treble rolls off early, limiting air and fine detail, while owner reports note Bluetooth interference and some noise at maximum speaker volume. There is no app or adjustable EQ, and its bass does not reach as deep as larger rivals, so it is better suited to energetic background music than neutral listening.
Full W-King D9 review and specifications →
| Released | Dec 2020 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 60W RMS |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.7” x 12.4” x 4.7” (120 x 315 x 120 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 40mm drivers + passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 80Hz - 16kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| Maximum SPL | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 4.4 lbs (2.0 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons