Short answer: the Marshall Middleton II for better sound quality, the Zealot S97 for the lower price. The Marshall Middleton II ranks #31 of 105 large speakers, rated 4.1/5, at $329.99. The Zealot S97 ranks #62, rated 3.4/5, at $78.62, $251.37 cheaper.
The Marshall Middleton II is the better-sounding, longer-running option. Very deep bass for the size/weight. It is rated for 30 hours of battery against 12 for the Zealot S97. At 4 lbs (1.8 kg) it weighs much less than the Zealot S97 at 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg). The tradeoff: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange.
What the Zealot S97 does well: For a compact 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. The tradeoff: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music.
Buy the Marshall Middleton II if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Zealot S97 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton II | Zealot S97 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 | $78.62 |
| Ranked | #31 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #62 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX6 |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A + 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 |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.9” x 4.3” (230 x 98 x 110 mm) | 12.6” x 7.3” x 5.9” (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x 76mm (3”) woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W | 80W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
| 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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Zealot S97: $78.62 Amazon $78.62 eBay
Pros: For a compact 3.3kg boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. It also brings IPX6 protection, aux and microSD playback, power-bank outputs, three EQ presets and PartyAdd linking.
Cons: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music. There is no app or fine-grained EQ, so the Vocal preset is the only practical way to improve the balance. It is still heavy for a speaker with this output ceiling.
Full Zealot S97 review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6” x 7.3” x 5.9” (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 76mm (3”) woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons