These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Marshall Middleton ranks #34 of 82 large speakers by sound quality at $210.69; the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen ranks #35 of 144 medium speakers by sound quality at $159.
What the Marshall Middleton does well: Very deep bass for the size/weight. The catch: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz.
What the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen does well: A very portable 586g, IP67-rated speaker with a clear, well-balanced midrange that keeps voices and instruments intelligible. The catch: One Flex remains mono and cannot deliver genuine low-bass rumble; RTINGS also found the elevated treble can turn hi-hats and other high-frequency detail piercing.
Buy the Marshall Middleton at $210.69 if you want a large speaker. Buy the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen at $159 if you want a medium speaker instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Marshall Middleton is rated for 20 hours, the Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen only 12 hours.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton | Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $210.69 | $159.00 |
| Ranked | #34 of 82 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #35 of 144 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | - |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 1.3 lbs (586 g) |
| App | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) | 7.9” x 3.5” x 2” (201 x 90 x 52 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 60mm full-range driver with passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (built-in loop) |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 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: $210.69 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Middleton II, rated 4.1/5.
Pros: Very deep bass for the size/weight. Measured bass extension of 39Hz (-10dB).
Cons: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz. 9kHz treble peak. Not a very smooth frequency response. A lot of Marshall’s added dsp echo which cannot be turned off, very distracting and annoying. It’s like forcing you to listen to your music in an echo chamber. Bass is reasonably deep but artificial sounding and flabby, with no attack and no dynamics. Treble is rolled off.
Full Marshall Middleton review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| 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
- Alan Ross Reviews: 3 minutes ago….. Marshall Middleton Review, true stereophonic, no honestly 😊 More from alanrossreviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: BOGASING S8 Pro MAX HiFi ?🆚 MARSHALL🎸MIDDELTON More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Marshall Middleton👌🎶 🆚 JBL Xtreme 4 🎶📢
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton - first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Danny Pops: Is it Any Good? - Marshall Middleton Review More from DannyPops →
- Smart Home Sounds: Best Premium Bluetooth Speakers: Sonos Move, JBL Xtreme 3, Marshall Middleton & More… More from Smart Home Sounds →
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Middleton vs Klipsch Detroit More from storytripperhd →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
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Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen: $159.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Bose Soundlink Flex (rated 3.8/5).
Pros: A very portable 586g, IP67-rated speaker with a clear, well-balanced midrange that keeps voices and instruments intelligible. The second generation adds a Bose app with 3-band EQ, better-placed controls and stereo pairing with another Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen. It supports AAC and aptX Adaptive in addition to SBC, making it a stronger wireless option than most small rivals.
Cons: One Flex remains mono and cannot deliver genuine low-bass rumble; RTINGS also found the elevated treble can turn hi-hats and other high-frequency detail piercing. The claimed battery life is only 12 hours, and some owners report accelerated standby drain after firmware updates. It is expensive for its size, so the added app and codec support, not a transformational sound upgrade over the original, are the main reasons to choose it.
Full Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.9” x 3.5” x 2” (201 x 90 x 52 mm) |
| Drivers | 60mm full-range driver with passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs (586 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Flex More from Oluv’Sone →
- Oluv Patreon: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen - sound demo
- Tô Thái Trí Hùng: Unbox & Sound Test - Bose Soundlink Flex 2
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen & Soundcore Motion 300 sound test
- Alan Ross: Hall of Fame classic vs latest Bose tech! More from alanrossreviews →
- CEONTHEMAKING: Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd Gen VS Marshall Emberton III - What’s NEW?? More from CEONTHEMAKING →
- Alan Ross - The Anti Shill!: Small speaker, mighty sound, The Flex gen 2 shatters physics!
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