Short answer: the Marshall Middleton. It ranks #31 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $220.99; the Devialet Mania ranks #40 and costs $899, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Marshall Middleton offers: Very deep bass for the size/weight. Watch for: 5db dip at 1.7khz and 6.3khz. 9khz treble peak.
What the Devialet Mania offers: Small, nice looking. Watch for: Not very loud.
Buy the Marshall Middleton. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Devialet Mania and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Marshall Middleton is rated for 20 hours versus 10 hours for the Devialet Mania.
If water resistance matters to you, the Marshall Middleton at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Devialet Mania at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton | Devialet Mania | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $220.99 | $899.00 |
| Ranked | #31 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #40 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 99dB | 95dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 4 lbs / 1.8 kg | 5.1 lbs / 2.3 kg |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.7" x 4.3" (230 x 95 x 109 mm) | 6.9" x 7.6" x 5.5" (176 x 193 x 139 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625" tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 4x aluminum fullrange drivers, 2x woofers |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 50W | 176W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Wifi | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Xtreme 4 vs Sony ULT Field 5
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Sony ULT Field 5
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Sony ULT Field 5
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Devialet Mania
- Devialet Mania vs Klipsch Detroit
The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Middleton: $220.99 Amazon
Pros: Very deep bass for the size/weight.
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 →
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs / 1.8 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: 3 minutes ago….. Marshall Middleton Review, true stereophonic, no honestly 😊
- Mateusz Cholewa: BOGASING S8 Pro MAX HiFi ?🆚 MARSHALL🎸MIDDELTON
- Mateusz Cholewa: Marshall Middleton👌🎶 🆚 JBL Xtreme 4 🎶📢
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton - first impressions
- Danny Pops: Is it Any Good? - Marshall Middleton Review
- Smart Home Sounds: Best Premium Bluetooth Speakers: Sonos Move, JBL Xtreme 3, Marshall Middleton & More…
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Middleton vs Klipsch Detroit
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust?
- Reddit Search for Marshall Middleton Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Devialet Mania: $899.00 Amazon
Pros: Small, nice looking.
Cons: Not very loud. Extremely high price. Bass boosted. Tweeters are not aimed at you and there’s a huge treble rolloff off-axis as compared to the Beoplay P6 in the comparison video. Only 10 hours of battery. Oluv didn’t like the upper mids or treble (mentioned on his Patreon)
Full Devialet Mania review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9" x 7.6" x 5.5" (176 x 193 x 139 mm) |
| Drivers | 4x aluminum fullrange drivers, 2x woofers |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Output Power | 176W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs / 2.3 kg |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- That Speaker Guy: Devialet Mania vs Bang & Olufsen Beoplay P6 - Headphones On
- That Speaker Guy: Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs Devialet Mania
- HT Sound: Devialet Mania VS JBL Xtreme 2 - 60% Vol (Listen with headphones)
- BitsBytesBobs: Devialet Mania Music Audio Test Results
- Oluv Patreon: Visit at the Devialet store in Vienna
- Reddit Search for Devialet Mania Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons