Short answer: the Marshall Middleton. It ranks #34 of 82 large speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $210.69. The Doss Soundbox XL ranks #56, rated 3.1/5, at $75.99, $134.70 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
The case for the Marshall Middleton: Very deep bass for the size/weight. The tradeoff: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz.
The case for the Doss Soundbox XL: 32W output power, 100dB max volume, 10-hour battery life, IPX4 splashproof, MicroSD card slot, dual woofer setup with subwoofer, built-in microphone, TWS pairing support. Watch for: A little hollow sounding.
Buy the Marshall Middleton. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $134.70 with the Doss Soundbox XL does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Water resistance is not close: the Marshall Middleton is rated at IPX7 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Doss Soundbox XL at IPX4 (splashing).
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton | Doss Soundbox XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $210.69 | $75.99 |
| Ranked | #34 of 82 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #56 of 82 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 1.2 lbs (557 g) |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 4.0 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) | 11.8” x 2.6” x 5.2” (300 x 66 x 132 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 1x 76mm subwoofer, 2x 50mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 32W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
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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 →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Middleton vs Ultimate Ears Everboom
- Marshall Middleton vs LG Xboom Bounce
- Marshall Middleton vs Mee audio PartySPKR
- Marshall Middleton vs Marshall Middleton II
- Marshall Middleton vs Sonos Move
- Marshall Middleton vs Marshall Kilburn II
- Marshall Middleton vs JBL Xtreme 4
- Marshall Middleton vs Sonos Move 2
- See all 72 comparisons
Doss Soundbox XL: $75.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: 32W output power, 100dB max volume, 10-hour battery life, IPX4 splashproof, MicroSD card slot, dual woofer setup with subwoofer, built-in microphone, TWS pairing support. Measured bass extension of 55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: A little hollow sounding.
Full Doss Soundbox XL review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 32W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.8” x 2.6” x 5.2” (300 x 66 x 132 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 76mm subwoofer, 2x 50mm fullrange |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Maximum SPL | 100dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (557 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Doss Soundbox XL vs JBL Xtreme
- Doss Soundbox XL vs Klipsch Detroit
- Doss Soundbox XL vs Sony SRS-XG300
- Doss Soundbox XL vs Marshall Stockwell III
- Doss Soundbox XL vs Ultimate Ears Epicboom
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- Doss Soundbox XL vs Zealot S97
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