These are not really the same size class, and that is the honest framing here. The Marshall Middleton ranks #33 of 120 large speakers by sound quality at $257.52; the JBL Boombox 3 ranks #27 of 113 boombox speakers by sound quality at $349.95.
The Marshall Middleton is the lighter pick. A waterproof stereo speaker with very deep bass for its size, a long battery, a power bank and a detachable strap. At 4 lbs (1.8 kg) it weighs much less than the JBL Boombox 3 at 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg). The tradeoff: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz.
The JBL Boombox 3 is the louder option. A loud, fully waterproof boombox with a dedicated subwoofer, a 24 hour battery and power bank charging. Alan Ross Reviews measured it at 110dB at full volume, against 99dB for the Marshall Middleton. The catch: Dips in mid bass range which makes the bass sound undefined, bass boosted, peaky at 700Hz, not quite as good mids and treble as the Blast.
Buy the Marshall Middleton at $257.52 if you want a large speaker. Buy the JBL Boombox 3 at $349.95 if you want a boombox speaker instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton | JBL Boombox 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $257.52 | $349.95 |
| Ranked | #33 of 120 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #27 of 113 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 14.8 lbs (6.7 kg) |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| 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) | 19” x 10.1” x 7.9” (482 x 257 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 180W AC / 136W battery |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 25ms |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 100ms |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
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