Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Marshall Middleton ranks #34 of 82 large speakers by sound quality at $210.69; the JBL Charge Essential 2 ranks #37 of 144 medium speakers by sound quality at $130.
Why pick the Marshall Middleton: Very deep bass for the size/weight. The tradeoff: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz.
What the JBL Charge Essential 2 does well: A tough, compact 930g speaker with IPX7 water resistance, USB-C charging, a USB-A power-bank output and a claimed 20-hour battery life. The catch: It is a pared-back Charge: no app EQ, no PartyBoost/party mode and no stereo-pair option.
Buy the Marshall Middleton at $210.69 if you want a large speaker. Buy the JBL Charge Essential 2 at $130 if you want a medium speaker instead.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton | JBL Charge Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $210.69 | $130 |
| Ranked | #34 of 82 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #37 of 144 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A) |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 2.1 lbs (930 g) |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 40W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How JBL Charge Essential 2 compares with other leading options:
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Earfun Uboom L
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Soundcore Motion+ vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- Soundcore Boost “upgraded” 2021 vs JBL Charge Essential 2
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Minirig 4
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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
JBL Charge Essential 2: $130 eBay
Newer model: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE, rated 3.7/5.
Pros: A tough, compact 930g speaker with IPX7 water resistance, USB-C charging, a USB-A power-bank output and a claimed 20-hour battery life. It delivers much of the Charge 5’s familiar punch and volume in a simpler package, with bass that reaches roughly 55Hz for this size. Measured bass extension of ~55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: It is a pared-back Charge: no app EQ, no PartyBoost/party mode and no stereo-pair option. It plays mono, has a little less bass authority than the Charge 5, and its IPX7 rating does not promise dust protection. Choose it for a good sale price, not for extra features.
Full JBL Charge Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC (inferred; additional codecs unverified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (930 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Huawei Sound Joy
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs JBL Charge Essential 3 SE
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Teufel Rockster XS
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Charge Essential 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- See all 104 comparisons