Short answer: the Marshall Middleton. It ranks #34 of 93 large speakers by sound quality (rated 4.0/5) at $211.83 and is still sold new; the Sony SRS-XB43 ranks #50 (rated 3.5/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
Buy the Marshall Middleton. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Sony SRS-XB43 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton | Sony SRS-XB43 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $211.83 | $150 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #34 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #50 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg) |
| App | No | Yes (Sony Music Center App) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) | 12.8” x 4.8” x 4.6” (325 x 123 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 32W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 85ms |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Middleton compares with other leading options:
- Marshall Middleton vs Vifa Helsinki
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Marshall Middleton
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Marshall Middleton
- Marshall Middleton vs Brane X
- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Marshall Middleton
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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: $211.83 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Middleton II, ranked higher, 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 | Yes |
| 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
Sony SRS-XB43: $150 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Sony ULT Field 5, ranked higher, rated 3.5/5.
Pros: Full, warm sound with deep, rich bass. Twin passive radiators deliver Extra Bass impact. IPX7 waterproof and rugged. Up to 24 hour battery (14 hours with lights on). Party lights for visual appeal. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not as loud as others in the category. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically. Discontinued.
Setup: Try out +3 +6 +3 as an EQ to get it as flat as possible as mentioned in the Alan Ross video
Full Sony SRS-XB43 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 32W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center App) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 85ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.8” x 4.8” x 4.6” (325 x 123 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs (2.95 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Sony XB43 - boombox champ? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Boom vs Sony XB43 - a step to far? 🤪
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test
- DLX Willington: Who Sounds The Best Of Sony XG300, XB43 & JBL XTREME3 With Sound Sample BLIND CHALLENGE Reveal. More from DLXWillington →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons