Short answer: the Marshall Middleton. It ranks #34 of 105 large speakers by sound quality (rated 4.0/5) at $215.80 and is still sold new; the Soundcore Rave Neo ranks #90 (rated 2.7/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used. The Soundcore Rave Neo’s replacement, the Soundcore Rave Neo 2, is rated 4.2/5 at $84.99.
The Marshall Middleton is the better-sounding, deeper-bass pick. Very deep bass for the size/weight. Its bass reaches about 39Hz before falling 10dB, against 60Hz for the Soundcore Rave Neo. At 4 lbs (1.8 kg) it weighs much less than the Soundcore Rave Neo at 7.7 lbs (3.49 kg). Watch for: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz.
The Soundcore Rave Neo is the louder pick. 50W powerful bass-heavy sound with clear mids and highs. Alan Ross Reviews measured it at 106dB at full volume, against 99dB for the Marshall Middleton. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Marshall Middleton lacks. The catch: Muddy with treble rolloff.
Buy the Marshall Middleton. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Soundcore Rave Neo 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 | Soundcore Rave Neo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $215.80 | $80 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #34 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #90 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | 60Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 7.7 lbs (3.49 kg) |
| App | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| 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) | 11” x 6” x 7” (279.4 x 152.4 x 177.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 1x 102mm woofer, 1x 51mm fullrange |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 50W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Middleton compares with other leading options:
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- Minirig 4 with subwoofer vs Marshall Middleton
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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: $215.80 Amazon $215.80 eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Middleton II, ranked higher, rated 4.1/5, released Jul 2025. It adds app control and adjustable EQ. Battery life goes from 20 to 30 hours. See every Marshall Portable Speakers generation.
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 →
| Released | Jan 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 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
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton - first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- 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 🎶📢
- Mateusz Cholewa: Marshall Kilburn 3 vs Marshall Middleton
- 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 →
- Smart Home Sounds: Best Premium Bluetooth Speakers: Sonos Move, JBL Xtreme 3, Marshall Middleton & More… More from Smart Home Sounds →
- Danny Pops: Is it Any Good? - Marshall Middleton Review More from DannyPops →
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Middleton vs Klipsch Detroit More from storytripperhd →
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Soundcore Rave Neo: $80 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Soundcore Rave Neo 2, ranked higher, rated 4.2/5, released Oct 2022. See every Soundcore Rave Neo generation.
Pros: 50W powerful bass-heavy sound with clear mids and highs. IPX7 waterproof design with float capability. 18-hour battery life at moderate volumes. Beat-driven RGB lights, carry handle, USB-C charging, PowerIQ port charges devices, can link 100+ speakers via PartyCast. Measured bass extension of 60Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Muddy with treble rolloff. Discontinued.
Full Soundcore Rave Neo review and specifications →
| Released | Jun 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz |
| Battery Life | 18 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11” x 6” x 7” (279.4 x 152.4 x 177.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 102mm woofer, 1x 51mm fullrange |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 106dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 7.7 lbs (3.49 kg) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion Boom Plus or Soundcore Rave Neo (Trance Go) - best Soundcore speaker?? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Motion Boom vs Rave Neo - Boombox Battle!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Rave Neo vs Rave Mega - best party speaker 2021?
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King t9 party speaker vs Soundcore Rave Neo and Trance (Rave Mega) 🥳
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