Short answer: the Marshall Middleton. It ranks #34 of 105 large speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $215.80; the Ultimate Ears Epicboom ranks #83, rated 2.9/5, and costs $228.59, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
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 55Hz for the Ultimate Ears Epicboom. It links with other speakers (Marshall Stack), which the Ultimate Ears Epicboom cannot. The catch: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz.
What the Ultimate Ears Epicboom does well: 17 hour battery with USB-C charging (first UE portable with USB-C). The catch: Not very deep bass for the size.
Buy the Marshall Middleton. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Epicboom and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton | Ultimate Ears Epicboom | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $215.80 | $228.59 |
| Ranked | #34 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #83 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 94dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) | 4.3 lbs (1.97 kg) |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) | 4.7” x 9.5” x 6.4” (119 x 241 x 162 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 1x 120mm woofer, 2x 45mm tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 10W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | Yes (built-in loop) |
Watch Them Compared
Videos and reviews that test both speakers side by side.
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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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Ultimate Ears Epicboom: $228.59 Amazon $228.59 eBay
Pros: 17 hour battery with USB-C charging (first UE portable with USB-C). IP67 rating, floats in water. Made mostly from recycled fabric and plastic. Large best-sounding UE portable that still feels portable. 180ft Bluetooth range. Measured bass extension of ~55Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not very deep bass for the size. Gets distorted at around 70-80% with bass thuds.
Full Ultimate Ears Epicboom review and specifications →
| Released | Sep 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 10W RMS |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~55Hz |
| Battery Life | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.7” x 9.5” x 6.4” (119 x 241 x 162 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 120mm woofer, 2x 45mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 94dB (Manufacturer specified) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (built-in loop) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4.3 lbs (1.97 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: $350 Ultimate Ears EpicBoom gets Epic Beat-Down 😮by $120 Soundcore Rave Neo 2. Bluetooth Speaker KO🤛 More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bose SoundLink Max vs. Ultimate Ears EpicBoom 🤑Big Bucks No Whammies? 💣 Let’s Find Out 😧
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust?
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