Short answer: the Marshall Middleton. It ranks #31 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $224.90; the Ultimate Ears Megablast ranks #61 and costs $240, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Marshall Middleton offers: Very deep bass for the size/weight. Watch for: 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.
What the Ultimate Ears Megablast offers: Alexa integration (Wi-Fi + Bluetooth). 93dB loudest in UE lineup, 40% louder than Megaboom. IP67 waterproof and drop-proof. 16 hour battery. Party mode connects up to 8 speakers. Can use while charging to keep Alexa on 24/7. Watch for: Bass is not very deep compared to the competition
Buy the Marshall Middleton. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Megablast and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Skip the Ultimate Ears Megablast if sound quality matters to you. It ranks near the bottom of the 77 large speakers.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Middleton | Ultimate Ears Megablast | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $224.90 | $240 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #31 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #61 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz | 64Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 99dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Weight | 4 lbs / 1.8 kg | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
| App | No | No |
| 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 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.7" x 4.3" (230 x 95 x 109 mm) | 9.3" x 3.5" (236.2 x 88.9 mm) (height x diameter) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625" tweeters + 2x passive radiators | 2x 55mm fullrange, 2x 25mm tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 50W | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Marshall Middleton II vs Ultimate Ears Everboom
- Marshall Middleton II vs LG Xboom Bounce
- JBL Xtreme 4 vs LG Xboom Bounce
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Ultimate Ears Megablast
- Marshall Middleton vs Soundcore Trance/Rave Mega
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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: $224.90 Amazon eBay
Pros: Very deep bass for the size/weight.
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 →
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| 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…
- 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 →
- Reddit Search for Marshall Middleton Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Middleton vs Ultimate Ears Everboom
- Marshall Middleton vs LG Xboom Bounce
- 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
- Marshall Middleton vs Soundcore Motion X500
- See all 40 comparisons
Ultimate Ears Megablast: $240 Discontinued Ultimate Ears Megablast eBay
Pros: Alexa integration (Wi-Fi + Bluetooth). 93dB loudest in UE lineup, 40% louder than Megaboom. IP67 waterproof and drop-proof. 16 hour battery. Party mode connects up to 8 speakers. Can use while charging to keep Alexa on 24/7.
Cons: Bass is not very deep compared to the competition. Discontinued.
Full Ultimate Ears Megablast review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 64Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.3" x 3.5" (236.2 x 88.9 mm) (height x diameter) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 55mm fullrange, 2x 25mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | Specs not published by manufacturer |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 2.4 lbs / 1.1 kg |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs B&O Beosound Level
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs LG PN7
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs Soundcore Rave Neo
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs Ultimate Ears Epicboom
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs W-King D9
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs Orange Box
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs Sony SRS-XG300
- Ultimate Ears Megablast vs Klipsch Detroit
- See all 39 comparisons