Short answer: the Marshall Stanmore III. It ranks #6 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $388.99. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #14, rated 3.7/5, at $279, $109.99 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
Why pick the Marshall Stanmore III: A mid size home speaker with classic Marshall amp styling, Bluetooth, and RCA and aux inputs for a turntable or other source. The tradeoff: Bass is limited by its 45Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Why pick the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: A compact smart speaker with an up firing driver for taller sound, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2, Google Cast and an aux input. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Stanmore III cannot. It links with other speakers (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast), which the Marshall Stanmore III cannot. The catch: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
Buy the Marshall Stanmore III. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $109.99 saving on the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is not enough to make up the difference.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 AM 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Stanmore III | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $388.99 each | $279.00 each |
| Ranked | #6 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #14 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 13.8” x 8” x 7.4” (350 x 203 x 188 mm) | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Drivers | 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC power cord |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | No |
| TWS | No | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Weight | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
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