Short answer: the Marshall Stockwell 2. It ranks #11 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $200; the JBL Xtreme 3 ranks #18 and costs $209.12, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Marshall Stockwell 2: Possibly the most natural sounding Marshall speaker. The tradeoff: Not stereo.
What the JBL Xtreme 3 gets right: Better treble and deeper bass than the Xtreme 2. The catch: Boosted bass.
Buy the Marshall Stockwell 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Xtreme 3 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Xtreme 3 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Marshall Stockwell 2 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Stockwell 2 | JBL Xtreme 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $200 | $209.12 |
| Ranked | #11 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #18 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX7 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 50ms | 133ms |
| Max Volume | 96dB | 105dB |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 3.1 lbs / 1.4 kg | 4 lbs / 1.83 kg |
| App | No | No |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.1 |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 6.3" x 2.8" (180 x 161 x 70 mm) | 11.7" x 5.4" x 5.3" (298 x 136 x 134 mm) |
| Drivers | 3" woofer, 2x 2" fullrange tweeters | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 53.5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 20W | 100W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Soundcore Motion X500
- Bose SoundLink Max vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Bose SoundLink Plus
The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Stockwell 2: $200 Amazon
Pros: Possibly the most natural sounding Marshall speaker. Excellent off-axis.
Cons: Not stereo. Not very loud. Uses added DSP reverb which audio purists may find annoying.
Full Marshall Stockwell 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 50ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 6.3" x 2.8" (180 x 161 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 3" woofer, 2x 2" fullrange tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Max Volume | 96dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 3.1 lbs / 1.4 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Soundcore Motion Boom and Motion Plus! expensive is better?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Denon 250bt - little and large? 🙈
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Stockwell 2 Review and huge sound test! - vs JBL Charge 5! 💯
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs Marshall Stockwell 2 - little guy goes louder?? 🤓
- Reddit Search for Marshall Stockwell 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs B&O Beosound A5
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Mifa Wildbox
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Bose SoundLink Max
- See all 28 comparisons
JBL Xtreme 3: $209.12 Amazon
Pros: Better treble and deeper bass than the Xtreme 2. More balanced sounding than the Xtreme 4
Cons: Boosted bass. Not as deep bass as better speakers. Not as balanced as better speakers.
Full JBL Xtreme 3 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 133ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 5.4" x 5.3" (298 x 136 x 134 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 70mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 53.5Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 105dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 100W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs / 1.83 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA - Unboxing.📦 Short Test vs Xtreme 4
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Sony XB43 - boombox champ?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion Boom vs JBL Xtreme 3 LG PN7 & Minirig mk3 💯👍
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs JBL Xtreme 2 and Xtreme 1 - review and sound test
- Alan Ross Reviews: Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Plus vs JBL Xtreme 3 - Extreme review!
- DLX Willington: Who Sounds The Best Of Sony XG300, XB43 & JBL XTREME3 With Sound Sample BLIND CHALLENGE Reveal.
- New Stuff TV: Sony SRS-XG300 Vs JBL Xtreme 3
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X10 vs JBL Xtreme 3, Xtreme 2 and Xtreme 1! Xtreme Review 🤓
- Smart Home Sounds: Best Premium Bluetooth Speakers: Sonos Move, JBL Xtreme 3, Marshall Middleton & More…
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Xtreme 4 vs JBL Xtreme 3 Sound Test 😍 Best upgrade in the history? 😂
- Audio Inside Scoop: Klipsch Detroit VS JBL Xtreme 3 Hear With Me!!
- GYMCADDY: JBL Xtreme 3 Vs Sony XG300 - Its Not Even Close
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Motion Boom vs Rave Neo - Boombox Battle!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Ortizan M8🦨 Bluetooth Speaker. Is This The Budget JBL Xtreme 3 Killer? Better Than Zealot S67?
- Danny Pops: It’s shaped like a Football - JBL Xtreme 3 Review vs Marshall Tufton and Flips Party Mode
- Reddit Search for JBL Xtreme 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Motion X600
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Bose SoundLink Max
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs Bose SoundLink Plus
- JBL Xtreme 3 vs onn Portable FM Boombox
- See all 27 comparisons


