Short answer: the Zealot S97 for bass at its price, the Stockwell 2 for natural sound. The S97’s case is that there is nothing else with that deep bass and a reasonable tuning at $65.86, though it does not get very loud compared to other speakers in this class. The Stockwell 2 may be the most natural sounding Marshall speaker, but it is not stereo.
What the Marshall Stockwell 2 gets right: Possibly the most natural sounding Marshall speaker. The catch: Not stereo.
On the Zealot S97 side: There is nothing else for $48 with that deep of bass and a reasonable tuning. The catch: Doesn’t get very loud compared to other speakers in this class.
Buy the Marshall Stockwell 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $164.13 saving on the Zealot S97 is not enough to make up the difference.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Marshall Stockwell 2 is rated for 20 hours, the Zealot S97 only 12 hours.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Stockwell 2 | Zealot S97 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $229.99 | $65.86 with coupon YZZL10 |
| Ranked | #11 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #46 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX6 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 50ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| Weight | 3.1 lbs (1.4 kg) | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
| App | No | No |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | 3 EQ presets |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 6.3" x 2.8" (180 x 161 x 70 mm) | 12.6" x 7.3" x 5.9" (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 3" woofer, 2x 2" fullrange tweeters | 2x 76mm (3") woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 20W | 80W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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 Stockwell 2: $229.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Marshall Stockwell 2 uses 3” woofer, 2x 2” fullrange tweeters. Its 1.4 kg, claimed 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IPX4 protection, aux input, up to 96dB and mono playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 44Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 44Hz specification. There is no companion app. No EQ adjustment.
Full Marshall Stockwell 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Maximum SPL | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 3.1 lbs (1.4 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Stockwell 2 vs Soundcore Motion Boom and Motion Plus! expensive is better? More from alanrossreviews →
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- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs Marshall Stockwell 2 - little guy goes louder?? 🤓
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Stockwell III vs Stockwell II More from Oluv’Sone →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- See all 54 comparisons
Zealot S97: $65.86 with coupon YZZL10 Aliexpress eBay
Pros: For a compact 3.3kg boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. It also brings IPX6 protection, aux and microSD playback, power-bank outputs, three EQ presets and PartyAdd linking.
Cons: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music. There is no app or fine-grained EQ, so the Vocal preset is the only practical way to improve the balance. It is still heavy for a speaker with this output ceiling.
Full Zealot S97 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6" x 7.3" x 5.9" (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 76mm (3") woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons