Short answer: the Willen II for sound quality, the Soundlink Micro 2 to save money. The Willen II ranks #11 of 49 small speakers against the Soundlink Micro 2’s #18, but costs $0.99 more.
The Willen II is the more refined sounding of the two. Our notes describe it as more balanced than the original Willen with no sharp treble, while the Soundlink Micro 2’s notes flag a lack of clarity, overly boosted bass that can thud and distort at higher volumes, and overly boosted treble that our notes recommend turning down in the EQ. Our notes also say the Soundlink Micro 2 falls clearly behind the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 on bass depth, cleanliness, and loudness, and that its bass and treble tuning is actually a step back from the original Soundlink Micro.
The Soundlink Micro 2 has one real physical advantage: portability for carrying, not sound. It ships with a compact fabric strap for clipping to a bag or bike, replacing the first generation’s hook clip that our notes say was prone to breaking, and our notes say it delivers surprisingly good bass when mounted outdoors on something like a bike. It also supports true wireless stereo pairing and Bose’s Party mode for linking multiple speakers, neither of which the Willen II offers.
Everything else favors the Willen II on paper: a longer 17-hour battery life against 12 hours, a built-in microphone the Soundlink Micro 2 lacks, and deeper published bass extension (70Hz versus data Bose doesn’t publish). Both are IP67 rated and both mount pointing straight up.
Buy the Willen II if sound quality and battery life matter most. It is the better sounding speaker by our notes, with none of the Soundlink Micro 2’s bass and treble complaints.
Buy the Soundlink Micro 2 if budget comes first or you specifically want a clip-on speaker for a bag or bike, and can live with a less accurate sound.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Willen II | Bose Soundlink Micro 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.99 | $129.00 |
| Ranked | #11 of 49 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #18 of 49 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (360 g) | 0.7 lbs (329 g) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | AAC, aptX, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.4 |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Charging Time | 2.5 hours | 3 hours |
| Drivers | 2” (51mm) full-range with dual passive radiators | 40mm full-range driver with passive radiator |
| Dimensions | 3.9” x 1.7” x 3.9” (99 x 43 x 99 mm) | 4.1” x 4.1” x 1.7” (104 x 104 x 43 mm) |
| Amplifier Power | 10W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in strap) | Yes (built-in strap) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Marshall Willen II:
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Marshall Willen II
- Soundcore Boom Go 3i vs Marshall Willen II
- Minirig Mini 2 vs Marshall Willen II
- Tribit Stormbox Micro vs Marshall Willen II
- Marshall Willen II vs Tribit Stormbox Micro 3
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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 Willen II: $129.99 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Marshall Willen (ranked lower, rated 3.8/5).
Pros: More balanced than the first Willen, no sharp treble. Measured bass extension of 70Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not that deep of bass. Fairly low max output vs pricier speakers; midrange can sound a bit congested at volume. No aux input.
Full Marshall Willen II review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 10W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 2.5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9” x 1.7” x 3.9” (99 x 43 x 99 mm) |
| Drivers | 2” (51mm) full-range with dual passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in strap) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (360 g) |
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Bose Soundlink Micro 2: $129.00 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Bose Soundlink Micro (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5).
Pros: IP67 rated, survives a 1m dunk for 30 minutes. Compact fabric strap for clipping to bags/bikes: replaces the 1st-gen’s hook clip, which was prone to breaking. USB-C charging. Surprisingly good bass when mounted outdoors, like on a bike.
Cons: Lack of clarity. Overly boosted bass that causes some thudding, and can overdrive/distort at higher volumes: worse in this regard than the 1st-gen model. Overly boosted treble, turn down bass and treble in the EQ. Falls clearly behind the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 on bass depth, cleanliness, and loudness.
Full Bose Soundlink Micro 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AAC, aptX, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.1” x 4.1” x 1.7” (104 x 104 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 40mm full-range driver with passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (329 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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