Short answer: the Marshall Willen II if sound quality is the priority, the JBL Clip 5 if price is. The Willen II ranks #11 of 49 small portable speakers at $129.99, against the Clip 5 at #21 for $59.95, a gap of $70.04.
The Willen II’s tuning is the more refined of the two. Its notes describe it as more balanced than the original Willen, with no sharp treble, though it does not dig especially deep on bass and its midrange can sound a bit congested at higher volume. The Clip 5, by contrast, is described as more of the same from the Clip lineup, basically on par with the older Clip 4 rather than a meaningful step forward in sound.
Battery life is a clear win for the Willen II. It runs 17 hours against the Clip 5’s 12, and both output through a similarly sized single full-range driver plus one passive radiator, though the Willen II’s 10W output edges out the Clip 5’s 7W.
The Clip 5’s advantage is its clip and its pairing feature, not its sound. It keeps JBL’s signature carabiner clip, with a wider hook and thicker back padding than the Clip 4, and adds Auracast support for linking multiple JBL speakers together, something the Willen II cannot do at all since it has no party mode.
Buy the Marshall Willen II if a more balanced sound and longer battery life matter more to you than price.
Buy the JBL Clip 5 if you want the lowest price and the clip-on form factor, and don’t mind sound that reviewers describe as more of the same from the Clip series.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Willen II | JBL Clip 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.99 | $59.95 |
| Ranked | #11 of 49 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #21 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 | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | No | No |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (360 g) | 0.6 lbs (285 g) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 95Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Charging Time | 2.5 hours | - |
| Drivers | 2” (51mm) full-range with dual passive radiators | 1x ~50mm (2”) full-range driver + 1x passive radiator |
| Dimensions | 3.9” x 1.7” x 3.9” (99 x 43 x 99 mm) | 3.4” x 5.3” x 1.8” (86 x 134.5 x 46 mm) |
| Amplifier Power | 10W | 7W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in strap) | Yes (built-in carabiner) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Marshall Willen II:
- Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 vs Marshall Willen II
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- 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) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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JBL Clip 5: $59.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Older models: the JBL Clip 4 (ranked lower, rated 3.4/5), the JBL Clip 3 (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5) and the JBL Clip (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5).
Pros: JBL Portable app adds custom EQ. Wider carabiner and thicker back padding than the Clip 4. IP67 rated. Auracast support for pairing multiple JBL speakers.
Cons: Generally more of the same from the Clip series in terms of sound but with more features. Basically about the same as the Clip 4.
Full JBL Clip 5 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 7W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4” x 5.3” x 1.8” (86 x 134.5 x 46 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x ~50mm (2”) full-range driver + 1x passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 95Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (built-in carabiner) |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (285 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons