Short answer: the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, if you are buying new. The Marshall Woburn I ranks higher than it (#4 vs #13 of 20 powered desktop speakers, 4.0/5 vs 3.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is still sold new at $299.
What the Marshall Woburn I does well: A substantial mains-powered stereo speaker with two 5.25-inch woofers, two tweeters, 90W output and physical bass and treble controls. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker. The catch: Its midrange can be peaky while the upper treble rolls off, and bass reaches only around 50Hz in practice rather than matching deeper modern speakers.
What the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker does well: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Woburn I cannot. It links with other speakers (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast), which the Marshall Woburn I 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 Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker new; the Marshall Woburn I is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Woburn I | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $500 each Discontinued | $299.00 each |
| Ranked | #4 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #13 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~50Hz | - |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC power cord |
| Weight | 17.4 lbs (7.9 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| App | No | Yes (Bose) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 15.7” x 12.1” x 7.9” (400 x 308 x 200 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 | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Drivers | 2x 5.25” woofers, Integrated in woofers midrange, 2x 1” tweeters | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| TWS | No | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| Amplifier Power | 90W | - |
| 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) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Marshall Woburn I:
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Woburn III
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn I
- JBL Authentics 200 vs Marshall Woburn I
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Acton III
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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 Woburn I: $500 each Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Woburn III, ranked higher, rated 4.1/5.
Pros: A substantial mains-powered stereo speaker with two 5.25-inch woofers, two tweeters, 90W output and physical bass and treble controls. It supports Bluetooth with aptX plus RCA and 3.5mm aux inputs, so it is a flexible single-box system for a desk, living room or turntable setup. Measured bass extension of ~50Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Its midrange can be peaky while the upper treble rolls off, and bass reaches only around 50Hz in practice rather than matching deeper modern speakers. At 7.9kg it is not portable, has no app, Wi-Fi or multi-speaker mode, and this discontinued first-generation model should be checked carefully before buying used.
Full Marshall Woburn I review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 90W |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~50Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 15.7” x 12.1” x 7.9” (400 x 308 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 5.25” woofers, Integrated in woofers midrange, 2x 1” tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 17.4 lbs (7.9 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Woburn III
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Woburn I vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Woburn I vs Sonos Era 100
- Marshall Woburn I vs B&O Beosound 1
- See all 9 comparisons
Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: $299.00 each Amazon eBay
Pros: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. Stuff gave it the edge over the Sonos Era 100, and TechRadar called its tonal balance fairly neutral, with tight bass control and high detail. Alexa, including Alexa+, is built in, and RTINGS found its microphones picked up commands easily from across a noisy room. It streams over AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth 5.3, keeps a 3.5mm aux input that the Era 100 lacks, and two units can be stereo paired or used as rear surrounds with the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar.
Cons: 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. Deep bass is limited: Engadget found the low end restrained and preferred the Denon Home 200’s sound, Stuff noted it can’t separate sub-bass from the bassline and that DSP pulls bass back at maximum volume, and TechRadar heard a slight toothiness in the treble that needed EQ to calm. The EQ is only bass, mid and treble with no automatic room calibration. Bose warns the aux and Bluetooth inputs add lip sync delay for TV use, it has no battery or IP rating, and both SoundGuys and Engadget needed several restarts to get stereo pairing working.
Full Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Bose) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Denon Home 250
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Sonos Era 100
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Acton III
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Acton II
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs JBL Authentics 200
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Marshall Stanmore IV
- Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker vs Klipsch The Three II
- See all 41 comparisons