Short answer: the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, if you are buying new. The Marshall Woburn II ranks higher than it (#3 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.
Why pick the Marshall Woburn II: It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker.
The case for the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: 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 II cannot. It links with other speakers (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast), which the Marshall Woburn II cannot. Watch for: 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 if you want one new; the Marshall Woburn II is discontinued, so only look for it used.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Woburn II | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $332.11 each Discontinued | $299.00 each |
| Ranked | #3 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #13 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~47Hz | - |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AptX, SBC | - |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, HDMI, RCA, Aux | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC power cord |
| Drivers | 2x 5.25” woofers, Integrated in woofers midrange, 2x 1” tweeters | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Weight | 18.9 lbs (8.57 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 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 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Voice Assistants | None | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| Amplifier Power | 110W (Woofers: 2x50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) | - |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB | - |
| 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 | Yes | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Woburn II compares with other leading options:
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Woburn II vs Marshall Woburn III
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn II
- Edifier D12 vs Marshall Woburn II
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 II: $332.11 each Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Woburn III, ranked higher, rated 4.1/5.
Pros: Marshall Woburn II uses 2x 5.25” woofers, Integrated in woofers midrange, 2x 1” tweeters. Its 8.57 kg, aux input, up to 110dB and stereo playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of ~47Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its ~47Hz specification. Discontinued.
Full Marshall Woburn II review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 110W (Woofers: 2x50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~47Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | AptX, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| 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 | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, HDMI, RCA, Aux |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | None |
| Weight | 18.9 lbs (8.57 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Woburn II vs Marshall Woburn III
- Marshall Woburn II vs Marshall Woburn I
- Marshall Woburn II vs Audio Pro C5 MkII
- Marshall Woburn II vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Woburn II vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Woburn II vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Woburn II vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Woburn II vs Marshall Stanmore II
- See all 11 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
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- See all 41 comparisons