Short answer: the Marshall Woburn III. It ranks #2 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $599.99. The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker ranks #14, rated 3.7/5, at $279, $320.99 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The Marshall Woburn III is the better-sounding option. A big, loud stereo home speaker with classic Marshall styling and an HDMI ARC input that makes it a capable TV speaker too. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker.
The case for the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: A compact smart speaker with an up firing driver for taller sound, built in Alexa, AirPlay 2, Google Cast and an aux input. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Woburn III cannot. It links with other speakers (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast), which the Marshall Woburn III 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 Marshall Woburn III. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $320.99 you would save on the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker does not close the gap.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 11, 2026 at 3:26 AM 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Woburn III | Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.99 each | $279.00 each |
| Ranked | #2 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #14 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~45Hz | - |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, HDMI ARC, RCA, Aux | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Drivers | 6” woofer, 2x 2” midranges, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC power cord |
| Weight | 16.4 lbs (7.44 kg) | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| App | Yes | Yes (Bose) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 15.7” x 12.5” x 8” (400 x 317 x 203 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 | 35Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) |
| Stereo | Yes | No |
| TWS | No | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| Amplifier Power | 150W (Woofer: 90W, Midrange: 2x15W, Tweeters: 2x15W) | - |
| Maximum SPL | 100.5dB @ 1m | - |
| 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 |
| Voice Assistants | - | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect |
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