Short answer: the Marshall Emberton II, if you are buying new. The Minirig 3 ranks higher than it (#8 vs #123 of 164 medium speakers, 4.3/5 vs 2.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Marshall Emberton II is still sold new at $144.99.
The Minirig 3 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass choice. Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. Its bass reaches about 53Hz before falling 10dB, against 62Hz for the Marshall Emberton II. Alan Ross Reviews measured it at 105dB at full volume, against 88dB for the Marshall Emberton II. At 1.2 lbs (550 g) it weighs noticeably less than the Marshall Emberton II at 1.5 lbs (700 g). The tradeoff: Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating.
The Marshall Emberton II is the tougher pick. 30 hour battery life: among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. It is rated IP67 against Splash resistant for the Minirig 3. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Minirig 3. The catch: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
Buy the Marshall Emberton II if you want one new; the Minirig 3 is discontinued, so only look for it used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Minirig 3 | Marshall Emberton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $140 Discontinued | $144.99 |
| Ranked | #8 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #123 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Latency | 0ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 60ms | 80ms |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary USB cable | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Yes |
| TWS | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) | No |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (550 g) | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 4” x 2.9” (101.6 x 73 mm) (diameter x height) | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 70mm custom driver | 2x 2” full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 20W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Minirig 3 compares with other leading options:
- Earfun Uboom L vs Minirig 3
- Soundcore Motion 300 vs Minirig 3
- Denon Envaya DSB-250BT vs Minirig 3
- Minirig 3 vs Minirig 4
- Minirig 2 vs Minirig 3
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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Minirig 3: $140 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Minirig 4, ranked higher, rated 4.3/5.
Pros: Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not stereo. Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating. App is buggy. Wireless TWS pairing is buggy. A bit expensive. Has reliability issues more often than any other speaker. Discontinued; Minirig now sells only the Minirig 4, and the old product page redirects to it.
Full Minirig 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, AAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 60ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4” x 2.9” (101.6 x 73 mm) (diameter x height) |
| Drivers | 70mm custom driver |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 18kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Proprietary USB cable |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes (Bluetooth or cable) |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs (550 g) |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: B&O Beoplay A1 2nd gen vs Minirig mk3 bluetooth speaker More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: minirig 3 vs minirig 2 - minirig 3 overview part 1
- Speakertech: Anker soundcore Boost (Upgraded) vs minirig mini in stereo /2.0 (and changing the equalizer)
- Alan Ross Reviews: Minirig 4 vs Minirig 3, stuff they tell you, stuff they don’t! 😂
- Beautiful Zar DJ: MINIRIG 4 Vs MINIRIG 3 (50-100%Volume Audio Test)
- James from Canada: SOUND TESTS - Soundboks, Minirig 3, dB Technologies, Bose S1 Pro, etc - RAVE TEST
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Marshall Emberton II: $144.99 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Emberton III, ranked higher, rated 2.7/5.
Pros: 30 hour battery life: among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. IP67 rated, durable rubbery build using 50% recycled plastic. Measured bass extension of 62Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear. Not very loud.
Full Marshall Emberton II review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Maximum SPL | 88dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (700 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs Marshall Stockwell 2 - little guy goes louder?? 🤓 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex vs Minirig MK3 and Marshall Emberton - best bluetooth speaker?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs Marshall Emberton review - mono or pseudo surround sound? 🤷♀️
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Passione Speaker: Bass Test Marshall Emberton 2 vs Emberton 3
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Emberton II vs Marshall Emberton III
- Marshall Emberton II vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Marshall Emberton II vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Marshall Emberton II vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Marshall Emberton II vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Marshall Emberton II vs Soundcore Flare 2
- Marshall Emberton II vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton II vs W-King D8 Mini
- See all 140 comparisons