Short answer: the Marshall Emberton III, if you are buying new. The Minirig 3 ranks higher than it (#8 vs #122 of 164 medium speakers, 4.3/5 vs 2.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Marshall Emberton III is still sold new at $129.99.
The Minirig 3 is the better-sounding, deeper-bass pick. Modular, can easily attach a subwoofer. Its bass reaches about 53Hz before falling 10dB, against 62Hz for the Marshall Emberton III. It supports aptX Bluetooth, which the Marshall Emberton III lacks. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Marshall Emberton III lacks. The tradeoff: Calls itself splash resistant and has no official water rating.
The Marshall Emberton III 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 III, since the Minirig 3 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Minirig 3 | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $140 Discontinued | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #8 of 164 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #122 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) | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX, AAC, SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | Splash resistant | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 60ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 105dB (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 (673 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| 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 cone drivers + 2x 2” 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.
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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 →
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- 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 III: $129.99 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Marshall Emberton II (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5).
Smaller model: the Marshall Willen II (rated 4/5).
Larger model: the Marshall Middleton (rated 4/5).
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. Not really any different from the Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Full Marshall Emberton III review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3” x 2.7” x 3” (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2” full-range cone drivers + 2x 2” passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs (673 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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