Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #27 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $110; the Marshall Emberton III ranks #99 and costs $165.04, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Soundcore Boom 3i offers: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5. Watch for: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
What the Marshall Emberton III offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Emberton III and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Marshall Emberton III is rated for 32 hours, the Soundcore Boom 3i only 16 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $110 | $165.04 |
| Ranked | #27 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #99 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP68 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter | 2x 2" full-range cone drivers + 2x 2" passive radiators |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g | 1.5 lbs / 673 g |
| Output Power | 50W | 20W |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Flip 6 vs Marshall Emberton II
- JBL Charge 6 vs 1More S1001bt
- Tribit Xsound Mega vs Marshall Emberton II
- Sony XB33 vs Marshall Emberton III
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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
Soundcore Boom 3i: $110 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the Charge 5.
Cons: Not quite as good as a Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close. An earlier firmware version had some bass distortion, update your firmware in the Soundcore App
Full Soundcore Boom 3i review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.3" x 3.1" (210 x 85 x 78.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 94mm woofer + tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs / 783 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Teufel Rockster XS
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Plus 2
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Harman Kardon Luna
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tribit Xsound Mega
- See all 77 comparisons
Marshall Emberton III: $165.04 Amazon eBay
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.
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 →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 32 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs / 673 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Emberton III vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Marshall Emberton II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Yamaha True X Speaker 1A
- Marshall Emberton III vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Marshall Emberton III vs Tribit Stormbox
- Marshall Emberton III vs Soundcore Flare 2
- See all 74 comparisons