Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 3i. It ranks #31 of 175 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $118.99; the Marshall Emberton III ranks #126, rated 2.7/5, and costs $129.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The Soundcore Boom 3i is the better-sounding option. Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the JBL Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Marshall Emberton III lacks. Watch for: Not quite as good as a JBL Charge 5, doesn’t go quite as loud or sound quite as balanced, but very very close.
The Marshall Emberton III is the longer-running option. 30 hour battery life: among the best in its class; a 20 min quick-charge gives 4 hours. It is rated for 32 hours of battery against 16 for the Soundcore Boom 3i. It links with other speakers (Marshall Stack), which the Soundcore Boom 3i cannot. It plays in stereo from a single unit, unlike the Soundcore Boom 3i. The tradeoff: Strange unnatural echo-like sound coloration, bass not as deep as competitors.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 3i. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Marshall Emberton III and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 3i | Marshall Emberton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $118.99 | $129.99 |
| Ranked | #31 of 175 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #126 of 175 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 | Yes | Yes |
| 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) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 20W |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Lights | Yes | - |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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
Soundcore Boom 3i: $118.99 Amazon $118.99 B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Looks to be designed as a direct competitor to the JBL Charge 5 with a very similar sound profile, warm tuned with boosted bass. Better value for the money than the JBL Charge 5. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Not quite as good as a JBL 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 →
| Released | Jun 2025 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| 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 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs (783 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs More from Oluv’Sone →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Soundcore Boom 3i vs Tronsmart Mirtune C3 Plus More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Picky Audio: Compact Speaker BEAST! 🔥 soundcore Boom 3i More from pickyaudio →
- Clinch Audio Bass: Mirtune C3 Plus 50w VS SoundCore Boom 3i 50w
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Cleer Audio Scene
- Soundcore Boom 3i vs Bogasing M4
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Marshall Emberton III: $129.99 Amazon $129.99 eBay
Older models: the Marshall Emberton II (ranked lower, rated 2.7/5) and the Marshall Emberton (ranked lower, estimated 2.6/5). See every Marshall Portable Speakers generation.
Same family: the Marshall Willen II (smaller model, rated 4/5), the Marshall Middleton II (larger model, rated 4.1/5), the Marshall Stockwell III (larger model, rated 3/5) and the Marshall Kilburn III (larger model, rated 3.8/5).
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 Marshall Emberton II except having the treble turned down a little bit.
Full Marshall Emberton III review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 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
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Emberton III vs Bose SoundLink Color II
- Marshall Emberton III vs Marshall Emberton II
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- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB20
- Marshall Emberton III vs Teufel Rockster Go
- Marshall Emberton III vs Sony SRS-XB30
- Marshall Emberton III vs Tribit Stormbox
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- See all 141 comparisons