Short answer: the Marshall Middleton for bass depth, the Soundcore Motion X500 for a flatter top end. The Middleton has very deep bass for its size and weight, but a 5dB dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz colours the response. The X500 runs 40W stereo through two tweeters and a woofer, and while it is a little bright on top, a custom EQ can flatten things out.
Buy the Soundcore Motion X500. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Marshall Middleton and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Motion X500 | Marshall Middleton | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $211.83 |
| Ranked | #27 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #34 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz | 39Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 104dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 4.6 lbs (2.1 kg) | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | LDAC, SBC | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 8.7” x 8” x 3.2” (220 x 202 x 81 mm) | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 58mm (2.3”) forward-firing full-range drivers + 1x 43mm (1.7”) upward-firing driver | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 40W | 50W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | Yes (detachable strap) |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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 Motion X500: $99.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: 40W stereo with 3-driver layout (two tweeters + woofer). IPX7 weatherproof rating. Compact and very portable. Fine build quality at this price. Spatial Dynamic mode provides immersive sound. Gets close to 12 hour battery claim. Measured bass extension of 48Hz (-10dB).
Cons: A little bright on top, a custom EQ can flatten things out a bit. Peaks at 250Hz and dip at 1kHz
Full Soundcore Motion X500 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | LDAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.7” x 8” x 3.2” (220 x 202 x 81 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 58mm (2.3”) forward-firing full-range drivers + 1x 43mm (1.7”) upward-firing driver |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 104dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4.6 lbs (2.1 kg) |
- Links
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Marshall Middleton: $211.83 Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Middleton II, ranked higher, rated 4.1/5.
Pros: Very deep bass for the size/weight. Measured bass extension of 39Hz (-10dB).
Cons: 5db dip at 1.7kHz and 6.3kHz. 9kHz treble peak. Not a very smooth frequency response. A lot of Marshall’s added dsp echo which cannot be turned off, very distracting and annoying. It’s like forcing you to listen to your music in an echo chamber. Bass is reasonably deep but artificial sounding and flabby, with no attack and no dynamics. Treble is rolled off.
Full Marshall Middleton review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.1” x 3.7” x 4.3” (230 x 95 x 109 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625” tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Maximum SPL | 99dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Strap | Yes (detachable strap) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs (1.8 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: 3 minutes ago….. Marshall Middleton Review, true stereophonic, no honestly 😊 More from alanrossreviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: BOGASING S8 Pro MAX HiFi ?🆚 MARSHALL🎸MIDDELTON More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Marshall Middleton👌🎶 🆚 JBL Xtreme 4 🎶📢
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton - first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Danny Pops: Is it Any Good? - Marshall Middleton Review More from DannyPops →
- Smart Home Sounds: Best Premium Bluetooth Speakers: Sonos Move, JBL Xtreme 3, Marshall Middleton & More… More from Smart Home Sounds →
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Middleton vs Klipsch Detroit More from storytripperhd →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
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