Short answer: the Soundcore Motion X600. It ranks #19 of 77 large portable speakers at $150, the Middleton II ranks #28 at $330, $180 more, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
Neither speaker sounds great out of the box, but the X600 responds better to correction. Its pros note that firmware 4.2.9 brought a real sound quality improvement, and it sounds best with a community EQ profile applied, though its cons are candid that the stock frequency response is wavy, needs spatial mode and a different EQ curve at each volume step, and would rank noticeably lower without that EQ applied. Even corrected, the bass still isn’t very deep and the sound stays a little unnatural. The Middleton II’s cons describe a stranger problem: bass boosted enough to drown out the midrange, with a dip around 200Hz, a peak at 1kHz, and another dip at 1.6kHz, a frequency response shape that’s harder to fix with a simple EQ curve.
The Middleton II does win on bass extension and battery. It measures 38Hz at -10dB against the X600’s 52Hz, and its pros specifically credit very deep bass for its size and weight. Its battery is also rated for 30 hours against the X600’s 12, a real gap for anyone using it away from an outlet all day.
The X600 counters with more raw output and a couple of hardware extras. It’s rated for 104dB max volume and adds an upward-firing driver for spatial effects, along with 0ms aux latency for wired listening. The Middleton II answers with an app and 5-band EQ, which the X600 lacks entirely, along with Marshall’s own Stack pairing mode instead of PartyCast.
Buy the Soundcore Motion X600. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Middleton II and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one unless the Middleton II’s deeper bass and much longer battery life matter more to you than overall sound quality.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Marshall Middleton II is rated for 30 hours, the Soundcore Motion X600 only 12 hours.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Motion X600 | Marshall Middleton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $150 | $330 |
| Ranked | #19 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #28 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz | 38Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 83ms | - |
| Max Volume | 104dB | - |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 5.2 lbs / 2.35 kg | 4 lbs / 1.8 kg |
| App | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | Yes (5 band) |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 11.8" x 4.8" x 3.2" (300 x 121 x 81 mm) | 9.1" x 3.9" x 4.3" (230 x 98 x 110 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 60mm woofers, 2x 27mm tweeters, 1x 50mm upward-firing driver | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625" tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 50W | 80W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Soundcore Motion X600 compares with other leading options:
- Soundcore Motion X600 vs Vifa Helsinki
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Soundcore Motion X600
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Soundcore Motion X600
- Soundcore Motion X600 vs Vifa Oslo
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Soundcore Motion X600
Prices on this page were last checked September 8, 2026 at 6:02 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 X600: $150 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Firmware 4.2.9 is a big improvement in sound quality over previous releases. Try this Oluv EQ for the best sound quality
Cons: Stock frequency response is wavy. Use spatial mode for best sound quality. Need a different EQ for each volume step. Dip in the upper bass around 120hz. Rising frequency response, treble a little hot. Would be ranked around #20 without the Oluv EQ. Even with the Oluv EQ the bass isn’t very deep and the sound is still a little unnatural.
Full Soundcore Motion X600 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 83ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.8" x 4.8" x 3.2" (300 x 121 x 81 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 60mm woofers, 2x 27mm tweeters, 1x 50mm upward-firing driver |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 104dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 5.2 lbs / 2.35 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion X600 now tuned by Alan Ross (sort of) Not clickbait! More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: breaking news…..Soundcore Motion X600 with LDAC and spatial audio!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Spatial Audio: Soundcore Motion X600 Vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion x600 (best speaker ever) or two motion booms?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Craziest firmware update ever - Soundcore Motion X600 3.2.8/4.2.8 🤦♀️
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Motion X600 vs VIFA Helsinki More from Oluv’Sone →
- NeverEnoughTech: soundcore Motion X600 vs. Sonos Move vs. Bose Soundlink Revolve II
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: TREBLAB HD-360 (360° Sound) vs Soundcore Motion X600 (Spatial Sound)😮💨 Cornered in Basement Kitchen More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Motion X600 vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- Soundcore Motion X600 vs JBL Xtreme 3
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- Soundcore Motion X600 vs Bose SoundLink Plus
- Soundcore Motion X600 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- Soundcore Motion X600 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- Soundcore Motion X600 vs Soundcore Motion X500
- See all 42 comparisons
Marshall Middleton II: $330 Amazon eBay
Pros: Very deep bass for the size/weight.
Cons: Bass boosted which drowns out the midrange. Dip around 200hz, peak at 1khz, dipped at 1.6khz. Strange frequency response through the mids.
Full Marshall Middleton II review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.1" x 3.9" x 4.3" (230 x 98 x 110 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 0.625" tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (5 band) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4 lbs / 1.8 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Middleton II vs Sonos Move
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- See all 39 comparisons