Short answer: the Tribit Xsound Surf. It ranks #79 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $26; the Marshall Emberton II ranks #100 and costs $160.23, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the Tribit Xsound Surf offers: Rugged rubberized frame with a metal grille. About 20% louder than the XSound Go at the same volume. IPX7 rated, USB-C charging, and pairs with a second Surf for stereo. Watch for: Bass doesn’t go as deep as others, strange midrange peaks
What the Marshall Emberton II 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.
Buy the Tribit Xsound Surf. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Marshall Emberton II and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Battery life favors the Marshall Emberton II: rated for 30 hours against 10 hours for the Tribit Xsound Surf.
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Xsound Surf | Marshall Emberton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $26 | $160.23 |
| Ranked | #79 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #100 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | Yes |
| Weight | 1 lbs / 440 g | 1.5 lbs / 700 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 7" x 2.2" x 2.1" (178 x 57 x 54 mm) | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 12W RMS | 20W |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX HD, aptX Lossless, LDAC, aptX Adaptive | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Likely Yes (based on Tribit pattern) | No |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 40W: 2x drivers with passive radiator | 2x 2" full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 62Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 80ms |
| Max Volume | - | 88dB |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Marshall Stack) |
| TWS | - | No |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Tribit Xsound Mega vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Marshall Emberton III vs Zealot S61
- JBL Flip 6 vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Bose Soundlink Flex 2nd gen vs Tribit Xsound Surf
- Tribit Xsound Surf 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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Tribit Xsound Surf: $26 eBay
Pros: Rugged rubberized frame with a metal grille. About 20% louder than the XSound Go at the same volume. IPX7 rated, USB-C charging, and pairs with a second Surf for stereo.
Cons: Bass doesn’t go as deep as others, strange midrange peaks
Full Tribit Xsound Surf review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | aptX HD, aptX Lossless, LDAC, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Likely Yes (based on Tribit pattern) |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7" x 2.2" x 2.1" (178 x 57 x 54 mm) |
| Drivers | 40W: 2x drivers with passive radiator |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 70Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 12W RMS |
| Stereo | Yes |
| Weight | 1 lbs / 440 g |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit XSound Surf vs. XSound Go (Upgraded Model) Bluetooth Speaker Sound Comparison. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Aphid Tech: Tribit XSound Surf vs Soundcore 2 - With Sound Comparison!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Zealot S61 🦨 Bluetooth Speaker Review & Sound Comparison to Tribit XSound Surf. Another Zealot dud❓
- Reddit Search for Tribit Xsound Surf Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Tribit Xsound Go
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Tribit Stormbox 2
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Soundcore 2
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Sony ULT Field 1
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- Tribit Xsound Surf vs JBL Grip
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Tribit Xsound Surf vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
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Marshall Emberton II: $160.23 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.
Full Marshall Emberton II review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 80ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 2.7" x 3" (160 x 68 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2" full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 presets via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 88dB |
| 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 / 700 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs Marshall Stockwell 2 - little guy goes louder?? 🤓 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Soundlink Flex vs Minirig MK3 and Marshall Emberton - best bluetooth speaker?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Flip 6 vs Marshall Emberton review - mono or pseudo surround sound? 🤷♀️
- Alan Ross Reviews: Marshall Emberton vs JBL Flip 5 & Soundcore Boost - true stereophonic 🤓
- Passione Speaker: Bass Test Marshall Emberton 2 vs Emberton 3
- Reddit Search for Marshall Emberton II Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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