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Just recently Marshall has announced a new Waterproof speaker Middleton in 2023. Marshall is well known for making amazing sound quality speakers while JBL is well known for making weather / water resistance speakers since decade . In this article we will look into Marshall EmberTon II , Marshall Middleton and Popular JBL Flip 6 for it’s durability , performance, power and similarities to make your search quick and easy.
Marshall Middleton vs EmberTon II vs JBL Flip 6 – Similarities
Looking at the similarities between these three Amazing portable speakers
Quick Glance
Portal Bluetooth speakers
All of these speakers are portable and good looking to take you around for parties or events. They all support latest Bluetooth 5.1 providing good speed and sound performance. They do not have Wifi and uses Bluetooth for wireless connection.
Durable and IP67 Rating
You can very well expect JBL Flip 6 speaker to have this rating .But now Marshall brand is also keeping up with durability and manage to have Both Emberton II and New Middleton with IP67 rating. In IP67 rating , 6 means protection from dust from extended period of time while number 7 means , your speakers will survive even if dropped in water up to 1 meter for a short time.
So no matter which speakers you choose out of these 3 they will survive the worst.
Differences : Marshall Middleton vs EmberTon II vs JBL Flip 6 and which one you should buy ?
In this section, we will discuss the difference between the Marshall Middleton ( 2023 Version ) , Emberton II ( year 2022 ) and JBL Flip 6 ( popular 2022 version from JBL.
Appearance and design
So, let’s take a look at How these speakers will look in your home.
Marshall Middleton
Just out of the box this speaker from Marshall is pretty compact. you will see the golden brass letters “marshall” logo. It comes with the strap for easy carry around. it can fit into regular back pack. The speaker is in black and brass esthetic which looks amazing in any kind of home setup.
while the weight is 1.8 Kilograms which is higher than Marshall emberton II it is still ok for such beautiful looking design. when it comes to dimensions it is around 109 x 230 x 95 mm (4.29 x 9.06 x 3.74 inches )
And For environment lovers this is constructed with 55% recycled plastic . As this speaker is meant for people on the road it is surely looks tough and durable.
Marshall EmberTon II
While it offers the classic Marshall design it is somewhat rewarmed design. looks like mini brother of Marshall Middleton speaker. The Grill colors are painted all in black with Marshall logo in golden brass colors.
Weight and dimension of this speaker is like half what Middleton model has. it weighs 0.7 kg and dimensions are : ( 68 x 160 x 76 mm
2.68 x 6.30 x 2.99 inches )
JBL Flip 6
At first glance this speaker looks quite similar to JBL Flip 4 version. black cylinder grill design with JBL Logo on top. The grills looks metallic and is an capsulated by rubberized base cap. The rubber foot at the bottom allows it to stay steady on whatever surface you place it on.
Weight is around 0.5 kg making it lightest speaker out of all three today and size wise it is around the same as Marshall emberTon II and slightly smaller.
The winner : Marshall Emberton II / Marshall Middleton
Sound Quality
Marshall Middleton
The Audio pumped out by this amazing speaker is truly amazing. Middleton speaker uses True Stereophonic system . a unique form of multi-directional stereo sound from Marshall which gives the ultimate immersive experience.
it is loud comparing it’s small size and goes as much as 87 dB. the speaker is Sealed with passive radiator which provide immersive and loud sound. It supports frequency range of 50 Hz-20Khz. it has Three 3″ of 15w woofers.
The Bass on this speaker is pretty good , ideal for any hip hop, rock or hard core music fans out here. During our test we throw all kinda music on it and it delivered good sound.
Marshall EmberTon II
This speaker comes with 2 passive radiators which is 10W and full range for extra bass. Just like Marshall Middleton it has true Stereophonic system which provides 360* sound. This is possible as this speaker just like Middleton has grill on the back side. JBL manage this with cylinder design and can provide 360* sound.
this speaker is also loud and can provide you 87Db. The frequency range for this is quite similar to Marshall middleton slightly differ 60Hz to 20Khz.
The bass is pretty good but slightly less punchy compared to Middleton because it has Two 2″ inches of 10W woofers.
JBL Flip 6
This speaker sounds better when laydown horizontally compared to keeping it vertically. it does offers dual driver it is still a mono speaker. the Sound itself is pretty good and we do not have major complains. it is pretty balanced sounding speaker compared with Marshall which gives more punchy feeling to bass .
the Power output of this speaker is 30W. It comes with 1 woofer and 1 tweeter. Frequency response range is 63 Hz to 20 kHz .
The winner : Marshall Middleton
Connectivity and input/Output
Marshall Middleton
Bluetooth : As mentioned before this speaker comes with bluetooth 5.1 and provide the range up to 10 meters .
Input/Output : It comes with AUX plug so perfect for wired connection with 3.5 mm jack. it has USB-C type plug for charging . the box comes with USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
Controls : We love the control buttons on this speaker , the top brass color circle button can be used to control the volume and skip the songs. Other two buttons can allow you to change the bass and treble directly from the speaker which is always a good to have function.
Marshall EmberTon II
Bluetooth : this speaker comes with bluetooth 5.1 and provide the range up to 10 meters .
Input/Output : it doesn’t come with AUX input port like Middleton version . it has USB-C type plug for charging . the box comes with USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
Controls : Just like Middleton it has the well designed round button top which is multi functional can be used to control volume, change tracks etc. This speaker lacks the controls to change the bass and treble so you need to rely on smartphone APP to do that. LED indicator is for the battery life. There is Bluetooth pairing button on the top as well.
JBL Flip 6
Bluetooth : Again 5.1 Bluetooth version provides 10 meter of range.
Input/Output : No Aux Port for wired music listening. it comes with USB-C connection for charging .
Controls : Controls are pretty straight forward. it has + , – buttons to reduce or increase volume. Party mode button to pair with other ( only JBL Flip ) speakers to boost the sound . Power and Bluetooth pairing buttons.
We do have more types of speakers comparison if you plan to consider other small speakers.
The winner : Marshall Middleton
Battery life and Capabilities
What is the use of portable Bluetooth speaker if it dies on you before your day or pool parties ends. Let’s compare the battery life of each of these speaker.
Marshall Middleton
Battery 🔋 : Marshall Middleton provides 20 Hours of playtime. it takes 4.5 hours of full charging time and if you are in rush and forgot to charge your speaker it provides 20 mins of quick charge mode. This mode provides you battery life of 2 hours.
You can connect this speaker with the Marshall Music app which is available on iphones/android for Adjusting EQ and control the speakers. While it doesn’t have wifi so you need to use Bluetooth for connection . The App is pretty basic.
Marshall EmberTon II
Battery 🔋 : Marshall Emberton II provides 30+ Hours of playtime which is the highest compared to Marshall Middlton or JBL FLip 6. it takes 3 hours of full charging time. it provides 20 mins of quick charge mode. This mode provides you battery life of 4 hours.
You can connect it with Marshall Phone App .
JBL Flip 6
Battery 🔋 : Battery life was never a strong point for JBL speakers. JBL Flip 6 is no exception it only last for 12 hours of battery . it lacks any quick charge mode like Marshall speakers.
JBL music App slightly better compared to Marshall which provides better UI and controls which is available on Apple and Android stores.
The winner : Marshall Emberton II
Pros and Cons
Before our final verdict, we will go over a few pros and cons of the Marshall Middleton, EmberTon II and JBL Flip 6.
Marshall Middleton
Pros
- Powerful speaker
- Beautiful iconic Marshall design
- Wired AUX connection
- Bass and Treble Controls
Cons
- Expensive
Marshall EmberTon II
Pros
- Battery Life
- Beautiful Design
- Good Sound Quality
Cons
- Missing 3.5 mm AUX input
JBL Flip 6
Pros
- Powerful Audio for it’s size
- Good Mobile App
- IP67 Rating
Cons
- Missing 3.5 MM jack
- Battery life
The Final Verdict
We think Marshall Middleton and EmberTon II wins this battle providing better sound quality , design and build quality . If price is a concern we suggest you to go with EmberTon II if not Marashall Middleton is beautiful looking bigger speaker for your needs.