# JBL Charge 5 vs Marshall Emberton III: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the JBL Charge 5 (JBL) and Marshall Emberton III (Marshall) among portable speakers. JBL Charge 5 is the cheaper of the two at $179.95.

## Side by side

| Spec | JBL Charge 5 | Marshall Emberton III |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $179.95 | $179.99 |
| Brand | JBL | Marshall |
| Released | 2021 | 2023 |
| Battery hr | 20 | 32 |
| IP rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Drivers | 1×90mm woofer + 1×20mm tweeter + 2 passive radiators | 2×2-inch full-range + 2 passive radiators |
| Bluetooth | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| Weight (lb) | 2.12 | 1.48 |
| Stereo pairing | Yes | Yes |
| Aux (in) | No | No |

## Key differences

- Battery hr: JBL Charge 5 20 vs Marshall Emberton III 32
- Drivers: JBL Charge 5 1×90mm woofer + 1×20mm tweeter + 2 passive radiators vs Marshall Emberton III 2×2-inch full-range + 2 passive radiators
- Bluetooth: JBL Charge 5 5.1 vs Marshall Emberton III 5.3
- Weight (lb): JBL Charge 5 2.12 vs Marshall Emberton III 1.48

## What reviewers say

**JBL Charge 5** — Three whitelisted testers (Tom's Guide, TechRadar, SoundGuys) covered the exact JBL Charge 5 hands-on; only Tom's Guide took instrument measurements. All praise balanced, bass-forward sound, loud output, IP67 ruggedness, and a 20-hour battery with USB-A power-bank charging, while flagging audible distortion once you push past ~60% volume. (3 sourced reviews.)

**Marshall Emberton III** — Two whitelisted outlets (Tom's Guide, TechRadar) hands-on tested the Emberton III over several weeks. Both praise class-leading battery life (30-32 hours vs a ~20-hour category norm), the rugged Marshall-amp styling, and impressively loud, punchy sound for the small size. Both flag the same core limitation: mids get de-emphasized and the sound turns harsh with bass distortion when pushed loud, plus there is no custom EQ (only three fixed presets) and no aux input. (2 sourced reviews.)

## Sources

- JBL Charge 5: https://www.manua.ls/jbl/charge-5/manual/page/20 (manua.ls, verified 2026-06-15)
- Marshall Emberton III: https://www.marshall.com/us/en/product/emberton-iii (marshall.com, verified 2026-06-15)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/portable-speakers/jbl-charge-5-vs-marshall-emberton-iii/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, JBL Charge 5 ($179.95) vs Marshall Emberton III ($179.99) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/portable-speakers/jbl-charge-5-vs-marshall-emberton-iii/
License: CC BY 4.0.