Best Portable Speakers · head-to-head

UE Boom 4 vs Marshall Emberton III

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. UE Boom 4 is cheaper at $149.99. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the UE Boom 4 or Marshall Emberton III?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The UE Boom 4 is the cheaper at $149.99.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.

Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec UE Boom 4 Marshall Emberton III
US price $149.99 $179.99
BrandUltimate EarsMarshall
Released20242023
Battery hr 15 32
IP rating IP67 IP67
Drivers 2×2-inch full-range + 2 passive radiators
Bluetooth 5.3
Weight (lb) 1.48
Stereo pairing Yes Yes
Aux (in) No No
Release 2024 2023

Sources — UE Boom 4: ultimateears.com (verified 2026-06-15). Marshall Emberton III: marshall.com (verified 2026-06-15).

What's the difference between the UE Boom 4 and Marshall Emberton III?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (1 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Battery hr: UE Boom 4 15 vs Marshall Emberton III 32

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

UE Boom 4

No sourced tester review yet.

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, 2 lab-tested.)

Praised: Exceptional battery life (30-32 hours, far beyond category norm); Rugged, distinctive Marshall-amp design and build; Impressively loud and punchy sound for its small size.

Flagged: Weak/scooped mid-range; sound harshens and bass distorts at high volume; No customizable EQ (only three fixed presets); No 3.5mm aux input.

← All portable speakers compared · Open data