Bose SoundLink Max vs Marshall Middleton II

Which Speaker Is Better?

Products

Bose SoundLink Max
Marshall Middleton II

Tested using Methodology v0.8

Updated Oct 22, 2025 07:06 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Tested using Methodology v0.8

Updated Oct 23, 2025 03:20 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
  1. Recommended in 2 articles:
  2. Brands
  3. Bose

Our Verdict

Bose SoundLink Max

Marshall Middleton II

The Bose SoundLink Max is slightly better for most people than the Marshall Middleton II. The Bose has a longer continuous battery life, and it can get considerably louder at max than the Marshall, with better dynamics performance. Many of the features are matched or bested by the Bose, such as build quality (though it's a bit susceptible to scratches), and wired and Bluetooth connectivity. Plus, you can add a second for a stereo pair, which the Marshall can't do. That said, the Bose can sound a bit boomy by default, but you can EQ it to taste. The Marshall might be preferable for its consistent sound at different listening angles, and it weighs about one pound less with a more compact frame. Like the Bose, you can EQ it and use it for phone calls, but it compromises on headroom and battery life.

0 

Variants

  • SoundLink Max (Black)
  • SoundLink Max (Blue Dusk)
  • SoundLink Max (Citrus Yellow)
  • Middleton II (Black/Brass)
  • Middleton II (Cream)

Check Price

Black
SoundLink Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black/Brass
Middleton II
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Blue Dusk
SoundLink Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Cream
Middleton II
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Citrus Yellow
SoundLink Max
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
 

Main Differences for
Music

Threshold 

0.10

Music 

7.4
7.5

Soundstage 
 

7.8
9.0

Dynamics 
 

7.6
6.2

Frequency Response Accuracy 
 

7.2
7.4

Full Comparison

Design

Style  

Style Photo  

RGB Lights  

No
No
Show Text 

Portability 
 

8.9
8.9

Dimensions Photo  

Volume 
 

222 in³ (3,644 cm³)
141 in³ (2,315 cm³)

Weight 
 

4.9 lbs (2.2 kg)
4.0 lbs (1.8 kg)

Power Source 
 

Battery & USB
Battery & USB

One-Hand Carry 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Build Quality 
 

8.7
8.1

Build Quality Photo  

Material Quality 
 

Good
Good

Water Resistance 
 

Submersible (IPx7)
Submersible (IPx7)

Dust Resistance 
 

Dust-Proof (IP6x)
Dust-Proof (IP6x)

Impact Resistance 
 

Yes (IK rating unspecified)
No

Floats In Water 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Controls 
 

7.8
8.0

Controls Photo  

Controls Photo 2  

Ease Of Use 
 

Good
Great

Feedback 
 

Good
Great

Music Play/Pause 
 

Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)

Call Answer/End 
 

Yes (Physical)
Yes

Volume Up/Down 
 

Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)

Track Next/Previous 
 

Yes (Physical)
Yes (Physical)

Microphone On/Off 
 

No
No

Additional Controls 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

In The Box 
 

In The Box Photo  

Show Text 
Sound

Frequency Response Accuracy 
 

7.2
7.4

Frequency Response Graph  

See details
See details

Slope 
 

-0.21
0.23

Std. Err. 
 

2.65 dB
2.82 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

52.6 Hz
49.0 Hz

High-Frequency Extension 
 

18.8 kHz
18.8 kHz
Show Text 

Raw Frequency Response 
 

Raw Frequency Response Graph  

See details
See details

Binaural Recording @ 1m 
 

Binaural Recording @ 2m 
 

Soundstage 
 

7.8
9.0

Directivity Graph  

See details
See details

Directivity Index 
 

4.23 dB
1.95 dB

Stereo 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Dynamics 
 

7.6
6.2

Dynamic Range Compression  

See details
See details

SPL @ Max Volume 
 

95.7 dB SPL
86.9 dB SPL

DRC @ Max Volume 
 

2.55 dB
3.19 dB
Show Text 
Active Features

Battery 
 

8.8
8.6

Battery Life 
 

15.5 hrs
10.8 hrs

Charge Time 
 

3.7 hrs
2.7 hrs

Power Saving 
 

Yes
Yes

Charging Port 
 

USB-C
USB-C

Battery Powered 
 

Yes
Yes
Show Text 

Voice Assistant 
 

0.0
0.0

Alexa 
 

No
No

Google Assistant 
 

No
No

Speakerphone 
 

No
Yes

Siri 
 

No
No

Voice Assistant 
 

No
No

Voice Activation 
 

No
No

Microphone Mute 
 

No
No

Far-Field Performance 
 

No Microphone
No Assistant

Ambient Noise Performance 
 

No Microphone
No Assistant
Show Text 

App 
 

7.9
4.7

App Picture  

App Name 
 

Bose
Marshall Bluetooth

iOS 
 

Yes
Yes

Android 
 

Yes
Yes

EQ 
 

Graphic + Presets
Graphic + Presets

Stereo Pair Mode 
 

Yes
No

Party Mode 
 

Yes
No

Multi-Room 
 

No
No
Show Text 
Connectivity

Wired 
 

Aux Input 
 

Yes
Yes

USB Audio 
 

No
No

Other Ports 
 

No
No
Show Text 

Bluetooth 
 

8.6
8.3

Bluetooth 
 

Yes
Yes

Bluetooth Version 
 

5.4
5.3

Bluetooth iOS Latency 
 

106 ms
123 ms

Bluetooth Android Latency 
 

84 ms
132 ms

Bluetooth Range 
 

334.6 ft (102.0 m)
334.6 ft (102.0 m)

Multi-Device Pairing 
 

2 Devices
2 Devices
Show Text 

Wi-Fi 
 

0.0
0.0

Wi-Fi Version 
 

No Wi-Fi
No Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi Frequency Band 
 

No Wi-Fi
N/A

Wi-Fi 
 

No
No

Apple AirPlay 
 

No
No

AirPlay Latency 
 

N/A
N/A

Google Chromecast 
 

No
No

Chromecast Latency 
 

N/A
N/A

Check Price

Black
SoundLink Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Black/Brass
Middleton II
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Blue Dusk
SoundLink Max
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Cream
Middleton II
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Citrus Yellow
SoundLink Max
SEE PRICE
BestBuy.com
 

Bose SoundLink Max

Marshall Middleton II

Comments

  1. Comparison

Bose SoundLink Max vs Marshall Middleton II: Main Discussion

What do you think of these products? Let us know below.


Looking for a personalized buying advice from the RTINGS.com experts? Insiders have direct access to buying advice on our insider forum.

PreviewBack to editorFormat guide
No comments yet, refresh to see new ones