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Marshall Emberton III review

No. 5 of 10 in our bluetooth speakers ranking · Updated · How we rank

Our verdict: The Marshall Emberton III ranks 5th of the 10 bluetooth speakers we compare, with 9.1 out of 10. It takes our Best Premium badge.

Marshall Emberton III

9.1/10Best Premium

The Emberton III is a small, rugged Bluetooth speaker in a Marshall amp-style case, with 32+ hours of playtime and IP67 protection. It suits people who want looks, long battery life and a warm sound over heavy bass.

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Why it's here

  • 32 hours or more of playtime, and a quick charge adds hours in minutes
  • IP67 dust and water rating
  • Wide stereo sound with warm, punchy mids
  • Bluetooth 5.3, a built-in microphone and a Marshall app with EQ

Keep in mind

  • Bass is lighter than the larger speakers here
  • No strap loop, so it is harder to clip onto a bag
  • The stacking feature of the previous model is gone

Why the Marshall Emberton III scores 9.1

Each bar shows where it places among the 10 bluetooth speakers in this guide, so a full bar is 1st of 10. How happy owners are counts for most of the score.

  • How happy owners are5th of 10
  • How many rated it8th of 10
  • How new it is8th of 10

Why it sits behind the Soundcore Boom 2

The Soundcore Boom 2 (9.3) edges the Marshall Emberton III (9.1) on the balance of all three parts.

About the Marshall Emberton III

The Emberton III is a 1.5 lb portable speaker, 6.3 by 2.7 by 3 inches, with the Marshall amp look: a textured case, brass-colored details and a metal grille. Controls sit on the top panel: a multi-directional jog control, an on/off button, a Bluetooth pairing button and a battery indicator. It comes in several colors, including Black and Brass, Cream, Brown, Sage and Midnight Blue.

Inside are a 2 inch, 10 W full-range driver and two passive radiators, driven by a 2x38 W Class D amplifier. Marshall rates the frequency range at 65 to 20,000 Hz and the maximum level at 90 dB SPL at 1 m. Its True Stereophonic design spreads sound in a wide field rather than in one direction. A reviewer at Loud n Wireless found that the default sound is slightly heavier than the Emberton II's, and that the extra amplifier power gives headroom at high volume. The Marshall Bluetooth app (iOS and Android) changes the EQ, including bass and voice settings.

It uses Bluetooth 5.3 LE with multipoint, has a built-in microphone for calls, and is ready for LE Audio, which Marshall says will support Auracast sharing later. Marshall rates playtime at 32+ hours, and 20 minutes on the charger gives about 6 hours. A full charge takes 2 hours over USB-C. The box has the speaker, a USB-C cable and the manual. A strap comes only with the Brown color.

What owners report about the Marshall Emberton III

We could not open enough owner reviews or forum threads for this exact model to report a reliable pattern, so this page does not summarize owner feedback.

Who the Marshall Emberton III suits

The Emberton III suits someone who wants a small speaker for a desk, shelf, camping trip or pool edge, and who cares about battery life and appearance. The wide, warm sound fills a small room, and the IP67 rating covers rain, splashes and a dunk. The built-in microphone handles calls.

Look elsewhere for heavy bass or party volume: the JBL Boombox 4 or Soundcore Boom 2 are better fits. If you want a speaker you can clip onto a bag, the Sony SRS-XB100 is easier to carry. Anyone who wants to link several speakers should know the Stack feature from the Emberton II is gone. A 3.5 mm aux input is also missing.

Questions about the Marshall Emberton III

Is the Marshall Emberton III better than the Emberton II?

Mostly yes. Marshall rates playtime at 32+ hours, charging takes 2 hours, the amplifier is 2x38 W, and there is a built-in microphone. The Emberton II's Stack feature is gone, and Loud n Wireless reports it is not listed on Marshall's site.

How many watts is the Marshall Emberton III?

The amplifier is 2x38 W Class D, driving a 2 inch, 10 W full-range driver with two passive radiators. Marshall rates the maximum level at 90 dB SPL at 1 m.

Is the Marshall Emberton III waterproof?

Yes. It has an IP67 dust and water rating, and Marshall says it can be submerged in 3 ft of water for up to 30 minutes.

Does the Marshall Emberton III have a stack mode?

No. Marshall does not list the Stack feature of the Emberton II for the Emberton III. It has Bluetooth multipoint and is ready for Auracast sharing through a future update.

How long does the Marshall Emberton III battery last?

Marshall rates it at 32+ hours of playtime on one charge. A 20 minute charge gives about 6 hours, and a full charge takes 2 hours.

Other bluetooth speaker picks

The other badge winners in our bluetooth speakers ranking.

All 10 bluetooth speakers, compared

  1. 1 Soundcore Select 4 GoBest Choice 9.5 Check Price
  2. 2 Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) 9.4 Check Price
  3. 3 JBL Charge 6 9.3 Check Price
  4. 4 Soundcore Boom 2 9.3 Check Price
  5. 5 Marshall Emberton IIIThis reviewBest Premium 9.1 Check Price
  6. 6 JBL Flip 7 9.0 Check Price
  7. 7 JBL Boombox 4 9.0 Check Price
  8. 8 Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 8.8 Check Price
  9. 9 Sony SRS-XB100 8.8 Check Price
  10. 10 Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 8.2 Check Price
See the full bluetooth speakers ranking

The Marshall Emberton III on Amazon

Marshall Emberton III

The Emberton III is a small, rugged Bluetooth speaker in a Marshall amp-style case, with 32+ hours of playtime and IP67 protection. 9.1 out of 10.

Check Price on Amazon

How we score it

Every score here comes from our ranking model; no editor sets the order. Too few review sites cover bluetooth speakers for their verdicts to lead, so this ranking is led by owners. It ranks products by how happy owners are, holding back any product few owners have rated until more agree. How many rated it and how new it is only settle close calls, and value for money earns its own badge rather than a higher place. We compared 17 models for this guide before settling on these ten.

Brands can't pay to be included or to move up. We last checked these picks in November 2026.

How we rank, in full

Where these facts come from