Speakers
Marshall Stockwell I vs II: Some Features Lost, but a Major Upgrade in Sound
The first version of the Marshall Stockwell got overall praise from reviewers, though it certainly didn’t please everyone. The features and design changed quite a bit for the Marshall Stockwell II, so we were immediately curious to see how they compare in terms of performance. Would the new Stockwell II be worth upgrading to? Should …
The Complete Comparison: JBL Charge 4 vs. Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
We’ve reviewed many dozens of Bluetooth speakers and two of our favorites at the moment are the JBL Charge 4 and the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. These are the speakers you’d go to if you’re looking for something portable, about the size and shape of a wine bottle without its neck; want to spend less …
Which Speaker for a Huge Outside Bash? The JBL Boombox 2 vs Partybox 100
We generally, though not always, enjoy JBL speakers; let’s take on their big boys. The loudest, bossest JBL speakers that you still might want to carry (lug) around are the JBL Boombox 2 and JBL PartyBox 100. Both have large internal batteries and so can work away from the grid, and both are ideal for …
Bose Smart Home vs SoundTouch: Which Sounds Better, and What’s Alexa Doing Here?
We’ve been reviewing and analyzing Bose speakers for years, and were thus curious to get hands-on with the newer Bose smart home speakers and compare them head-to-head with the classic Bose SoundTouch speakers. Note that there is not cross-compatibility between the systems (boo, Bose! booooo!), so it’s worthwhile to have either all Bose smart speakers or else …
Ultimate Ears Boom 3 vs Megaboom 3: What’s the Mega-Difference, Anyway?
Alrighty, let’s bring trademark audiophile obsessiveness into explaining the differences between the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and its more powerful big sister, the Megaboom 3. Both portable speakers are excellent. In our opinion they’re the top-choice speakers out of the Ultimate Ears lineup and for most people’s uses they’re the top rough-and-tumble, take-anywhere speakers, period. …
JBL Pulse 4 vs Flip 5 vs Charge 4: What’s Different Between the Celebrated Mid-Sized Bluetooth Speakers
JBL currently has three mid-sized cylindrical speakers that sound great: the Pulse 4, Flip 5, and Charge 4. Those names aren’t all that evocative of actual speaker features, so it can be a bit confusing to decide between them. Thus we’ve put together this quick guide to their contrasts, advantages, and disadvantages. They’re all excellent …
UE Megaboom 1 (Original) vs UE Megaboom 3: How Different Is the Upgrade?
Reviews have been pouring in for the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 and we’ve analyzed what everyone has had to say about it — with a particular eye to comparing it to the original Ultimate Ears Megaboom (which was also a critical darling). Logitech skipped a number in their branding scheme with this speaker (there never …
JBL Xtreme 2 vs Boombox 2: The Bass-Heavy Outdoor Party Speakers Compared
The JBL Xtreme 2 and JBL Boombox 2 can look quite a bit alike, especially if you’re just glancing at online photos of the two and mulling over which to buy. But while they share a similar esthetic and features, they’re quite a different experience to actually use. The JBL Boombox 2 measures about twice …
The Full Comparison: Marshall Stockwell II vs Kilburn II vs Tufton, or Choosing Your Portable Guitar-Amp-Like Bluetooth Speaker
There are some major differences in the range of portable Marshall Bluetooth speakers to be aware of, even if the Stockwell II, Kilburn II, and Tufton do have the same outward design and similar sound profiles. (Note that there is no such thing as a Marshall Tufton II; the recently released Tufton is the newest …
Contrast These High-End Sonic Buckets! The Bose Portable Home Speaker vs. the Bose Soundlink Revolve +
The Bose Portable Home Speaker, released in September of 2019, is just a big bigger and heavier than the Bose Soundlink Revolve+, and looks similar. But it’s important to be aware that the new speaker has a whole different set of features. The Revolve+ is the largest of Bose’s portable offerings, and was released in …