The Marshall Emberton II is the upgraded version of the original Marshall Emberton speaker and comes equipped with 2 X 10W drivers with a peak power of 20 watts. This speaker features 2 Class D amplifiers and 2 passive bass radiators for improved low-end bass response. The Emberton 2 has a wide frequency range of 60 Hz to 20 khz and a maximum sound pressure level of 87 dB SPL and comes equipped with Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless music streaming. Furthermore, the upgraded Emberton 2 speaker comes with a built-in battery that delivers 30 hours of playtime (upgraded by 10 hours from the Emberton 1 which only has 20 hours) and is IP67 waterproof and fully resistant to dust and splashes of water. This is one of the most portable speakers that Marshall has produced and has a compact dimension of 6.3” x 2.7” x 3”.
The JBL Flip 6, by contrast, is the latest JBL Flip speaker that is designed as a 30W 2-way speaker system with 1 woofer and 1 tweeter for dedicated bass response. This speaker is louder than the Marshall Emberton 2 and can deliver 30 watts of sound performance compared to the Emberton’s 20 watts. The JBL Flip 6 also comes with 2 passive bass radiators for enhanced bass response and has a wide frequency range of 63 Hz to 20 kHz which is virtually similar to the Emberton 2’s frequency range. The JBL Flip 6 also uses Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless music streaming with the added advantage of A2DP and AVRCP Bluetooth codecs.
Despite the JBL Flip 6 being IPX7 waterproof and dustproof, the Flip 6 only has 12 hours of battery life compared to the Emberton 2’s 30 hours. This speaker is also equally compact and portable, and is only 7” long (it has a dimension of 7” x 2.6” x 2.8”). Both the JBL Flip 6 and Marshall Emberton 2 are roughly similar in size and can be easily carried outdoors or placed inside a backpack.
Read more: The 10 Best Marshall Speakers Ranked
Comparing the Specs
| Specification | Marshall Emberton 2 | JBL Flip 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Wattage | 20W Peak | 30W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Battery Life | 30+ hours | 12 hours |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | 2.5 hours |
| Weight | 0.7 kg (1.5 lbs) | 0.55 kg (1.21 lbs) |
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 68 x 160 x 76 mm (2.68 x 6.30 x 2.99 in) | 68 x 178 x 72 mm (2.68 x 7.01 x 2.83 in) |
| Waterproof Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Frequency Range | 60 – 20,000 Hz | 63 Hz – 20,000 Hz |
| Drivers | Two 2″ 10 W full range, two passive radiators | One woofer and tweeter |
| Maximum Sound Pressure Level | 87 dB SPL @ 1 m | 75dB (SPL) |
| Power Amplifiers | Two 10 W Class D amplifiers | Not specified |
| Stereo/Mono | Stereo | Stereo |
| Top Panel Controls | Multi-directional control knob, Bluetooth pairing button | Power on, Bluetooth, volume controls |
| Colorways | Black and Brass, Cream | Black, Blue, Green, Grey, Khaki, Pink, Red, Teal, White |
| Additional Features | Stack Mode, Marshall Bluetooth app support, sustainable approach with 50% recycled plastic | PartyBoost, rugged design |
The Marshall Emberton 2 has longer battery life than the JBL Flip 6 and features Stack Mode which allows connection to other Emberton II speakers. It also supports the Marshall Bluetooth app and is made with sustainable and recycled materials. The JBL Flip 6, while having a shorter battery life, has a PartyBoost feature for connecting with other PartyBoost-compatible speakers and comes in a variety of colors. With that said, the JBL Flip 6 is the louder speaker with a 30W sound performance as compared to the Marshall Emberton 2.
Sound Performance
We were quite blown away by the sound performance of both the Marshall Emberton 2 and the JBL Flip 6 speaker. The Emberton 2 has really good stereo separation between the right and left drivers and you get pretty nice soundstage with the Emberton 2. Vocals and instrumental music sound crisp and detailed, and you get a good sense of where each sound is originating from with its stereo sound projection. The Emberton 2 also has a slightly forward leaning sound signature which makes the sound feel much closer to you; it delivers decent bass and the sound has plenty of substance and depth. When you listen to the Marshall Emberton 2 speaker, you feel as though you are listening to mini Hi-Fi speaker system with great volume and acoustics. There is a level of realism and soundstage that you get with the Emberton 2 that is definitely one level above other Bluetooth speakers that we have tested.
The JBL Flip 6, by contrast, delivers a more bass-leaning sound signature with an emphasis on volume and bass. The Flip 6 speaker comes with one woofer and one tweeter which makes it great for blasting music – while you don’t get the detail and separation that the Marshall Emebrton 2 has to offer, you get really loud sound performance that feels bass-heavy (due to the dedicated woofer) and they are great for parties. The bass from the Flip 6 hits hard and feels very punchy with plenty of depth; the speaker feels like a mini subwoofer on its own. Just like the Marshall Emberton 2, you can push the volume on the Flip 6 to max levels and get very little distortion with clean and consistent bass performance.
In our view, the JBL Flip 6 is much better if you want to play EDM and R&B music with plenty of punchy beats as it has a dedicated woofer to handle the low-end bass notes. If you want a speaker that can drive a party with powerful beats and punchy bass, the JBL Flip 6 is a better choice.
The Marshall Emberton 2 is a much better speaker if you want to listen to jazz and classical or instrumental music. This speaker can reproduce the details in vocals with extreme clarity, and you get a wide and spacious soundstage that feels very satisfying to listen to. The Emberton 2 can deliver really good stereo separation between the right and left speaker channels, and listening to this speaker feels like sitting in front of a mini Hi-Fi stereo system. While the bass on the Emberton 2 speaker is not as heavy as the JBL Flip 6, you do get pretty punchy lows that have depth. In terms of sound performance, the Marshall Emberton 2 feels much more forward-leaning and detailed than the Flip 6. If you are looking for a speaker with better sound quality and depth, go for the Marshall Emberton 2.
Specs
In terms of specs, the JBL Flip 6 has a power output of 30 watts compared to the Marshall Emberton 2’s 20 watts. The Flip 6 also comes with one woofer and one tweeter, while the Emberton 2 comes with 2 X 10W full-range drivers. Both speakers also come with two passive bass radiators, with the JBL Flip 6 having the bass radiators at the side of the speaker.
One key advantage that the Emberton 2 has over the JBL Flip 6 is that it can deliver up to 30 hours of playtime on a single charge, compared ot the JBL Flip 6’s 12-hour battery life. Both speakers are portable and compact and are IP67 waterproof, allowing you to take them to pool parties or in outdoor spaces without having to worry about them getting wet.
You can link multiple JBL Flip 6 speakers together with JBL’s PartyBoost feature, which is very useful if you want to play music over a wide area. The speaker also supports wireless music streaming from up to 2 devices, and you can also manage playback with the JBL portable app. The Marshall Emberton 2 also supports a similar function with stack mode, which allows you to connect to other Emberton 2 speakers to amplify the sound performance. Both the Marshall Emberton 2 and the JBL Flip 6 support Bluetooth 5.1 for high-quality music streaming, with the Flip 6 supporting A2DP and AVRCP codecs.
Design
We liked the design of the Marshall Emberton 2 speaker more than the JBL Flip 6. The JBL Flip 6 looks exactly the same as the previous iterations of the JBL Flip series speakers with its signature mesh design and dual passive bass radiators at the side. The volume and Bluetooth buttons are located on the top of the Flip 6; the entire speaker exterior is made from durable rubber that is designed to withstand tough environmental conditions and is fully resistant to water and dust.
The Emberton 2, by contrast, looks like a masterpiece in design. It features Marshall’s signature gold-colored logo at the front and the entire speaker is designed like a tank with metallic grills at the front. The plastic material that the Emberton 2 uses is tough and rugged and gives the speaker a very unique texture. This speaker looks absolutely stunning from any angle and can also be used as a home Bluetooth speaker.
The Verdict?
The Marshall Emberton 2 delivers extremely detailed stereo sound with good soundstage, and is a great speaker for listening to jazz and pop music with an emphasis on the vocals. The Emberton 2 is capable of delivering extremely crisp highs and timbre ranges, and vocals sound fantastic on this speaker with exceptional clarity. The midrange and bass are also well-balanced, and the sound signature is forward-leaning which adds a level of realism to the speaker. The Emberton 2 feels like a mini Hi-Fi stereo speaker system and the level of detail and dynamism that you get with this speaker is much better than the JBL Flip 6.
The JBL Flip 6, by contrast, is much better at blasting music for parties. The Flip 6 has much more powerful and controlled bass that is great for EDM and rock music, and you can really hear the beats in the music with good depth and punch. While the Flip 6 does not have the level of detail and soundstage that the Emberton 2 has to offer, it certainly delivers much louder volume with 30 watts of power output.
If you are looking for a portable speaker for outdoor parties or for blasting music, we recommend going with the JBL Flip 6 due to its louder sound output and punchy bass. The Marshall Emberton 2 is much better for detailed sound listening and works great for vocal and jazz music performances – its designed for audiophiles who want to focus on the vocals and detailed soundstage – and delivers exceptional clarity in the treble and timbre ranges.