Marshall’s smallest Bluetooth speaker can be stacked to start the party
And the Emberton’s back to stack, too
Hendrix. Motörhead. Nirvana. Marshall amp stacks have serviced some of rock’s greatest names. But not every shredder has the space for a wall of sound. Want a rocking speaker setup you can take on the road? Enter Willen: Marshall’s most portable Bluetooth speaker to date.
Far from the first wireless speaker to adopt Marshall’s signature styling, the diminutive Willen is easily the smallest: weighing 310g and measuring just 101.6×100.5×40.4m, you won’t need a team of roadies to shift this natty noise box.
But despite its dinky dimensions, Marshall reckons the Willen is still every bit the rock star. Paired with two passive radiators, a 2in full-range driver inside promises gutsy audio performance. And if power is found wanting, you can always whip out the Willen’s party trick: Stack Mode. Push the pairing button and you can wirelessly link up an unlimited number of Willens, for a chorus to have the tour bus hopping.
An integrated strap on the back means you can easily rig the Willen somewhere useful – like the neck of a resting guitar – while IP67 waterproofing should see it through the sweatiest of mosh pits. Plus with more than 15 hours of play time from a single charge, it can last as long as the hardest party animals.
Equaliser presets can be tweaked in the Marshall Bluetooth app, or go old-school and tweak the control knob on the speaker itself. Due for release this summer, the Willen will hit shelves at £90 / $119.
Want beefier beats from a single slab? Marshall’s also boosted the sonic chops of the slightly larger Emberton – already one of our favourite Bluetooth speakers. Like its predecessor, the Emberton II features a pair of 2in full-range drivers and matching passive radiators. Using ‘True Stereophonic’ smarts, it’s equipped to deliver substantial sound in 360, without sacrificing Marshall’s trademark beefy style.
The Emberton II also gets a big battery boost: it’s now good for more than 30 hours on a single charge, while an IP67 rating means its down for a dunking. Add wireless Stack Mode skills to the mix and its setlist seems impressively heavyweight for something which hits the scales at 700g. Sound good? The Emberton II will also launch this summer, priced at £150 / $169.