There are a lot of portable Bluetooth speakers out there, but in my experience reviewing possibly hundreds of them, there are three key factors that most people make their buying decision on: Number one is sound quality, number 2 is battery life and number three—though some of us don’t want to admit it—is looks. One of the coolest looking new speakers I’ve found that has the battery life and the sound quality to back it all up is the new Marshall Willen portable wireless speaker.
Marshall Willen portable speaker
Summary
Not just a pretty package, this speaker has the power to withstand weather too: it’s IP67 dust- and water-resistant meaning you can get it wet, drop it, dunk it and it will keep right on rocking.
Pros
- Compact, very portable
- Gets loud
- Good sound quality
- Weather resistant/IP67
- Good Bluetooth range
- Carrying/hanging strap is handy
- Good battery life for size
Cons
- Might not be powerful enough for all applications
Marshall Willen Speaker review
I’d like to thank Marshall for sponsoring this post, and while they are sponsoring it, they haven’t told me what I have to say or what I can’t say about this speaker so you can consider these thoughts my own.
What you get in the box is simple: you’ll have the speaker and a USB-C charging cable. Set up is easy and I was connected to my phone via Bluetooth in just a couple of easy clicks.
Let’s dig deeper and take a look at the Marshall Willen according to those 3 key factors I started with, starting with sound quality…
Sound quality
This speaker is built to give you the heavy Marshall sound you love with one 2-inch full range driver and two passive radiators. The Marshall Willen has a surprising range for a small speaker; it’s able to balance more delicate music’s subtleties and lightness like on Jazz or classical songs, while also delivering on more bass-heavy tracks and powerful, pounding party anthems you’ll find in rock and hip-hop.
The Marshall Willen also gets outstandingly loud, especially considering its compact size, which is about 4 inches square and just under 2-inches deep.
But if that’s not enough, Stack Mode lets you amplify your sound by linking other Willen speakers for a wall of sound.
Highly portable; made for outdoors
That design also means the Willen is the ultimate multi-purpose speaker with its flexible positioning. Stand it up, lay it down, fix it to an object or let it hang out with its rubber back-mounted strap.
That strap stretches, clips and has a notch for hanging anywhere, indoors and out.
Battery life
Let’s talk about that second important feature you guys want: battery life. The Willen has about 15 hours of portable playtime on a single charge and 3 hours of charging will bring it back to full power.
Not to mention the quick charge using a USB-C cable provides 3 hours of juice on 20 minutes of plug-in time.
When it comes to feature number three—the looks—here you’re getting those classic Marshall speaker and amp lines, with the iconic black and brass styling; this little speaker looks legit like a mini Marshall amp, so it would be a great pick for the music lover in your life.
Design & style
Not just a pretty package, this speaker has the power to withstand weather too: it’s IP67 dust- and water-resistant meaning you can get it wet, drop it, dunk it and it will keep right on rocking.
The brass lever on the front face is a subtle multi-function button: it will play/pause, skip tracks and adjust volume.
So the Marshall Willen meets all the most important criteria, but it’s got a few more tricks up its sleeve… the Willen has a built-in microphone so you can use it as a speakerphone if you want too.
Plus, With a 30-foot or 10 metre Bluetooth range, you can get distant without losing your connection.
Overall review: Marshall Willen speaker
Overall the Marshall Willen is a great sounding, good looking and multi-talented compact portable speaker. I can definitely recommend it for you. It sells for about $120USD/$179CAD. In Canada you can get it from Best Buy, while in the US it’s also available on Amazon.
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