Marshall's new tough Bluetooth speaker promises big sound from a small box

Date:
Tue, 31 Jan 2023 17:00:18 +0000

Description:
More speakers and controls than you expect for the size

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Marshall is a brand synonymous with road-worthy guitar amps, but this new portable Bluetooth speaker seems rugged enough to stand up to a world tour with Slash.

The Middleton certainly looks the part, featuring the companys script logo on a black plastic housing. Made from 55% post-consumer recycled plastic, the casing has a IP67 rating, meaning it offerscomplete protection from dust as well as being able to stand up to being submergedin 1m water for at least 30 minutes.

The Middleton sits between Marshalls recently releasedStockwell 2 and Emberton2, and boasts a multi-directionalquad-speaker set-up to take on the best Bluetooth speakers when it comes to audio power from a compact body.

As with the Marshall Emberton 2 , this four-speaker array allows the device
to utilize Marshallsbespoke 'True Stereophonic' system, which the company claims creates a more immersive 360-degreesound stage than a standard stereo setup.

Theres a hefty maximum output of 87db, which sounds like it would be enough
to get Lemmys approval from beyond the grave, but if that isnt enough, you
can use the devices multi-speaker Stack Mode and pair it up with other Middletons for even more power.

Unlike the Emberton 2, there are physicalbass and treblecontrols on the top
of the speaker, while EQ can also be adjusted via Marshalls dedicated app for Apple and Android devices.

The Middleton comes with a claimed battery life in excess of 20hours
playtime, with a full charge taking 4.5 hours to bring the juice back up to 100%. Usefully, the battery also acts as a power bank, allowing you to chargeyour mobile devices on the move.

The Marshall Middleton is available now for269/299/$299 direct from marshallheadphones.com . (Image credit: Marshall) Analysis: Will the Marshall rock hard enough to justify its price?

With its lengthy battery, cool looks and balanced sound, we were impressed with the performance of Marshalls updated Emberton 2 speaker when it arrived late last year, but questioned its elevated price tag.

TheMiddleton brings bigger output,IP67 waterproofing and some welcome EQ controls, but theres still some notable features missing wed expect at this price.

Chief of these (for some) is the lack of support for smart assistants, with
no built-in means of using the likes ofAlexa or Google Assistant, which may make the Middleton a hard sell when lined up against others on our best waterproof speakers list, including the cheaper Sonos Roam .

But audio is the most important thing, and if it sounds right, we'll forgive the lack of tiny rock fairy to talk to.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/news/marshalls-new-tough-bluetooth-speaker-promises- big-sound-from-a-small-box


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