Marshall, best known for its guitar amplifiers, has two new Bluetooth 5.1-equipped portable speakers for the wider lifestyle market – Emberton II and Willen.
The first Emberton was a best seller for the company and the new iteration expands on its strengths while retaining the signature sound. Chiefly, the II has app support, stack mode and 50% more play time.
On the technical front, the compact and durable Emberton II employs twin two-inch full-range drivers and two passive radiators to deliver Marshall’s “heavy” sound.
“Emberton II utilises True Stereophonic, a unique form of multi-directional sound from Marshall. True Stereophonic is stereo sound, but not as you’ve heard it before. By separating out the spatial content of stereo recordings, Emberton II produces a sound much larger than its size and outperforms most speakers in its class. This is absolute 360° sound, where every spot is a sweet spot,” the Marshall literature informs us.
More than 30 hours of playtime is offered on a full charge, which takes three hours; the quick-charge feature of 20 minutes allows four hours of playtime. The Stack mode allows for a multi-speaker session; just hook up a few Emberton II units for a bigger sound.
The IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating means you can submerge Emberton II in a metre of water for a period of up to 30 minutes, if you feel the need for such an activity. Also, give the times, sustainable processes have been put into its production.
“Emberton II uses 50% post-consumer recycled plastic from used electronics, water bottles and automotive light covers, and is 100% PVC-free.”
If you’re looking for something even more compact, there’s the Willen, which comes with an IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating, and 15-plus hours of play time on a full charge which takes three hours. The 20-minute quick charge feature gives three hours of playtime.
It is loaded with a single two-inch full-range driver and two passive radiators. Essentially a scaled-down version of its larger sibling, Willen has a built-in microphone and controls to handle phone calls. The same sustainable approach is taken in manufacturing the Willen.
Emberton II retails for US$169, while Willen is US$119.
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