Marshall debuts the Willen, its first ultra-compact Bluetooth speaker | Engadget

Marshall has simply introduced two new Bluetooth choices to its secure of moveable audio system, together with just a few new options. The Willen is the corporate’s first ultra-compact moveable and it’s joined by the Emberton II, which improves on the earlier mannequin in just a few methods. Both will now work with the Marshall Bluetooth app, which hasn’t been out there on any of the moveable speaker fashions earlier than. It was additionally inevitable that the corporate would launch a characteristic referred to as Stack Mode – a throwback reference to “Marshall stacks”. This merely catches them up with the remainder of the speaker world and allows you to wirelessly increase your music to different Willen or Emberton II audio system. Also value noting is that Marshall has elevated the battery lifetime of the Emberton II from 20 hours of runtime to 30 or extra on a single cost (at modest volumes I’m positive).

As we alluded to in our current Bluetooth speaker purchaser’s information, Marshall audio system (normally) have a beautiful heat sound, chunky bass and dynamic highs. We discovered the perfect worth in each sound and worth once you go for the bigger and comparatively much less moveable Tufton model ($450). Although nonetheless priced at a slight premium, the smaller fashions have a scaled down model of the identical sound.

Now that the Emberton II helps Stack Mode, 30 or extra hours of runtime and provides an app for EQ tweaks and firmware updates, there’s extra worth tucked into that price ticket. The Willen fills the hole for folks seeking to get a private moveable and save a couple of bucks, though we nonetheless have but to provide it a pay attention. Both audio system have Bluetooth 5.1, an IP67 weather-proof ranking and are suitable with one another for Stack mode, which takes a triple press of the Bluetooth button to host and a double press on secondary audio system to affix or disconnect.

Both are available for pre-order today with the ultra-compact Willen priced at $119 and the Emberton II for $169.