Marshall cuts the cord for the company’s first ever portable Bluetooth speaker

By Ted Kritsonis May 13, 2015

marshall unveils first portable bluetooth speaker kilburn kilbunr — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Marshall Headphones and Marshall Amplification have collaborated to create the brand’s first-ever portable Bluetooth stereo speaker, calling it the Kilburn.

Like other Marshall Bluetooth speakers, the new speaker has a distinctive look, like something a roadie would be wheeling in and out of rock concert venues. Of course, the Kilburn is considerably smaller and has no need for wheels at the bottom, coming instead with a leather strap to carry it around. It’s not super light, mind you, weighing in at a relatively hefty 6.6 pounds for a frame that measures over 9.5 inches across and 5.5 inches high. The speaker is the first in Marshall’s line to cut the cord, allowing for users to rock out on the go.

Inside, the speaker sports a 4-inch subwoofer, alongside two ¾ dome tweeters powered by a Class D amplifier. It’s Bluetooth-enabled for streaming from a smartphone or other device, and has a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired connections (the unit does come with a high quality cable). The internal battery is rated at 20 hours of listening at 50 percent volume, so cranking it up will inevitably lower that overall number.

The knobs at the top maintain Marshall’s flair for nostalgic design, recalling the company’s seminal guitar and bass amps, along with the fabric lining the unit throughout. As far as sound quality, Marshall had this to say in its press release:

“Setting the bar as one of the loudest speakers in its class, the Kilburn is a compact stout-hearted hero with a well-balanced audio which boasts a clear midrange and extended highs for a sound that is both articulate and pronounced. The analog knobs allow you to fine tune the controls to your personal preferences while the guitar-influenced leather strap enables easy and stylish travel.”

Marshall is also bringing out two colors: black and cream. You can pick the speaker up at local retailers and at MarshallHeadphones.com starting in June for $300.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

A/V Writer

A tech journalism vet, Ted covers has written for a number of publications in Canada and the U.S. Ted loves hockey, history…

Audio / Video

Marshall’s third-generation home speakers go eco-friendly with a wider soundstage

Marshall III speakers are sitting on an entertainment console.

Marshall’s line of in-home wireless speakers has always aimed to bring powerful sound and elegant design to your bookshelf, and the third generation available now carries that just a bit further into the modern day. The new lineup features the small space-friendly Acton III, the mid-sized Stanmore III, and the flagship Woburn III speakers.

Everything listeners love about the Marshall speaker line is still here. There's still decent power on deck with 15-watt tweeter amps on all models, and 30-watt, 50-watt, and 90-watt setups for each of the main drivers on the respective speaker models. The Woburn also folds in dedicated mid-frequency drivers for more fullness in general. There's also solid integration via Bluetooth aptX codec support, plus an array of wired inputs. But now Marshall is putting an emphasis on a few additional modern specs.

Audio / Video

Marshall adds palm-sized BT speaker and gives Emberton more power

Marshall Willen Bluetooth speaker seen in black and cream colors.

Marshall has two new ultra-portable Bluetooth speakers just in time for your spring/summer adventures. The company has created a new version of its excellent Emberton -- the $170 Emberton II -- with more power and new features, plus it has a new, palm-sized offering called the Willen, which sells for $120. Both are available in black/brass and cream colors and can be pre-ordered starting May 3 from Marshall's website.

The Willen is incredibly small -- literally palm-sized -- but Marshall says you can expect decent sound from its 2-inch driver and dual passive radiators. It also has surprisingly decent battery life for such a small speaker. Marshall claims more than 15 hours of playtime and it says you'll be able to fully charge the internal battery in three hours, while a 20-minute quick-charge will buy you an additional three hours of use if you're in a pinch.

Audio / Video

Monster expands DNA lineup with new earbuds, Bluetooth speakers

Monster DNA Fit true wireless earbuds.

Editor's note: The details of the products in this article, including prices, availability, and some specifications, have changed since we initially published on January 4, due to errors in the material we received from Monster. We apologize for any confusion.

Monster, the company that initially rose to prominence through its marketing of premium audio and video cables, then become the design and manufacturing force behind the launch of the hugely popular Beats by Dre line of headphones, is back at CES 2022 with a quartet of new products: Two new true wireless earbuds, plus two new Bluetooth speakers. All four products will be available at Monster's new website later this year.