Marshall is a model synonymous with road-worthy guitar amps, however this new transportable Bluetooth speaker appears rugged sufficient to face as much as a world tour with Slash.
The Middleton definitely seems the half, that includes the corporate’s script emblem on a black plastic housing. Made from 55% post-consumer recycled plastic, the casing has a IP67 ranking, that means it presents complete safety from mud in addition to with the ability to stand as much as being submerged in 1m water for at the very least 30 minutes.
The Middleton sits between Marshall’s not too long ago released Stockwell 2 and Emberton 2, and boasts a multi-directional quad-speaker set-up to tackle the most effective Bluetooth audio system relating to audio power from a compact body.
As with the Marshall Emberton 2, this four-speaker array permits the gadget to make the most of Marshall’s bespoke ‘True Stereophonic’ system, which the corporate claims creates a more immersive 360-degree sound stage than a standard stereo setup.
There’s a hefty most output of 87db, which sounds like it will be sufficient to get Lemmy’s approval from past the grave, but when that isn’t sufficient, you should use the gadget’s multi-speaker Stack Mode and pair it up with different Middletons for even more power.
Unlike the Emberton 2, there are bodily bass and treble controls on the highest of the speaker, whereas EQ can also be adjusted via Marshall’s devoted app for Apple and Android units.
The Middleton comes with a claimed battery life in extra of 20 hours playtime, with a full charge taking 4.5 hours to bring the juice back as much as 100%. Usefully, the battery also acts as a power financial institution, permitting you to charge your cell units on the transfer.
The Marshall Middleton is offered now for £269/€299/$299 direct from marshallheadphones.com.
Analysis: Will the Marshall rock onerous sufficient to justify its price?
With its prolonged battery, cool seems and balanced sound, we had been impressed with the efficiency of Marshall’s up to date Emberton 2 speaker when it arrived late last year, however questioned its elevated price tag.
The Middleton brings greater output, IP67 waterproofing and a few welcome EQ controls, however there’s nonetheless some notable options lacking we’d anticipate at this price.
Chief of those (for some) is the shortage of help for good assistants, with no built-in technique of utilizing the likes of Alexa or Google Assistant, which can make the Middleton a tough promote when lined up against others on our greatest waterproof audio system listing, together with the cheaper Sonos Roam.
But audio is essentially the most important factor, and if it sounds right, we’ll forgive the shortage of tiny rock fairy to speak to.