Marshall Middleton Bluetooth speaker steps up on sound
Four-driver sound from a tiny waterproof package
If you’re the sort of music fan that always insists on turning everything up to eleven, Marshall has a new portable speaker that should give your eardrums a workout. The Marshall Middleton is essentially a beefier version of the firm’s existing Emberton Bluetooth boombox, with room for extra speaker drivers and multi-directional tuning.
Behind the familiar gold logo and all-black grille made to resemble a Marshall amplifier you’ll find four individual drivers, powered by twin class D amps for a total 60W output. That’s quite a punch from something you can pick up with one hand. At 1.8kg it’s easily lugged around without requiring a team of roadies, and with IP67 dust and water resistance will have no concerns becoming a muddy festival companion. The whole thing is made from 55% post-consumer recycled plastic, to minimise its environmental impact.
It uses Marshall’s bespoke True Stereophonic multi-directional audio, which should deliver impactful audio no matter which way it’s facing. And if one speaker isn’t going to cut it, Stack Mode lets you link multiple Middletons together to create a wall of sound. Bass and treble can be tweaked on the fly, either using buttons on top of the unit or the smartphone companion app.
There’s a big enough battery inside to give over 20 hours of listening from a single charge, depending on how hard you’re rocking out. A full recharge should take around four and a half hours over USB. A wrist strap makes for easy transport, for when you don’t want to stay tethered to one spot.
With prices set at £269 / €299 / £299, the Marshall Middleton is looking to rival premium Bluetooth speakers like the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 and Bose SoundLink Revolve+, plus the more luggable JBL Xtreme 3. It will be available to buy direct from the Marshall Headphones website from the 31st of January.
Tom Morgan-Freelander
Deputy Editor 
