If Spinal Tap's Nigel Tuffnel Marshall amp goes all the way to 11, then we'll have to assume the new Marshall Willen, the company's latest and smallest Bluetooth speaker, goes all the way to at least 0,11.
Though it measures just 101,6 x 100,5 x 40,4mm and weighs 0,31kg, Marshall promises the Willen will deliver the company's signature "heavy" sound through three presets, with a two-way full-range speaker inches and two passive radiators for "solid instrument separation". - something that is not given in such a small speaker.
IP67 dust and waterproof, you'll get about 15 hours of playtime on a single charge from the Bluetooth 5.1 Willen, which can fully charge in three hours and squeeze three hours of playtime from a 20-minute charge, if you're short. of time.
Integrated microphones let you receive and reject calls from a connected mobile device, while the "Stack Mode" feature lets you daisy chain multiple Willen speakers together for multi-speaker sound. Marshall doesn't mention whether the feature extends to compatibility with its older speakers, which are some of the best wireless speakers you can buy.
Small size, big market
The main draw here is probably the look of the Willen, which mimics the larger Marshall speakers of yesteryear with a leather finish and amp-style grille, plus a physical control knob like you'd find on guitar amps. . It's also quite a versatile speaker in terms of placement: not only is it small, but it can also be placed on its side, on the back, or upright, with a rubber strap that allows you to attach it to other objects as well.
That distinctive look has a lot of work to do here, too, because the market for portable speakers is so competitive. Music fans are spoiled for choice across the price range, from the high-end Sonos Roam to more affordable picks like the JBL Flip 6 and easy-to-use JBL Go 3. Marshall's biggest speakers have been well maintained in the past. And at first glance, Willen is at least as attractive as his older counterparts.
Its price is quite reasonable too. Released "this summer" in the US and UK, it will cost €119 / €89.99.