The Marshall Emberton keeps things very simple. It is a very robust and highly portable Bluetooth speaker, so you can toss it in your backpack and take it wherever you go. It weighs just 0.7kg and can be carried in one hand. You won’t have to worry about this waterproof speaker getting wet or falling into the pool because it has IPX7 water resistance. The Marshall Emberton has the essentials covered and a stunning appearance, but it is missing certain important functions that we would often expect to see. We are here with our Marshall Emberton review.
It also lacks voice assistant capabilities, however this isn’t necessary to be anticipated from a portable speaker. This has a microphone for taking calls through the speaker. Additionally, since there is no app support, you cannot adjust the equaliser like you can with many other Bluetooth speakers. Not even a 3.5mm AUX input is present. The latest Bluetooth speaker from guitar amp manufacturer Marshall is the smallest one yet as it continues to produce new models in all different sizes and forms. One of the top portable Bluetooth speakers available is the Marshall Emberton.
Marshall Emberton review: Design
If you’ve ever used a product from Marshall speaker, you know what to anticipate. The Emberton speaker adheres very closely to the company’s established design aesthetic. This implies that, like its well-known amps, the design will be all-black with a metal grille and gold accents. Even though I usually enjoy it on bigger speakers and even headphones, I thought it was an unusual choice for a device like a small, portable Bluetooth speaker. However, I can’t deny that it does have a cool appearance. I’m just worried about how hot this thing will become if it’s left out by the pool or on a beach blanket. Therefore, thanks to the Emberton, you don’t have to be concerned about water damage.
Try to avoid dropping it into the pool because it definitely won’t float (or obviously the ocean). The UE Wonderboom 2 is a speaker that will float on top of the water so you can retrieve it if you’re hunting for one that does. But enough of that; returning to the Emberton. The speaker’s front and rear are protected by a soft metal grille, and its entire exterior is covered in soft silicone that closely resembles leather.
Marshall Emberton review: Features
How a speaker so little can produce such a large sound is a little perplexing. It actually has a better sound quality than a lot of the larger speakers and soundbars I’ve evaluated over the years. When you glance at the speaker, the bass is warm and much more powerful than you may imagine. There is enough top-end to keep things connected, and the mid-range is also rich and clear. The Emberton has well-balanced tuning, making it sound good no matter what you throw at it.
Higher volumes result in a more ragged sound and a slight loss of quality, but there isn’t much distortion, and I haven’t felt the desire to crank the Emberton up any louder. There are a few minor drawbacks worth mentioning, such as the inability to adjust the EQ using the Emberton with the Marshall app. If you have two of them, you cannot also produce a stereo pair. This isn’t a big concern because the sound profile will appeal to the most of users, and I didn’t see the need to modify it. However, it’s important to note because changing the bass and treble on other Marshall speakers, like the Uxbridge, a smart speaker, is usual.
Marshall Emberton review: Sound Performance
With two class-D amplifiers and two 10-watt speakers, the Marshall Emberton does a good deal for its size. Although it doesn’t quite deliver on its 360-degree sound promise, it sounds close enough to give you the impression of a spacious soundstage as you listen. Whether you’re listening to a piece of classical music with a lot of instruments or John Legend’s All Of Me to feel romantic, the speaker dependably delivers smooth mids. In a similar spirit, when we revisit David Bowie’s catalogue, we also enjoyed the clarity of the trebles that were present. Turning a bit more contemporary, songs like Childish Gambino’s Feels like Summer were well-balanced at every turn.
When the volume is turned up, the Marshall Emberton suffers a little. Although there is no loss of clarity or sound quality, the presence of a robust bass disappears. Fair enough, this was at its loudest setting, so we wouldn’t expect it to sound ideal for a speaker like this, but if you enjoy bass-heavy music, it’s worth taking into account. It won’t be a problem unless you expect it to compete in a sizable social gathering, which is overly optimistic given this speaker’s size.
Marshall Emberton review: Connectivity
Since it lacks a microphone, you will need to unplug your Bluetooth-enabled phone in order to answer calls. The lack of voice assistant functionality on the Emberton is another consequence, which may or may not concern you. Last but not least, it lacks any intriguing app-based features like Ultimate Ears’ Boom speakers, which enable wireless pairing of two or more speakers. Although I didn’t anticipate Marshall to duplicate the Boom’s feature set, I would have appreciated some more effort.
Marshall Emberton review: Battery life
It seems more heavier than I anticipated a speaker this size to feel, but given its lengthy battery life, it doesn’t seem excessive. Since I received a review unit to test, I have been continuously using the Emberton, and when it was pumping out music at a medium volume, it easily met the 20-hour lifespan promise. Because Ultimate Ears evidently hasn’t heard us yet, I can never stress enough how useful USB-C charging is.
Although this speaker has outstanding battery life, IPX7-rated waterproofing, and USB-C charging, the sonic quality is what will cause me to recommend it over other like sized and priced devices. Any genre of music or my choice of podcasts sounded richly textured, with a surprising amount of bass and clarity in the mids and highs, kept present in the sound by superb balance. The self-titled album by Little Dragon serves as a nice showcase for the young Emberton.
Final Words
One of the greatest Bluetooth speakers we have ever tested, the Marshall Emberton performs flawlessly. It has a fantastic design, is very portable, and is built to last. For such a small speaker, it provides an unexpectedly large and deep sound. It’s a winning mix when you include a really long battery life and a reasonable pricing point. There are a few minor drawbacks, but they are not very significant. The option to stereo link two Embertons would be wonderful, but an aux input would be the biggest convenience.
