I tried Marshalls new Bluetooth speaker, and it impressed with generous battery life and true stereo sound

Date:
Tue, 27 May 2025 14:00:10 +0000

Description:
The latest entry in Marshalls Kilburn line of speakers has landed, with upgraded battery life and audio performance.

FULL STORY ======================================================================The Marshall Kilburn III launches globally on May 27 2025 Its considerably
pricier than its predecessor at $379 / 299 / AU$599 It offers 50+ hours' battery life, IP54 waterproofing, and true stereophonic sound

Marshall has revealed the newest model in its line of mid-sized Bluetooth speakers, the Marshall Kilburn III, launching globally on May 27 2025.

In order to compete with the best Bluetooth speakers around, the Marshall Kilburn III has made some drastic improvements over its predecessor. The new model boasts more than 50 hours of playtime, IP54 dust- and waterproofing, as well as a more luxurious design.

But with these improvements comes an inflated price. The Marshall Kilburn III has a list price of $379 / 299 / AU$599, which is $80 / 50 / AU$100 more than the Kilburn II cost at launch. That said, there are a lot of upgrades and additions to explore on Marshalls latest speaker, as I discovered when I got to try it at Marshalls HQ in Stockholm, Sweden.

Here are my initial thoughts about the flashy new Kilburn III. A taste of the Kilburn III (Image credit: Marshall)

So, Ill put my cards on the table I didnt get tons of time to listen to the Kilburn III. The main reason for my journey to Stockholm was to see Marshalls very first attempt at a soundbar with the Marshall Heston 120 . But I did get a good few minutes of listening across a selection of tracks from varying genres, in a space that essentially mimicked a living room.

To cut to the chase, the Kilburn III made a good first impression on me. Marshalls audio team has placed a lot of emphasis on the speakers enhanced "true" 360-degree stereophonic sound, intended to provide clear, powerful audio, no matter where youre standing. And that seemed to be effective for me as I paced around the space, with pleasing, distortion-free sound coming through at all times.

In addition, the Kilburn III is designed to dish up a rounded, harmonious sound signature. I was struck by the impressive balance across the frequencies, even at louder volumes. And thats unsurprising given the
speakers dynamic loudness tech, which automatically adjusts bass, mids and treble depending on the volume at which youre playing tracks. (Image credit: Marshall)

Indeed, the Kilburn III has fully reengineered acoustics to take the step up from its predecessor, which impressed us overall, although we did feel there was room for improvement at the low-end. But sound isnt the only thing thats been refined; the build and look of the speaker has also been taken up a notch, too.

A lot of customers, Marshall told me, preferred the overall aesthetic of the original Kilburn, which launched 10 years ago. As a result, the company opted to base the newest Kilburn model on its original, and I really liked the look of it.

Having previously lived in Kilburn myself, I have to say that this Bluetooth speaker is far prettier than the London district after which it's named. It has a retro-looking amp-inspired look with a pin to turn power on or off, tactile knobs for volume and playback control, and an "M" button to access presets. The Kilburn III is available in Black & Brass or Cream, with both colorways playing to the speaker's premium feel. Tuning into the details (Image credit: Marshall)

After running through some of the tech specs for the Kilburn III, I really am expecting this to be a significant step up over its predecessor.

It has a wider frequency range, now going way down to 45Hz, up to the typical 20kHz. That should mean its even more capable of hitting those deep dark bass notes than the Kilburn II. New, mightier drivers should also mean you get plenty of power out of this speaker, but youll have to wait for my full
review to see if that really is the case.

Something we can say for sure, though, is that the Marshall Kilburn III is
far more fit for bathroom use or taking outside on a rainy day. Thats because it now comes with a IP54 dust- and waterproof rating a significant step up from the Kilburn IIs IPX2 protection.

Marshall told me that this model is meant to be more of an interior statement piece, due to models such as the IP67-rated Marshall Emberton III and
Marshall Middleton occupying the rugged space. But still, having that
improved durability is a definite nice-to-have.

Perhaps the biggest change to the Kilburn III, however, is its battery life. The Kilburn II offered 20+ hours of playtime, which is solid, but nothing particularly standout. However, the Kilburn III really takes things to the next level, supplying more than 50 hours of play really phenomenal stuff.
For reference, thats the longest battery life of any Marshall speaker to date
not bad, eh?

I could go on: you're able to adjust EQ via the revamped Marshall app; use
the speaker to charge external devices; access Auracast connectivity; and
even detach its classy carrying strap. But thats all for now. Ill be back
soon to give my full, unfiltered thoughts on the Kilburn III. That is, after Ive spent a bit of time testing it here at Future Labs.

If youre already sold, though, you can grab the Marshall Kilburn III now via Marshalls own website. It will also be available to purchase through select retailers from June 10. (Image credit: Marshall) You might also like I tried Marshalls first soundbar, which rivals the Sonos Arc Ultra with an amp-inspired design and huge Dolby Atmos sound Need a speaker that can tackle any environment from the beach to the shower? The check out our guide to the best waterproof speakers



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/wireless-bluetooth-speakers/i-tried-marshalls- new-bluetooth-speaker-and-it-impressed-me-with-giant-battery-life-and-true-ste reo-sound


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