Marshall - Stockwell II Portable Bluetooth Speaker - Black

Marshall Amplification is the best known designer and manufacturer of professional music amplifiers and stage speakers. Its classic “Marshall” script on the grill cloth is a guarantee that the equipment is top quality and will produce, as Pete Townshend noted, “sizzling sound with crunch!” Since 2010 Marshall has worked closely with Sweden’s top-rated Zound Industries to create consumer versions of its equipment. This review will focus on the latest of these collaborations, the Marshall Stockwell II wireless portable Bluetooth speaker, a surprisingly powerful unit with amazing sound quality and some great bonus features. After extensive testing of the Stockwell II speaker in a wide variety of applications my conclusion is that this very compact unit has a superb combination of features, power and sound quality which far surpass the vast majority of its competitors in its price range. First, consider that the Stockwell II is packed with a great set of features and specifications: • Bi-directional stereophonic sound radiation • Maximum sound level 80 dBA • Frequency range: 60 Hz to 20,000 Hz • 100mm woofer/main speaker, two 20mm dome tweeters, plus passive reflex radiators to create deeper bass • 3 Class D Amplifiers provide 10 watts of power for main speaker and 5 watts of power for each dome tweeter • Volume, Bass and Treble analog controls • Very compact: 7.1” tall, 6.3” wide, 2.8” deep • Weight: 3 pounds and feels very solidly built • Shock-resistant: Survives 2 foot drop test • Silicon exterior provides IPX 4 certified water resistance (protection from water splashed on it from any direction for at least 5 minutes) and it is very easy to clean • Total Harmonic Distortion of less than 1% • Bluetooth 5.0 aptX connectivity with multi-host functionality • 3.5 mm external input • Power supply: lithium polymer battery, USB-C 5V-12V recharge cable included • Battery life: 20+ hours (12+ hours at maximum volume level), fast recharge time • One year warranty on parts and labor The Stockwell II comes securely packaged in a fabric cover within a shock-resistant storage box. Included is a simple illustrated getting started brochure, the usual safety warnings and a USB-C charging cable. The Stockwell II speaker is very solid and quite attractive in an old school, rock concert stage style. It can survive the usual rough handling that portable Bluetooth speakers have to endure. The IPX 4 rating means you can splash it with water for up to 5 minutes from any direction. And the tight weave on the silicon speaker fabric and other surfaces makes it very easy to clean. The USB-C charging port is located on the right side, just above the 3.5 mm stereo input connection. You can attach the charging cable and it will be unobtrusive while you use the speaker. But the long battery life (20+ hours) and high-speed USB-C charging rate means that you won’t be recharging very often. The controls are very simple. The top has a Bluetooth connecting pressure switch, three big, analog knobs to adjust volume, bass and treble and a bar gauge indicating the battery charge. There is also a very nice, wide carrying strap which you can attach to the brass knobs on each side. The total package says quality, simplicity, very high cool quotient. The Bluetooth connection was effortless and solid from every device I tried (phone, tablet, laptop). It held the connection steady up to about 50 feet from my music source (with no walls or other blockages in-between.) As noted, you also have the option of connecting a non-Bluetooth source with a 3.5 mm stereo cable. OK, so that’s the basics, but the big question is, how does it sound? In a word – amazing! I played a wide variety of music on the Stockwell II unit. Everything from 1950s jazz classics, 1960s rock and Motown standards, 1970s heavy metal to recent classical music masterpieces. Everything was reproduced with great fidelity and with a warm, rich body that no other Bluetooth speaker I have ever used could match. Bass lines had a very satisfying thump, mid-range tones were silky smooth and high notes could shatter crystal. I was very impressed that this compact unit had such range and power! The sound quality is largely due to the superb engineering of Marshall and Zound. The big 100 mm (4”) main speaker driver is directed at the rear of the unit and the two dome tweeters fire through the front surface. Bass is not really perceived as directional – most of the stereo effect comes from the mid-range and high notes which the tweeters produce. Having the large speaker facing the back surface frees up space for the tweeters to work more effectively. Just put your hand on the front and rear of this speaker and you can really feel the difference – a massive thumping on the back and the energy of high frequencies on the front surface. Passive reflex radiators also help to distribute the sound through both faces. There are a few elements which are not perfect. First, the maximum volume is 80 dB – adequate but not overwhelming. Some Bluetooth speakers are rated as 90 dB (twice as loud as 80 dB.) Turn the volume all the way up and it is room-filling sound but not room-shaking sound. The old Spinal Tap joke about turning the knob up to 11 definitely does not apply here. Second, the Bass and Treble controls may confuse some. They are marked from 0 to 10 but 5 is really neutral. Below 5 and the tone is attenuated, above 5 and the effect is enhanced. Just set both at 5 and then work from there to get the sound profile you like best. Third, the unit is not really interactive with your source. You can’t skip to the next song from the speaker, nor can you adjust the source volume from the speaker, only the speaker’s volume. This is not really a big deal but if you are used to the interactive nature of most Bluetooth speakers just be aware of this minor limitation. On the plus side, the use of USB-C for charging means that the Stockwell II is future-tech compatible. You can charge other devices by plugging in to the power in/out port on the side and the massive battery will bring your other devices back to life quickly. The battery meter is easy to read and leaves no doubt about the charge level. The elegant carrying strap makes moving the speaker around very comfortable, but it can be removed or just flipped down if you don’t like its look. The 3.5 mm input gives you the option of playing other sources through this great speaker. Most Bluetooth speakers have a similar port but this is a speaker good enough to actually make you want to use it! After living with the Marshall Stockwell II Bluetooth speaker for a couple of weeks I can confidently state that it is one of the best values on the market. It has my whole-hearted and enthusiastic recommendation!

This was my first marshal Bluetooth speaker and I was impressed by how well made this speaker and offers a Great sound just right !

This good looking, vintage style Marshall speaker didn’t disappoint! Came out of the box charged. Up and running in about 1 minute. Sounds amazing but still super portable. Small but mighty! Rich sound and bass is perfect, with adjustable settings. Solid construction. Sound comes from front and back. Our 17 yo daughter loves it and I have to admit, I’ve “borrowed” it a few times already lol.

I had a Harman Kardon Onyx Mini for about 6 years. Loved the sound I got out of it. Unfortunately it stopped keeping a charge for more than 30min. I went to Best Buy and was set on a Bose Soundlink Revolve but the Marshall Stockwell II caught my eye and was on sale. After much debate and speaking with two different sales guys they convinced me to go with the Marshall. I was a little leary because there wasn't a demo unit to listen to. I've had it two days now and absolutely love it. Outstanding sound, the bass and treble adjustments are great and when you turn it up it stays clear. The build of it is very high quality too. Really happy with my purchase. I typically use a speaker when sitting on my patio, in the kitchen or in my basement bar. Works great in this type of setting or for small parties. I do wish it was a tad bit louder. That's the only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5. In the under $200 price range I don't think you can find anything with better sound.

When this arrived I didn't expect a whole lot based on the size alone - boy was I wrong! It's a square, each side a little longer than the length of a dollar bill. A lot of attention went into the detail of the finish - very nice! Controls are easy - a Bluetooth pairing button, volume, bass and treble. When my unit arrived the battery was stone cold dead - but maybe 5 minutes on the USB-C connection and it fired right up.. I started with some AC/DC since they always bring a good mix of bass and treble. I was shocked when the bass was strong enough to show me that the surface I put the speaker on wasn't level and the bass caused it to rock and fall over :-) Shockingly good sound comes out of this little speaker! Definitely good for a small room - very very FULL sound, crisp, clean, without being overly bassy. Worth checking out if you're looking for something that puts out good sound and is portable (20 hours play time on battery)

Tuff and well built. I love this speaker, the sound is top notch and it’s really loud. The battery life is great.

Love the sound and style! Last a long time without charging! Worth the price!

I have had this portable speaker for about a week now. When I picked it up and opened the box I was surprised by how small it was, but WOW it’s loud. It packs a big punch for how little and cute it is. I have taken this with me everywhere. We are currently on a road trip and we listen to this at every campground, every beach spot, and more! I love how simple and easy the controls are. The battery life is also pretty good. I used it after a full charge for about 3 days listening to it a few hours at a time and I didn’t have to charge it until the end of day 3. Very impressive. I also feel fancy bringing this thing with me everywhere, but it’s simultaneously tough and durable. Definitely looks more expensive than it is! 10/10 would recommend.