Customers consistently note the Emberton III Portable Bluetooth Speaker's exceptional sound quality and impressive battery life. Its portability and perfect size make it convenient for various uses, while the cool retro design and water resistance are also appreciated. The satisfying bass, microphone for calls, and powerful volume further enhance the user experience. Overall, the speaker's features contribute to a positive customer reception.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 143 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Design, Portability, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Super sound from a small box
|
|
Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Marshall Bluetooth speaker does not disappoint. It delivers excellent sound from such a small device. It lasts for hours very durable and looks very stylish.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Size, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Perfect for the Garage
|
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This speaker is great! It’s compact but the sound is impressive! The bass is good but obviously it’s not going to sound as good as a big speaker but overall this is great. I use it in my garage when I’m working on my car. My only gripe is that it lacks customizable EQ. The App only has 2 presets or maybe 3 and that’s all you can use. Sound is still amazing though. Love that the sound output is both from the front and back of speaker!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portability, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Holy Grail of speakers
|
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great quality sound. Rigid design and they make protective skins of all different colors for it so you're not stuck with one color. It has a hanging clip for mobility and when placed against a wall it's pretty much second to none. Oh and also it just looks awesome!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Rich sound, perfect size
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Perfect size, great rich sounds for a speaker of this size! The battery lasts a very long time.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
GREAT
|
|
Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Powerful and clear sound. EASY connection, took the place of my old Bose that had very wonky connection issues. I love my new mini Marshall!!!!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Marshall speaker
|
|
Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Well worth the value, the sound is crisp and color is awesome. Wish the app had more sound options though.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Good bluetooth speaker..I use for jamming with songs on my phone or learning songs off you tube. Glad I got the upgraded speaker on sale.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Design, Portability
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
I'm renaming it the 'Mighty Em' because it ROCKS!
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I used to think bigger speakers were always better sounding, but this small, waterproof, and dust-resistant speaker has pushed that though right out of my mind! The Marshall Emberton III is a beauty, looking like a miniature version of my guitar amp and sounds nothing short of amazing. A clear balanced sound could be heard no matter what setting I had it in—tailgating, office, camping, a friend’s place—with no distortion.
The battery lasts up to 32 hours, and the LED indicator shows how much charge is left. For perspective, I used it 3-4 hours a day for 7 days straight without charging and it had just under 50 percent battery life left. Usage included different genres of music, videos, movies, podcasts, and audiobooks, all at different, but usually, loudest volume.
It comes with a USB-C to USB-C charging cord but no charger. It’s easy to grip and stays put thanks to its rubberized texture, and there’s a spot for a carrying strap, though it’s not included. Setup is simple, and the sound quality is superb, with music radiating from both sides. The Marshall companion app could be a little more robust but does offer extra features like three EQ presets and firmware updates. The one design flaw is that the black operating buttons and text are hard to see in low light. It would have been ideal if they were reflective gold like the Control button.
Pros:
• Cool Design: Classic Marshall amp look with a rock-n-roll vibe.
• Solid Build: Feels sturdy and has a bit of weight without being too heavy.
• Portable: Convenient size for easy storage and transport.
• Durable Exterior: Textured, dust, and waterproof (though I’d avoid heavy rain or submersion).
• Easy Setup: Comes in pairing mode right out of the box and connected to device in seconds.
• Phenomenal Sound Quality: Speakers on both sides create an outstanding immersive audio experience.
• Built-in Microphone: Handy for taking calls from connected devices. (Call quality with iPhone was good)
• Impressive Battery Life: Up to 32 hours of playtime with a detailed 10-bar power indicator.
• Companion App: Manage firmware, set battery preservation, and choose from three EQ presets. Provides links to guides and manuals for other Marshall products.
Cons:
• Cable Configuration: Included cable is USB-C to USB-C with no charger, so you’ll need your own.
• Companion App: Limited features for the Emberton III – only three EQ presets and battery settings – so app is not really necessary because anything else mostly pushes you to Marshall’s website
• App Naming: The companion app is weirdly named “Bluetooth” instead of Marshall on iOS
• Button Visibility: Black operating buttons are hard to read without adequate lighting
Overall, you can’t go wrong with this speaker!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Size, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Good speaker, cool styling
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I have been wanting a new midsized bluetooth speaker for a while. I have a 10 year old one that still works ok, and stays charged for quite a while (8 hours) but the app is no longer supported for the equalizers. I have two other small speakers, but one the batter is dead, and the other is going. I had seen these on display and demo'd and I really liked this compared to many others. The footprint on this is smaller than my phone, height is descent. The build is sturdy, it is water and dust resistant. The manual says waterproof….I still say resistant. The soft metal feel is good, and it is heavy/sturdy. I habe the black/copper and it looks like a mini amp. Battery life is rated at 32 hours, I usually use it for 4 to 6 hours at a time, I know it lasts for most work weeks (5 days) then I charge it, usually in the 20's % charge when I plug it in. There is an app for this for updating firmware and there are 3 equilizer settings. You can also see charge of battery. The Marshall mix setting is the best balanced, but punch works well also for much of my garage/guitar driven rock I play. Voice I'm sure would be good for audio books, I just don't do them. I wish this had a custom mix, but I habe not found it if it does. Not a big deal, it sounds good with their mix. The buttons to control are very well marked and laid our, with good feel on the center knob push/tilt for pause, volume, and skip. There is a red led light strip that indicates battery life visually without the app. l have an android phone and then I turned this on the first time, it detected the new speaker and asked to pair and pulled up the link to download the app right away. That worked well, but even if it wasn't automatic, easy enough set up. The volume it gets to is quite respectable. My office is 12x13 and it is loud in there, and with my door closed I can hear it across the house easily when in upper volume range. I did go to max on a few songs just to push it a bit, no distortion witj either the Marshall or punch equilizer. This does produce a crisp treble and bass very distinctly without mushing the vocals. I am using albums I have listened to thousands of times and many are platinum sellers, so I've heard them from single am radio speaker in an old truck to 7.1 surround systems in atmos mix, and am familiar with what they should sound like, and this reproduces the sound very well. The sound also does not feel directional, but flows out in all directions. The price on this is competative for quality mid range bluetooth speakers, which is where my 10 year old one fell when I bought it, and you get what you pay for. This is worth going above the basics. I feel cost here is returned with quality. I have experience with an ultra premium brand's speaker that is near this size, and for the price difference (msrp to msrp, not counting sales) is about 2 to 3 Andrew Jackson’s higher, not worth it. This competes head to head with the best. I can find no faults. Five stars. Meets all my goals. The style of the mini amplifier, the solid buttons and feel. Battery life in theory is better than the more expensive ones. A good speaker.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Design, Portability
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Such a cool speaker
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
So I’ve owned the Marshall Emberton III for about a week now and I love it. It is such a cool “little” speaker. It has a really cool retro feeling yet minimalist design. I like the grills on the front and back of the speaker. The whole speaker has a grippy , rubbery silicone feel. It is very very sturdy, I feel like I could chock a motorcycle tire with it haha. It has rear and front firing speakers for a 360 degree sound experience. The gold button on top is a push button but also toggles up , down, left and right for music controls. It sports the iconic Marshall logo on the front. Stylish all around. Battery life is excellent, I’ve yet to need to recharge it after using it all week. I used it for about 3 hours one night while I painted my bedroom door and doorframe. The battery still shows about 80% battery. I think it will easily last a whole day at the pool or beach with juice to spare. The battery charges with a standard usb C cable. I use my fast charging cable and it charges up in a couple of hours.
Sound quality: is Excellent! For its size. The default sound profile has a well balanced sound. Perfect for rock music. It is quite loud for its size and I think it is perfect for small gatherings, work and play. I think most people would love the sound quality of it straight out of the box but if you’re like me…
I like a litttle more bass in my speakers, so I tweaked it with the Marshall Bluetooth app located in the App Store. It allows you to see battery status, change the EQ and play music easily and conveniently.
Would I recommend it? Yes!
It has very good sound quality, build quality is fantastic. It is rugged, portable and dust / splash proof. Take with you to the pool or barbecue!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Design, Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great Sound and Ultra-Portable
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Over the years I have owned both Bluetooth speakers and earbuds made by Marshall and have enjoyed their sound quality, but most of all, their craftsmanship. This new model speaker from Marshall met those expectations.
Pros:
- Sound quality is excellent considering the small size. This speaker is about half the size of a typical brick, but it gets plenty loud and can fill a medium or large-sized room with ease.
- I love the power indicator. Many speakers do not have a visual battery indicator, but I always like to know when I should plan to plug in. The battery life on this device was excellent. I was able to use it for nearly a full day and was still over half power.
- The design of the brass control knob provides an easy way to increase/decrease volume or to skip tracks.
- This speaker has a great look. You can place it anywhere and will not clash with other items. The leathery texture gives it a great nostalgic feel.
Cons:
- Unless you are in a brightly lit room, you may have trouble making out the buttons on the top of the speaker. I'm sure I'll memorize them over time, but the sleek black on black color scheme trades ease of use for the cool look factor.
Overall, this speaker has a good price point, excellent build quality, and terrific sound. It's a great option if you looking for a small and very portable speaker.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Size, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
not too shabby marshall
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Marshall emberton III with true stereophonic a multi directional 360 sounds. this small bluetooth speaker with marshall iconic look. is a perfect speaker for small room, a perfect travel speaker to take anywhere with ya.
DESIGN
Marshall Emberton III is very similar to their previous product it stay with that ecosystem what Marshall design should look, amazing black leather like feel with a hand of brass on multi directional control knob and the Marshall letters at front.
FEATURES
at the top Marshall Emberton III offer bluetooth pairing, a power button, a battery indicator with multi directional knob for volume level and skip rewind direction to not forgot this speaker offer built in microphone. perfect for taking calls. tested this with my wife to see how good it can pick up my voice overall performance was good!
Marshall Emberton III offers up to 32 hours of portable playtime, I didn’t manage to full drain but that’s more than enough for a whole day of play, but keep in mind that’s really based on your used experience. it’s stated for dust and waterproof up to 3 ft of water.
APP
once bluetooth is connected through your phone a notification will prompt for Marshall app for you to install this an optional thing to do so you’re not force to have it to enjoy this speaker. once the speaker added on the app you have the EQ settings and a battery preservation settings which I thought a great feature to have. by managing your battery the internal battery should last longer if you would use this very heavily. other than that EQ have 3 preset you can choose from, you have Marshall. Push and Voice. you do have the ability to control the current music that’s playing right from the Marshal app alone.
EXPERIENCE
one of the i’ve been using this in my wife office in the house and this speaker could easy fill the whole room with great sounding music. but i’ve also noticed that I mainly kept my volume at 80% while using this device. it’s pretty high just for me to feel very comfortable when I just want loud sounding music. battery dropped from 100-94% within 5 minutes with high volume so usage will definitely be varies on each user about battery life. another thing that disappointed me was the app. EQ was very limited to 3 preset. correct me if i’m wrong but I do not see an option to even adjust my own EQ I thought that’s just a standard things to have but you’re stuck using 3 preset. the push equalizer sounds flat that I do not recommend it, stay with regular Marshall setting, voice equalizer does have minor differences compared to stock EQ overall I still recommend the regular EQ. I still recommend Emberton III I think it’s a great sounding device. marshall need to improve the application specifically when it comes EQ. the spatial sounds this bluetooth speaker offer well I can’t really tell honestly of well it does. I only notice great spatial sounds either on headphones or a proper sounds system
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Portability, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
A fantastic rich sounding stylish compact speaker!
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is a fantastic rich sounding speaker that outperforms its size. The sound clarity is awesome, and the sound effects is brilliant for its size.
The speaker is well built, feels premium, and is water and dust resistant. The leather feel and the metal mesh and the round button on top and the Marshall logo on the front gives it a premium look and the build is of excellent quality.
At about 6x3x3 inches and weighing just about a pound and a half this is easily portable. Little did I realize a speaker of this size can produce such a loud, clear and effective sound. Marshall’s sound quality is supreme. The Marshall app also offers customizing the sound – Signature Marshall / deep bass / voice mode. After playing around I felt the default signature Marshall sounds the best to my liking.
The battery lasted about 30 hours on a single charge and takes about 2 hours to charge it back full. An in-app feature prevents battery to charge beyond 95% to preserve the overall battery longevity. This feature can be switched off in the app. There is a led lit power indicator (pic attached) that’s so handy and looks beautiful.
The circle button supports play/pause/next/previous/volume up and down. There is a power off and a Bluetooth button. It has Bluetooth version 5.3 and LE ready. This supports multi-point and I can pause and play from 2 devices at the same time. (Of course, the first device needs to be paused).
This also has a good quality mic, and I can take a call with it. Call quality is good. Pressing the center button answers the call (press again to hangup). Really helpful when in a pool or shower.
This is hands down, the best Bluetooth speaker I have used. It ticks all boxes – premium sound quality, lightweight, compact, stylish-retro look, multipoint connectivity, mic for calls. Absolutely no hesitation to recommend this to anyone !
It is not an overstatement when I say that it has re-kindled my love for music. I am looking for a 6th star to rate this one.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
The Marshall Emberton III Speaker = AWESOME!!
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Was so pleased to receive the Emberton III Bluetooth speaker. It's really well made ~ something you'll notice right away and came with a Quick Start Guide booklet. I had no trouble connecting it to my iPhone or iMac, unlike some other Bluetooth speakers I've tried. I already had the Marshall app on my phone so it paired up and in the app you'll find EQ PRESETS with the first one being that Signature Marshall sound ~ second is PUSH which boosts the bass and treble for a heavier sound and third is VOICE which enhances the midrange for more clarity if you're listening to voice-focused content. Next on the app is BATTERY PRESERVATION with MAX CHARGE, TEMPERATURE and CHARGING SPEED. I placed my speaker on MAX which limits the charge to 95% and prolongs the battery lifespan. Finally there is ABOUT which tells you the product name, serial number, firmware version and Forget Device option. My firmware was already up to date. Also the app tells you how much battery life is left showing the percentage under Emberton.
I have been testing this speaker quite a bit listening to various kinds of music and taking phone calls. Everything sounds wonderful and voices are very clear. I found I like the first setting on the app which is the Signature Marshall sound. I fully charged it before the first use and after 3 days it's still at a 68% charge.
I carry it around with me because it's so portable weighing in at 1 lb. 7.7 oz and measures about 6" long x 3" deep x 2.5" high. The black finish is so cool ~ no worries about it slipping out of your hands.
On top you'll find a Bluetooth button, power button and in the center a gold Control Knob which is so easy to use. 1. Play/Pause push once 2. Skip Backward/Forward push left/right. 3. Turn up the Volume push up or down. 4. Receive a call push once and 5. Reject a call push twice. There is also a small microphone hole to left of the Control Knob. The colorful, vertical 10 segment battery indicator shows the charge. The USB-C charge power input is on the right side and there is a place to thread a carrying strap if you so choose to although one is not provided. They did include a charging cable.
I can't say enough about the black finish with that gold MARSHALL in script on the front. BEAUTIFUL!! CLASSIC!! That grill, which is on the front and rear, looks amazing. This model also offers stereophonic sound.
If you are in the market for a superb portable Bluetooth speaker look no further! The price is reasonable and it's very high quality. It sounds just as good as it looks and I love it! Definitely worth a purchase!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
I Love This Speaker
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Marshall Emberton III is beautifully styled to look like a Marshall amplifier, and delivers amazing sound with great range and clarity.
It has ample battery with more than 30 hours of play time. At 10 watts it produces plenty of volume and can fill a good sized room with sound. It is very much like having a pair of wireless bookshelf speakers.
There are three buttons on the top, one for power, one to initiate bluetooth pairing mode, and a multifunction button that allows you to adjust the volume up or down, to pause and resume play, and to move forward or back to the next or previous audio track. A set of red LEDs provides a clear visual indication of the current battery charge level.
A USB-C port supports charging with the included USB-C cable. An AC power adapter is not included. The speaker feels very solidly made with a silicone exterior and metal grille, and comes with an IP67 dust and waterproof rating.
The included smartphone app allows you to choose between several pre-configured audio EQ profiles, and between more agressive and less agressive charging options to extend battery lifetime.
The speaker also includes a built-in microphone, so it can be used as a speaker phone when paired with a smartphone.
In addition to looking like a Marshall amplifier, the cuteness factor is further enhanced by the crunchy guitar licks that it plays when powered on and off. This makes me grin every time I hear it.
There is no denying the fact that this is not an inexpensive bluetooth speaker, but it is uniquely styled and delivers excellent audio performance with useful features. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of music, guitars and related gear, classic rock, and great audio. If you know someone like this, the Marshall Emberton III would make a treasured gift.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Marshall Amp Look and conversation starter
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Marshall Emberton III is an attractive and portable bluetooth speaker that surprisingly sounds fantastic for all sorts of music. With the Marshall app, you can change the sound settings from a classic Marshall sound which I would describe as grungy and a Pushed sound which according to my ears sound fully and bright with deep bass. The exterior of the speaker is this rubber faux leather feeling materials which acts as a bumper but looks just like a Marshall amplifier. The speaker is the size of a large energy drink but packs quite a bit of volume. Turn the speaker up and it gets loud but retains its clarity. The speaker is charged using USB-C which is commonplace today. There is a very large red stack of bars that clearly shows you how much battery life is left in the speaker. I have used this for a week playing YouTube and Spotify and I have only used half the battery, which tells me this speaker will last a long time. A nice touch of this Marshall Emberton III speaker is the tones it plays when you turn it on and off. A guitar riff is played in a happy tone when you turn it on and a sad guitar riff when you turn it off. In all honesty, the appearance of looking like a Marshall amp is what sells this thing. It does not look like a generic Bluetooth speaker and if you are guitar player or likes guitar, its really hard not to have this in your room jamming out to your favorite tunes. To boast, the sound is great too and last a long time on a charge and you won’t be disappointed.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Size, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Marshall does it again - a well-balanced speaker
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Bluetooth speakers have been around long enough for most of us to own a few around the house or when traveling. We have several upstairs, downstairs, garage, and the backyard. There's been many I will use when we go on trips. Depending on where we go, I'll mostly bring our Sonos Move or our Sonos Roam.
The Move packs a big punch and sounds great, but it is cumbersome unless we store it in the car. The Roam, on the other hand, lacks in the sound department but is very easy to throw in a bag for nearby picnics or adventure hikes. I've been wanting something that meets both my expectations. I've found it with the Emberton III!
This is my first Marshall product, but judging by my satisfaction, it will not be my last. Marshall has several Bluetooth speakers, but this version is small enough to throw in a bag and sounds fantastic. Separation is there, the soundstage is wider than you'd think, and the bass is natural yet clear. Everything sounds so good. It's not going to meet the sound of a larger speaker meant for home use, but in regards to a "travel speaker," this is an incredible device.
The Emberton II was a hit when it was released, and I understand why. There were a few adjustments made with this gen, but the look of these keeps the classic amp look Marshall is known for. Everything from the buttons, battery indicator, and speaker grill to the Marshall app screams quality.
The app isn't super detailed, but it looks great, is snappy, and easy to navigate. When pairing the Emberton III with my Pixel 9 Pro XL, it connected immediately for one of the smoothest pairings I've experienced with anything non-Pixel.
Battery life seems outstanding as well. Since the initial charge, I've used it four to five times for around 4-5 hours, and according to the app, it's at 84% battery. That's awesome! You won't need to charge this much. Another great thing is when you turn it on, it automatically connects to your phone. There's no need to go through steps connecting it every time.
For $170, it's appropriately priced - as that is the standard for this type of speaker. This one sounds much better than many other speakers in this price range. The Sonos Roam is listed at $169, and the Emberton III is night and day better in the sound department to my ears. It's not near Sonos' Move, but that's to be expected due to its $449 price tag! It sits somewhere between The Roam and The Move but is as portable as The Roam is. I'd say the value is there at this price!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Power In a Pint Sized Package
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’m a big fan of my music – I’ve got multiple record players and multiple Bluetooth speakers of various sizes for various places in my home. I wouldn’t call myself an audiophile, but I hate muddled mixes. When Marshall came out with their Emberton III Portable Bluetooth Speaker I was thrilled to have an opportunity to play some tunes through it!
To begin with, I own one other Marshall speaker – the far larger, definitely not portable Stanmore III – and it’s got a beloved space in my home. The Emberton III fits right in. It’s that same stylized Marshall amp look – a look which I adore - with a sound that is seriously impressive for its size.
The speaker itself is about the size of a small brick, roughly 6x3x3. It’s got a depth that feels bigger than many other svelte oblong shaped Bluetooth speakers I’ve seen. It’s not small, but it’s not large either. If you’re travelling with it, I’d say it’s JUST big enough that you couldn’t throw it into a full luggage without care and thought. However, it’s not big enough you would be opposed to bringing it with you. That said, despite a recessed area for you to add your own strap to, the size and weight of over a pound doesn’t really make this a speaker you would say, bring on a hike or carry on your person walking all day long – but that’s just me.
With an IP67 water resistance rating, you should be fine wherever you take it though. According to the specs, that means you can submerge it in 3 feet of water for a period of up to 30 minutes. I don’t plan on testing that out, but that’s more than enough for me to be unconcerned placing it at the far end of my shower and adjusting the volume or skipping a song with wet hands.
As mentioned, the speaker itself has the classic Marshall Amp look. A tightly woven metal grid across the front and the back, wrapped around by a faux leatherette material that feels nice to the touch. The top of the speaker is where most things live. There are two buttons the left, one for power and one for Bluetooth pairing. In the center is the multi-function joystick. Push up and down for volume control, left and right for back and next, and press down for pausing. I wasn’t sure about this design feature at first, but it quickly became intuitive enough that I never thought twice about it. To the right of that is a serious of 10 LEDs showing the remaining battery. On the right side of the unit is the USB-C input.
In regard to battery, it boasts an impressive 32+ hour play time. Then, they say it takes just 2 hours for a complete full charge. I honestly haven’t tested the limits of either, but I can tell you I’ve used it on and off for quite some time and I have yet to charge it at all!
Of course, all of this is nothing without actual audio quality and I can say that this thing delivers! Marshall touts the “True Stereophonic multi-directional sound.” From my understanding, it’s through the 2” 10W full range drivers with passive radiators that you are able to receive a stereo sound that makes the whole listening stage sound wider with clearer vocals and deeper bass. I can say that after a comparison to several portable Bluetooth speakers I had lying around from over the years, this sound was absolutely superb on everything genre I threw at it from two-tone ska to singer songwriters, jazz, rap, and metal. Everything sounded bright and clear, with vocals and instruments all sounding like they've got a specific place. I did say that the sound radiates from the front, but also the back - pushing the speaker up against the wall didn't make it sound as clear as having it a few inches away. This design is supposed to be center-stage.
If I was to make any complaint is that it’s too loud! I’ve yet to really test the limits of how loud this can go because it’s simply so loud I have no desire to damage my ears. If anything, I found that vocals on some songs were little drowned out at very low volumes. Yes, this is a completely atypical problem to complain about. That’s just my two cents, but it’s very low on a list of problems for a device that practically has none.
It's not required, but encouraged for you to download the Marshall app on your phone. This connects to your speaker and allows you to run firmware updates on it. It also allows you to adjust an equalizer, although you only have the option of the “Marshall Signature Sound,” the default listening mode, Push for boosted treble and bass, and Voice, a mode ideal for audiobooks or podcasts. I do wish there was a manual equalizer option, which seems easy to integrate, but the default Signature Sound has been more than satisfactory for all my purposes. Remember, this is still a portable speaker – not bookshelf speaker in a permanent home setup.
The app also allows several options for preserving the battery life, which I found to be a thoughtful addition. You can limit charging to 95% capacity to help extend battery life, adjust charging speeds based on temperature of the battery, and limit charging speeds also in an effort to extend battery life. I don’t really encounter too many situations where I’d need a fast charge or all full 32 hours of battery life, so I decided to turn on all the options.
I have no major complaints with the Marshall Emberton III. It’s exactly what I want of a small size portable speaker: battery life, water resistance, and quality audio. This does all of those things without fail. Now, I will say that the value for the price point is going to be a very subjective one. Does this sound better than a speaker I paid $100 less for? Undoubtedly YES. Is that sound quality worth that much of a premium fee for? Again, that’s a bit subjective. Personally, it’s pushing it for me, but now that I have it, I’d be very hard pressed to ever go back to a lesser quality sounding speaker. If you’re after incredible sound for a small package you will 100% love this speaker like I do.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Weekend worth of great sound, app is a let down.
|
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Marshall speakers and headphones rarely disappoint. The Emberton III follows the heritage with plenty of crisp quality sound at volume levels 1 - 11. With 32 hours use on a charge, Bluetooth 5.3 LE, microphone for speaker phone calls and style that all their products carry with the embossed leather appearance and bronze accents. Emberton III is one of the Marshall products you want to hear and see. The hiccup for me is the app.
Sound:
The Emberton III is easy to recommend as it sounds good if not great. Solidly built, if a bit heavy for the size (battery?). Speakers firing on the front and back. Pretty good bass and treble for its size under the default sound profile. Just hope they update access to the equalizer in the app. Default "Marshall" sound is decent and fine for most music. My music taste would prefer to dial it in a bit more. That leads me to the app.
App:
Now for what is bugging me. While the quality and finish is top notch on the Emberton III. This time around, it is the app handicapping the speaker by only allowing users 3 audio choices for equalizer. "Marshall" sounds the best of the 3. "Push" which amps up the bass and treble, sounds muffled like the speaker is under a pillow. "Voice" might be good for podcasts or if you choose to use speaker as a soundbar or speakerphone with the included microphone, not quite for me. Maybe just 3 audio profiles will be enough for some. I have been spoiled by this exact same app that lets me use the equalizer for the Marshall Motif II earbuds, that are fantastic even after a year+ of audio and zero turn mower use. I do not know if they fear damage or if the app is not updated yet. Please Marshall, give access to the equalizer your other products already use in the same app. I also believe there is no way to pair this speaker to other Marshall speakers right now for a party mode or whatever Marshall might call it. Maybe this does not exist on the brand.