Customer Ratings & Reviews

A couple of years ago I got the Marshall Action 3, and I absolutely love it. I use it in my office daily.  Now, I wanted/needed a high quality portable.  I like the Action 3 so much I started researching the latest Marshall products (I have two other similar BT speakers with brand names that start with 'S').  I'd looked at the Kilburn 2 a few months ago, and decided I could not deal with the decreased power output (36w vs 60w of Action 3).  So I was ecstatic to see that the Kilburn 3 had a 80 watt amp. Compared to the other BT speakers that are about this size, one does not have an Aux input, as Kilburn 3 does. The Kilburn is slightly more expensive than the other two (not much). I did some quick side by side comparisons.  This Kilburn III, was far better than the one from a well known Japanese manufacturer.  The Marshall's bass and mids were much more well rounded, fuller, richer. Its high's are similar, both very pleasing, the Marshall's has a wider soundstage.  Compared to the American "S" brand, which has a room tuning tool, the Marshall's bass was again fuller.  But the mid's/voices of the Marshall were not quite as precise. But to be fair the room tuning tool of the American brand adjusts, equalizes the speaker based on the room's acoustics.  The application that comes with the Marshall speaker is pretty primitive, it lets you choose the 'Marshall sound profile' or you can use an included 5 band equalizer for a custom curve, or some saved presets.  The Kilburn has a button to select one or the other.  You can also turn the bass/treble knobs from the app.  Both of the other speakers have more sophisticated apps.  Marshall's EQ is an improvement to their app.  For years I've used an iPhone app called 'Equalizer Pro', it provides a sophisticated graphic/parametric equalizer.  Using this I could dial in a better tone curve that I could get from either of the other speakers.  So with the appropriate sound tool, I found the Kilburn better filled the room with a better sound than either of the other speakers.  Marshall claims that the Kilburn 3 has a play time of 50 hours.  This I did not verify. But I'm getting this speaker to travel with, and to use outdoors.  The Marshall Kilburn III has an IP54 rating for water and dust resistance. This means it can withstand splashes of water and some dust, making it suitable for outdoor use, but it is not fully waterproof, an improvement over the Action 3, and this is the same as the 'S' brands.  So out the door I went. I started listening to Boston's first album. I was about 15 feet from the speaker with the speaker close to a wall (I set this in the Marshall app). 'More than a Feeling', sounded quite airy, the speaker seemed to bounce the high's around. Quite pleasant. The bass was a little thin, so I adjusted the bass via the knob on the speaker, and that muddled the mids.  I used the equalizer I mentioned before to kick up the bass from 40hz to 120hz about 8db, and what a difference. Another boost from 1k to 2k and the mid-high's from the speaker were much improved.  As Boston's 'Foreplay' switches to 'Long Time', and the rhythm picks up, and the speaker sounds very sweet, very easy to listen to.  Pretty superb.  The bass of 'Smokin' was ok for a smallish speaker, I didn't expect chest thumping bass, and I didn't get it but it had a very even tone, just what I wanted.  I was listening with the speaker turned up to 6, and it was plenty loud. But turning it up to 8 it was really loud (I expected to see my neighbors poke their head over my wall), far louder than my Japanese "S" brand could go, and a bigger, deeper bass.  I then listened to some DSOTM, 'Money' sounded amazing, a little bass light but the midrange and highs were awesome.  'Us and Them' had a nice presence, the nuances of the girls' voices had a surprisingly good stereo separation. And the subtle voices in 'Brain Damage' and 'Eclipse' were superb. All and all this is an excellent speaker, the software they provide is somewhat deficient, but this is easily remedied.  The bass and treble knobs do boost those frequencies, but depending on your listening environment some additional help will yield better results.   This is exactly what a parametric equalizer is intended to do, help get the best sound possible out of a good speaker.  Marshall's Kilburn III is a real winner, I've found my new travel companion!

I’ll confess up front that I have been a Marshall fan for decades. I have been playing Marshall guitar amplifiers for years, so when they decided to go into the consumer electronics market, I was excited to see what they would come up with. I have always loved the Marshall logo and aesthetic. It all started when I was a kid and constantly saw their amplifiers being played on stage by all of my favorite bands. Something about the loud wall of sound they produced mixed with the iconic look had me drawn in hook line and sinker as far back as I can remember. Enter modern day and I still have and play Marshall amplifiers, but now I also have Bluetooth speakers, and headphones that are worthy of holding the iconic Marshall logo. *** SOUND QUALITY *** The single most important aspect of any audio device is the sound it can produce. I am happy to report that, just as with my other Marshall products, this Bluetooth speaker sounds great while also being extremely portable, battery powered, and even dust and moisture resistant. The app offers users complete EQ customization options, as well as a dedicated “M” button to cycle between two of your favorite EQ settings. While this is a pretty cool feature to have on the unit itself, instead of menu diving in an app, I do find myself simply leaving the EQ in the classic stock Marshall setting. To me, this setting sounds the most balanced for the types of music I listen to daily, which makes sense because I am sure Marshall has voiced this unit to sound its best with all bands flat. I have owned several Bluetooth speakers in the past and the Marshall Kilburn III is among the best I have had for sound quality. The Kilburn is a fully stereo unit and there are speakers located in both the front and the back, which Marshall claims gives users a 360 stereophonic sound spectrum with no bad spots around the unit. When placing the speaker on a table in the middle of the room, such as a coffee table, the Kilburn does a great job of filling the room with sound in all directions. As with most Marshall products, they market them to be loud and proud. While the Marshall Kilburn III is plenty loud for its size, I do find that it’s best to keep the volume at 3 o’clock max. Pushing it to 10 on the dial does introduce a bit of distortion, which is kind of a bummer. This one definitely can’t go to 11, if you know what I mean. That said, I do like the stereophonic sound spectrum this speaker produces at reasonable volume levels and pushing it up to 75% (or 3 o’clock), is still very clear, and quite loud. *** BUILD QUALITY & AESTHETIC *** As with all of the Marshall consumer products, the build quality is excellent. For lack of a better term, this speaker is built like a tank. With the dust and water resistance, it feels like it will last a very long time. The knobs on top look like guitar amplifier knobs and have a slight click with each incremental turn. While this is really great attention to detail, there are actually 11 increments (and red LED lights) for each knob, going from 0-10 respectively. I feel like Marshall missed a naturally huge opportunity to make the knobs go from 1-11, or even 0-11. Yes, another Spinal Tap reference. Come on Marshall! The texture of the covering and the black and gold aesthetic is all there, and all classic Marshall. I also own the new Marshall headphones and they match this speaker in build and look. Whether I am bringing this speaker to a party, or camping, or wearing their headphones while grocery shopping, the Marshall look is front and center and fits my style perfectly. *** BATTERY LIFE *** After initially fully charging the speaker, I have used it extensively for a few days and haven’t even used half of the battery life. Marshall claims up to 50 hours, but I am guessing that is in a perfect scenario with a stable temperature and a modest listening level. Any way you slice it, if I can use it for hours a day without recharging, that is plenty for my needs. *** THE APP *** Marshall offers an app that lets users update firmware, set custom EQ settings, battery performance, and standby timeout settings. It will even let you listen to broadcasts, but I have not been able to find any when searching. It is a pretty basic app, but very much needed in case there is a firmware update. *** WOULD I CHANGE ANYTHING? *** Why yes, yes I would. This speaker sounds amazing on its own, but it would sound even better if you could use TWO Kilburn speakers in stereo. Whether you own two Kilburn III’s, or any previous Kilburn model, I think it would be nice for them to figure out how to make the app be able to see multiple Marshall speakers, to either sync, or use in a stereo situation. While I am not sure this is even possible, I honestly believe it should be. Perhaps we will see this in a future update, but until then, that is the sole reason I gave the Marshall Kilburn III a four star rating. *** IN CONCLUSION *** The Marshall Kilburn is yet another great product by the guys across the pond. As a lifelong fan of Marshall products, I am happy that they are now occupying the consumer electronics market space, and I will be eager to see what they come up with next.

In Summary, the Marshall Kilburn III is the best Bluetooth speaker that I own. Fit & finish is perfect; high quality construction and materials throughout. The controls are intuitive and provide visual confirmation via the red LED lights. The app is great; it works well and is simple to use. Of course, the bass booms if you'd like and overall sound is clear and crisp. There are no compromises between sound quality, design, and function. They've done an exceptional job here; I'm truly happy with this product! SOUND The unit has a bass reflex cabinet. The sound is envelopes you, as it comes out the front and rear grilles, so you don't miss the music due to where you are located in relation to the unit. It sounds great; I like having the equilizer on the app as well as the 'M' button. Even at a low setting, the bass can be pretty powerful. At top volume and top bass, the sound can be bad, but I was trying to find 'that point'; I would not expect that during normal use. The sound is very clear. The cabinet is solid enoughto handle the 50W this unit can produce. Classical, Country, Rap / Hip-Hop, or electronic music, the sound is predictable and is not distorted at all. It doesn't matter if you are standing near the front grille or rear grille either. CONTROLS The controls on top of the cabinet are very solidly built with metal. The Volume, Bass, and Treble dials have rubber one the outside where your fingers would contact them, so you're always able to adjust them, even with wet fingers. The Power switch is large and prominent, and has cross-hatching one its cylindrical perimeter. The top of the Volume switch, as well as the 'M' (Marshall) and Bluetooth buttons, have raised concentric circles on the tops. During playback, one press of the Play / Pause button pauses the music; re-start playback with a second press. Pushing the Play / Pause button to the left acts to re-start the current track or skip to previous tracks, while a push to the right skips to the next track. Instead of black painted-on tick marks for the Volume, Bass, and Treble dials, red LED indicators are used, which I absolutely love. It's a very nice touch. The 'M' button cycles through each of three graphic equalizer settings; 'Marshall' is pre-set and gives a warm sound. The remaining two can be programmed with the genres, or can be customized by you, per your preference. The BT button is used to pair with a device. APP You pair the Kilburn III to the phone / tablet in Settings. If you are new to Marshall, just download the Marshall app, create an account, and add the Kilburn III to the app. The app allows you to set the equilizer, select the source (if you have multiple Marshall products), and control balance and volume. It also allows you to update the firmware of the Kilburn III. The app is simple to use, and it just works without errors. POWER The unit charges fully in ~3 hours via USB-C and lasts a very long time; the same USB-C port can be used to charge your tablet or cell phone. The battery in this speaker is replaceable, which is not something I've seen before. The red LED battery power indicator is to the left of the Power switch, and is a series of red LED vertical bars used to represent battery charge. OTHER ---The carrying handle has black leather on the top, and is pre-installed. A deep red suede-like material is on the underside that gives a great deal of grip, even with wet hands. Both ends of the handle are secured by a button, similar to a shirt; I actually turned the handle around, as the red suede sort of matches the red LED indicators on the top. ---The rubber feet on the bottom are thick and wide, so the speaker stays in place even with heavier base. ---The USB-C cord that came in the box is about 6' long.

My first thought after opening up the Kilburn III was that it is VERY good at looking like a classic amp. Marshall's signature design does a fantastic job of camouflaging a very modern and somewhat mundane piece of tech within a retro veneer, which I'm sure for many will be more than enough to convince them to buy it. But for those who are still on the fence, there is quite a lot to love here that goes deeper than styling. To start, build quality. I haven't generally found much to complain about regarding the build quality of portable Bluetooth speakers, as they all tend to be pretty sturdy, but the Kilburn manages to take things a step further. The speaker is not just sturdy, but seems built to last in a way that I don't think any other speaker I've seen has been. There's a lot of machined metal making up the controls which I imagine should last a bit longer than the typical rubber membranes, the carrying strap is attached using the same kind of button fasteners you'd see on a guitar or small amp, and even the battery (which is positively gargantuan, I'll add) is designed for easy replacement, requiring nothing more complex than basic tools. In a world where everything seems to be moving towards seamless and impenetrable designs, these are features I wouldn't even think to look for anymore and their inclusion is very welcome. Of course it doesn't really matter how well built the speaker is if it doesn't also sound good, and in my opinion it definitely does. That said it might require some tweaking to get it to sound the way you want. Out of the box it produces a deep sound which feels like it's trying hard to reproduce that analog warmth that is so often in demand. I'll admit my ear has never been particularly good at telling the difference between the genuine thing and a digital fake, but it seemed convincing enough for me. That said there are some cases where I'd prefer the digital sound I'm pumping through it to actually sound digital, and I'm pleased to say that it is possible. The app that comes with the speaker lets you tune the audio (and everything else about the speaker) to a satisfying and at times almost overwhelming degree. My only note on this is that I would recommend installing it before you begin the pairing process, as for some reason the speaker reads as two separate Bluetooth devices and the app did seem to get confused if they were not paired in the order it expects. Oh, and it can be quite loud. Probably won't surprise anyone there.

TLDR: The Marshall Kilburn 3 sounds as good as it looks, even if the audio feels a bit a heavy. HIGHLIGHTS 360 Degree Soundstage Up to 50 Hours of Playback IP54 Rated for Dust & Moisture APP The Marshall app is an exercise in simplicity. It is logically designed and extremely easy to use. As an added bonus, I found it works equally well on Android and iOS, something that can't always be said about its competition. The app lets you adjust all the audio controls of the Kilburn, again unlike others. Treble, Bass, etc. all customizable, as is the built-in equalizer function. USE One thing I have to mention right off; to me, the Kilburn 3 is the best looking Bluetooth speaker I've used or owned. Better looking than Bluethooth speakers that cost two to three times as much. The controls, the finishes, the lighting, all feel high-end and sophisticated. Unlike nearly every other speaker on the market, the Kilburn is actually made with real metal in its controls and design. Marshall spent as much time on the aesthetics as they did on the audio and it shows. SOUND Opinions are like elbows, everyone has one. Same goes with people and their audio. How do I think the Kilburn 3 sounds? The "Marshall Signature Sound" is chill, relaxed, and EXTREMELY laid back. Often more laid back than I care for. It loses a sense of neutrality, openness, and spaciousness that I desire in a speaker. The Marshall Signature Sound is often heavy and deep feeling, lacking the higher frequency energy. This is actually one of the few speakers that I own that I actually tuned it for more treble response to open up the top end. This is evident in instrumentals and vocals with female leads. Sorry Marshall this would not be my first choice for classical music listening, but then again, I'm sure they don't intend it to be either. But just when I think the Kilburn sounds dark and heavy, I find a track that suits it perfectly. And then, WOW! The Kilburn comes to life with energy. The Kilburn will belt out a hair band power ballad, heavy metal, hard rock, hip hop, or country rock song with authority. Hard rock in particular, brings the Kilburn 3 into its own and puts a lot of the competition to shame. Filling the room with energy and bass that is hard to find in products like this, let alone one that is this small. With the right tune, the Kilburn 3 hits well above its weight class, putting much bigger speakers to shame. FINAL THOUGHTS Would I recommend the Kilburn 3? Absolutely. It suits my musical tastes perfectly.

Personally, I like the Marshall products very much. I thought the sound was very good, I had no issues getting the BlueTooth to connect, and I really like the way they look, sort of like an old school rock band amplifier. I really wanted the bigger model, the Marshall Woburn, 100 watts per channel, but expensive. But, I had to return it, my wife didn't like the sound of the speaker. I would have kept it myself, I had reservations about the Marshall Bluetooth speaker

Nice product with amazing sound quality. Works on battery which is amazing feature so I can carry it with me anywhere anytime.

Very loud and beautiful sound, overall quality is top notch, looks classy and great easy to carry anywhere.

I LOVE this speaker! The sound is so crisp and clear, the battery life is impressive and the app is a nice bonus. This sound on this speaker is better than my vehicles speaker. I'm obsessed with it. I've had the speaker for over two months and I've only had to charge it 3 times the whole time after listening to music for a considerable amount of time. The app is also really convenient, making it seamless to adjust the EQ settings based on what type of music you're playing. It's worth the price if you're someone that enjoys high quality sound and like to take your speaker to the lake or beach, or even just have some tunes playing during your home cleaning.

Great sounding speaker i love that you can change the e q on the speaker rather using and app. I like the retro look too.

Exellent sound and volume level. Auxliary inputs are very helpful. Lightweight and portable

I love the retro look and feel of this speaker. The sound doesn’t disappoint either. No distrition and very loud. The battery life is one of the best on the market for this type of speaker. Close to 50 hours. Dont hestitate to get this great speaker that will bring you happines with uour music, for years to come!

Excellent speaker. The blue tooth sounds decent, but you can also run 3.5mm in, allowing use of external dacs (digital to analog converter) or daps (digital audio player, e.g., iPod). This allows use of higher quality audio and sounds great on this speaker. I hooked my FiiO m21 up and have been playing Christmas music in our great room while family has been in town, and haven’t charged it yet. The ceilings are 20ft tall so it’s a very open space, and the speaker has no problem filling the room. The bass compresses a little at high volumes but still sounds good. While sound may be slightly better on the flagship Bose or jbls, none of them look as nice. This speaker is the best package when you consider portability, battery usage time, sound quality, aesthetics, and ease of use. I haven’t messed around with the aura cast feature so no clue whether that works. It is not something I cared about. I wanted something to play music when we are spending time with family no matter where we go. This is the best to fit that use case that I researched. I would highly recommend.

This speaker produces incredible sound quality and being battery powered is a plus. I wish the speakers were both in the front instead of back and front and that it had a bypass switch to avoid the latency when sound isn’t going thru the speakers. If I weren’t using this to listen to musical recordings when I’m exploring tracks I’m creating, I’d have no complaints but I’m also an audio engineer so my preferences aren’t the same as the everyday consumer. Loving the authenticity in the appearance and knobs though.

This is a perfect speaker to be paired with a turn table. It’s portable and has a good range. Do wish is it was RCA compatible for occasional hook up to a old CD player

Good product. Crisp sound. Good volume. Attractive look. Easy to operate. Highly recommended.

Worth every penny for a portable. Great bass included.

This speaker rocks! I also have the Stanmore 111 and I think this has a better sound profile. It is a well balanced sound that comes out clean, with the right amount of bass. Plus, I love that you can tweet the treble and bass without going to the app. All in all ,this is without a doubt, one of the best bang for a buck you're going to find anywhere. Highly recommended.

Marshall is good quality sound system used for music .. I like the vibe of music that this speaker produced

Setup and bluetooth connection was simple and easy. Has great volume and tone control. Overall quality is good, appearance is pleasing. Quick start guide was very brief, but enough to get started. Would have been nice to have been provided the full user manual, rather than have to go online to download one. At almost $400, you would think that could have been included. Somewhat disappointing, in that respect.