An amp-inspired speaker that doesn't quite go to 11

The Marshall Emberton II is a stylish waterproof Bluetooth speaker that sounds solid at moderate volumes, but it's not a meaningful upgrade over the original.

Marshall’s Emberton II Bluetooth speaker ($169.99) lasts longer on battery power and is more durable than its predecessor, but those changes (along with a few cosmetic tweaks) don’t add up to a significant upgrade. And although we like the in-app EQ presets, the lack of a speakerphone option and the overbearing presence of digital signal processing (DSP) hurt its potential. Other outdoor-friendly speakers in this price range, including the Editors' Choice-winning JBL Charge 5 ($179.95), offer much more power.

Available in black-and-brass or cream, the brick-like Emberton II measures 2.7 by 6.3 by 3.0 inches (HWD) and weighs a substantial 1.5 pounds, measurements that are identical to the previous model. The front of the speaker sports the Marshall logo, and the enclosure uses a grain-leather pattern with a rubbery feel. If you like the rock aesthetic of Marshall's guitar amplifiers, the Emberton II's looks won't disappoint.

Internally, two class-D 10W amps push the dual, 2-inch full-range drivers and deliver a frequency range of 60Hz-20kHz. Two passive radiators enhance the bass response. With the Emberton II, the left channel fires out the front grille and the right channel fires out the back. Although this isn't true stereo separation (typically stereo speakers fire audio through left and right drivers, not front and back ones), the speaker is still likely to produce room-filling sound because of this setup. For a more traditional sense of directionality, you can pair multiple speakers together in Stack mode.

The Emberton II is compatible with Bluetooth 5.1, an upgrade from the original, and supports the SBC codec, but not AAC or AptX. This is a typical level of support for a portable speaker, but it does mean your high-fidelity audio files won’t play at their full resolution.

Up top, there’s a Bluetooth pairing button on the left, a battery LED indicator on the right, and a brass multifunction button in the center. Press the central button to control playback; push it to the left or right to skip forward or backward a track; and nudge it up or down to adjust the volume. Unfortunately, the Emberton II lacks a mic, unlike its smaller sibling, the Willen, so you can't use this speaker for calls. A USB-C port sits on the right panel for the USB-C-to-USB-A charging cable in the box.

The Emberton II’s IP67 rating is excellent: You can submerge the speaker in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. Bluetooth connections don't work well underwater, but the speaker should survive poolside splashes, heavy rain, and a rinse under the faucet without any issues. The IP rating also includes dust protection, which is a relief because the speaker's grain-leather exterior seems like it might be prone to accumulating particles and dirt.

Marshall estimates that the Emberton II can last roughly 30 hours on a charge—that's a solid number, but your results will vary based on your typical listening volume. A 20-minute charge gives you four hours of playtime, while a full charge takes a lengthy three hours.

The Marshall Bluetooth app (available for Android and iOS) is fairly basic, though we don't expect a versatile app experience for a speaker of this size. The in-app EQ is really just three presets: the default Marshall mode, Push mode (boosted bass and treble), and Voice mode. Otherwise, you can manage the Stack mode for multiple speakers and download any firmware updates.

The DSP for the Emberton II is intense. At top (surprisingly loud) levels, the bass thins out dramatically and the speaker's sound signature changes quite a bit. The absence of EQ adjustments in the app thus makes sense, because the DSP works hard to prevent distortion; any dramatic EQ changes might be too much for the speaker to handle reliably. You might prefer the Push mode, which boosts the bass and treble a bit, but, even then, the Emberton II isn't capable of delivering serious bass depth. We left the speaker in the default Marshall sound signature mode for most of our testing. It can easily fill a mid-sized room, and perhaps even a large room, with sound, but you might need something more powerful for the backyard.

On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the Emberton II delivers a laudable thump at moderate levels, but the drivers and radiators begin to struggle with the deep bass just beyond that. The resulting sound isn’t distortion—it could be the sound of the DSP kicking in at certain volumes—but this is far from a pristine delivery of the lows. Thus, for deep-bass tracks, you should stick to moderate volume levels.

Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the speaker's sculpted sound signature. The drums on this track can often sound thunderous through bass-boosted drivers, but here they sound less powerful. The bulk of the bass response centers on Callahan’s rich baritone vocals. Otherwise, the highs are quite crisp and bright. Again, the sound changes as the DSP kicks in at higher volumes: The lows thin out and the highs remain bright.

On Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum loop receives plenty of high-mid presence and its attack remains forceful. The vinyl crackle and hiss that typically sit in the background take a step forward here. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat aren't very apparent, but that's no surprise given the speaker’s size. Especially at more moderate volumes, the drum loop packs a little bit of bass heft, but it thins out at higher volumes. The vocals on this track sound clear and mostly free of additional sibilance.

Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, strike a pleasant balance. The higher-register brass, strings, and vocals retain their crispness, while the lower-register instrumentation adds some richness and anchoring to the mix.

To reiterate, this sound signature isn’t for purists, no matter what genre you choose, but its sculpted approach to the lows and highs can lead to a clean presentation of audio. Tracks with booming deep bass are likely to challenge the DSP, particularly at top volumes, but this isn’t true of all genres or even all tracks with powerful lows.

The Marshall Emberton II looks cool and delivers a rich audio experience on most tracks, but the DSP can be a little aggressive at high volumes and deep bass can sometimes challenge the drivers. The speaker also isn't a very significant upgrade over its predecessor, and so the price seems a bit high as a result of these shortcomings. We're fans of the JBL Charge 5 in this price range, as well as the Sony SRS-XB33 ($149.99), both of which offer more power. Additionally, the more affordable JBL Flip 6 ($129.95) boasts a comparable audio experience and the same level of durability.

The Marshall Emberton II is a stylish waterproof Bluetooth speaker that sounds solid at moderate volumes, but it's not a meaningful upgrade over the original.

Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox.

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.

Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!

I've been a contributing editor for PCMag since 2011. Before that, I was PCMag's lead audio analyst from 2006 to 2011. Even though I'm a freelancer now, PCMag has been my home for well over a decade, and audio gear reviews are still my primary focus. Prior to my career in reviewing tech, I worked as an audio engineer—my love of recording audio eventually led me to writing about audio gear.

Probably because of their prevalence in the recording studios I worked in a long time ago, I am most comfortable on Macs—I'm writing this on the 2019 iMac I use for testing. I also have a MacBook Pro that gets plenty of similar use.

My workspace has a mini recording studio setup, and the the gear I work with there is a mix of items I've used forever (Paradigm Mini Monitors and a McIntosh stereo receiver) and newer gear I use for recording and review testing (such as the Universal Audio Apollo x16).

I'm obsessed with modern boutique analog synths—some of my favorites instruments in this realm are the Landscape Audio Stereo Field and HC-TT,  the Soma Enner, the Koma Field Kit, and the Lorre Mill Keyed Mosstone.

From my studio days, I'm comfortable using Pro Tools, and in recent years have branched out to other realms of creative software, like Adobe Premiere and After Effects.

I stream music, but I also still buy albums, digitally or on vinyl, and encourage anyone who wants fair compensation for musicians and engineers to do the same.

I also play lots of Wordle.

PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

© 1996-2022 Ziff Davis. PCMag Digital Group

PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant.