Marshall Stanmore II Wireless Bluetooth Speaker - Black (UK)

Product Information

The controls are fairly similar to those of the Marshall Woburn II, in that you have retro-looking dials to control the volume, bass, and treble output of the speaker - these dials are given a modern twist by the inclusion of micro-LEDs in place of the numbers, which light up as you turn them up and down.

The bass frequencies are pretty good, with a warm, generous sound, but it’s in the sub bass that the Stanmore II shines, sending out powerful, thumpy vibrations you can feel in your chest. The speaker is covered in Marshall’s signature textured vinyl, the grille over the front is a mottled grey, and the logo and base plate are brass-colored, which looks really fantastic. The Marshall Kilburn IIlooks like a toy when put alongside, in terms of both size and materials. The Stanmore is heavy at 10.5 pounds (4.75kg), and the footprint is sizeable, so you need a decent surface to place it on. Make sure you set aside a strong shelf for the Stanmore II Voice if you want one. Once it’s there, it’ll stay, as it does not have a battery for portable use. That being said, if it’s all about that bass for you, then you will likely be very happy indeed with the audio quality of the speaker, and it’s perfect for listening to hip-hop and other bass-heavy genres. Just as the Stanmore II doesn’t use any particularly interesting or advanced tech in its actual speaker drivers, the sound is an effective but somewhat blunt instrument. None of this is criticism. However, a Marshall amp in a living room has a tendency to make a flat or house look “studenty”. A Marshall Stanmore II won’t.Marshall is the most iconic name in guitar amplifiers – but if you’re reading this then you probably know this already. Famous names who have used Marshall kit over the years include Hendrix, Van Halen, Slayer and Spinal Tap. Marshall does give a nod to those with older tech that they may want to plug-in, including a 3.5mm aux input on the top, and a stereo RCA phono pair on its rear – handy for plugging in a record player. All in all, if you’re looking for a great party speaker with the ability to control your smart home, the Stanmore II Voice could be your new best friend.

Sensitive ears may find the harsh treble frequencies cause fatigue, but this can be rectified by adjusting the treble and bass dials on the top of the speakers. However, place the Stanmore II side-by-side with a classic Marshall head and you’ll notice that the finer points of their visual impact are completely different. In a good way.

Highlights

There’s no hiding that the Stanmore II falls behind top performers such as the Sonos One and Harman Kardon Go + Play in certain areas, though. Bass control, dynamics and separation are just okay. Synonymous with the classic Marshall branding, the central positioning of the brand logo, the brushed gold plate that holds the knobs, the chunky knobs themselves, and the leather effect vinyl that covers the Stanmore II’s entire outer feel familiar.