Marshall launches the Willen, a tiny dust- and water-resistant Bluetooth speaker
The portable speaker is the latest offering from the amp brand’s headphones/home audio offshoot and provides 15 hours of playback, plus the ability to ‘stack’ multiple units together
Some of the home audio gear out there from guitar brands is, frankly, a bit so-so – often placing familiar branding on an average product. However, Marshall’s headphones have developed a rock-solid reputation in their own right and its sub-brand’s latest offering, a new portable speaker dubbed Willen, looks worthy of your attention, too.
The mini speaker bottles that classic Marshall aesthetic and contains a 2” full range driver and two passive radiators.
It receives audio via a speedy Bluetooth 5.1 connection, while the IP67 (IP = ingress protection, dontcha know) offers very good protection against dust and means it can survive a short period submerged in water – all very helpful in a portable device.
Perhaps the most important factor in a Bluetooth speaker, beyond the sound, is the battery life and Willen looks promising on this front, too, with 15 hours playback on offer (albeit from a slightly lengthy three-hour charge).
There are plenty of other useful features incorporated here, too, including a handy strap, an LED indicator for the battery and a built-in mic (for hands-free calls). In particular, we like the look of the ‘Stack’ pairing feature, which allows you to connect any number of Willen speakers together to operate simultaneously.
We look forward to hearing how Willen sounds, but if you can’t wait, you can pre-order now for a price of $119 over at Marshall Headphones.
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Matt is Features Editor for GuitarWorld.com. Before that he spent 10 years as a freelance music journalist, interviewing artists for the likes of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, MusicRadar, NME.com, DJ Mag and Electronic Sound. In 2020, he launched CreativeMoney.co.uk, which aims to share the ideas that make creative lifestyles more sustainable. He plays guitar, but should not be allowed near your delay pedals.
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