The brand new Marshall Kilburn II Bluetooth speaker is sitting on the desk right now, playing a song I know really well, and I'm tempted to turn up the volume. Trouble is, there are other people in the house who may not appreciate a sudden blast of Nogizaka46 ; because the Kilburn II gets loud.

Very loud; Eye-catching design; Good battery life; Support for two Bluetooth connections

Expensive; Only vaguely portable

Marshall's speakers and headphones have a slightly bad rep for some reason, but I usually feel they sound excellent. As their 'distinctive' looks suggest, they do sound quite rockin', but they're perfectly good for other forms of music as well, and by no means completely lacking in subtlety when...

Excellent sound; Moderate moisture proofing gives greater versatility; Long battery life; Good looks

Has apt-X for better sound from Android… but no AAC for iOS; A bit overpriced at its RRP

The Kilburn II, much like its predecessor, doesn't have a lot of features to boast about, nor does it sound as good as some of its rivals. It might seem hard to justify splashing out £269 on an above-average-sounding speaker, however, the Kilburn II is more than just a Bluetooth speaker – it's a...

Beautiful design; Adjustable on-the-fly bass and treble knobs

Loud but unrefined sound; No smart functionalities; Comparatively expensive

Marshall’s second iteration of the Kilburn speaker is a real rock ‘n’ roll star – everything its predecessor should have been

Beautiful design; Adjustable on-the-fly bass and treble knobs;

Loud but unrefined sound; No smart functionalities; Comparatively expensive;

Marshall's Kilburn II is a fantastic update to its bestselling predecessor, with a stunning retro amp-inspired design and a well-rounded sound. While the bass can be a little muddy at times, it's excellent for playing guitar music, and its portability means the Kilburn II is great for taking on the...

Clear top notes; Rugged and portable; Cool retro aesthetic

Slightly muddy bass; Can feel heavy

The idea of a Marshall speaker sounds like it could be a bit of a gimmick, an amp-stack-shaped thing for a teenager’s bedroom. Its Marshall Kilburn II shows this really isn’t the case, though. This is a serious wireless speaker with big, energetic sound and an attractive, practical design, with plenty of that classic Marshall whiff. It doesn’t have the deepest bass or the most convincing mids in this class. But it is a lot of fun, and those amp-ode control knobs are far more useful than you might imagine.

Good sound ; Sharp Marshall look ;

Could be more water resistant ; Limited controls ; The very best have deeper bass, firmer mids ;

The brand new Marshall Kilburn II Bluetooth speaker is sitting on the desk right now, playing a song I know really well, and I’m tempted to turn up the volume. Trouble is, there are other people in the house who may not appreciate a sudden blast of Nogizaka46; because the Kilburn II gets loud. Really loud. It’s satisfying loudness too, as to reach ear-splitting level you twist a big button on the top. It’s coated in rubber for grip and has a delicate circular pattern with an equalizer-style position indicator on the top. Twist it until it stops, and unless it’s a party, someone will be banging on the wall and shouting, “Keep it down!” Alongside the volume knob are two others, which independently control the bass and the treble. It’s wonderfully old-school, and the entire setup instantly makes you think of Marshall’s famous amps. The design of the Marshall Kilburn II does exactly the same. It’s a rectangular box covered in a soft-touch material that from a distance looks a bit like leat...

Very loud; Eye-catching design; Good battery life; Support for two Bluetooth connections;

Expensive; Only vaguely portable;

Good sound ; Sharp Marshall look ;

Could be more water resistant ; Limited controls ; The very best have deeper bass, firmer mids ;

It's hard to stand out in the Bluetooth speaker arena if you don't have a unique selling point. Marshall's thing is to trade heavily on rocker vibes, with speakers that look like guitar amps. In the case of the Marshall Kilburn II, this is no gimmick. It sounds as good as it looks.

Gorgeous design; Excellent build; Powerful sound; Splashproof

Could do with greater separation

The Marshall Kilburn II portable Bluetooth speaker blasts out the bass, turns the retro design aesthetic up to 11, and throws the proverbial TV out the hotel window when it comes to battery life (in a good way).

Retro design appeal and quality build; Strong Bluetooth connection (5.0 with aptX; Great bass/treble adjustment dials; Powerful sound and loud output; Decent battery life

Not much connectivity (no Wi-Fi; Mesh; Multi-room; Stereo pairing; Limited stereo separation; Not the cleanest listen ever; No mid band adjustment