Nevertheless, it’s a good all-rounder with great battery life.
The main selling point here is a feature we weren’t able to test: Auracast via Bluetooth LE.
The recommended retail price is $159 / 159 / AU$289.
The Emberton III comes in two colours, a light stone and the none more black option shown here.
That latter one is for speech such as audiobooks and podcasts.
As with the previous model there are no EQ customization options.
Using the machine is very simple, because it’s a very simple machine.
This is a speaker to listen to, not to look at: controls are simple and straightforward.
The big news here is the upgrade to Bluetooth LE audio and Auracast multi-machine broadcast support.
Full recharge via the USB-C port takes two hours compared to three for the Emberton II.
That said, it’s important to manage your expectations with a speaker of this size.
The companion app gives you a choice of three audio presets but there’s no custom EQ.
With Marshall amplifiers, it’s traditional to turn them up.
But this Marshall speaker is best turned down.
At lower volumes the Dynamic Loudness delivers very impressive bass for a system this small.
You’re not going to mistake this speaker for any other brand.
REM’sOut of Timealbum was a particular highlight, Mike Mills' bass as clear as his harmonies.
All of these tracks sound better quieter on this system.
It’s fun at lower volumes but turn it up and it quickly becomes tiring.
Marshall Emberton III review: Design
The Emberton III unsurprisingly looks a lot like the Emberton II.
you’re able to choose between a classic black or cream.
That makes it largely immune to a spilled drink or festival rain.
But where the Marshall has the Sonos speaker beaten is in battery life.
The Sonos promises up to 10 hours whereas the Marshall can deliver more than three times that.
Should you buy the Marshall Emberton III?
You like ‘em toughJust like Marshall’s amps this looks and feels bomb-proof.
You listen longWith 32 hours of battery life this speaker has serious stamina.
You want to connect a cableThe Emberton III doesn’t have an Aux socket.
But the Roam 2 is a superb portable speaker with exceptional sound.
Its drivers are larger than those in the Marshall and you could hear the difference.
Battery life is 17 hours and it weighs just 0.36kg/0.79lbs.
I also listened to podcasts via the Overcast app.
Read more about how we test
