Marshall Middleton II: Portable Audio With Premium Sound At A High Price

Marshall is a globally recognized brand that has adapted its audio products over time while maintaining its distinctive style. The brand’s portable product range begins at a high-end price point, with larger products commanding higher prices.

The Middleton II is one of Marshall’s more accessible Bluetooth speakers, at least in terms of size, as most would say that for Rs 31,999, the Marshall Middleton II not only has to prove its sound prowess, but also packs the X-factor. to justify the speaker’s higher cost in a market where lower-end options are readily available. So what does the Middleton II offer that people would be happy about the speaker? We used the product for a while to see if it was worth buying.

Marshall Middle II Review: What’s Cool?

Marshall speakers are very easy to recognize due to their unique design, and the Middleton II offers the same effect. With Marshall branding on the front, the rugged nature of the speaker gives it the strength needed to be used near the pool or not worry about dust issues thanks to its IP67 rating. There is a reason why professionals fall in love, and it is not only related to its sound quality, but other aspects also come into play.

The top of the Middleton II has been kept simple with a single button to help you access multiple functions. You also have soft buttons for bass and treble settings and a battery indicator that flashes red. The speaker has a solid grip and weighs about 1.8 kg, which is one of the lighter Marshall speakers.

On the back is an aux and USB C cable for charging, which is a big improvement over the older generation of Marshall portable speakers. The device’s sound can be customized using the Marshall app, where you can set up different profiles and customize your selections for bass, treble and other levels.

Now comes the main story of the Middleton II and that is the sound quality. As we said, Marshall speakers are tuned to be the best in the business and the Middleton II ranks somewhere in that category. The emphasis on bass is obvious when you play songs that fit the genre, but it doesn’t result in losing the vocals. Its sound can easily fill a room.

The recording is clear and the volume really doesn’t feel like it’s popping in the voice, it’s clear and it’s at an ideal level. Even in the instrumental songs there is clarity in the tones and even the slightest change in the bass is clear as day. So yes, the Middleton II manages to impress us with the overall sound quality and it easily shows its worth no matter what genre you’re into.

The final puzzle with the Middleton II is battery life. Marshall claims it lasts around 20 hours on a single charge, and those numbers are in line with the backup we got from the speaker during our tests.

Marshall Middleton II Review: What’s Not So Cool?

As a portable speaker, the Middleton II is on the heavier side. The weight of about 2 kg does not make it an ideal portable device, although it is one of the lightest of the brand. But that seems to be the price you pay for larger woofers and tweeters offered with a focus on sound quality.

The rugged nature of the speaker means it easily collects dust and can be a pain to clean. We get the reason why the company took the IP67 rating for the speaker.

While the speaker has plenty of controls, including an aux cable, the portable speaker doesn’t have a microphone, meaning if you want to pick up calls from the Middleton II, you can’t. That this era’s top doesn’t have this feature seems puzzling, to say the least.

And finally, while the Middleton II is unbeatable in terms of sound, the Rs 31,999 price tag will only appeal to people who really want a piece of Marshall. After all, there are so many options in the mid-range segment, like Sony, Bose and even JBL.

Marshall Middleton II Review: Should You Buy It?

The Middleton II is a classic Marshall product. It has a brand-appropriate design, signature look and strength, and sound. It is seemingly portable and has options to connect to the device in wired mode. However, the downside is that it doesn’t have a microphone, so you can’t answer calls. And yes, this Marshall product, like all others, comes at a price, so if you want a machine that will last for years, 32,000 rupees might not sound like much, but if you’re on a budget, look at other options. it costs much less.