Marshall Emberton III review: a welcome little upgrade with big bass

Marshall has never been one to rip up something that's working just fine, and you can tell that at a glance when comparing the Emberton III to its predecessor – this is one of those upgrades that need a microscope to be identified.

Not that you'd really buy an Emberton specifically for upgrade reasons specifically. And you only need your own eyes to decide if its distinctive styling is an ideal match for you – that's a real part of its appeal for many people.

Besides, there are some meaningful changes under the hood here – especially where future-proofing is concerned. We've been using Marshall's third-gen portable for a couple of weeks to see whether it's one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy.

Marshall Emberton 3: Price & Availability

The Emberton III is available now from Marshall and various retailers including Amazon, having launched in late August after a brief pre-order window. It's priced at £159 / $169 / AU$289 depending on your region.

That represents a small price rise compared to 2022's Emberton II. While it's not a huge percentage change, it's nonetheless never particularly impressive to see similar hardware come in with a higher price tag after a couple of years.

Marshall Emberton 3 review: Design & Features

Holding the Emberton III in your hands, it's a genuine challenge to pick out what's changed compared to the Emberton II. Consulting the facts, this speaker is a tiny bit bigger in terms of dimensions, but it's not the sort of change you're likely to notice unprompted.

Marshall says it's also used higher-quality materials for the finish of this version – and it does indeed have a nice soft-touch faux-leather texture that will be familiar if you have other Marshall gear.

The overall look and feel of the Emberton III is completely classic, very much just looking like a little slice of an old-school Marshall amp thanks to that grille and logo on the front. The back's also grille-covered, while the top of the speaker houses a brassy control knob control, along with volume keys, a power button, and a Bluetooth button for connectivity.

This is a speaker to set down on a surface, though – it has a clear base, and while Marshall rightly points out that its sound is 360-degree in nature, aesthetically you'll know how to arrange it to best catch the eye.

Features-wise, some of the big headlines are really similar to the last time out – once again, the whole design is IP67 water and dust-resistant, for example. This means weather is basically no concern, and even a dip in up to a metre of water won't be a problem.

Battery life is excellent, boosted by a couple of hours up to a maximum of 32 hours on a charge, but connectivity is an area where a clearer step forward has been taken. While that doesn't mean anything drastic like the addition of Wi-Fi, the Emberton III does now have Bluetooth 5.4, and the capability to work with Auracast or multi-device linking.

Both of those are still fairly rare, but knowing that your speaker should work with features that'll be more common in a couple of years' time is still reassuring.

Marshall Emberton 3 review: Sound & performance

We're generally always fans of the way Marshall tunes its speakers – there's a richness and warmth that makes them recognisable, along with some good pop-tastic power.

The Emberton II, well-received though it was, had a slight weakness where its bass was concerned, and that's what Marshall has focused on with its replacement, adding a chunk more oomph in the low-end. Putting it through its paces, it's pretty easy to discern that added weight in the lower frequencies.

It makes for a speaker that punches well above its weight – not that it's the only compact speaker with great sound on the market. Still, going through some of the Oasis back catalogue in advance of our complete failure to get tickets for the band's reunion tour, the Emberton III was exemplary.

Racking guitar riffs and wails had the grungy edge that you'd want, but singer-songwriter moments were also treated with the delicacy they merit. Volume isn't an issue, either – the Emberton III can get impressively loud, especially if you're using it indoors.

That 32-hour battery life makes the Emberton III a great choice for trips or holidays where you might not be able to charge it too often. Connectivity, meanwhile, was also exemplary, and the knowledge that Bluetooth LE (that's 'low energy') is on board for future-proofing reasons is heartening.

Do note, however, that there's no 3.5mm jack here as a backup in case you need it – as retro as that is! Meanwhile, the brassy control knob on the speaker's top continues to be one of our favourite design accents going. The amount of utility it offers is great, and the fact it does this while looking eye-catching is a welcome bonus.

Verdict

The Emberton III isn't worlds better than its predecessor, but small tweaks make it a welcome upgrade. It boasts better sound and packs the latest Bluetooth smarts for future-proofed connectivity. If this is your first Marshall purchase and you love the visual style then it's a great buy.

The added bass power is particularly welcome, plus this speaker will be cutting-edge for longer thanks to its Bluetooth 5.4 package. That sees it occupy the exact spot that its predecessor did – a great little speaker that will speak to some people's design tastes perfectly, and that sounds excellent for its size.

Also consider

If you want a speaker to chuck into a bag and not worry about, Ultimate Ears has a few to fit the bill, but the Wonderboom 4 is probably the closest analogue to the Emberton III. It's so waterproof that it can float, it sounds great, and it's a similarly small size, albeit globe-shaped instead.

Another option is the Sonos Roam 2, which comes in an asking price that's a mite higher than the Marshall, but plays very well with a Sonos system. Its battery life lags quite far behind the Emberton III, but that integration might make it a winner for you.