The Marshall brand is known for its guitar amps, and the exterior of the Kilburn II speaker is most reminiscent of a guitar amp. Despite the brand name, this Bluetooth speaker was manufactured by Zound Industries in Sweden. Show Rock forever!  The 2.5kg speaker has a black or grey faux leather casing, recessed corner traps, a silver mesh speaker grille (it was gold in previous Kilburn models, but it looks better in silver) and a guitar-style strap lends a rocky look to the speaker. The white Marshall logo is quite striking, perhaps a little overly ostentatious. At the top of the speaker, instead of the usual paired switch and source switches, there are 3 buttons to control the volume, treble and bass, as well as the Bluetooth connection point and the LED battery charge indicator. The 3.5mm AUX port is located on the back of the speaker. There is no network connection at all, as well as no voice assistant or Wi-Fi connection. It has a Bluetooth 5.0 connection, and thanks to the multi-host function, you can easily connect and switch 2 Bluetooth devices. IPX 2 certificate The Marshall speaker is slightly waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about splashing liquid on it or the falling rain damaging it. Try not drop it into the pool though… Extra long lifeThe battery life of the Kilburn is 20 hours. It is not possible to charge the device with a USB cable, but with a standard cable, it takes 2.5 hours to fully charge, but if someone is in a hurry, a fast charging of about 15 minutes can lead to 3 hours of operation. The amplifiersThe speaker is equipped with 2 “D” class amplifiers, the tweeter is powered by an 8-watt amplifier and the subwoofer by a 20-watt amplifier. The frequency range is 52 Hz-20kHz. Listening TestWe recommend the Kilburn Bluetooth Speaker primarily for computers and mobile phones due to its size and portability. We tested the speaker in a room converted into a roughly 20-square-foot audio studio. The walls of the home studio were treated with printed sound-absorbing panels and front diffuser panels. The owner is an amateur musician, a true rock fan, so he ordered printed absorbing panels with images on them depicting guitars and rock bands. Since the Marshall speaker has been given a rocker design and the owner also likes rock music, we started with this style. We used the Spotify music streaming service available on our mobile phone. We selected the song Numb by Linkin Park, an alternative hard rock genre. We experienced strong and dynamic sounds, the stereo experience was perfect, but the 360-degree sound proved to be noisy. The basses were intense, but the lowest frequency ranges proved to be too weak. The trebles were sharp and clean. We went on with Depeche Mode, we enjoyed tight, definite basses while listening to Enjoy the Silence, although the lowest frequencies were sort of faint this time as well. Even at high volume, the clarity of the music remained, but the sound was less airy and spacious than we expected. There were also shortcomings with the richness of details, which was most evident in the instrumental parts. Summary The Kilburn II Bluetooth sound system catches the eye immediately with its rocker style look. The long battery life is also remarkable, as are the 2 “D” class amplifiers. Through the amplifiers, the sound fills the room, we can enjoy a powerful, clear sound, with sharp, beautiful trebles, tight basses. Unfortunately, the lowest ranges are weak. The airy and spacious sound is also lacking, as is the detail that leaves something to be desired. The stereo effect is excellent, but the 360-degree sound is noisy. Since this device is primarily a stereo speaker, this isn’t necessarily a big deal either, although there are Bluetooth speakers that can bring out great 360-degree sounding, such as the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 speaker, besides it is even more affordable. Unfortunately, Marshall does not have a Wi-Fi connection either, its relatively high weight and price can also be considered a disadvantage. However, the rocker design compensates for these negatives, although not everyone likes this style; for them, it is worth choosing speakers with a more sophisticated look. 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 road. Pros
Cons
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Marshall is known for its legendary guitar amps, but its foray into the world of speakers and headphones has seen its products migrate from the stage into our homes. Now, updating its bestselling Kilburn speaker, Marshall has released the Kilburn II, adding new features and functions and making it more roadworthy. DesignLike its predecessor, the design of the Kilburn II is inspired by Marshall's rock heritage, although this time the company has taken inspiration from the microphone for the speaker's silver mesh grille. Adorning this is the iconic Marshall logo in white, which is a nice touch if you want to flaunt your rock credentials to your friends, although if you're not fan of overt branding you may prefer a more subtle design. Amp-inspired dials on the top of the speaker are another nice touch, with nifty bass and treble controls adding to the rock'n'roll feel. The controls are pared back compared to the original Kilburn, with Marshall doing away with pair and source switches. While there are still AUX capabilities, the port has been moved to the back of the speaker. Instead of the amp-style flickable on/off switch for various settings on the original Kilburn, here there's is a small button – it gives the speaker a cleaner look, but may disappoint fans of the more nostalgic design. Another cool feature is the battery life bar, which is styled to look like the lights above the volume fader on a mixing console. Flush corner caps give the speaker a rugged and durable feel, making it a great choice for taking along to parties and festivals. Adding to the portability of the Kilburn II is the guitar-style carrying strap, which has a plush dark red velvet underside giving it a luxe look that's enhanced by the gold screws holding it in place. It’s not the most comfortable carrying strap however, and would benefit from some cushioning on the underside. Portability is the calling card of the Kilburn II, and in this respect it does well for a speaker of its power, weighing in at just 3kg. However, for music lovers on the smaller side this is still a fairly hefty weight to be carrying around for any length of time, at a festival for example. Overall the design is far more subdued than the original Kilburn, making it suitable for a wider range of tastes and home decors; however fans of the retro look may prefer the original's signature Marshall black and gold design. PerformanceMarshall has promised that the Kilburn II has improved sound quality compared to the original Kilburn, and it absolutely delivers. For such a small speaker it packs a powerful punch in terms of volume, and we can imagine it making quite the noise outdoors at festivals and parties, thanks to its multi-directional sound and backfiring tweeters. The bass and treble controls allow you to tailor the sound to your preferences, and also to the genre of music you're playing – you might want to crank up the bass for hip-hop and dance tracks, for example, or increase the treble for guitar-heavy rock. To test the neutrality of the speaker, we tried out the Kilburn II with the bass and treble dials set halfway, and stuck on punk-rap trio Death Grips’ I’ve Seen Footage. The oscillating synths came through with sparkle and clarity, while the bass was rich and thumping, although it did feel a bit muddy at times. True to Marshall’s heritage, the Kilburn II performs best when playing rock music. We tried out Arctic Monkeys’ R U Mine, and were impressed by the clear treble tones, which allowed the wailing guitars and thrashing hi-hats and snares to sound crisp and punchy. Availability and pricingThe Kilburn II can be ordered now, with shipping from September 13, priced at £249 in the UK, $299 in the US, and US$369 in Australia. That's pretty expensive for a Bluetooth speaker, particularly when you compare it to other models on the market. That being said, you’re buying more than just a speaker with the Kilburn II – you’re buying into a brand with a history of rock heritage. If you want to enjoy a similar listening experience for less money, the original Kilburn is currently available for a reduced price of £159 at Marshall's UK website, and US$219 at its Australian website; there's currently no such reduction for US buyers. Final verdictOverall, the Kilburn II is an impressive little speaker with a well balanced sound that’s just as suitable for parties as it is for casual listening, with its backfiring tweeters and multi-directional ensuring it fills a room easily. If you’re looking to buy this speaker, chances are you're into rock music, which is where the Kilburn II excels. However, if you’re a bass-head or into your hip-hop you may find the delay on the bass notes a little too long, resulting in a slightly muddy sound. However, while it looks and sounds great, the Kilburn II is pretty expensive compared to other Bluetooth speakers on the market, so it's questionably whether you'd want to carry it around unprotected in environments where it's likely to be subjected to knocks and spills. That said, it is fairly rugged, and nicely portable. Meanwhile rock enthusiasts will love the clear branding – although if you’re looking for a speaker that blends into your Scandi-chic home, this probably isn’t the one for you. In a world of ubiquitous minimalist Bluetooth speakers, the Kilburn II definitely stands out from the crowd with its cool, retro look, and roadworthy, portable feel, and if you’ve got some money to burn, investing in a little rock cred for your home may not be such a bad idea.
Olivia was previously TechRadar's Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she's a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She's previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR. What is the difference between Marshall Kilburn 1 and 2?“What is the difference in the Kilburn one, Kilburn two”The Kilburn II has Bluetooth 5.0 compared to the 4.0 on the Kilburn. It also has a shorter charging time 2.5 hours compared to 4, and a water-resistant design. It's also slightly larger and lighter than the Kilburn model and a longer playing time. Is Marshall Kilburn 2 worth it?Very happy with purchase. Despite some negative reviews, Marshall Kilburn 2 has amazing bass, crisp treble with classic features as bass, treble and volume knobs. Frequency ranges 52-25000 Hz with 100 decibels at one meter. From my experience, bass could go lower, louder without audible distortion. Which Marshall speaker is best?List of best Marshall speakers online. Is Marshall Kilburn 2 loud?This stout-hearted hero weighs only 5.5 lbs and is the loudest speaker in its class. It produces a clear midrange, deep bass and extended highs that are unrivalled for a speaker this size, and its multi-directional sound will immerse you in your music, indoors or out. |
