MarshallMiddleton Portable Bluetooth Speaker, Black and Brass

I perused many reviews of many speakers before settling on this one, and the word "settled" is misused here because this speaker is absolutely fantastic.ConstructionThis speaker is made from quality materials; you can tell as soon as you pick it up. The rubber coating provides excellent grip and is easy to clean, the included strap is very sturdy, not weak, and you can tell this can survive being knocked about a little bit without circumstances. I'm surprised the mesh is made from plastic, not metal, but they did have to cut a little weight somewhere because this is not a light speaker. The weight does not bother me, though.Portability:This Middleton speaker is portable for me. You'd think that at this price point, a hard-shell cover would be included, but you can find those relatively cheap on Amazon here. ($25 will get you a good one). It's easy to carry around using the strap, and it should fit into just about any laptop backpack you have, but again; this speaker is not small and it is not light.I travel a lot, and I've had this speaker with me on Safaris, out in the desert, in the shower, in the middle of the ocean: it never let me down or inconvenienced me while I was on the move.Sound:The sound quality from this is great, but I would not call it excellent. I'm surprised that a speaker that costs $300 only supports SBC, no AptX or LDAC. Shame on you, Marshall. Despite that, the sound is still great and fills even medium-sized rooms with resonance. The added bass and treble controls are handy, and once you set your preferred levels there you probably won't touch them ever again.If you use the Aux port instead and connect to a source that outputs lossless quality, the sound changes dramatically for the better.The App:The app is very wonky. Sometimes it won't detect the speaker, especially if it's already playing music before I attempt to make the app. Connecting another Middleton for stacked play can be hit-or-miss. When it works, it's wonderful. I wish that When two or more Middletons were connected the app would split stereo into the two speakers instead of giving you the exact same sound from both.Customer Support:Customer support is among the best I've ever run into. My first speaker was damaged under warranty, and I was shipped a brand-new replacement immediately after going through the warranty claim. No delays.Charging:If I were you, I'd get a GaaN charger that's at least 100w with a 100W USB C-to-C cable to charge this thing. Regular USB chargers still work, but they take a lot longer. Also, bear in mind that there is no battery care in this device's firmware. (Why, Marshall, for a $300 speaker????). Once your speaker reaches %100 charge, it does not automatically stop charging, so keep an eye on it and disconnect it immediately. Don't leave it charging overnight.Niggles:1. The mesh covering on the front is pushed into place, not secured by any screws like the rear mesh. This is weird. Though this speaker is built so sturdily that there is practically zero chance of it ever popping out unless you're playing football with it or something.2. Marshall does sell spares, which is ridiculous. If the charging port on your perfectly-working speaker gets damaged outside of warranty, you have to throw the whole speaker away, rather than being able to buy the little board with the charging port online somewhere. This is unacceptable in this day and age.Overall: I love this speaker, and I will never look for another portable Bluetooth speaker. This satisfies all my needs.

The Marshall Middleton Portable Bluetooth Speaker is a perfect blend of iconic design and impressive audio performance. This speaker delivers rich, clear sound with deep bass that truly fills a room, making it great for both indoor and outdoor use.Its compact size and lightweight build make it super easy to carry around, while the classic Marshall aesthetic with the signature logo adds a cool vintage vibe wherever you take it. The speaker pairs quickly and reliably with any Bluetooth device, and the controls are intuitive and responsive.Battery life is solid, giving you hours of uninterrupted music on a single charge — perfect for long days out or gatherings. The build quality feels premium, durable enough to withstand everyday use while looking stylish on your desk or picnic blanket.If you want a portable speaker that combines iconic looks with powerful, high-quality sound, the Marshall Middleton is a fantastic choice. Highly recommended!

this is really what I want, the sound is so good!

Coming from a 7 year old Onyx 2...(which still sounds great) I was shocked to see how little the sound changed between the that and the 4...almost the same speaker. They both sound great and very clear...but they both suffer from the battery issue many have complained about here. The Onyx 2 no longer works without being plugged in (and I fear this will be the case with the 4 in a couple years)- but I needed something for my pool. My search began:Remember - portable for the pool - so I looked at everything and not being a JBL fanboy I decided on the Marshall Middleton the Onyx 4 and the UE Hyperboom.Marshall - really sounds great - very crisp sound and they get a lot out of this little speaker. If I was traveling a lot and bringing it to my room this would be my speaker. The most portable of the three - but the smallest sounding (which again, is still pretty damn good). Good bass - but not like the other two considering its $300.UE Hyperboom - This is the best sounding - but really not by enough to justify the price tag. I was willing and I was actually rooting for this one. But when you are at a pool and the water feature is going on...are you really gonna see much difference in clarity? If you want to crank it - this is a better option. If you have neighbors and live on a golf course...it won't matter and the clarity of the the HK and the Middleton are both great...again $400..I did not see a significant jump in sound that "blew me away."HK Onyx 4 - I have a 19 speaker HK system in my vehicle and my friends say it is the best sounding system in any car they have ever heard...and I tend to agree. My tastes run from Klipsch home systems to now the upgraded Sonos Arc with 4 surrounds and the large subwoofer....so I like good sound. The HK will not blow you away with power - it will sound great at a pool and your friends will say...WOW that sounds really good! If you want power go with JBL...but to me they all sound the same and again - to get something that will give you that kind of power....your back to over $400. The batteries on the HK 2 I had sucked and I fear this will be the case with the 4. I am very disappointed that the sound is not much - if at all - different...but the 2 was pretty perfect. I also got the HK 6 a couple months ago and played it for maybe 30 seconds - boxed it up and returned. Horrible in my opinion. I also dabbled with the Sony SRS-XG300. A beautiful speaker which sounds like it is playing underwater...again I did play with all these on the equalizer settings (which the HK does not have) to give them all a fair fight.So if your gonna crank it up...$400 is no issue...go with the Hyperboom. Sound will not be that much different (especially if there is background noise like water features at pools etc.) But, it will crank louder than the HK and still give you some great sound quality.Portability with travel...you are not gonna get much better than the Marshall Middleton if you are willing to eat that $299 price tag.The HK gives you a lot but again that battery issue should have been resolved...they know about it and have done nothing in the way of battery (or sound really in my opinion - which again is not a bad thing) for the last 7 years. The price is a little high - but the sound quality is still 5 stars and that is what I am rating it on. Good luck in your own search - and when in doubt between 2...get them both and compare - Amazon makes it easy for returns.

Nice discount

All I can say is Wow! I always wanted to hear how this little speaker sounded and I’m truly impressed and blown away folks. Awesome!! Well worth the premium price.