What we liked
- The perfect format/power ratio
- The legendary Marshall look
- The featherweight and handle
- The extremely long battery life
We would have liked
- 360° sound
- aptX codec support
Our expert’s opinion
This third generation of the Marshall Kilburn speaker continues the British brand's tradition of offering a powerful sound signature. I was impressed both by its inimitable vintage design and the quality of the bass. The Kilburn III manages to reproduce surprisingly lows for its compact size. The other thing that particularly appealed to me was its battery life! With 50 hours of playback between recharges, the Marshall Kilburn III proves reliable and practical for everyday use. What's more, its elegant handle and light weight made me want to carry it around the house and out onto the patio.
Seven years after the second generation, the British manufacturer has unveiled the third-generation Marshall Kilburn. During this seven-year period, the Bluetooth speaker has undergone a number of improvements, including a much longer battery life (50 h) and a more powerful amplification system. Still adorned with the iconic Marshall design, the Kilburn III also promises to perpetuate the brand’s audio heritage. Do all these factors justify the €349 price tag?
Presentation
Included accessories
The Marshall Kilburn III Bluetooth speaker is protected inside a cardboard box that sets the tone for what’s to come. The “Marshall Signature Sound” label already promises lively, high-impact bass. The battery life is also highlighted on the box, as is the integration of Auracast technology, which makes it easy to create a wireless daisy-chain of several speakers. Once unboxed, the speaker’s design inevitably reminded us of the iconic guitar amplifiers that forged the brand’s reputation. It comes with instructions and a 2m USB-C charging cable.
Marshall expertise
The Marshall Kilburn III is positioned just below the Tufton model in the brand’s range of portable Bluetooth speakers. It stands out for its exemplary size-to-power ratio. The Kilburn III is easy to transport from one room to another in the house, and its amplification means it can play music in a living room of up to 30m².
This third generation speaker inherits the expertise acquired with the first two models, launched respectively in 2015 and 2018. While Marshall has not renewing itself in terms of design, with its strong, easily identifiable visual signature, it does know how to make technical improvements to perfect the formula. Therefore, the Marshall Kilburn III is not a reissue, but a new model in its own right, staying true to the brand’s sonic heritage while asserting its own identity through new technical choices.
Iconic design
As every Marshall owner knows, the brand makes an impression. Its visual signature, inspired by the guitar amps of the 1960s, is instantly recognizable. The Kilburn III’s design is therefore in keeping with Marshall’s DNA.
This new portable Bluetooth speaker incorporates three notched metal knobs on its top panel. These control volume and tone, with bass and treble levels. Next to them is an elegant toggle switch to turn on the Kilburn III. At the other end of the control panel, Marshall has placed a slider for changing tracks, the Bluetooth pairing control button and the M button that provides a shortcut to an EQ preset adjusted in the app. This metal panel underlines the speaker’s exemplary finish quality.
Metal is also present on the front panel, with the grille that protects the drivers and on the brand logo. The carrying handle is lined with red velvet. Both visually discreet and soft to the touch, this material reinforces the overall elegance of the speaker. The Kilburn III also features the manufacturer’s customary leatherette finish.
Audio design
The Marshall Kilburn III Bluetooth speaker is a two-way bass-reflex model. It features a 4″ woofer powered by a 30-watt amplifier module. This is combined with two 2″ midrange/high frequency drivers, each powered by a 10-watt module. In total, the Marshall Kilburn III benefits from 50 watts of amplification to deliver a powerful sound.
In addition to this internal architecture, the Marshall Kilburn III portable speaker adopts proprietary True Stereophonic technology. This is designed to deliver a true stereo experience wherever you are in relation to the speaker. It promises 360° stereo diffusion, separating the left and right channels and diffusing them multidirectionally. On paper, this sounds quite impressive, but reality some details are lost when you’re standing to the side of or behind the speaker.
📝 Expert advice
The Marshall Bluetooth app offers a speaker placement compensation feature. These are DSP modes that adapt the sound to suit the environment: at the edge of a shelf or table, but also close to a wall, in a corner or on the floor. Take the time to adjust this parameter manually to take full advantage of the acoustic performance offered by the Marshall Kilburn III. Ideally, the speaker should be placed on the edge of a table or shelf, at least 20cm from the wall behind it.
Battery life
One of the strengths of the Marshall Kilburn III portable speaker is its long battery life. Whereas the second generation was limited to 20 hours of continuous playback, this new iteration boasts a battery offering up to 50 hours of music! In parallel, the fast charge feature offers 8 hours of autonomy in just 20 minutes. Reliable and powerful, this battery can be replaced by unscrewing the cover on the underside of the speaker, making it a truly portable speaker. You can take it with you from the office to the bedroom, and from the living room to the kitchen.
Its handle and weight of just 2.8kg are consistent with this approach. The Marshall Kilburn III is designed to play music in all circumstances over an entire weekend. What’s more, its robustness has also been upgraded from an IPX2 certification to the IP54 classification. Although it can’t be installed near the pool, it’s still welcome on the patio to add music to your summer parties.
Bluetooth and connectors
The Marshall Kilburn III portabl speaker incorporates a Bluetooth 5.3 receiver to stream music wirelessly from compatible smartphones, DAPs, computers and tablets. It supports the SBC, AAC and LC3 codecs. It’s a pity that it doesn’t support the aptX codec, which is now widely available.
This is all the more astonishing given that Marshall has integrated a more recent technology: Auracast. Highlighted on the speaker’s packaging, this protocol is designed to receive or transmit an audio signal. Here, Auracast will be used to create a wireless daisy-chain system with several compatible speakers. This practical feature enables you to multiply the areas from which your music is played. For example, during a party with friends, to provide sound in a larger space or to enjoy clear music reproduction in every corner of the room.
When it comes to connectors, the Marshall Kilburn III portable speaker has the bare minimum. An auxiliary input in 3.5mm mini-jack format lets you connect a preamplified turntable or a source without a Bluetooth transmitter. The USB-C port for recharging the speaker can also be used to charge a smartphone.
Key specifications
- 50W amplification power
- 2 x 2″ midrange/high frequency drivers + 1 x 4″ woofer
- Bluetooth 5.3 and Auracast
- 50-hour battery life
- IP54 certification
- Carrying handle
- Weight: 2.8kg
My impressions
With Marshall, bass never disappoints. The Kilburn III was no exception. As soon as it was switched on, the intro guitar riff emanating from the speaker hinted at what was to come. When we played the first track on Qobuz, the speaker expressed its ease in this frequency range.
The bass was firm, lively and controlled: there’s no doubt about it, this speaker has the Marshall sound signature. Despite its relatively small size (less than 30cm wide and 15cm high), it was capable of reaching a high volume while diffusing the music without distortion. Vocals and timbres were also very accurate. These characteristics were confirmed during the entirety of our listening sessions, whether we chose urban tracks, rock or electronic music.
However, we would point out a bass accentuation that can sometimes cause an imbalance on certain more complex tracks. However, we did notice an accentuation of the bass, which sometimes caused some imbalance on more complex tracks. However, this is not a serious problem, as the speaker features two tone controls, and the Marshall Bluetooth app allows you to go even further by adjusting the equalizer over 5 frequency bands, offering fully customizable audio settings.
Comparison: Marshall Kilburn III vs Klipsch Detroit
Priced at €299, the Klipsch is definately more of a portable model, as it is IP67-certified and adopts a more robust design with a non-slip plastic coating. However, its battery life is more limited than that of the Marshall Kilburn III (20 h vs. 50 h). The British model incorporates one less driver than the Detroit, but its amplification is 20 watts more powerful. Finally, Klipsch’s wireless daisy-chaining mode lets you connect up to 10 speakers, while Auracast technology has no limit.
Who is this speaker for?
The Marshall Kilburn III Bluetooth speaker is ideal for music lovers looking for powerful sound with punchy bass. It’s at home with all styles of music, but particularly excels with dynamic rock tracks. Music lovers who like to turn up the volume and take their speaker from one room of the house to another, and even onto the patio, will be very happy with the gorgeous Kilburn III.
FAQ – Marshall Kilburn III Bluetooth speaker review
What is the autonomy of the Marshall Kilburn III?
The Kilburn III offers up to 50 hours of continuous playback on a single charge.
Which Bluetooth audio codecs are compatible with the Kilburn III?
It supports SBC and AAC codecs. There’s no Bluetooth aptX, but it is Auracast compatible.
How long does it take to fully charge the Kilburn III?
A full charge with a 30W USB-C charger takes around 3 hours.
Does the Marshall Kilburn III have a fast-charge function?
Yes, a 20-minute charge can provide several hours of playback (up to 8 additional hours of autonomy).
Does the Kilburn III broadcast sound in stereo (2 channels) or mono?
It is a stereo speaker, as it incorporates a woofer and two tweeters designed to reproduce immersive stereo sound.
What are the differences between the Marshall Kilburn II and Kilburn III?
The Kilburn III (2025) brings clear improvements over the Kilburn II: doubled battery life (50h vs 20h), added powerbank function (USB charger for smartphones), reinforced certification (IP54 instead of IPX2), advanced Bluetooth (5.3 multipoint vs 5.0) and new 360° acoustics.
Can the Marshall Kilburn III be left permanently plugged in without damaging the battery?
The Marshall Kilburn III can be plugged in permanently, but it is advisable to unplug it regularly to preserve the battery.
Is the Kilburn III’s battery removable/replaceable?
Yes, it has a rechargeable, easily replaceable battery.
Should I choose the Marshall Kilburn III or the Marshall Tufton?
The Tufton is the superior model in the portable range: it’s bigger and more powerful (with an additional woofer) and is suitable for larger spaces. On the other hand, the Kilburn III is more compact (≈2.8kg vs. ~5kg for the Tufton) and offers much better autonomy (50h vs. ~20h). The Kilburn III also benefits from IP54 and multipoint Bluetooth 5.3, while the Tufton (released in 2019) has lower protection (IPX2) and Bluetooth 5.0. The choice will depend on the importance you place on portability and autonomy (Kilburn III) versus raw sonic power (Tufton).
Can the Kilburn 3 be used with a turntable or a TV?
Yes, just connect the audio source to the 3.5mm AUX input on the back of the speaker or use Bluetooth if the TV supports it. For a turntable, make sure it has a phono preamp (internal or external), otherwise the output level will be insufficient. Similarly, the Kilburn III has no HDMI/optical output, so you have to connect the TV via its headphone output or Bluetooth.
Can the Marshall Kilburn III charge a smartphone?
Yes, this speaker acts as an external battery: you can connect a phone to the USB-C port to charge it.
What connectivity modes are available on the Kilburn III?
It can stream music via Bluetooth 5.3 and has a 3.5mm mini-jack auxiliary input for a wired source.
Does the Marshall Kilburn III support Bluetooth multipoint?
Yes, it can connect to two Bluetooth sources simultaneously and switch between them easily.
Is the Marshall Kilburn 3 speaker compatible with a voice assistant?
No, it’s not a connected speaker with built-in assistant. It can, however, be used as a Bluetooth driver for an Echo/Google Assistant device, but has no voice control of its own.
Is there a Marshall mobile app to control the Kilburn III, and is it necessary?
Marshall offers the Marshall Bluetooth app for audio customization (presets, equalizer) and updates, but you don’t have to use it to control the speaker.
