Marshall Kilburn III review: This Bluetooth speaker rocks

Since branching into Bluetooth speakers over a decade ago, there's been no shortage of options when choosing a Marshall speaker. Once the iconic backdrop to every great rock band, Marshall is now equally comfortable in the hands of aging rockers and the new generation at home.

The Kilburn was Marshall's first Bluetooth speaker, updated in 2018 with the Kilburn II, and now back on track with the Kilburn III. Changes include a minor refresh to the design, but considerable changes elsewhere.

The result is a Bluetooth speaker with a substantial offering, not least in its universal retro appeal. But for all the changes, there are some elements missing from a speaker that is, undeniably, expensive. But here's why I think it's still more than worth it.

Price & availability

The Marshall Kilburn III was announced in May 2025 for a recommended retail price of £299 / $379 / €349 / AU$599. That's a hefty price for a Bluetooth speaker, although this is a mid-sized model, so you're getting more for your money.

At the time of writing, there aren't any real discounts to that price – and looking at the price history on Amazon, there haven't been any discounts since the speaker went on sale, in the UK at least.

Design & features

Marshall's speakers are all about the retro design, crafted to look like the amplifiers that made the company famous, propelled by some of the world's most famous rock musicians. From the Marshall signature across the front, to the faux leather finish and the mesh front and back, the Kilburn III has an instantly iconic look.

That's an inherent byproduct of taking design cues from those amplifiers born of the 1960s and while all Marshall Bluetooth speakers carry the same aesthetic, I think it's much more effective on the Kilburn because of the scale. Sure, the Middleton is cute, but it's so small, it barely has room to flaunt that design.

I'm not saying that bigger is better, but in this case, bigger just has more impact. From the red velvet-lined strap to the brass top plate with physical dials and LED illumination, I've found that young and old both appreciate the Kilburn III's design.

Part of that comes down to its practicality. The knobs on the top comprise volume, bass and treble, making for adjustment that's beautifully analogue – and a reminder of just how simple it is when you don't have to use an app to make these basic tweaks.

Everything is tactile with this speaker, a refeshing reminder that analogue controls still have a place in an increasingly digital world.

The power toggle is a chunky switch – with accompanying rocky sound effects – while there's enough space for play / pause and track skip functions. Elsewhere, a Bluetooth button aids connection, while the M button can switch between different equaliser (EQ) pre-sets, as set in the smartphone app.

That app also allows firmware updates, but is really the only nod to modernity: there's no voice control here, this speaker is just about delivering music. There isn't even a microphone for speakerphone functions.

To aid that music delivery there is a 3.5mm Aux input on the rear, alongside the USB-C that is used for charging the substantial internal battery. A bonus feature is that the battery can also be used to recharge your phone, which is great for long days out.

Should you venture into the great outdoors, there's an IP54 rating on this speaker to protect it from water and dust.

Sound & performance

With the Marshall named scrawled across the front, it's no surprise that it offers great sound quality. There's a rich warmth to this speaker right across the volume range – with surprising clarity at lower volumes and avoiding the worst of distortion at higher ranges.

That's thanks to the dynamic adjustments to bass, mids and treble as you turn the volume up, so everything sounds in balance through the volume range.

Given the size of the Kilburn III, it offers room-filling sound – making it great for occasions when your music needs some gusto. I took it to Center Parcs for New Year to soundtrack the party, where it performed admirably and to much acclaim from the assembled revellers.

There's a 4-inch woofer – with a bass port on the rear – while two 2-inch full-range drivers deliver stereo sound. There's a combined 50W power across the speakers.

The Kilburn III is designed for 360-degree sound, so while there's a distinct front and back to the design, the audio doesn't sound directional when placed in the middle of the room.

That's means you can drop it on the island in your kitchen and everyone benefits. The app also contains settings to tweak the sound output, so if it's against a wall or near an edge, the speaker can adapt the sound profile.

Within the app there are those EQ options to shape the sound to your preference, on top of the bass and treble knobs on the top, for further tweaking.

The bass delivery from the Kilburn III is substantial without being excessive. I fired up The Prodigy's Out of Space and it happily trips out the bass without falling over.

The opening of AC/DC's Thunderstuck sounds right at home, especially when the bass guitar joins the opening riff. The Marshall Kilburn III is a speaker that skips through genres with aplomb – it just sounds great.

There's no Wi-Fi on the Kilburn III, it's Bluetooth only, supporting SBC, LC3 and AAC. It also supports Auracast through the app.

Finally we need to talk about the battery life: the Kilburn III offers 50 hours of playback, meaning you can party for the whole weekend on a single charge. Charged via USB-C, there's a handy LED indicator on the top of the speaker so you can easily check the level.

Within the app there are battery preservation options, with the ability to lower the charging speed to keep temperatures in check, as well as reducing max charge to 90% to avoid stressing the internal battery.

It supports up to 30W charging, with a full charge taking about 3 hours. However, from a 20-minute fast charge you'll get 8 hours of playback, which is not to be sniffed at.

Marshall Kilburn III review: Verdict

The Marshall Kilburn III quickly became my favourite Bluetooth speaker as soon as I started listening to it. The aesthetics are more interesting than many minimalist smart speaker designs and the top-mounted controls allow for really easy tweaking of the sound.

That sound quality is great, there's plenty of volume, so this is a great speaker for portability around the home or for holidays. But it's a little on the large side to be really portable – it's not the sort of speaker you'd want to carry with you on a camping trip, but throw it in the back of the car for your next staycation and you'll be really happy.

While this speaker lacks smart features, the strong battery life (with phone charging included) means that there's plenty to be excited about. It's expensive for a Bluetooth speaker, but it rubs elbows with the best of them – making it a 5-star product through and through.

Also consider

The Marshall Kilburn III sits more in the home speaker camp and less in the portable speaker category, which sees it face plenty of competition. A natural rival in the home would be the Sonos Move 2 – which has the advantage of offering Wi-Fi as part of the Sonos system, but increased pricing associated with that.

Alternatively the B&O Beolit 20 offers equally appealing aesthetics but is much more expensive. For those who value portability and protection from the elements might be more interested in the JBL Xtreme 4, which has a carry strap and rugged credentials.

Alternatively, the Bose SoundLink Max has waterproofing, sound credentials and the oomph to fill a room with sound for a similar price to the Marshall. It's less distinctive by design though.