Marshall Bromley 150 review: a party in a cube

Bass is the main event, the review says. Tracks with rippling sub-bass translated well, and the speaker extends down to 42Hz, handling the lowest frequencies with what the reviewer described as immense confidence. On "Cowboy Killer" by Kyle Walker and Nate Katz, deep bass hit with tremendous impact while staying regimented, and the dynamic low end did not come at the expense of the rest of the frequency range: higher-pitched drums were precise and expressive, and keys in the mid-range were well defined in the mix.

The mid-range is where the reviewer found fault. On vocal-heavy material such as Allie X's "Black Eye," vocals were clear and treble drums sounded forward with a rapid decay, but the reviewer said mid-range vocals lacked the texture and detail heard from some speakers at the same price point. On funk tracks, electric guitars did not always sound as well separated as on other speakers, although mids remained clean and weighted well. There is also no LDAC for higher-resolution Bluetooth listening, a feature the review notes appears on the Marshall Acton IV and Marshall Stanmore IV; the reviewer argues that a party speaker's focus is understandably on impact rather than insight.

Marshall's True Stereophonic 360-degree sound is retained from the rear and the side, with bass output and clean highs preserved, a result the reviewer found better than on some larger rivals tested, including Sony's ULT Tower 7.

The cabinet takes an amp-inspired design with faux leather, gold detailing and control knobs, and the review describes it as robust, rating its IP55 protection against high-pressure water jets and dust as above average for this class of speaker. The stage-light-style LEDs were judged classier than the RGB lighting on most party speakers, with several modes available and the option to switch them off entirely to conserve battery. The unit is smaller and lighter than its siblings and carries a built-in handle for transport.

In its verdict, TechRadar lists the design and build quality, bass output and customizable lighting among the reasons to buy, and the thin companion app, the articulation of the mids and the missing LDAC among the reasons to avoid. The review gives no price figure.