Marshall Stanmore II Wireless Bluetooth Speaker - Black (UK)

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You could even attach a guitar amp modeller pedal and use the Stanmore II as a low volume guitar practice amp. Wired connections in wireless speakers are, thankfully, fairly common – but here they’re unusually prominent. And the button that switches between them is right there up-top. In May 2020, Sonos released new speakers incompatible with some of its oldest products. These newer speakers (including the Five) can only run with the latest S2 app, and some of the company's older products don't have enough processing power to keep up with the said app. These older products generally were not the most popular, so this change hopefully won't affect too many customers. If you do own one of these products, Sonos is offering a trade-in program where you can send in your older products and get a 30% discount on their upgraded versions. Additionally, all products made from here on out will only work with the S2 app and thus will not connect with the oldest, non-S2 compatible products. Bottom line, if you own one of these older products, you'll either have to upgrade or not use any of the company's newest products (or create two separate Sonos systems in your home, but having two groups of speakers that can't talk to one another kind of negates a lot of what makes Sonos great). Single-Speaker Systems The Marshall’s large control knobs offer a satisfying feel, as does the power lever. However, as the volume and tone is controlled by your phone as well as these on-speaker controls, a series of LED light sits around each so you can determine the volume level and bass/treble settings. Bose has definitely stepped up their app game recently. However, even with these improvements, we still find managing multiple-speaker systems on the Sonos app considerably easier. Additionally, Bose has multiple families of speakers, and generally, speakers from one family can only work in conjunction with other speakers from that same family. For example, many speakers we tested a few years ago don't work with the newest family of speakers that have come out. That being said, all of the Bose products in this review are compatible with Bose Simplesync, which allows seamless pairing and multi-device audio play. However, older Bose speakers, even those from only a few years ago, may not have these capabilities. Sonos Compatibility Restrictions The speaker can put out sound with decent scale and stature, but it can seem a little flat and two-dimensional compared with the best-in-class models. There’s some bass bleed, or at least less-than-ideal tonal control in the area where the bass meets the mids.

If you are particularly susceptible to fatigue as a result of treble frequencies, you can turn the treble dial down to soften the sound, which should take the edge off. This is the reason it sounds so relaxed; it’s at ease at volumes that will make your neighbours feel anything but. The Stanmore II is a great party speaker. All in all, if you’re looking for a great party speaker with the ability to control your smart home, the Stanmore II Voice could be your new best friend.None of this is criticism. However, a Marshall amp in a living room has a tendency to make a flat or house look “studenty”. A Marshall Stanmore II won’t.

Marshall has done a great job of making the Stanmore II resemble an amp, while at the same time adding a bit of glamour and softness for it to comfortably fit in a living room. The Stanmore II is a mid-size model in the Marshall lineup. It’s a similar size to a Sonos Play:5; big enough to be thought of as your main music source. You can also create a stereo pair of Stanmore IIs using the Marshall app. Marshall Stanmore II Bluetooth – Sound quality If you’re considering upgrading it from the second generation, I wouldn't because it’s just not different enough to be worthwhile, but if you’re buying it for the first time then it has been improved enough to spend the extra cash. Marshall Stanmore III review: also consider It sounds its best when played fairly loud, but doesn’t quite have the separation and dynamics of the very top performers. The same criticism can be levelled at Marshall’s other speakers, too.

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Bass depth is good, too – at its price, if not necessarily the size. The Stanmore II can handle the kind of sub-bass frequencies that a lot of smaller wireless speakers – bar the Sonos One – bow out of entirely. As I’ve mentioned, there are two ways to customise the audio. You can either use the knobs on the control panel, or you can use the Marshall Bluetooth smartphone app which is available for both iOS and Android. You get full control over the bass and treble. Admittedly, some options offer even more detailed control across a three or even a five band equaliser but if you’re not an audiophile then those two are sure to be enough. If you're looking for a beastly behemoth to anchor your multi-speaker system, look no further than the Sonos Five. This recently redesigned speaker offered both the loudest sound and best quality in our testing, earning it top marks in fullness, bass power, and overall clarity. We also love that it nests perfectly within the Sonos ecosystem, which in our opinion, is the best and most convenient platform for building and managing a multi-speaker system. However, it’s getting to this stage that’s frustrating. Alexa’s iOS app isn’t very good, and you sometimes even have to use it to pair new Bluetooth devices, in addition to using it throughout the initial setup. We repeatedly tried to link our Philips Hue and Spotify accounts in it, but it constantly failed. In the end, we turned to the desktop and Alexa’s web interface. Not ideal. Marshall’s Voice app has an equalizer and a few other speaker adjustments, such as the brightness of the volume control lights. It’s reliable, if bland, and you have to install it to make the speaker work.

Sensitive ears may find the harsh treble frequencies cause fatigue, but this can be rectified by adjusting the treble and bass dials on the top of the speakers. The build feels very well constructed and durable, and this time around it was made using 70% recycled plastic and only vegan materials. But it’s not water resistant so you’ll need to be careful of spilt drinks which could ruin it. Stanmore II is the midrange offering in Marshall’s wireless speaker line, with a price tag of around 350 euros that puts it into DXOMARK’s Advanced category. The brand says, “Stanmore II is the most versatile speaker in the Marshall line-up and is perfect for any room, big or small. Built with advanced components, it produces clean and precise audio, even at the highest levels.” The Bluetooth is very reliable, I could take my smartphone into another room without the music cutting out, and my phone automatically connected almost instantaneously every time I switched it on.Just as the Stanmore II doesn’t use any particularly interesting or advanced tech in its actual speaker drivers, the sound is an effective but somewhat blunt instrument. Marshall’s Bluetooth app lets you use parametric EQ presets with more bands that just the treble/bass of the top-plate controls, and create your own. For the most part I’ve used the default “flat” mode, though. Whether the Marshall Stanmore III is the right choice for you or not will depend largely on what you need from a wireless speaker. If you want something that will look really cool and sound fantastic with loads of power then this will be perfect, but if you’re looking for advanced smarts like voice control and multiroom then you won’t get either of those and you’re better off looking elsewhere.