Though the name Marshall is synonymous with guitar amplification, the brand has branched out into personal and home audio, as well as curveballs like a fridge and smartphone. Now the company is getting its party on with the Bromley 750.
Marshall has been at the heart of rock since the early 1960s, providing the tonal fuel for household names such as Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Yngwie Malmsteen, Angus Young, Randy Rhoads and Lemmy Kilminster. Well, that's true of my household anyway.
Marshall Amplification joined forced with Sweden's Zound Industries in 2010 to launch into the consumer tech space with earphones and headphones. Bluetooth speakers rocking the signature Marshall styling followed, and now the company is heading into uncharted territory with its first party speaker.
The Bromley 750 has the look of an amp cab, or a stretched-out combo – complete with corner bumpers, red plastic rocker switch, brass-topped dials, black tolex-like wrapping, and a massive speaker grille with the brand name stamped in the middle. And it certainly has a very different kind of vibe to competitors in the space like Sony, JBL and LG.
"When we first considered entering the party speaker category, we saw an opportunity to bring something different to a uniform market," said the Marshall Group's Hanna Wallner. "By staying true to our identity and what we are great at – prioritizing iconic design and superior acoustics – we’ve created a standout product that brings something fresh to an otherwise homogenous category."
The retro-modern unit is reported capable of pushing out 360-degree sonics that are powerful enough to "fill warehouse, streets or fields." Two top-firing tweeters are deigned to push high frequencies upward. There are two more tweeters elsewhere in the chassis, along with a pair of 5.25-inch midrange drivers and two 10-inch woofers. And they're all driven by an eight-strong gang of Class D power amps. Will the Bromley 750 out-loud a Soundboks? I've no idea, but I'd certainly like to be a guest at that side-by-side shootout.
Sound is streamed to the Bromley over Bluetooth 5.3 or cabled in via a 3.5-mm audio jack or USB-C. The listener is able to switch between dynamic and just plain loud profiles via a sound character knob, allowing for cleaner tones when the unit is in the living room or much more punch and drive when outdoors. The IO panel also sports microphone and instrument inputs through XLR combo jacks, and DJs can plug in turntables over RCA connections too.
The swappable LFP battery should be good for more than 40 hours of music between charges, with a 20-minute top-up resulting in 5 hours of play time. The battery pack can also be used as a portable powerbank between sessions.
The unit's funky stamped grille is home to adjustable light points that pulse with the beat or create ambient lighting effects. If the weather threatens to spoil your outdoor party, you can dance with wild abandon in the rain and the music will go on thanks to IP54 water resistance. And Marshall has included integrated wheels and heft handles for easier hauling to the beach or street party.
The Bromley 750 measures 25.7 x 16.3 x 14 in (652 x 413 x 355 mm) and weighs in at 52.7 lb (23.9 kg). It's up for pre-order now ahead of general sales from September 23. Either way, you're looking at pricing of just shy of US$1,300.
Product Page Marshall Bromley 750
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