Marshall’s Willen II builds on its predecessor’s success with significant improvements in sound quality, battery life, and modern Bluetooth connectivity. This compact speaker maintains its durability and water resistance while offering an enhanced user experience. Notable features include advanced Bluetooth 5.3 support and a balanced sound profile. Battery life impresses with up to 17 hours of playback, although repair options remain limited. Overall, the Willen II positions itself as a strong contender in the wireless speaker market.
Marshall has a well-established approach to enhancing its two flagship Bluetooth speakers. The Willen II, much like the Emberton III, builds upon its predecessor’s foundation while introducing significant upgrades in sound quality, battery longevity, and handling. Additionally, it boasts updated Bluetooth connectivity for a more modern experience.
In essence, this iteration represents a meaningful evolution rather than just a cosmetic update, as the previous model had already garnered considerable acclaim. Let’s delve into whether the Willen II’s enhancements truly elevate it above the competition and secure its place in our guide to the best wireless speakers.
The Willen II was evaluated using firmware version 9.1.6, the most recent update as of mid-November 2024.
Build Quality: A Refined Finish (5/5)
The redesign of Marshall’s Willen II brings a more sophisticated aesthetic. With a slight increase in depth (42.5 vs. 39.1 mm), the edges have been softened, eliminating the protruding metal grille and creating a seamless front profile.
The fundamental design and durability remain unchanged, with the speaker still boasting IP67 certification for water and dust resistance. It can endure minor drops and impacts, and these subtle visual tweaks enhance its polished look. The grip is excellent, allowing for easy handling whether laid flat or upright.
While the Willen II is classified as an ultra-compact wireless speaker (10.1 x 10 x 4.3 cm), it is somewhat bulkier than some rivals, which can easily fit into a standard pants pocket. However, it can still be conveniently tucked away in a small bag. An added benefit is the elastic strap at the back, making it easy to hang the speaker almost anywhere.
Handling & Features: Notable Shortcomings (4/5)
The Emberton and Willen speakers share a similar evolutionary path within the British brand, though they cater to different segments. The Willen II and Emberton III provide a consistent user experience, complete with their own set of strengths and weaknesses.
Interaction with the speaker is mostly straightforward. The Willen II offers an intuitive grip, enhanced by a variety of accessible controls and clear indicators (sound and light). Marshall’s robust “joystick” allows users to manage playback, answer calls, power on/off, and initiate Bluetooth pairing, all clearly labeled for quick recognition. A couple of minor drawbacks include a slight delay in command response and average sound quality for alerts.
Compact Bluetooth speakers generally have fewer features than their larger counterparts, and the Willen II is no exception. It retains a built-in microphone for calls, albeit more suited for emergencies, and offers basic customization options via the Marshall app. Notably, the previous “Stack” pairing mode for multiple Marshall speakers has been removed, likely to accommodate the new Auracast compatibility for a broader range of devices.
Connectivity: Enhanced Bluetooth Capabilities (4.5/5)
The Willen II enhances its Bluetooth connectivity with this latest version. Similar to its larger counterpart, this compact speaker features advanced Bluetooth 5.3, supporting LE Audio (codec LC3, Auracast). It also allows multipoint connectivity, enabling simultaneous connection to two devices. The wireless connection’s range and stability are commendable, though latency can be higher (approximately 287 ms) outside video streaming apps, which effectively compensates for this delay, reducing it to around 30 ms.
The USB-C port remains solely for charging, with no audio signal transfer capability—a feature that would have been welcome but is still rare in wireless speakers. Unfortunately, the absence of a mini-jack input further emphasizes its obsolescence in this product category.
Sound Performance: Significant Enhancements (4.5/5)
Marshall has refined its sound approach with the Willen II, similar to the Emberton III. Listeners will quickly notice that the enhancements have yielded positive results: the previously bright sound signature has shifted to a more balanced and enjoyable audio experience. The bass response has improved in richness and depth, reclaiming its rightful place in the sound spectrum.
However, the Willen II does face challenges in bass clarity and precision, sometimes experiencing overflow and a slight “box” effect during complex tracks, particularly with heavy percussion, which can compress dynamics. Thankfully, this issue does not detract significantly from overall sound clarity, remaining acceptable for a speaker of this size.
In terms of power, the Willen II is adept at delivering sound for close listening or in smaller spaces. Yet, noticeable bass loss occurs at greater distances, especially outdoors. Nevertheless, the speaker demonstrates better sound management compared to its predecessor, maintaining acceptable audio quality up to about 80% volume, though this can vary based on the content being played.
Battery Life: Outstanding for Its Size (5/5)
While the original model didn’t require significant battery life improvements, Marshall has exceeded expectations with the Willen II, now offering up to 17 hours of playback compared to the previous 15 hours. Our tests confirmed this, with battery life ranging from 17 to 19 hours at moderate volume levels (50-70%). As expected, this duration decreases with increased volume, but considering the speaker’s compact size, it boasts impressive longevity against its competitors.
Repairability: Limited Options Persist (3/5)
The Willen II’s repairability mirrors that of its predecessor and the Emberton range, indicating that while it is a solid speaker, there remains minimal effort invested in repair-friendly design.