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Marshall's wireless headphones rock all night (and day) long
When will these headphones die? That's what I'm thinking two days after switching on Marshall's $150 wireless Major II. The box clearly states "30 hours of playback," but it is a humble fib. It breezed past the 30-hour mark, well, hours ago. If it carries on much longer, it'll reach a second night, and probably run out while I sleep. Then I'll never know how long they lasted. Unless ... surely ... it won't still be playing when I wake up again? I can't risk the not knowing, so I turn them off and pause the timer. I'll resume this showdown in the morning.
Marshall's Stockwell speaker is a guitar geek's dream despite its flaws
When I first saw a Marshall-branded speaker announced some time ago, I immediately dismissed it as a gimmick. As a recovering musician, I figured the company's line of headphones and other portable audio gear was just some middle-of-the-road tech decked out in the stylings of the brand's iconic amplifiers. I began to doubt my stance recently, though, as Marshall trotted out its London smartphone aimed at folks who are serious about playing music on their daily driver. The device turned out to be a respectable piece of kit, and pushed me to finally spend some time with one of the company's speakers. With that in mind, I gave the $229 Stockwell Bluetooth option a go. While it may not be the best-sounding choice, it certainly checks all the design boxes for this former guitar player.
Engadget giveaway: win a Kilburn portable speaker courtesy of Marshall!
Whether you're listening to Motörhead, Spinal Tap or Taylor Swift, the Kilburn portable Bluetooth speaker should do it justice. It may not be the biggest of Marshall's speaker lineup, but it's the first to offer a built-in battery for true portability and provides up to 20 hours of listening on a charge. You also get all the classic rock n' roll flourishes that you'd expect from Marshall, including knob controls for volume, bass and treble (only up to 10, sorry) along with a cloth covered grill and guitar-like strap. It's the perfect complement to the company's new London phone, as well. We have two of these powerful boomboxes for a duo of Engadget readers this week. All you need to do is head down to the Rafflecopter widget for up to three chances at winning. Winners: Congratulations to Elias W. of New York, NY and Nate O. of Newburgh, NY!
Marshall London: What happens when an amp maker builds a phone?
Why does a company famous for making guitar amps decide to make a phone? The Marshall brand realized clinging to its rock heritage won't serve it forever. That's why it already moved into headphones and Bluetooth speakers -- modern day lifestyle products -- via a collaboration with Zound Industries. The "London" phone could easily have just been a rebadge, but the first hint it was going to be something different came at the press event. The news conference had all the trappings of a "proper" handset launch: a nice venue, presentations, even a few famous faces joining the CEO on stage. But, unlike, say, awkwardly peddling U2's new album, Marshall dished out shots of JD and put on punk rock performances. At one point, an executive on stage proclaimed the company was going to [verb beginning with F] the competition, in the [orifice beginning with A]. Whether that's going to catch on like Tim Cook's "We think you're going to love it," I'm not sure. I'll admit, though, it made me instantly warm to Marshall.
Marshall's 'London' is a smartphone for music lovers
For a long time, Marshall's bread and butter was guitar amps. Then came headphones and Bluetooth speakers (via its partnership with Zound, makers of Urbanears) -- a fairly fitting diversification. Today, the brand is moving on to phones, announcing the "London," an Android (Lollipop) device for music lovers. We bet you weren't expecting that? Us neither, to be honest. But it's happening, and we'd be lying if we said we weren't a little curious.
Marshall's Kilburn speaker packs even more guitar amp aesthetics
If you like your portable audio gear to match your guitar rig, Marshall's new Bluetooth speaker fits the bill. The Kilburn not only handles music-playing duties via the aforementioned wireless connection, but its design resembles one of the company's guitar amps. From the speaker grill to the outer shell, gold-accented controls and guitar strap handle, the device looks just like a miniature version of what you'd see on stage. Sure, Marshall's been selling speakers for a while now, but this is its first portable option. Inside, a 4-inch woofer, a pair of 0.75-inch tweeters and three amps (two 5W and one 15W) handle those playlists for up to 20 hours before needing a charge. It won't arrive until next month, but when it does, the Kilburn will set you back $300.
Marshall's Woburn Bluetooth speaker has vintage looks at a rock star price
So here's the thing. A company that made its name for speakers (well, amplifiers technically) capitalized on its brand by diversifying into headphones. The divisions operate mostly independently, and the headphone part is making speakers (again) that are more for your G3, than your Gibson. Today, Marshall headphones introduces Woburn -- a Bluetooth speaker that looks like one of the company's Handwired guitar amps. In further keeping with the Marshall feel, there are analog treble, bass and volume dials, a vinyl covering and gold piping. Mobile rockers will find optical, 3.5mm and RCA inputs around the back of the vintage-looking box, and three internal amps (two times 20W, and one 50W) -- along with Bluetooth 4.0 (and aptX support). At $500 (or £450 for unlucky folk in the UK!) when it hits retailers "this fall," it seems the rock and roll bravado also extends to the price -- and let's hope the sound, too.
Engadget giveaway: win a Hanwell speaker courtesy of Marshall!
As our lives become saturated with digital devices, it's often refreshing to saunter over to the vintage side of things for a moment. Marshall paid tribute to its '60s guitar amp origins when it released its 50th anniversary edition Hanwell speaker and one lucky Engadget reader will now get to lay the cornerstone of their own Marshall stack. The company has served as a backdrop to rock and roll gigs for decades and the Hanwell aims to deliver a bit of that stadium sound in a living room-sized package. The speaker has separate knobs at the top for volume, bass and treble -- although they only go up to 10 -- and power is controlled with a simple on/off toggle switch. There's no Bluetooth on this baby; its only audio connector is a double-ended 3.5mm coil cord. But there's 100 watts of power ready to pump up the jams and ruin your neighbor's evening. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning this killer boom box. If you're a night owl surrounded by light sleepers, though, you could opt for some Marshall headphones to complete the package. Winner: congratulations to Chris C., New Orleans, LA.
Marshall's mini Stanmore speakers available now for $400
Marshall's mini Stanmore speakers: a small footprint for a not-so-tiny price. We first spotted these beauties back at IFA, and now it seems you can finally pick 'em up here in the States. If you're willing to shell out $400 apiece, that is. The diminutive take on the Hanwell (and, by extension, actual Marshall amps) is available now through the company's site -- well, the black version is, at least. Cream (as pictured above) appears to be sold out for the moment, however. Must be all the Jack Bruce / Eric Clapton fans out there.
Marshall shows off its mini Stanmore speakers at IFA (eyes-on)
Look familiar? Yeah, yeah, it's built in the classic Marshall amp style, but the new Stanmore speaker also has a lot in common with the already announced Hanwell. The big difference? Size. The newly announced speaker is a diminutive take on its older sibling -- though it's not tiny by any means. The speaker's got a number of inputs: 3.5-millimeter, RCA, Bluetooth and optical audio. It comes in black and cream colors and will run you €400 here in Europe. It's not cheap, certainly, but man it's a pretty speaker. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Marshall Monitor headphones available now for $200, we go ears-on
When you've got legitimate rock-sound credentials, why wouldn't you make headphones? Right? To that end, Marshall is back with a new pair -- called Monitor -- to sit at the top of its existing range. Players in the current market seem to have found the sweet spot between premium pricing and street credibility, and there's no change here. Priced at $200, the Monitor is pit against other sets that mix style-consciousness with claims of quality audio. It's not all about looks, though: the Monitor sports a proprietary "F.T.F" (Felt Treble Filter) system that lets you change the sound for a different high-end response. Under the hood is a 40mm driver, and the same gold, black and leather stylings we saw on the Major model. This time, however, Marshall opted for an over-ear fit, and threw in a few other goodies too. These include the increasingly popular 3.5mm pass-through jack (so friends can plug in and share your music), a collapsible design, a detachable part-coiled cable and in-line remote. The Monitor is available starting today for the aforementioned $200. But, if you want to know a little more, we got our hands on a set -- head past the break for our first impressions.%Gallery-186792%
Marshall Hanwell speaker now available for $800, helps bring out your inner rockstar
It's been almost four months since we first (and last) heard about Marshall's special edition Hanwell HiFi speaker, but today the renowned amp maker announced its sleek system is finally ready to hit shelves in various areas around the globe. The Marshall Hanwell amp / speaker combo's set to be available in Europe, Japan and the US for a cool $800, which will give interested at-home rockstars a package that's a "carefully crafted machine, designed to attain that trademark Marshall tone" and that produces "super lows, and hi-fi tweeters yield sharp extended highs, rendering the sound sharp and clear, like sitting in the front row." You'll have to tap on the source link below quick if you're looking to snag one for yourself, though, as Marshall has already said it'll only have about 10,000 units up for grabs.
Marshall Major 50 FX 50th anniversary headphones now available for $170
Practically synonymous with Rock 'n' Roll, premium audio equipment maker Marshall is celebrating 50 years of sound with the release of its Major 50 FX headphones. Priced at $170, these celebratory cans take their cues from the limited run Hanwell anniversary edition amp, featuring gold accents and a commemorative headband with the inscription "London, England, 1962" to mark when it all began, along with inner ear caps engraved with the words "50 years." Vintage in appearance, these golden-year shrugs also include an Apple-certified microphone and volume control, so you can pretend that you're slappin' da bass while taking a phone call.
Marshall's Hanwell HiFi speaker is bred from guitar amps, at-home with your PMP (update)
It's been a year since the legendary guitar amp and speaker makers at Marshall Amplification made a splash in consumer audio with its Marshall Headphones spin-off (Zound / Urbanears). In commemorence of the amplification division's 50th anniversary, both have announced the Hanwell: Marshall's first speaker rig that's made for a counter-top instead of a festival stage. The Hanwell's design essentially stems from that of a combo guitar amp / speaker, but you won't be able to plug in your guitar, however, as it's specifically made for pumping out the sounds of your music collection. Most anyone who plays guitar, or has seen the likes of Slash and Nigel Tufnel shredding it up, will immediately recognize the iconic Marshall design ethic down to its iconic plastic nameplate on the front grill and gold accents. There's no major tech at play inside of the system, but with looks this cool it's not like it matters -- hopefully, the sound quality will match. Up top there's a familiar panel housing a 3.5mm input, power toggle and knobs for bass, treble and volume, while internally you'll find a duo of long-throw woofers and tweeters. The cab itself is made from wood and wrapped in black vinyl tolex like its bigger JCM siblings -- heck, it even comes with a coiled audio cable. There's no specific information beyond all of that such as pricing and availability -- especially whether "these go to 11" -- but you'll find a press release and close-up shots after the break. Update: We've been informed that the Hanwell will be limited to a run of just 10,000 units -- expect this to be spendy when it's finally available.
Marshall Electronics outs glasses-free Orchid 3D monitor for pro filmmakers
If you're trying to turn your next film into a three dimensional cinematic masterpiece, having a quality camera to record things is a necessity. But, prudence demands that would-be James Camerons film with a first-rate monitor to view all that video as well. Good thing Marshall Electronics has made the Orchid OR-70-3D monitor to meet all your moviemaking needs. It's got a 7.2-inch, 1600 x 600 glasses-free 3D display that works using parallax barrier and lenticular hybrid technology -- all in a package that weighs just under three pounds. In order to let you fine tune things in all three dimensions, there's real-time waveform and color vectorscope monitoring along with a suite of other 3D tuning tools. The cost for such prodigious production value? $7,899, which sounds like a lot, but if it helps you make the next Avatar you'll have no problems recouping your investment. PR's after the break.
Marshall updates Major headphone with in-line mic for more talkin' between rockin'
Marshall struck solid gold when it lent spare amp parts to Zound Industries (Urbanears) for the Major and Minor headphones, and is now releasing a remixed version of the original smash hit. The updated headset is by all means a Major headphone, but it now features an in-line remote with a mic that's sure to please on-the-move fans of the supra-aural fit. At $119, the new cans will set you back about 20 bones more than the original, although you can't put a price on the amount of rockstar-cred you'll gain. The Major is available now from Marshall Headphones' web store and at your local brick and mortar if you're GASing for some new JCM-esque headgear. %Gallery-126735%
Mosaid gets into WiFi patent game, sues 17 companies including Dell, Canon, Asus, and RIM
Whether or not you agree with their tactics, lots of companies are finding it quite lucrative business to spend more time in the courts than in the research labs. CSIRO got some tasty settlements back in 2009, while just a few months ago Wi-LAN received "a significant amount" in a settlement from Intel. Now it's Mosaid's turn, a Kanata, Ontario-based company that bills itself as "one of the world's leading intellectual property (IP) companies, focused on the licensing and development of semiconductor and communications technologies." Indeed it just licensed some of those properties to LG on the 15th, but the very next day it filed suit against a 17 defendants for infringing on six of the company's patents, relating to network discovery, multiplexing, and other wireless techniques. Among those companies is RIM; which has its Torch, Style, Curve, Pearl, Bold, Storm handsets called out; and Asus, which has a long line of motherboards, routers, and other products said to be in jeopardy. As ever it's hard to draw the line between the patent trolls and the legitimately infringed, but that the lawsuit was filed in litigation-friendly Marshall, Texas doesn't leave us with a particularly good feeling.
Marshall Minor earphones now available, to buy and to own
We might have had full specs and a price for the Marshall Minors for a good couple of months already, but in true rock star form, they're only now arriving in stock. As of today, your order for a pair of these premium buds will be met with no delay, meaning that if you want to jump on the Marshall Headphones bandwagon, it's just a matter of clicking a few boxes and dispensing with $59. Keeping up with current trends, Marshall's Minors come with a secure EarClick system that promises they won't fall out once inserted as well as an integrated mic and in-line remote for added functionality. All they need now are a good home and a loving owner.
Marshall's Major headphones and Minor earphones become official, pricing strikes the right note
It's November 15, which means Marshall is finally lifting the cardboard veil away from its debut personal headgear products. The headliner is unsurprisingly titled the Major, which is the collapsible set of cans you see above. It comes with both 3.5mm and 6.3mm (via an adapter) connectability as well as "super soft" cushions to keep your ears cozy. The exterior of the headband's made up of the same vinyl Marshall uses on its amplifiers, for that extra sense of familiarity, and the price is set at 99, whether you're talking euros or dollars. Similarly currency-agnostic is the Minor set of in-ear drivers, pictured below, which comes in at 59 eurodollars. For that you'll get a tangle-resistant fabric cord with an integrated mic, a patented EarClick system for securing the buds in your ear, and the admiration of consumer types everywhere. Or you would if they hadn't already sold out. [Thanks, Damjan]%Gallery-107428%%Gallery-107430%
Marshall goes from amplifying music for the masses to private headphones, earphones
When people think of the name Marshall in the context of music, they often picture stacks of amplifiers that are meant to amplify the sound of guitars so that anywhere from dozens to hundreds of thousands of people can hear it. Now Marshall is going from spreading the music to keeping it private. On November 15, Marshall will introduce its first set of headphones. So far they're in testing, but we do know that Marshall will offer at least two models, an over-the-ear set of cans dubbed Major and in-the-ear units called Minor. Full specs haven't been released but Major will apparently have a gold-plated 1/4-inch plug and urethane pads. Minor apparently has a unique Ear-Click design that helps keep the buds in your ear canal when you're working out. No other details are available, but we'd wager that both units will be pricier and better sounding than the white buds that came in that iPod or iPhone package. [via iPoddNN]
