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Finally, I found a Bluetooth speaker that pumps out loud sound (and looks good doing it)
Marshall Woburn 3
ZDNET's key takeaways
- The Woburn 3 is the most expensive home audio speaker from Marshall.
- It has fantastic sound quality, strong bass, and clear mids.
- However, the system only supports the SBC codec.
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The Marshall Woburn 3 commands a premium price, and while it's not the best value on specs alone, its rich, powerful sound and iconic design make it a standout for die-hard Marshall fans and audiophiles alike.
If you've been considering the brand's flagship Bluetooth speaker, now might be the time to splurge -- discounts are rare, and any price drop makes it a far better deal than paying full retail.
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Timeless look and feel
The Woburn 3 sports the signature Marshall look inspired by the company's old guitar amplifiers. At 7.5kg in weight and 12.5 x 15.8 x 8.0 inches in measurement, it's a big speaker. With its timeless look and feel, the Woburn 3 in Black would blend into any room decor.
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On top, you get a faux leather finish with brass control knobs for Volume, Base, and Treble. They're accompanied by a power switch, a playback control slider knob, an aux port, and another button to switch between Bluetooth, aux, RCA, and HDMI inputs. The front is a cloth speaker grille with the company's branding, completing the classy, elegant look.
Connectivity options include Bluetooth v5.2, HDMI, RCA, and a 3.5 mm jack. You also get a cavity on the back to make it easier to pick up and move the speaker when needed.
Where it lacks in features, it makes up for in sound
The Marshall Woburn 3 isn't as feature-rich as some other speakers in this price range. There's no Wi-Fi or voice assistant support, and you miss out on AAC, AptX, LDAC, and other hi-res capable codecs. Marshall has put a lot of effort into the hardware but has done a poor job by limiting wireless source support. If you can look past it, the speaker does a fantastic job at what it's made for.
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The Woburn 3 features a 90 W Class D amplifier powering a 6-inch woofer, with dual 15 W amplifiers. Two 15W Class D amplifiers drive the two 0.75-inch tweeters. These are all highly capable drivers.
I had the treble and bass knobs set to neutral throughout my testing. The speaker delivers strong bass with the woofer's low-end power. It has a bass-forward DSP that delivers detail even at low volumes. You can feel the sub-bass thumps at 30% or higher volume. Go louder, and the bass stays clean and detailed.
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You'll enjoy listening to rock, punk, and heavy metal just as much as you do acoustic music. The drums feel headbanging-worthy, and the acoustic strums also sound bright and detailed. The vocals are clear, and the mids are detailed with sparkly highs. However, the higher frequencies tend to distort slightly at high volume. The sound signature is very enjoyable, and the speaker can fill a big room at 70% volume.
If the physical controls are out of reach, the Woburn 3 can be paired with the Marshall Bluetooth app to adjust in-app EQ. You can also use the Placement Compensation feature to set the speaker at the best place in your room, and it'll adjust the sound accordingly. To get the most out of your speaker, you just need to answer two basic questions.
ZDNET's buying advice
The Marshall Woburn 3 isn't the best value for money -- it costs more than it offers. The drivers support hi-res codecs, but if you want a speaker for its performance and timeless aesthetic, the Marshall Woburn 3 is a great deal at $515.
The big Marshall home speaker delivers strong, clean bass with a rumble, alongside bright highs and detailed mids. It's superb for big rooms. But if you want something smaller from Marshall, the Stanmore 3 is great too. You can get it for around $399, where the missing codec support is still formidable.