Marshall Kilburn III

Introduction

If any company understands brand heritage, it’s Marshall. For decades, guitarists have dreamt of standing before a towering wall of Marshall stacks, basking in the roar of a perfectly cranked amp. The Marshall Kilburn III won’t quite transport you to Wembley, but its bold, amp-inspired design and powerful sound will rekindle those rock ’n’ roll daydreams — while being versatile enough for every genre from metal to jazz.

Weighing in at 2.8kg and measuring 27.3 × 15 × 16.9cm, the Marshall Kilburn III is solid and substantial. The detachable leather strap — lined with red velvet — is essential for carrying it to your next gathering. Wrapped in classic black Tolex with the gold Marshall logo on the grille, it rests on chunky rubber feet and offers IP54 protection against dust and splashes.

What’s in the box?

• Marshall Kilburn III speaker
• USB-C to USB-C charging cable

Design & Features

On the rear of the Marshall Kilburn III, you’ll find a bass reflex port, a 3.5mm AUX input for analogue sources, and a USB-C port that doubles as a power bank output. The top panel of the Marshall Kilburn III is where the magic happens: brushed metallic gold with satisfying analogue-style controls — two push buttons, two toggle switches, and three knurled knobs for volume, bass, and treble. Each knob is ringed with deep-red LEDs for clear visual feedback, alongside a 10-segment battery level indicator.

The lithium-ion battery is user-replaceable by removing four screws on the base — a rare and welcome touch in today’s market. Inside, a 4” woofer and two 2” full-range drivers are powered by a 30W Class D amp for the woofer and two 10W Class D amps for the satellites, delivering 50W in total. Marshall calls it 360° True Stereophonic Sound.

Connectivity & Control

The Marshall Kilburn III uses Bluetooth 5.3 with Auracast, supporting SBC, LC3, and AAC codecs. Multipoint pairing is supported, though device management isn’t available via the app. The companion app allows you to:

• Search for Auracast programmes
• Apply firmware updates
• Set a sleep timer
• Assign an EQ preset to the “M” button
• Adjust EQ with five presets or a five-band manual mode
• Use Placement Compensation to optimise sound for different room positions

Still, the real joy is using the physical controls — clicky toggles, tactile knobs, and a rock-solid main switch that make operation feel like handling vintage gear.

Sound Performance of the Marshall Kilburn III

Here’s the headline: this is the best sound I’ve heard in this speaker size class. Whatever DSP magic Marshall has applied, it works at both low and high volumes — something most compact speakers struggle to achieve.

The bass is deep, tight, and impactful, giving a solid foundation to rich, detailed mids where vocals and instruments shine. The highs are initially slightly restrained but can easily be brightened via the treble control.

Genres from rock and Britpop to modern pop sound punchy and engaging. Electronic and dance tracks hit hard, with bass that drives the rhythm right up to maximum volume — with no distortion, no rattles, and no loss of low-end energy. Even jazz feels lively and well-articulated.

While physics means it can’t match larger party speakers like the LG XBOOM XL9T or Teufel Rockster Neo, it outperforms most rivals of its size in sheer sound quality and dynamic range.

Verdict

The Marshall Kilburn III stands out for its sound, volume stability, build quality, and tactile controls. Add in a staggering 50-hour battery life and user-replaceable battery, and you’ve got a portable speaker that’s as practical as it is characterful. For anyone who values authentic design, rugged construction, and powerful, balanced audio, the Kilburn III is a top-tier choice in its class.