So the living room begged for a “tiny stack,” and the algorithm threw me a parade of Marshall Bluetooth portable speakers. Cute faux-amp aesthetic, all the vibes… but are they anything besides coffee-table cosplay for people who alphabetize their vinyl? Looking for real musician use-cases, not just “it looks cool next to my scented candle.”
Use cases I’m curious about:
- Practice with a modeler: Anyone run an HX Stomp/Helix/Quad Cortex/Zoom into the aux-in? How’s the headroom, low-end farting, dynamic response, and does the onboard limiter clamp down like a mall security guard after 9 PM? Bonus points if you tried to do it over Bluetooth and measured the latency with something saner than “feels fine.”
- Backing tracks/click for rehearsals or busking: Can a Tufton/Middleton actually cut through street noise without expiring dramatically at 60% volume? Real-world SPL at 1 m would be chef’s kiss. Battery life at “barely keeping up with a drummer who thinks brushes are for cowards.”
- “Studio” sanity checks: Anyone use these as a translation speaker to check mixes? How aggressively V-shaped is the default voicing, and can the app EQ flatten it enough to matter? Which model behaves the least like a loudness-war trophy?
- Stereo/Stack mode: Do two of these in linked mode behave as true L/R or is it just a wider mono hug? Any phasey weirdness or drift over a long rehearsal?
- Reliability in hostile environments: Dropouts in crowded RF spaces? Multipoint actually useful or just “congrats, you can fight your phone for control?” Noise while charging? Any of them survive a light rain besides the Emberton II/Middleton crowd that claims IP67?
- Codecs/latency: Which models actually do aptX/Adaptive vs SBC/AAC, and what latency are you seeing measured? Has anyone seen aptX Low Latency on any Marshall portable, or is that a unicorn with a Les Paul?
- Mounting/utility: Any way to stick these on a mic stand or are we committing to the sacred art of “lean it on a cymbal bag and pray”? Aux-in noise floor tolerable for quiet practice?
Models of interest: Willen/Emberton II/Middleton for travel, Stockwell II/Kilburn II/Tufton for “I accidentally brought a small PA to a picnic.”
If the answer is “lifestyle box, embrace your shame,” fine-what’s the best musician-approved alternative that:
- actually takes an instrument/modeler well,
- can run on battery,
- won’t cry in mono,
- and still scratches the “mini amp” itch? Thinking Yamaha THR, Boss Katana Air, Spark Mini, Bose S1 Pro+, Mackie Thump Go, iLoud Micro… any sleeper picks?
Field reports, measurements, horror stories, and petty grievances welcome.