If you’re hunting for a truly portable yet powerful speaker, Marshall’s Willen 2 combines rugged durability with the latest Bluetooth capabilities and 17 hours of playtime, all wrapped in the brand’s iconic aesthetic.
It’s positioned as a top contender for outdoor adventures, but with an RRP of £99 it’s also notably more expensive than options like the JBL Go 4 and Clip 5, which offer similar features. All of these options are smaller and less powerful than rivals like the Bose SoundLink Flex and Beats Pill. I put the Willen 2 to the test to see if it delivers enough extra to justify the premium price.
Marshall Willen 2: At a glance
Marshall Willen 2: Features
The most obvious selling point of the Willen 2 is its compact and portable design with an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. It’s small, lightweight and ideal for on-the-go use. The Willen 2 also provides over 17 hours of battery life, about two to three hours more than its predecessor. Unless you’re planning to listen non-stop all-day long, you’re not going to be disappointed with this battery performance.
It delivers that extra battery life through an upgrade to Bluetooth 5.3, an updated version over the previous Willen speaker that promises more energy efficiency and connection stability. It should also allow for audio sharing across to several speakers via Auracast, once that relatively new feature is supported by more devices.
The Willen 2 is also slightly larger than the original Willen and packs improved drivers into its compact frame, promising enhanced bass output, a bigger soundstage and a wider frequency response. When it comes to control, it’s all just as straightforward as it is on the slightly beefier Emberton 3 speaker, as this also has a dedicated power button, red battery indicator lights and a compact brass control knob that manages playback and volume changes.
It also connects to Marshall’s app where you can access different presets – Marshall’s “signature” sound by default, one setting focused on voices, and a mode for boosted bass and treble, resulting in a “heavier” sound.
Marshall Willen 2: Sound quality
Compared to bigger speakers like Marshall’s own Emberton 2 and Emberton 3, it won’t surprise you that the petite Willen 2 can’t deliver an enormous sound. It can’t defy physics, after all, but it is a remarkably capable companion given its small size, and we think it outperforms the JBL Clip 5 and the JBL Go 4.
It includes one 10W 1-inch full-range driver and two passive radiators to create deep basslines, and this collection of speakers within the unit are able to pump out a surprisingly big sound for such a compact package.
I’d have no problem using this for a small gathering or garden party, and you won’t hear any distortion until you try to increase the volume to uncomfortable levels. The Willen 2 is able to deliver a rich, warm, well-rounded and entertaining sound for a great variety of music styles, a lot like its larger Emberton sibling. I’m also far more impressed by the Willen 2 than the first Willen, and I think that even if this is overall an iterative upgrade, the sound quality improvements may be worth it for many buyers.
It’s also worth praising the versatility of the Willen 2’s design. Even with a slight size increase, this is an incredibly small speaker that you’ll have no trouble bringing with you outdoors. It’s easy to slip into your suitcase to take on a trip. Just like the original, it has a built-in rubber strap that makes it easy to attach to railings or onto your backpack for a hike. Pair the clever strap with the water and dust resistance, and you’ve got a very handy speaker for outdoor use.
Good Housekeeping’s verdict on the Marshall Willen 2
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Marshall Willen 2 to anyone looking for a highly compact portable speaker for a bigger and richer sound than you can usually get from models of its size. Of course, it’s a lot more expensive than certain key rivals like the JBL Go 4 and the JBL Clip 5, but it’s just about as portable as them while delivering a notably better audio quality.
If a low weight for portability is your main focus, it’s one of the best-sounding speakers I’ve tried at this size. Yes, at 360g, it does weigh more than either of those JBL options, but its sound has much more impact, and that weight isn’t enough that you’ll ever feel weighed down. It’s about the same as carrying a soft drink can around with you, and the neat strap makes it even more portable.
The Willen 2 is a minor upgrade when you compare it directly to the Willen, but I can discern the sound quality improvements, so it feels worth going for this one over the older model unless you want to snap up the original at a lower price.
If you need a bigger and more immersive sound, you’re going to have to go for a speaker with a larger size and weight, although some of those may well be more affordable. For example, the Soundcore Motion 300 wireless speaker is just as ready for the outdoors and costs less for a better sound, but you’ll have to be prepared to deal with over twice the weight.
Simon Cocks is Hearst UK’s Technology Ecommerce Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy across a range of titles including Good Housekeeping UK, Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, ebook readers and smartphones. He’s reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.You can follow Simon on Instagram at @simonrcocks, on Threads at @simonrcocks, and on Twitter/X at @simoncocks.