Marshall's Bromley 150 is a smaller, cheaper party speaker
Marshall has launched the Bromley 150, a portable party speaker that costs $499.99 in the US and £399.99 in the UK. It's the smallest and cheapest speaker in the Bromley line, at roughly half the size of the Bromley 450. Pre-orders opened on September 29, and shipping starts October 13. For anyone eyeing a loud speaker for parks, gardens or festivals, it's the most affordable way into the range.
The speaker
The Bromley 150 weighs 6.3 kg and has a built-in carry handle. Marshall rates the amplifier at 200W (Class D) and says the speaker delivers 360-degree sound, which it calls True Stereophonic. The front panel has integrated stage lighting, in keeping with the brand's amp-inspired look.
The Marshall Bromley 150 has stage-style lighting on the front panel.
There are two inputs, one for a microphone and one for an instrument, each with its own volume knob. A physical equalizer handles tone. That makes it usable for karaoke or a small busking setup as well as playlists.
Marshall quotes more than 40 hours of battery life. The battery is a replaceable LFP (lithium iron phosphate) pack, a chemistry known for lasting through many charge cycles. A spare costs €99.99 and, according to Notebookcheck, fits all three Bromley models. The body is rated IP55, meaning it resists dust and water jets, per Trusted Reviews.
The price
At $499.99, the Bromley 150 sits well below the Bromley 450, which costs $800. The larger Bromley 750 costs more still. Marshall's cheaper Stockwell III is $250, but it's a much smaller speaker with no party-box features.
In the UK, the main rivals are JBL's Xtreme 5 at about £330 and the JBL Encore 2 at about £350, according to What Hi-Fi. Marshall is asking £50 to £70 more than those. What that buys is the brand's styling, the dual inputs and the swappable battery.
Availability
Pre-orders are open at Marshall.com. Retail sales begin October 13, though the company hasn't named UK or US retail partners beyond its own store. No independent reviews have been published yet, so sound quality and real-world battery life are untested. Reviews will likely arrive around the on-sale date, and it's sensible to wait for them before paying £400 or $500.
