Smart speakers could be seen as the poster-child of the tech world, where everything seems rather sanitary and not exactly rich with heritage. This brave new world is fast-becoming the norm, with the ‘connected home’ very much the new frontier.
The role of the smart speaker is focussed on helping you with your daily lives, but perhaps a tad lacking in the sonic-reproduction department? That’s not to say existing products don’t sound great, some are wonderful, but when you’re dealing with decades of uncompromising dedication to the amplification of sound, some brands would feel more trustworthy than others.
It is no wonder then, that the likes of Marshall has entered into the smart speaker fray with its latest Voice range of speakers, which couples the power of Amazon’s Alexa with over 50 years of legendary sound production.
The range currently features two models; the Acton II Voice and the larger Stanmore II Voice. Both speakers feature three Class D amplifiers, powering two tweeters and a subwoofer all enclosed in a classic wooden cabinet, with a textured vinyl covering and that iconic Marshall logo.
You’ve got to get yourself connected
The Marshall Voice speaker range instantly becomes your hub for all things music. Simply connect your favoured music-streaming service via Wi-Fi, and let your talking do the rest. The onboard far-field microphone array enables Alexa to hear from across the room, even with the music up loud.
Just in case you are out of earshot, you can use the Marshall Voice app to control your music, customise the one-touch presets, dial-in the EQ or connect to other Alexa-enabled devices. And of course, there’s also the on-board controls for volume, bass and treble.
Whether you want just play music, ask Alexa when your favourite band is on tour, or control other compatible devices such as TVs, lights, locks, or even thermostats, then the Marshall Voice speakers are on hand to take control of your smart home in style.
The Stanmore II Voice comes in at $399/£349/€399, while the Acton II will set you back $299/£269/€299 and both are available now. More details can be found on the Marshall website.