Prakhar Khanna/ZDNET
It's been almost three years since I first purchased the Marshall Emberton 2 at a discounted price of $130. I have used it as my go-to portable speaker since then. It has accompanied me to picnics, been my bathroom speaker, and now sits on my desk as a nice companion to the Mac Mini. Three years later, it remains my most-used speaker – and I've tested many. I didn't expect to recommend a last-gen product, but Amazon's Black Friday sale is offering it at a massive 50% discount for the first time, so I will.
The Marshall Emberton 2 was launched for $170, and as per the Amazon listing, it got a $10 price bump. But you don't need to pay $180. My favorite Marshall speaker is available at a $90 discount, bringing the price down to $90. I have seen the price slashed to $100, but never this low. The Emberton 2 for $90 is its lowest-ever price tag, and I recommend buying one wholeheartedly.
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The last-gen Marshall speaker remains my pick for at-home music listening. I use it all the time in my room, common spaces, and sometimes outdoors. It offers a clean, room-filling sound without getting distorted at high volumes. The clarity is excellent in both the treble and bass.
The Emberton 2 is, hands down, one of the best-looking rugged Bluetooth speakers. It is also IP67 rated for dust and water resistance. While the new-gen Emberton speaker carries forward that iconic design language and melodious sound, it costs $60 more than the $90 Emberton 2, so I'm sticking with this recommendation.
The Marshall Emberton 2 features omnidirectional speakers. This means when put in the middle of a gathering, it'll provide sound from both front and back channels to fill your party area with as much sound as possible. In my usage, the Emberton 2 has consistently delivered at least 15 hours of battery life on a single charge.
There are longer-lasting, bigger Bluetooth speakers, but none come close to Emberton 2's combination of aesthetically pleasing design, pleasant sound, and a rugged form factor. If $90 sounds too good, you can purchase two of these and use them in Stack Mode to enhance your sound with a multi-speaker session.
How I rated this deal
Based on the 50% savings being offered, ZDNET's rating system gives this a 5/5 Editor's Deal rating. The Marshall Emberton 2 remains one of the best tech items I've used, even after three years of ownership. This is also the best price we've seen on the company's portable Bluetooth speaker.
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