Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Marshall Bromley 450: two-minute review
The Marshall Bromley 450 is the second party speaker that the audio specialist has released. It’s a smaller variant of its older sibling, but aims to condense everything we like about that model into a less costly, more mobile unit. But just how well can it do that?
Well, at first glance, the similarities between the Marshall Bromley 450 and its sibling are striking. It has a very similar amp-inspired build, it’s got those classic tactical knobs for controlling volume, bass, and treble levels, and it’s adorned with the golden Marshall logo. But the similarities don’t stop there.
Its older sibling sits in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers around, so unsurprisingly, the sound signature here is actually quite similar. You get agile and punchy, yet warm bass, which really feels like the star of the show. But you also get controller, expressive highs, paired with decently-detailed mids. Like the Marshall Bromley 750 before it, this is a great-sounding speaker, and has the raw power required to offer awesome audio outdoors as well as indoors.
My criticisms of the Bromley 450’s sound are very few and far between. It doesn’t offer the most rippling sub-bass, and I needed to adjust EQ now and then to get vocals to sound their best in particular tracks. But these are pretty minor qualms, and this is still an impressive performer — especially when you account for this model’s excellent soundstage, stereo sound capabilities, and ‘true’ 360-degree stereophonic sound tech.
Something else I highly rate is the Bromley 450’s design. Its premium construction — with faux-leather casing, a metal grille, and golden details — is as stunning as it was before. Meanwhile, the included handle makes it relatively easy to transport, even if this is a hefty model overall. The Bromley 750’s wheels and suitcase-esque handle are gone here though, which makes this a little tougher to carry over longer distances.
Still, you get better protection against the elements compared to the Bromley 750, with this smaller alternative packing an IP55 rating. This means that the speaker is dust-protected, and can withstand multi-directional water jets, making it a good fit for outdoor use.
You will make a few sacrifices when choosing the Bromley 450 over Marshall’s larger party speaker, though. You get less power, and thus slightly less omnipresence through the deep bass registers — understandable given that the Bromley 450 covers a little less of the frequency range. But you also lose the sound character control feature, which enables you to find the right balance between ‘dynamic’ or ‘loud’ audio output.
But still, you do get quite strong functionality from the Bromley 450, all things considered. It has a whole host of connectivity options, including XLR/6.35mm slots for karaoke and instruments. It supports Auracast for multi-speaker pairing with another Bromley unit or other Marshall speakers — like the Marshall Middleton II or Marshall Kilburn III. And it has a replaceable battery which packs an incredible 40 hours of playtime, and can be used as a portable charger.
And if all of this wasn’t enough, you also get classy stage-inspired lighting, with three dynamic options for different vibes. You can also turn these off if you want to conserve more battery life.
If there’s one flaw that sticks out to me, it’s the Marshall app. It feels underbaked, lacking EQ controls or the ability to adjust effects like delay and reverb. I wish you had more ways to remotely control this unit, especially if you’re further away from it and want to make a quick adjustment to the bass, for instance.
But overall, there’s a whole lot to love about the Marshall Bromley 450. It does a great job at shrinking the 750’s talents down and replicating them, and it’s a luxurious party speaker in just about every way imaginable.
Yes, it comes at quite the cost, and those on a tighter budget may favor a rival from the JBL PartyBox line. But the Marshall Bromley 450 is almost a different proposition entirely — it’s masterfully constructed, built to be a true centerpiece, and brings an air of retro-style classiness that its RGB-laden contemporaries fail to deliver.
Marshall Bromley 450 review: price and release date
- List price of $799.99 / £549.99 / AU$1,079
- Available now via the Marshall website
- And available from other select retailers from March 31, 2026
The Marshall Bromley 450 launched in March 2026 for $799.99 / £549.99 / AU$1,079. It’s available now via Marshall’s digital store, but select retailers will also begin to sell the speaker from March 31, 2026. It’s available in a single colorway — Black & Brass.
The Bromley 450 is the younger sibling of the Marshall Bromley 750 — Marshall’s first party speaker which is larger, more powerful, and in turn, a lot pricier. The Bromley 750 comes in at $1,299 / £899 / AU$1,799, placing it in competition with speakers such as the JBL PartyBox 720.
Marshall Bromley 450 review: specs
|
Weight |
26.9lbs / 12.2kg |
|
Dimensions |
19.4 x 14.2 x 10.3 inches / 492 x 359.9 x 260.9mm |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm, USB-C, RCA, 2x XLR/6.35mm combo jacks |
|
Battery life |
40 hours |
|
Speaker drivers |
2x 6.5-inch 40W woofers, 4x 2-inch 6W full-ranges |
|
Waterproofing |
IP55 |
Marshall Bromley 450 review: features
- Excellent connectivity options, including XLR/6.35mm slots for karaoke / instruments
- Phenomenal 40-hour battery life
- Sound character control left out, app is underwhelming
The Marshall Bromley 450 follows in its larger sibling’s footsteps with an incredibly similar feature suite. So that means you’re getting the basics, like multi-point connectivity, fast-pairing, and companion app support, although there’s a decent amount more to uncover.
First of all, this thing has a whole host of connectivity options. You’ve got Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm wired, USB-C, and even RCA inputs. If you’d like to use this unit as a karaoke machine, then no problem either. There are two XLR / 6.35mm combo jacks on the top side of the speaker, which you can use. Again, there are effects you can add, including reverb and delay if you wanna spice things up a bit.
Another thing I love about the Marshall Bromley 450 is its battery life. 40 hours of playtime is absolutely fantastic for a speaker of this size, blowing most of the competition out of the water. But there’s more. This is actually the same battery used on the Marshall Bromley 750, meaning you can interchange them if you own both units. This also highlights Marshall’s heightened efforts in the sustainability field again — it’s issuing components that can be used across multiple units, and are fully replaceable.
The battery can also be used as a power bank to charge up external devices, such as the best wireless earbuds and best noise-cancelling headphones.
One more feature I appreciated on the Marshall Bromley 450 was its Auracast capabilities. Although more traditional multi-speaker pairing is not available, you can connect a bunch of compatible Marshall devices together using Auracast for even more powerful and immersive sound. I tried linking the Bromley 450 up with the Marshall Kilburn III and it worked without a hitch. I also tried linking it with a second Bromley 450 unit — something I’ll discuss at length in the ‘Sound quality’ section.
This is all great stuff so far, but I do have a few qualms with the Bromley 450’s feature-set. First of all, I have to say that the Marshall companion app feels a bit bare. Although there are some neat physical EQ options on the speaker itself — which let you adjust bass and treble levels — there’s no way of altering this remotely. The same goes for the reverb and delay effects.
Yes, the app provides a way to tap into Auracast broadcasts, and some simple customization options for the ‘M’ button, but that’s about it. Given that Marshall has rolled out a more complete app for its home theater tech — like the Marshall Heston 120 and Heston 60 — I’d expect a few more controls for the Bromley 450.
On top of this, it was a bit of a shame to see the sound character controls from the Bromley 750 get dropped on this new model. This worked really well on that model, and enabled listeners to tailor audio towards a ‘dynamic’ or ‘loud’ style. I get it, this is a smaller, cheaper model, but it would’ve been nice to see again here.
But I want to be clear: the Marshall Bromley 450 still has a very capable set of features. I haven’t even mentioned my favorite yet, the integrated stage lights. There are three presets: the first is ambient, suited to an occasion like a dinner party or solo listening session; the second is representative of actual stage lights, with bold and dynamic patterns that sync to your music; and the final preset is high-energy and flashy, intended to create more of a party atmosphere.
All of the presets work well, and the white lighting is tasteful and classy — something that I can’t say about the swathe of party speakers with loud RGB lighting. The second is my favorite, simply for its authenticity and dynamism, but I was glad to see an option to disable lights for the moments where you want to conserve battery life.
Marshall Bromley 450 review: sound quality
- Energetic sound that rocks indoor and outdoor spaces
- Excellent soundstage and no real sweet spot
- Powerful bass overall, although the darkest depths could hit harder
I was a big fan of how the Marshall Bromley 750 sounded, so I had pretty high hopes for its lil’ bro. But did it deliver? Yes, yes it did.
Let me begin by stating the obvious: this is a seriously powerful model. The Bromley 450 harnesses the power of two 6.5-inch 40W woofers, four 2-inch 6W full-ranges, and a couple of passive radiators to make that bass feel even heftier. The result is powerful, regimented sound that travels brilliantly, no matter whether you’re listening indoors or outdoors.
When tuning into Timeless by Shinchiro Yokota, I was wowed by the impact of mid-bass, as well as the snappiness of higher-pitched percussion. The speaker’s sense of rhythm and handling of dynamics also remained impressive, whether I was listening at low volumes or cranking things up towards max loudness.
In Morning Wonders – Leo Pol Remix by Kolter, a track with pretty aggressive drums in the treble range, the Bromley 450 replicated highs with confidence. There was a snappy responsiveness and satisfying tone to percussion, even while the tune’s intent-filled bass consumed our music testing space.
As the Bromley 750’s smaller sibling, you are of course going to make a few sacrifices in terms of sound. Most noticeably, the Bromley 450 is less powerful — but it’s also less adept at handling the darkest sounds in the frequency range. For instance, tracks with rippling low bass, like Max Dean’s Fascinator, didn’t quite have that full-sounding rumble that mightier models can muster. Sub-bass is audible in tracks, don’t get me wrong, and the Bromley 450 can still reach down to a solid 42Hz, just don’t expect the most palpable deep bass ever.
One minor thing I noticed is that there’s also a bit of compression at absolute peak volumes. This is pretty common for Bluetooth speakers, but the Bromley 750 barely showed any hints of compression — in part thanks to its sound character control function, which helped the speaker sound ultra-clean in ‘Dynamic’ mode.
My complaints run out there though. Sure, vocals could sound a little subdued at times when I listened to voice-led tunes indoors. But two things: the onboard EQ options totally solved this issue — I just had to turn the bass down two notches; and this speaker is designed for parties rather than the most detailed, high-fidelity listening.
Overall, the Marshall Bromley 450 is a very strong performer in the audio department. Its punchy bass, direct-sound, and vibrant treble are great of course. But the inclusion of Marshall’s 360-degree ‘true stereophonic’ audio tech also helps this unit to stand out among the crowd.
This thing genuinely sounds awesome from every angle. It doesn’t matter if you’re in front, behind, near, or far away from the speaker, it doesn’t have any real acoustic sweet spot. This tech impressed me on smaller speakers like the Marshall Kilburn III, but it was even more striking on a hulking model like the Bromley 450.
In a product briefing, Marshall also explained how the speaker’s full-range drivers are mounted on the four sides of the speaker (two on the left, two on the right) which keeps stereo channels well separated for a more immersive listening experience.
One more note on sound: this thing can reach new heights if you pair it with a second unit via Auracast. I was lucky enough to be testing the Bromley 450 at the same time as my Future colleague, Nikita, and we decided to combine our two units outside, via an Auracast broadcast from my phone. And the results were exceptional.
In Felini by Venerus and Marco Castello, I was astonished by how absorbing the trickle of flowing waters and strumming of natural acoustic guitars sounded. It really felt as if I was standing front and center at a gig. And with deeper tracks like Chris Stussy’s Breather, I was enveloped in pumping, euphoric bass. Of course, you’ll get awesome power with multiple units as well — when positioning the speaker on the far side of a parking lot, I could still hear that rich bass from the other side. Impressive stuff.
- Sound quality score: 4.5/5
Marshall Bromley 450 review: design
- Classy Marshall aesthetic is as satisfying as ever
- Tasteful lights and premium physical controls
- Very hefty, and the wheels are no more
Every time that I review a Marshall product, I feel like I’m repeating myself. But that’s simply because I’m always full of praise for the captivating retro-style design that the company brings to each and every product. And the Marshall Bromley 450 is no different.
Everything from the faux-leather casing, through to its metal grille and golden details is a joy to behold — just as it was on the Bromley 750. This is a pricey model, but you do feel like the luxurious looks, high quality materials, and tasteful stage lights help to make your investment feel worthwhile.
The golden control panel on top of the speaker is also laid out beautifully, and is incredibly easy to use. Red LEDs symbolize which connectivity option you’re using, and tactical knobs are available to alter volume, bass and treble levels, and more. The mic and instrument ports are also located on top of the speaker this time, making it even easier to get a guitar performance or karaoke session underway.
Something that Marshall Bromley 450 actually improves on compared to its pricier sibling is its protection against the elements. You’re getting an IP55 rating here, which means that the speaker is dust-protected, and can withstand multi-directional water jets. In practice, this essentially means that the Bromley 450 is perfect for taking into outdoor spaces, and will be able to handle a spot of rain without issue. As the Bromley 450 is smaller than its older sibling, and easier to take outdoors, this feels like a very smart design decision indeed.
But what else is different from the Bromley 750? Well, the most noticeable difference is the removal of wheels. Yep, this is a wheelless Party Speaker, and you’ll have to lug it around using the handle on the side of the unit. Now don’t get me wrong: the handle is well-made, but if you’re transporting this thing over long distances, a word of warning.
This speaker is honestly pretty hefty, coming in at 26.9lbs / 12.2kg. Sure, the 750 was essentially double the weight, but its suitcase-style handle and wheels made it fairly painless to lug about. If you’re keeping your speaker in one place, or only moving it over short distances, the handle will certainly suffice, but its weight is worth keeping in mind.
Marshall Bromley 450 review: value
- It’s by no means cheap
- But quality is undeniably high, even compared to rivals
- Repairability makes the speaker feel like a worthwhile investment
Let’s not beat around the bush here. The Marshall Bromley 450 is an expensive model, even when you consider its output power and sonic talents. But a high price doesn’t mean a speaker can’t be good value for money.
And I do think you get bang for your buck overall with this model. At $799.99 / £549.99 / AU$1,079, the Bromley 450 is costlier than similarly powered rivals, like the JBL PartyBox Stage 320, for instance. But, in turn, you’re getting considerably better battery life, improved dust and waterproofing, a more luxurious build, and a larger array of speaker drivers.
Is that going to be worth it? It depends. For some, the lower price and specs of the JBL speaker will be plenty good enough. But if you’re looking for a premium quality, long-lasting option, then the Marshall may be more attractive.
On top of this, the Bromley 450 is repairable, with Marshall offering maintenance and parts via its website. That helps the speaker to feel like a worthwhile investment for years to come rather than a short-term audio solution.
Should I buy the Marshall Bromley 450?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Rating |
|---|---|---|
|
Features |
Brilliant battery life, connectivity options, and stage lights – but the companion app is underequipped. |
4/5 |
|
Sound quality |
Powerful, spacious sound, with no real drop off in listening angles, deep bass could be a little more full sounding. |
4.5/5 |
|
Design |
Stellar, luxurious looks with IP55 dust and waterproofing, but pretty hefty and no wheels this time. |
4.5/5 |
|
Value |
It’s pricey, but you get a luxury build and great sound, with top-tier battery life. |
4/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Marshall Bromley 450 review: also consider
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Marshall Bromley 450 |
JBL PartyBox Stage 320 |
LG xboom Stage 301 |
|
Price |
$799.99 / £549.99 / AU$1,079 |
$629.95 / £449.99 / AU$749.95 |
$299.99 / £299.99 / AU$449 |
|
Weight |
26.9lbs / 12.2kg |
36.4lbs / 16.5kg |
14.7lbs / 6.7kg |
|
Dimensions |
19.4 x 14.2 x 10.3 inches / 492 x 359.9 x 260.9mm |
13.3 x 26.3 x 15.2 inches / 335 x 670 x 385mm |
12.3 x 12.2 x 11.1 inches / 312 x 311 x 282mm |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm, USB-C, RCA, 2x XLR / 6.35mm combo jacks |
Bluetooth 5.4, 3.5mm, 2x XLR / 6.35mm combo jacks |
Bluetooth 5.4, 3.5mm, 6.3mm (mic/guitar) USB (MP3 playback) |
|
Battery life |
40 hours |
18 hours |
12 hours |
|
Speaker drivers |
2x 6.5-inch 40W woofers, 4x 2-inch 6W full-ranges, 2x passive radiators |
2 x 6.5-inch woofers, 2 x 1-inch dome tweeters |
2x 2.5-inch mid-range drivers; 1x 6.5-inch woofer |
|
Waterproofing |
IP55 |
IPX4 |
IPX4 |
How I tested the Marshall Bromley 450
- Spent hours listening to music both indoors and outdoors
- Used alone and while paired with a second unit via Auracast
- Predominantly tested using Tidal
I spent hours listening to music on the Marshall Bromley 450, during which time I exhausted its various features and tried it both indoors and outdoors.
When listening to tunes, I made sure to try out a wide variety of genres, and run through tracks in the TechRadar testing playlist. For the most part, I used Tidal to blast my tunes, but I also dipped into Spotify now and then. I used the Bromley 450 on its own to begin with, but I also had the opportunity to pair it with a second unit, and connected the two together via Auracast.
More generally, I’m an experienced audio gear reviewer, and have spent the last two years testing everything from premium headphones — like the Sony WH-1000XM6 — through to some of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, including the LG Sound Suite Immersive Suite 7 Pro. I also reviewed the Marshall Bromley 750 myself, so I’m intimately familiar with Marshall’s quality in the party speaker domain.
Read the full article here
