Rock hits the road with you smart health innovation

Marshall, a major player in the music industry, especially guitar amps, returns here with the Tufton, a large portable speaker. The British company that has been roaming rock festivals for decades is trying to put all its know-how at the service of music on the go. Is the bet successful?

In the world of music, Marshall is a name that evokes specific images. First a big amp, then probably an electric guitar and finally Jimi Hendrix launching the Purple Haze riff. Founded in the 1960s, English society has since come a long way and adapted to the times. That's why she started making portable speakers, so to have the optimal sound of Clapton or Satriani solos with you all the time. The editorial team was able to get their hands on the Tufton, heavyweight in the Marshall range. Our opinion after these few lines.

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• Mark : Marshall

• Model : Tufton

• maximum sound power level : 102 dB

• Category : Portable speaker

• Sign in : Bluetooth 5.0 / Jack 3.5

• Dimensions : 229 x 163 x 350 mm

• Weight : 4.9 kg

• Price : 399 €

• Colors : Black

• Availability : available

Marshall Tufton Unboxing

The box is imposing. Inside, Marshall’s Tufton enclosure is simply held in place by a few cardboard pieces. Almost buzzing, it gives the impression of wanting get out as quickly to make his speakers scream. The rest of the box contains the bare minimum, that is, a power cable and a user manual. The message is clear: the Tufton has a function, play music, and that's all. When you take it out of your storage, you would almost want to plug in an electric guitar and go on a solo. It takes a few moments to remember that smartphones have almost replaced instruments today.

Design and ergonomics

The first aspect that stands out is its size. The Marshall Tufton is massive. It takes an important place and weighs its weight. Then we notice its design modeled on the brand's amplifiers. So we immediately immerse ourselves in his universe. An undeniable universe rock, noisy, exciting, which smells of dusty roads and concerts that call for headbangs and pogos. Fortunately for the device, it is built sturdily, in her black dress, with corner protectors. It is even a little waterproof. Finally, not enough to be immersed in a bathtub, but a few drops of water will not cause him any problems. More portable than portable, the speaker has a very practical handle to move it.

Like on an amp, the different controls are on the upper side. There is the volume control, which is also used to turn on the machine, and two potentiometers for bass and treble. The button to connect via Bluetooth is also there, as well as the battery gauge. It’s also a welcome addition to find out how much music time is left. At the back, at the very bottom, is the corner for the power supply and the auxiliary Jack 3.5 input which can thus accommodate all types of different sources.

Getting started with the Tufton

The Marshall Tufton speaker is not not at all complicated to use. We charge it, connect it to a Bluetooth device, and enjoy the music. No more no less. Regarding the battery, the manufacturer announces 20 hours autonomy, which is very good and among the best on the market. Small or long sessions, everything is possible. In addition, it has a function of fast charge which provides 4 hours of listening time for just 20 minutes of power-up. The full charge takes 2.5 hours.

The enclosure offers a multi-host function. It can accommodate two different sources smart health connected to Bluetooth at the same time. This makes it easy to switch from one to the other without wasting time. It can even come to a little battle over who keeps the hand. So it's better for people to get along. Bluetooth connection works until 9 meters.

This is not one of the selling points of the Tufton, but we would not have been against the presence of a few more intelligent functions. Without going to an assistant, the possibility, for example, of a direct connection to a music streaming service would have been significant. Especially at the price at which it is sold, it is not scandalous to expect a little more on the side of connectivity. There is no here than the bare essentials. It focuses on its main function, sound.

Sound quality

The sound of the Marshall Tufton is powerful. When you attend a rock concert, you don't go there to sit calmly in a chair and go into meditation. No, we're going for take full ears. Marshall's English engineers, with their expertise in the field, have applied the recipe they have mastered for almost 60 years. And indeed, that go up high in decibels.

Let's go back to the quality of the sound itself. It is delivered by several speakers. A 40 W woofer for low frequencies, two 15 W drivers for the wide frequency range and a 10 W tweeter for high frequencies. Thanks to what Marshall calls three-dimensional design, the speaker produces stereo sound. And with the speaker on the back, the spatialization allows good listening both indoors and outdoors.

As you would expect, the sound is very rock. The bass is very present, just like the treble. Which means that mediums suffer and are a little drowned in the mass. The potentiometers allow you to adjust the intensity of the bass and treble which can be reduced in favor of a more homogeneous sound. Overall a good level, the enclosure will be more suitable to certain styles of music rather than others. Typically, it brings out the bass and kick drum very well, as does the sound of the guitar and highlights the voice. However, it tends to be slightly aggressive in its highs. It is enough that a drummer is too hard on his cymbals to immediately make you want to turn the sound down. Incidentally, at low volume, the sound is a bit muffled and loses in quality. A remark which concerns a good number of this kind of device. When we push the volume all the way down, we exceed 100 decibels to almost reach 110 dB. It's strong.

The Marshall Tufton facing the competition

Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5

Onyx Studio 5 costs almost two times cheaper and yet offers the same functionality. However, it cannot host more than one source at a time and its autonomy does not exceed 8 hours of listening time. However, the quality of the sound it produces don't have to be ashamed in front of the Tufton, even if it does not grow as much in the decibels. And if you have two, you can connect them both to the same source for true stereo sound. His sleek design is certainly more commonplace, but blends well with the decor of a living room or other room. This is also its main place of use. She will rarely venture outside.

JBL Boombox

JBL saw things big with its Boombox. It is the oversized version tubular design that has become their hallmark. His selling point is clear, it’s supposed to be the most powerful portable speaker who exist. If it is not necessarily proven, it is nevertheless an interesting rival to the Tufton. It embeds the qualities of JBL products which wanted to highlight them even more. She waterproof, holds a whole day in reading and is easy to transport. It is truly a modern day ghetto blaster, with a price too. At 499 euros, it's not a small sum.

Conclusion

Marshall's Tufton is an enclosure who does not leave indifferent. First of all by its look and its universe. It immediately transports us on the roads a thousand times taken by the vans of rock or metal groups. We are in the pit of a concert hall, a few meters from the stage and we almost receive the postilions of the singer on the figure. But that's why we're here. Above all, our ears remember it and they also go remember the sound coming out of this speaker. Powerful, brutal, yet clear, it delights for hours and never falters. Sold at a price of 399 euros, the Tufton is an investment, for sure, if you are a fan of endless guitar solos. On the other hand, if you expect a smart object that connects to your entire health home, you can go your way. Rock legends, they didn’t wait to adopt the Marshall speakers.

Good points

• Good sound quality …

• Appropriate use both indoors and outdoors

• Good autonomy

• Its Rock side completely assumed

Negative points

• … Sometimes a little aggressive

• Not suitable for all styles of music

• A high price for basic functions

Design and ergonomics – 7.5

Getting started – 8

Sound quality – 8

Value for money – 6

7.4

Design and Ergonomics : A rock and massive design that sets the tone. The enclosure is rather heavy but easy to transport. It is robust and can be walked everywhere.

Getting started : Very easy to handle. The knobs for adjusting the bass and treble are handy.

Sound quality : The sound is good, especially for rock lovers. It is more suitable for a certain type of music.

Quality / Price ratio : The price is somewhere justified by the general quality of the speaker. We regret, however, the absence of intelligent features.

AB SMART HEALTH REVIEW