Marshall is a name best known for its high-powered guitar amps, but the company has been licensing its brand to Zound Industries to produce more consumer-focused headphones and speakers for years now under a separate (but also very well-regarded) Marshall Headphones brand. And at IFA 2017, those speakers are making the jump to multi-room audio with upgraded versions of three of the more popular models — the Acton, the Stanmore, and the Woburn.
The biggest change for the trio of speakers is an updated control panel, which adds a new dial for adjusting between Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and preset internet radio or Spotify stations. (If that sounds at all similar to Urbanear’s multi-room speakers, it’s because it is — Zounds is a parent company to both brands.) The other three dials adjust overall volume, bass, and treble. Users will also be able to control the speakers directly through the Marshall app, and choose where music is playing at any given point.
In addition to Marshall’s own multi-room option, all three speakers support Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and AirPlay, as well as a direct 3.5mm input. And the largest Woburn speaker offers an RCA jack, too.
Marshall is opening preorders for the three speakers on September 1st, with the devices expected to ship on September 21st. Pricing is a little higher than the existing Bluetooth-only models, with the updated Acton costing $350, the Stanmore $450, and the Woburn $600.