The Marshall Bromley 450 is a smaller sibling to the Marshall Bromley 750. It features the same retro guitar amplifier aesthetic, complete with physical control knobs, leather-textured plastic housing, and a stylish metal front grille. Unlike many PA-style party speakers, the Bromley 450 features 'True Stereophonic 360° Sound,' with drivers outputting audio from the sides and rear of the speaker rather than just the front. Like its bigger brother, it also features expansive input options including two XLR/6.35 mm inputs and support for USB-C audio.
Our Verdict
The Marshall Bromley 450 is very good for music. The speaker reproduces stereo content without downmixing and has wide dispersion, so listening at different angles sounds consistent. That said, the speakers reproduce stereo left information from the front and back, and stereo right information from either side. As a result, depending on where you sit, panned elements may be misrepresented on the wrong (or multiple) sides of your perceived stereo image. Still, the speaker has a balanced sound with plenty of bass rumble and enough high-treble energy for sparkly, energetic vocals. The flat mid-range ensures vocals and instruments are present and clear in the mix, too.
Consistent sound regardless of listening angle.
Gets loud enough to fill a large room.
No graphic EQ, only Bass and Treble knobs.
The Marshall Bromley 450 is decent for videos and movies. The speaker has low latency with Android and iOS connections, so you likely won't notice lip sync errors between your audio and video. However, different devices and programs can compensate for latency in different ways, so you may have a different experience. The Marshall has a balanced sound with enough low-bass to reproduce rumbly explosions, and there's plenty of volume headroom to fill a large listening space. And while the speaker reproduces stereo content without downmixing, the allocation of the stereo left signal to the front and back of the speaker and the stereo right signal to the sides of the speaker can result in unnatural stereo panning of F1 cars racing by.
Consistent sound regardless of listening angle.
Gets loud enough to fill a large room.
No graphic EQ, only Bass and Treble knobs.
No Wi-Fi playback.
The Marshall Bromley 450 is great for podcasts. The speaker has amazing directivity, so your favorite host's voice sounds consistent regardless of your listening angle. Plus, the speaker gets loud enough that you can follow your podcast even on the other side of an open-concept kitchen or living area. That said, the speaker is a bit impractical to move with you from room to room, even if it has a handle and works with a battery.
Consistent sound regardless of listening angle.
Gets loud enough to fill a large room.
Too bulky to move around frequently.
The Marshall Bromley 450 doesn't support voice assistants.
The Marshall Bromley 450 is very good for outdoor use, as long as you're content with transporting the speaker. It's roughly the size of a carry-on luggage, and while you can use the rubberized handle or metal loops to attach a shoulder strap, it's still not the greatest choice if you're going on a hike or taking a speaker with you on a kayak. If you've driven up to a campsite or are hosting a pool party, though, the speaker gets quite loud and sounds consistent regardless of your listening angle. There's also an IP55 rating, so errant splashes or an unlucky splattering of dirt likely won't put the speaker out of commission.
IP55 rating against dust and water jet exposure.
Consistent sound regardless of listening angle.
Gets loud enough to fill a large room.
Too bulky to move around frequently.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Marshall Bromley 450 only comes in one color: 'Black and Brass.' We took a photo of our unit's label. If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update the review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Marshall Bromley 450 is a mid-sized party speaker that's roughly the size of a piece of stout carry-on luggage. It competes with products like the JBL PartyBox Club 120 and SOUNDBOKS Mix and is priced at the top of this size class, arguably for good reason; the Marshall has a balanced sound, with a more controlled bass output that prevents boomy effects from muddying up vocals and instruments. It also features the longest battery life of the bunch at nearly 19 hours, and while its app isn't nearly as comprehensive as the other two (the speaker relies more on physical controls), its tonal balance stays consistent regardless of your listening angle; if you're hosting a house party or karaoke night, audio will sound just as good for your guests regardless of where they're sitting. There's also the obvious comparison with the Bromley 450's larger sibling, the Marshall Bromley 750. They perform similarly, but the larger sibling has wheels, a telescoping handle, and also has up-firing drivers.
Check out our picks for best speakers for parties, best karaoke speakers, and best Bluetooth speakers for more options.
The SOUNDBOKS Mix and Marshall Bromley 450 are both mid-sized speakers that excel in different ways. The SOUNDBOKS has a more comprehensive app, complete with features like a graphic EQ and stereo pairing with a compatible speaker. The Marshall relies mostly on physical controls, which some might prefer, but there's less room for customization with just bass and treble knobs. Still, it has a balanced sound that remains consistent regardless of your listening angle, while the SOUNDBOKS sounds closed-off if you listen from wider angles. If you care about volume, both speakers get loud enough to fill a large listening space, but the SOUNDBOKS has more loudness headroom.
The JBL Charge 6 and Marshall Bromley 450 are different types of speakers. The Marshall is several times larger and sits in the mid-size party speaker class, while the JBL is more durable and portable. As you'd expect from its larger size, the Marshall gets louder and has significantly more low-bass on tap, making for convincing dubstep rumble. Even so, the JBL has more features in its app, including a graphic EQ and the ability to stereo pair with compatible speakers.
The Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM is a smaller speaker than the Marshall Bromley 450. Due to its smaller size, the Ultimate Ears doesn't get as loud and has less bass output. Still, it benefits from a more comprehensive app with wider sound customization options, and a longer 23.9-hour battery (compared to the Marshall's 18.8-hour one). The Marshall is more durable, though, and carries an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, while the Ultimate Ears only offers protection against water. Both have solid directivity, but the Marshall has less closed-off mid- and high-treble presentation directly behind the speaker.
The Marshall Bromley 750 and Marshall Bromley 450 are very similar speakers. The 750 is larger and less portable, and trades in the 450's rubber handle for a telescoping handle and wheels. Both have the same wide wired connectivity, which includes XLR in, USB-C in, and AUX in and out ports. Both devices have similar battery lives and exceptional 360-degree directivity, with consistent audio regardless of your listening angle. That said, the smaller 450 has better water resistance with an IP55 rating compared to the 750's IP54.
Test Results
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