The Marshall Tufton is a portable Bluetooth speaker with a distinctive retro style that makes it easy to identify as part of the brand's lineup. It features a faux-leather carrying strap which makes it easy to bring on the go, despite being on the larger size for a portable speaker. Plus, it's rated IPX2 for water resistance, so it can handle a little rain, and its long battery life means you won't have to recharge very often.
Our Verdict
The Marshall Tufton is acceptable for listening to music. It has an exaggerated V-shaped sound profile with boosted bass and treble ranges and recessed mids. Whether you enjoy this sound or not will depend on your personal taste, but you can expect a boomy sound with plenty of brightness. Conversely, vocals and lead instruments can sound distant and lack detail, while the overemphasized treble range can make sibilants sound harsh. Unfortunately, there's no graphic EQ available to tweak the sound, but you can use the bass and treble knobs on the speaker. The speaker can play in stereo and has decent directivity, so your audio will sound immersive and consistent from many angles.
Plays audio in stereo.
Bass and treble knobs available.
Recessed mid-range means vocals and lead instruments sound distant.
No graphic EQ available.
The Marshall Tufton is unremarkable for watching movies and videos. Its boosted bass range means that sound effects during fast-paced action scenes will sound exciting and realistic, but the recessed mid-range will make dialogue harder to follow and understand. The speaker gets loud enough to fill a living room with sound, but there's some compression at max volume, which results in a lack of clarity as you turn it up. With low Bluetooth latency when connected to Android or iOS devices, you won't notice lip-syncing issues when watching on a paired device. For even lower latency, you can also connect to the AUX In port on the speaker's back.
Low Bluetooth latency.
Plays audio in stereo.
Recessed mid-range means dialogue lacks clarity.
Some compression present at higher volumes.
The Marshall Tufton is okay for listening to podcasts. It gets loud enough to fill a large room with sound, but its underemphasized mid-range means that dialogue can sound a bit uneven and lack clarity. Since it doesn't have a 360-degree design, audio will change depending on the angle you listen from, but it does a satisfactory job of limiting directivity. You can also connect up to two devices via Bluetooth, so switching up audio sources is easy. Unfortunately, the speaker doesn't support multi-room pairing. Still, it has a carrying strap, so it's easy to bring from room to room or out to the backyard while you finish listening to longer episodes.
Carrying strap for portability.
Allows multi-device pairing.
Recessed mid-range means dialogue lacks clarity.
Doesn't support multi-room pairing or party mode.
This speaker doesn't support voice assistant capability.
The Marshall Tufton is satisfactory for outdoor use. It's decently built and has an IPX2 rating, which certifies it to withstand light rain but not a downpour, so it's a good idea to use caution in wet weather. With a 17.5-hour playtime on a single charge, you won't need to stay near an outlet. Plus, its carrying strap means that it's fairly easy to move around. The speaker's exaggerated V-shaped sound profile means the bass and treble will offer plenty of boom and brightness, even in open outdoor areas like a park or backyard. That said, the underemphasized mid-range can make dialogue, vocals, and lead instruments sound distant. Unfortunately, there's no in-app EQ available to adjust the sound. On the other hand, it can get plenty loud, which is ideal for outdoor listening.
Long battery life.
Carrying strap for portability.
Recessed mid-range means vocals and lead instruments sound distant.
No graphic EQ available.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Marshall Tufton speaker is available in 'Black' or 'Black and Brass.' We tested the 'Black and Brass' model and expect other variants to perform similarly. See the label for our unit.
If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Marshall Tufton is a portable Bluetooth speaker with a design inspired by music industry gear, similar to other offerings from the manufacturer. Aesthetically, it resembles stylish retro speakers like the JBL Authentics 200 or Klipsch The Three II, though it lacks the JBL's voice assistant and app support. It's larger and heavier than other portable options from the same brand, like the Marshall Willen and Marshall Emberton II. Its size makes it more of a challenge to bring with you on the go, but means it can get louder than these more compact options, too.
If you want more speakers to explore, see our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and the best Bluetooth speakers for bass.
For most people, the JBL Boombox 3 is a better speaker than the Marshall Tufton. The JBL has a much more balanced sound, which is suitable for a variety of genres. It also offers a graphic EQ through the companion app, so you can adjust the sound to your liking. While the Marshall is smaller and thus slightly easier to carry, the JBL is rated IP67, certifying it to be dust-tight and submersible, while the Marshall can only handle light rain. The JBL also has a longer battery life, although it takes longer to charge.
The Marshall Tufton and Marshall Woburn III have different use cases, so your choice will depend on how you plan to use it. The Woburn III is designed as a home speaker. It can connect to your TV through its HDMI ARC input. It has great controls and access to a companion app, unlike the Tufton. It also gets louder, with less compression, so your audio sounds clear at loud volumes. The Tufton, conversely, is a portable Bluetooth speaker meant to be used at home and outside. It's battery-powered, unlike the Woburn III, and has protection from light rain with an IPX2 rating.
The Marshall Middleton is the better choice for most users compared to the Marshall Tufton. The Middleton has a more balanced sound, making it a good choice for various music genres and audio content while the Tufton has a bass-heavy sound some users may also prefer. When it comes to soundstage performance, the Middleton has the edge—it sounds more consistent from various listening angles. It's also rated IP67 for water and dust resistance, which means it can handle a trip to the beach or a fall into the pool. The Tufton is rated IPX2, so it can only manage a little rain. That said, the Tufton has a much longer battery life, and it gets louder than the Middleton.
The Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) is a more versatile speaker than the Marshall Tufton. The Bose has a more balanced sound profile, making it suitable for various audio types and genres. It also has both voice assistant and app support with a graphic EQ and presets. Combined with a wider array of physical controls, the Bose is more convenient and customizable. The Marshall, however, has a much longer battery life, and it can get louder, though with some compression that affects the clarity of your audio as you turn it up. While the Marshall is pretty easy to carry with one hand, the Bose is small enough to toss into your backpack.
Test Results
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