The Tufton portable speaker by Marshall lets you bring good sound wherever you go. With 20+ hours playtime and easy Bluetooth access, the retro-looking speaker is the perfect companion. Get the complete Old News Club review below and the story about Marshall.
Tufton portable loudspeaker by Marshall
Marshall’s largest portable speaker Tufton is designed to ‘bring the show on the road’. The powerful speaker is the perfect party starter with multi-directional sound and adjustable bass and treble controls. It excels when playing rock and other “heavier” types of music and the Bass-reflexing cabinet gives an impression of a much larger speaker.
Simple functionality and solid performance
Standing at 22cm tall and weighing just under 5 kg, Tufton is a big and solid speaker but the attached handle makes it easy to carry around. Bluetooth 5.0 provides a wireless range of 30-feet and the rechargeable battery ensures 20+ hours of music. The cabinet has “IPX2 water-resistance” which means some water drops are ok but nothing more than that. The top panel has controls for Bluetooth, power/volume and bass and treble knobs – all with a classic “amplifier-like” look and feel.
Marshall design with retro rock attitude
Tufton has the classic Marshall exterior and the design sounds and feels authentic with a strong resemblance to earlier Marshall products. The leather strap with the red inside, the way the handle is attached, and the sound of the buttons are all part of providing the right touch and feel. Despite of the raw exterior and the rather simple design, the small details all add up to a genuine design with great looks.
The verdict
We have tested out Tufton as an outdoor party starter in our 50m² garage: the performance is powerful and seriously convincing! You get a sense of being in front of a speaker twice its size and the deep bass is perfect for rock, metal, dance or similar types of more energetic music.
Design-wise we are thrilled about the original Marshall looks and the overall quality – from the leather strap to the click it makes when you turn it on. To us, it’s the perfect combination of pure rock n ’roll and retro design! Battery level last’s about as long as Marshall claims; we played Rammstein for 10 hours (medium level) and still had half a battery left. The Bluetooth worked very well, and the speaker was set-up and ready to play in seconds.
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The performance is best when playing at medium to high levels – it lacks a bit of finesse especially when playing at low levels. For softer types of music, we had to adjust the bass and treble settings for each type of music, but again, Marshall is staying true to their rock n’ roll history and here it stands strong. Even though the Bluetooth connection works well we do miss the Wi-Fi connection – but Marshall has included an auxiliary input beneath the bass port on the rear.
In conclusion, the Tufton is a powerful and strong performing speaker which stands out from the crowd with the original Marshall design.
Specifications of the Marshall Tufton portable loudspeaker:
- Audio Frequency range: 40-20,000 Hz
- Bluetooth 5.0 aptX technology for wireless music play from any Bluetooth device at a range of up to 30 feet away from the speaker
- Adjustable bass and treble controls (analog)
- 360-degree stereo
- Max sound pressure level: 102 dB SPL @1 m
- Bass-reflex cabinet
- Built-in re-chargeable Li-ion battery
- Playtime: 20+ hours
- Charging for 20 minutes gives 4 hours of playtime (quick charge)
- Full charge takes 2.5 hours
- Top panel controls for Bluetooth, Power/volume, bass and treble knobs and battery indicator
- Dimensions of the loudspeaker: 229 x 163 x 350 mm (9.02 x 6.42 x 13.78 in)
- Weight: 4.9 kg (10.8 lb)
- Water resistance: IPX2
- Colorways: only available in black
Included in the box:
- Tufton loudspeaker
- Mains lead
- Quick start guide
- Legal and safety information
Who is Marshall and “The Father of Loud”?
In 1962, Jim Marshall opened a music store in London where he sold music instruments as well as his own amplifier known as “Number One”. Following the success of the first product, Marshall continued to develop bigger and stronger amplifiers. Legendary guitarists like Jimi Hendrix helped promote the recognizable design and with affordable prices, Marshall became a favorite among emerging talents and young bands – especially within punk and heavy-metal. The powerful amplifiers and the link to the rock stage earned Jim Marshall the nickname as “The Father of Loud”.
In 2010, Marshall started making headphones and from 2012, loudspeakers were added to the Marshall collection – all with the signature retro design.
The Marshall portable speaker collection
Marshall’s collection of portable speakers consists of three different models: the large Tufton, a medium Kilburn II and a smaller Stockwell II. All speakers are built around the same portable base and with the same functionality – including the Bluetooth 5.0 aptX technology for wireless music play.
Marshall behind the scenes:
Price for the Tufton portable speaker is £349.99 GBP / $443 USD
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