Marshall Willen II review: Small size, big sound

Marshall

The Marshall Willen II is one of those devices that defies first impressions. When you hold it in your hand, it feels light, rugged, and compact — almost too small to be taken seriously for sound performance. But that changes the moment you power it on and hit play. There’s something uniquely Marshall about how this speaker handles music, even if it doesn’t look or behave like the big amps the brand is known for.

Marshall

For the past week, I’ve had the Willen II clipped to a bike handle, strapped onto a backpack, and occasionally placed on my desk for some soothing soundtrack while writing a review – like this one. Through it all, what surprised me most was not just how versatile this thing is, but how consistently it delivers a recognisable Marshall sound — warm mids, crisp highs, and just enough bass to remind you that it’s trying its best in a small shell.

Design and usability
The Willen II is unmistakably Marshall. It feels like someone took the front of a vintage guitar amp and shrunk it into a palm-sized rectangle. The textured grille, the script logo, and the brass-toned joystick control on the front are all cues that immediately signal where it comes from.

It’s built for movement. Weighing just 0.83 lbs (or about 376 grams), it’s lighter than it looks, which is a huge plus when you’re thinking of attaching it to a backpack for a day out or slipping it into a travel bag. The silicone exterior wraps around the speaker snugly, adding a soft-touch matte feel that’s resistant to dust, scratches, and occasional drops. It’s also IP67 rated, so there’s no worry about rain, dust, or even an accidental dunk in the pool.

Marshall

What really grew on me was the rubber strap at the back. Initially, I didn’t pay much attention to it. But after using it to hook the speaker onto a tree branch during a picnic, then onto the shower knob in my bathroom, it started to feel like a part of the design that was useful — not just decorative.

The controls are refreshingly simple. That gold-accented joystick up front handles everything — pause/play, track skipping, volume adjustment — and you get used to its feel quickly. The top panel hosts the power, Bluetooth, and battery indicator buttons, blending subtly into the frame. No companion app, no tweaking EQ settings, and no screen. It’s all very tactile and intuitive, which I appreciated.

Sound quality
The first track I played was “Deva Deva”, mostly out of habit — it’s always a good test for vocals and acoustic layering. The Willen II delivered more than I expected. The depth in vocals are exceptional here and the instruments are also well separated despite the smaller driver size and a compact form factor. By the way, Willen II uses a 2-inch full-range driver and two passive radiators. On paper, that doesn’t sound like much. But the tuning here is clearly where the effort has gone. The highs are clear without being sharp, and the mids have enough depth to give vocals and lead instruments presence.

Bass is the only real tradeoff here, and I am not complaining as the size to bass ratio is something which is always proportional. However, not completely absent – it just doesn’t hit hard.

Marshall

What impressed me more was how the Willen II maintained clarity even at higher volumes. In a small to mid-sized room, it easily fills the space. Outdoors, the sound begins to diffuse a bit, especially with ambient noise, but it never distorts.

One thing you’ll need to keep in mind is that Weillen isn’t trying to be your party speaker replacement. It is a portable speaker and it does everything right to be called as a capable portable speaker. It’s better suited for close listening, for working with music in the background, or for quiet evenings on the balcony. And for those moments, it delivers exactly what you need.

Battery and connectivity
Marshall claims 12 hours of battery life on a full charge, and during my tests, I got just under 10 hours at 60–70% volume. At higher volumes, it dropped to about 7.5 hours, which is still reasonable for a day out or two days of casual usage. Recharging took roughly 2.5 hours using a USB-C cable, which isn’t the fastest, but acceptable for its size and battery capacity.

Marshall

Bluetooth connectivity was solid throughout. I used it with both an iPhone and an Android phone, and the pairing was instant. Once connected, the speaker held its signal without hiccups, even when I moved between rooms. There’s also a Stack Mode, which lets you pair multiple Willen speakers together.

There’s a built-in microphone as well. I took a couple of calls on it while working from home, and voice clarity was good enough indoors. Outdoors, wind noise did interfere, so I wouldn’t rely on it for calls in noisy environments.

Verdict
The Marshall Willen II isn’t perfect — no speaker this small could be. It doesn’t have the bass response that bigger Bluetooth speakers deliver, and at Rs 12,499, it’s priced closer to more powerful options. But its appeal lies elsewhere.

If you value design, portability, and a sound signature that emphasises clarity over loudness, the Willen II delivers a consistently enjoyable experience. It handles vocals, acoustics, and midrange-driven music with finesse, and it does so in a shell that feels like it can take a few hits without blinking.

It’s not going to turn heads at a party, but it will be your companion on bike rides, picnics, and quiet nights at home. For me, that makes it more than just a speaker — it’s a personal music device that fits neatly into life, rather than demanding space in it. And maybe that’s exactly what it’s meant to be.