11 years after the release of their last LP Dornig, German gothic/folk rockers Ragnaröek are now located at Hell-Sounds Tonstudio where they are recording new material for their next music output. More info in due time.
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Marshall continues to find fans with its domesticated Bluetooth wireless speakers, but the Bromley 450 is something else entirely. Stablemate to the formidable Bromley 750, it packages the same party speaker swagger into a moderately more compact, and affordable, cabinet.
Design
Styled like a classic Marshall guitar amplifier, the Bromley 450 wears the company’s familiar woven mesh grille, script logo and textured finish with obvious pride. A metal control panel offers an array of brass knobs and build quality is reassuringly solid. The plywood cabinet is protected by substantial over-moulded rubber corners. It’s as rugged as they come.
Weighing 12.3kg, it isn’t a featherweight, but a sturdy carry handle helps when you need to move it around. Meanwhile, around the back is a concealed connection panel. USB-C joins stereo RCA inputs for DJ mixers or turntables, while 3.5mm Aux in/out sockets allows daisy-chaining with other Bromleys. We also get twin XLR/TRS sockets, for mics or instruments.
Fully charged, a removable lithium iron phosphate battery delivers an impressive forty hours of listening when you’re off the mains. The battery charges while in situ and can be replaced easily when required – just flip open the cover and ping it out. It’s also interchangeable with the battery used in the larger Bromley 750.
Fast charging on this Marshall speaker provides around six hours of playback from just 20 minutes connected to the mains, while a full charge takes around 3.5 hours. An IP55 rating means dust, drizzle and the occasional splash won’t spoil proceedings either, making it well suited to outdoor use.
Features
Marshall has wisely avoided overcomplicating things with the Bromley 450; There’s no Wi-Fi, no Spotify Connect, o AirPlay or no network streaming. Bluetooth 5.3 provides wireless connectivity, complete with Auracast compatibility. Firmware updates arrive automatically over the air, with alerts landing in the Marshall app.
Operation is straightforward. Alongside the illuminated red power switch sit dedicated source selection, transport controls and Marshall’s familiar customisable ‘M’ button, which here can be assigned to Low Volume, which drops the volume by 30dB so acts as a quick Mute, or Stroboscope, which gives a momentary light flash (not sure why). Brass bass and treble knobs provide satisfying tonal adjustment.
The integrated lighting deserves praise for what it doesn’t do. Rather than mimicking a nightclub laser show, which can look a bit silly, Marshall nods to live stage lighting. White and amber LEDs pulse rhythmically across the front baffle in three selectable patterns. Presets one and two are fixed, while the third follows the beat.
Helpfully, you can also charge your smartphone from the speaker, via the USB-C port.
Sound quality
There’s no obvious sweet spot because there doesn’t need to be one. Instead we get an implementation of Marshall’s True Stereophonic architecture. Inside the cabinet are two 6.5-inch woofers driven by a pair of dedicated 90W amplifiers, four 2-inch full-range drivers, each with its own 55W amp, and two 8-inch passive radiators. Music is projected from all four sides of the cabinet, so the soundstage is basically omnidirectional.
Even at relatively moderate listening levels, the Bromley 450 sounds beefy. There’s a physicality to its presentation; crank up the volume and it barely breaks a sweat. There’s loads of headroom.
The Bromley 450 invites me to turn up the volume, so I oblige. A rash move. Sabaton’s ‘Templars’ storms my listening room. Power chords bludgeoned the sofa, and I’m pretty sure you could hear the massed choir half way down the street.
Low frequencies hit hard, but they stop just as quickly. The twin passive radiators have a fast, percussive character. Running through a playlist of favourites – Thunderstruck, Poison, Holy Diver, Immigrant song – my admiration for the Bromley 450 grows with every track.
But there are caveats. This isn’t a speaker that rewards close monitoring. Up close it can sound harsh. It needs space to perform. That’s when the novel Stereophonic design earns its keep. The 360 soundfield ensures everyone hears more or less the same thing. Walk around and the presentation barely changes.
How loud does it go? Considerably, I’d say. I’ve actually heard a Bromley 450 cranked up in Camden’s legendary Good Mixer boozer, and it pretty much filled the space. It’ll do much the same in a swish apartment, just don’t park one beside your bed.
The alternatives
The party speaker market is on a tear at the moment, and JBL is making most of the running. Its best-selling Partybox 710 comes with wheels and a grab hand for easy movement, is splash-proof and features a full colour LED lightshow. Sonically it boasts an 800W output and supports Bluetooth, wired inputs and microphone/guitar connections, making it suitable for karaoke, live performance or DJ sets. However it lacks a battery, so no off mains entertainment.
The Sony SRS-XV800 is rather more staid in appearance, although it still offers a light show. Features include Bluetooth, USB playback, wired input, along with an IPX4 splash‑resistance rating. Other attractions include omnidirectional party sound, and Sony’s Mega Bass mode. Like the Bromley 450 it can operate off the mains, but battery life is limited to 25 hours.
