The Marshall Uxbridge Voice is one of the newest members of the British company’s line of compact speakers. Unlike other speakers in its class, this one works with Google Home and has Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in. Meaning, you can use it as part of your smart home system and give it voice commands. Check out our initial thoughts below.
Marshall is known for implementing a retro look for its speakers, and the Uxbridge Voice is no exception. It has a textile grille on the front weaved in gray and silver threads. Placed in front of it is the Marshall badge. Below is a gold metal plate that houses the RGB LEDs that light up when Google Assistant is activated and when adjusting sound levels.
It still uses gold accents which give it a classic yet sophisticated look. If you own other Marshall speakers like the Stanmore or Woburn, the Uxbridge Voice would fit right in and would look like the smallest sibling. It also reminds us of a mini guitar amp, which is not a bad thing.
The rest of the body is made of high-quality plastic with a matte finish. The sides have smooth curves which makes it nice to touch.
Above the speaker are where most of the controls are found. The three gold strips are actually rockers to adjust the volume, bass, and treble. Also found here are the play/pause button, the microphone mute button (for the times you don’t want Google to be listening), and the two pinholes for the microphones with acoustic noise cancellation.
Flip it on its back and you will see the Bluetooth pairing button and the plug for the power adapter. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a rechargeable battery so you’ll need to keep it plugged in if you want to use it. Below the speaker are four rubber feet to keep it stable at loud volumes and to prevent it from sliding.
Setting up the Marshall Uxbridge Voice requires the Google Home app, which is great if you already have a few Google-powered smart devices at home. Just follow the instructions on the app and the speaker will be ready in a couple of minutes or so.
From there you can start giving it commands or stream your music over WiFi. You can also connect via Bluetooth if your WiFi connection is not running properly or not available. Speaking of connectivity, we’re looking at WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, with support for AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect.
Sound quality is actually good for its size. It’s not exactly the speaker for audiophiles but it’s loud and bassy, even if the bass levels were adjusted to its lowest. We like boosting the trebles though for some added sharpness. It’s good enough for small rooms, and if you have other Google Home-powered speakers, you can build a multi-room system.
Overall, it’s is a great-sounding, very functional speaker. It doesn’t have a rechargeable battery but the beautiful design and sound quality make it a good desktop audio companion.
The Marshall Uxbridge Voice is priced at PHP 11,990 and is available at Digital Walker, Beyond the Box, Marshall Lazmall, and Home Office.
