Verdict: Despite being the smallest, non-portable speaker in Marshall’s lineup, the Uxbridge Voice nonetheless provides almost the same sound quality and performance expected from any Marshall product. While audio purists may be turned off by its lack of any wired options, it’s versatile wireless options make this speaker future-proof making it a natural choice for people building a fully connected smart home. 

The Uxbridge Voice is priced at Php 11,990 and is available at Digital Walker and Beyond the Box stores and online via LazMall and HomeOffice.

Pros

• Support for various platforms ie. AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Google Cast, and multi-room setups
• Compact yet powerful single tweeter and woofer design

Cons

• No options for wired audio
• AirPlay 2 support not as smooth

Marshall expands its line of non-portable, tabletop speakers with the Uxbridge Voice. The Uxbridge Voice sets itself apart from its more expensive siblings by losing wired connectivity, leaving only wireless options as the sole method of connecting to devices and smart home networks.

Despite the perceived travesty of not having a wired connection, the Uxbridge Voice is a Marshall speaker through and through with a design inspired by the brand’s legendary guitar amplifiers.

Design and Build Quality

Just like any Marshall speaker, the Uxbridge Voice carries the same retro-inspired Marshall design that mimics the brand’s amplifiers. You have the classic gold Marshall branding on the cloth grille and four LED lights at the bottom brass plate, along with a matte black case for the entire speaker.

On top, you have controls for volume, bass, and treble—all three dressed in a shade of gold, along with an on/off mic switch and play/pause button.

The back panel is bare, as you only get an AC port and a button for Bluetooth pairing. There are no outputs for wired audio options, so audio purists might be turned off by the Uxbridge Voice’s dependence on wireless audio connectivity.

User Interface

Like any smart speaker, you set up the Uxbridge Voice through the Google Home app, where you link it to your own Google account. Setting it up takes a few minutes before you get the Uxbridge up and running. Being a speaker designed for wireless use, the Uxbridge Voice supports a variety of platforms like Google Home, Apple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect.

I’ve used all three platforms, and I find Google Home and Spotify Connect to be very stable. AirPlay 2 playback is not as smooth, but this might be more of a software issue on Apple’s part; expect Apple or Marshall to issue an update to fix this issue.

This version of the Uxbridge Voice has support for Google Assistant (in the US, there is an Uxbridge Voice that supports Amazon Alexa), and its two far-field microphones do an excellent job in picking up my voice across the room when I ask Google to do certain tasks—ie. playing music and turning on/off the lights and fan.

Audio Quality

Despite being a compact speaker, the Uxbridge Voice has a single tweeter and woofer design that is powered by a 30-watt amplifier. Because of its design, you are only getting mono audio—though that is not a big deal since the Uxbridge Voice delivers almost the same great soundstage you’d expect in a Marshall product. Like with the Major III Bluetooth, the Uxbridge has a generally balanced soundstage with clear lows, detailed mids, and crisp highs by default.

Like with its bigger siblings, you can further tweak the Uxbridge Voice’s sound quality through the bass and treble controls on the speaker or through the Google Home app. I have been playing Linkin Park’s discography and Blackpink’s latest album with the Uxbridge Voice at 80-90% volume, and the speaker delivered great audio quality across my work room.

Wrap Up and Conclusions

For those living in small spaces and wanting a nice audio upgrade, the retro-looking Uxbridge Voice is a great option. Being the most compact non-portable Marshall speaker to date, the Uxbridge Voice delivers the same classic Marshall audio soundstage across various wireless platforms like Google Home, Apple AirPlay 2, and Spotify Connect.

While it may not appeal to those who want wired audio connectivity, the Uxbridge Voice makes for a great addition for those building their own smart home and want great audio quality at the same time.

The Uxbridge Voice is priced at Php 11,990 and is available at Digital Walker and Beyond the Box stores and online via LazMall and HomeOffice.