Marshall Stockwell III announcement: Everything you need to know

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These days, it's not uncommon to see new generations of tech launch with higher prices than their predecessors.

Yet Marshall announced its latest Bluetooth speaker, the Stockwell III, on June 9 with a price of $249.99 — the same as the price of the Stockwell II. This decision is even more exceptional considering the older speaker launched seven years ago.

Despite the decision to keep the speaker at the same price point, Marshall is rolling out some significant improvements. Below, we break down what to expect from the speaker.

Marshall Stockwell III: Price and specs

The Marshall Stockwell III will be available for purchase on Aug. 4 on Marshall's website and at Costco for $249.99. Spec-wise, here's what to expect from the speaker:

• Battery life: 40 hours

• IP rating: IP55 rated

• Drivers: One three-inch woofer and two 1.75-inch wide band drivers

• Sound features: True Stereophonic 360-degree all-around audio

• Charging: USB-C

• Materials: Silicone sleeve, PU leather strap with velvet lining, brass control panel, metal front and back grilles

• Size: 7.1 x 5.9 x 2.8 inches

• Weight: 2.9 pounds

• Extras: Modular and replaceable parts, including the battery, grilles, silicone sleeve, and carrying case

• Colors: Black, brass and cream

Better battery and options for longevity

The headline news with this upgrade is the battery life, which Marshall doubled from 20 hours on the Stockwell II to 40 hours on the Stockwell III.

The IPX4 water- and dust-proof rating of the Stockwell II gets boosted to IP55 on the Stockwell II, and the control panel gets a cosmetic upgrade with the brass detailing. Still, you can adjust bass and treble settings directly from the speaker as you could with the past generation, in a design choice that feels very aligned with Marshall's branding. Newly added is the M-button, which allows you to access your presets directly from the speaker.

Another major update is the replaceable parts, which have the potential to add some serious longevity to this speaker's battery life. This isn't the first time Marshall has pulled this move: the newly released Milton headphones also come with the option to buy and replace your own battery. In addition to the Stockwell III's battery, you can also replace the strap, front and back grilles, silicone sleeve, and carrying case.

The Stockwell III versus other Bluetooth speakers

When our sister site PC Mag reviewed the Stockton II back in 2019, they called out the impressively well-rounded sound with "rich bass and bright highs." While the reviewer appreciated the performance of the Stockton at the time, they did mention it was on the pricier end.

That's not unusual for Marshall, and though we can't speak firsthand to the experience of the Stockwell III, it is notable that there are options to replace parts on this speaker. The 360-sound feature also boosts this speaker's value prop, especially as it delivers in performance. That said, there are more affordable Bluetooth speaker options, including from Marshall (if the design is what draws you in most).

The Stockwell III speaker isn't yet available, with its official launch slated for Aug. 4 on Marshall's website and at Costco.