Marshall are at it again, with their latest Bluetooth speaker the Middleton – available at www.marshallheadphones.com for $499 – sitting in the middle of their portable line, while featuring a quad-driver configuration placing dynamic drivers on all four sides of the unit.

To get into the nitty gritty, you’ve got two full-range drivers, both of which are backed up by a 20W amplifier, as well as two tweeters, powered by 10W amps.

If you know the Marshall Emberton II speaker, the new Middleton uses the same true stereophonic system to produce multidirectional 360° stereo audio so you feel like you’re in the room with the players – and it’s all what Marshall like to say is “optimised for loud”, what we’ve come to expect from a company that has been behind the world’s best artists since it was founded in 1962. We’re talking 87 db SPL @ 1m.

Outside, you’ve got the classic Marshall look, with the sturdy frame consisting of 55 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic from used electronics, water bottles and automotive light products. Plus, it’s 100 per cent PVC free.

Inside, you’ve got a rechargeable battery Marshall claim will keep the Middleton annoying the neighbours for more than 20 hours. It will also act as a power bank to charge your other devices.

Weighing in at 1.8kg and sitting at 109mm x 230mm x 95mm, it’s not a chore to take with you wherever you want to kickstart a party. It also has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, so it’s pretty much waterproof and beach-friendly.