Marshall Kilburn II (see image) produces exceptional clarity and provides users with the power to personalize the sound with its dedicated bass and treble knobs.
In summary, this list of speakers are the best retro speakers worth checking out on the market today:
- Marshall Kilburn II merges both style and function. It produces exceptional clarity and provides users with the power to personalize the sound with its dedicated bass and treble knobs.
- Second on the list is the Klipsch Heritage Groove because of its head-turner design and extreme portability. The Heritage Groove produces relatively loud music despite being one of the smaller retro speakers.
- Lastly, the Victrola Eastwood Bluetooth Turntable is a great retro-inspired speaker that plays vinyl records while also bringing modern functionality with its Bluetooth connectivity.
Now, let's look at my top 3 retro speakers and their defining features.
I find Marshall Kilburn II (see image) as a perfect balance because this can be my only speaker as I can bring it with me on beach outings, during barbecue parties in the backyard, and let it sit on my desk like a beautiful piece of furniture.
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 5.5“ x 9.5“ x 5.5“
- Weight: ~5.5 lbs (2.5kg)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, 3.5mm jack
- What I liked: Superb build quality, crisp sound, strong bass, water-resistant, multidirectional audio
- What I didn’t: Lack of previous and next controls, expensive
Marshall has been one of the most recognizable brands in the audio industry. Their design language of timeless vintage-inspired aesthetic is visible in this model. What separates Marshall Kilburn II from the Klipsch Heritage Groove and the Victrola Eastwood is its all-around performance. Design? Check. Sound Quality? Check. Portability? Check. Water-resistant? Check.
The Marshall Kilburn II is one of the larger portable Bluetooth speakers out there. Even so, I find Marshall Kilburn II as a perfect balance because this can be my only speaker as I can bring it with me on beach outings, during barbecue parties in the backyard, and let it sit on my desk like a beautiful piece of furniture.
I had a blast with this Marshall model. It produced clear audio up to eighty percent volume. Maxing out the loudness during outdoor playing was good for volume’s sake, but there was noticeably less separation than lower volumes. With the Marshall Kilburn II’s multidirectional audio, strong bass output, and crisp audio detail, everyone will be able to enjoy the music wherever they are in the room. Also, 20 hours of playback and quick charging? What more can you ask for?
Perhaps a nitpick, and I know that Marshall is trying to keep the design as clean as possible, but it would be an appreciated extra feature if they added play, next, and previous track buttons on the Kilburn II. On the third generation, maybe? For almost $300, Marshall Kilburn II is indeed a bit pricey. However, with this build and audio quality? I’ll take it any day of the week.
Check out the User Manual for Marshall Kilburn II.
The Heritage Groove (see image) produces relatively loud music despite being one of the smaller retro speakers.
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 5“ x 6“ x 2.6“
- Weight: 2.2 lbs (~1kg)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, 3.3mm jack
- What I liked: Loud speaker, good clarity, portable, unique design
- What I didn’t: Lacks bass, lacks water-resistance
The Klipsch Heritage Groove is simply one of the most unique Bluetooth speakers out there. With its extreme portability, it will surely be one of the head turner gadgets one can bring on trips and activities.
Klipsch did a great job building the Heritage Groove. Made with wood veneer and acoustically transparent cloth grille, I felt the worth of every penny of the $174 I spent on this small Bluetooth speaker. Because I brought this outside often, I realized how loud this speaker is for its size. It produces clear audio, but the quality is of course, notably less when compared side by side to Marshall Kilburn II. To bass lovers out there, I observed that the Klipsch Heritage Groove lacks punch on the bass.
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions for Klipsch’s Portable Speakers.
The Victrola Eastwood (see image) is a turntable speaker, and so it plays vinyl and looks like the old school recorders from the 60s.
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 10.79“ x 12.74“ x 5.14“
- Weight: 4.9 lbs (~2.2kg)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth (in and out)
- What I liked: Vinyl playing capability, clean design, Bluetooth 5.1
- What I didn’t: Acceptable sound quality
The Victrola Eastwood is one of the niche speakers on the market. It is not particularly a great-sounding speaker, but the gimmick and what this speaker represents sets it apart from the rest.
The Victrola Eastwood is a turntable speaker, and so it plays vinyl and looks like the old school recorders from the 60s. Victrola’s innovation made this record player with the modern functionality of playing audio to its speaker from smart devices via Bluetooth 5.1. Also, Victrola Eastwood has a dual Bluetooth connectivity feature that allows me to play records from the Eastwood onto my external speakers.
The Victrola Eastwood is not a portable speaker, so I let it sit quietly on a table in the living room. Additionally, its speaker is passable and acceptable at best. However, for $150 with this great-looking retro aesthetic, multiple functions, and capabilities, the Eastwood is an excellent pick for music enthusiasts. But for extreme audiophiles? There are a lot of other speakers out there.
You might want to check the Featured Deals on Victrola’s website.
Conclusion
With all these being said, the following are the retro speakers everyone should look into and consider purchasing:
- Marshall Kilburn II merges both style and function. It produces exceptional clarity and provides users with the power to personalize the sound with its dedicated bass and treble knobs.
- Second on the list is the Klipsch Heritage Groove because of its head-turner design and extreme portability. The Heritage Groove produces relatively loud music despite being one of the smaller retro speakers.
- Lastly, the Victrola Eastwood Bluetooth Turntable is a great retro-inspired speaker that plays vinyl records while also bringing modern functionality with its Bluetooth connectivity.