I get the temptation. The Marshall Middleton looks like someone shrunk a 70s guitar amp down to pocket size. It's a beautiful object. But a beautiful object and a good speaker aren't always the same thing – just ask anyone who's bought an Italian car based on looks. Henri's Alfa Romeo is a living testament to this.
What do you get for your money?
The Marshall Middleton costs around €250–300. The Nordell MK3 costs a fraction of that. This is the part where honesty hurts – but not us, Marshall.
Sound quality: The Middleton sounds good. It's a big, heavy speaker: Marshall's stated weight is 1.8 kg (marshall.com, checked 3 Aug 2026), and it packs power. The Nordell MK3 pushes 2 x 20W with a frequency response starting at 80 Hz. In practice, both play loud enough at the beach that your neighbours will hate you. Marshall's bass response goes a bit lower, which is physics – bigger enclosure, bigger bass. Nordell's 3D sound mode, on the other hand, adds a surprising amount of spaciousness, as long as you don't try to use it in a stereo pair (doesn't work, it's a DSP effect).
Water resistance: This is where it's decided for a lot of people. The Nordell MK3 is rated IPX7 and is the most watertight speaker in our lineup. You can submerge it in a metre of water for half an hour, drop it in the pool, rinse it in the shower, and use it in the rain. Customers have even verified it survives being peed on, and the proof is in this video. Still, you shouldn't leave it at the bottom of a lake. The Marshall Middleton is IP67 – so it also survives submersion, and its dust resistance rating is higher. On paper, Marshall is slightly ahead here. In practice, both will survive a summer of boozy shenanigans alive.
Battery: Marshall promises over 20 hours (marshall.com, checked 3 Aug 2026). Nordell promises up to 15 hours at half volume and at least 8 hours at full blast. Marshall clearly wins this round. If you need a speaker that lasts an entire festival day without charging, that's the right pick.
Stereo pairing: The Nordell MK3 supports two-speaker stereo pairing. Buy two, pair them up, and you get real stereo. Two Nordells still cost less than one Marshall Middleton. Jasse's tuning shines through in both.
Why Nordell?
Price. It's simply that. You get a functional, waterproof, great-sounding speaker for the price that might get you a charger and disappointment from Marshall.
Warranty is another thing. If a Nordell breaks during the warranty period, you get a working replacement without any form-filling bingo. With a big brand, the same situation usually means three hours navigating some multinational corporation's support site. Do you know who answers customer service there? You don't. Here, a human answers, and they actually sort your problem out.
And every purchase funds our Death Star. Marshall's money funds someone's PR department PowerPoint presentation.
Who should pick Marshall?
If the speaker mainly lives on your living room shelf and it's important to you that it looks good there – Marshall is beautiful. Genuinely. That retro look works as a design element in a way that Nordell doesn't even attempt. If longer battery life is the deciding factor, Marshall's 20+ hours clearly beats Nordell's numbers.
If you're willing to pay for the brand and the design, there's nothing wrong with that. People buy Alfa Romeos too, even though they break down constantly.
Summary
- Marshall Middleton: Looks amazing, sounds good, clearly longer battery, expensive.
- Nordell MK3: Costs a fraction of the price, water and submersion resistant, stereo pairing, 24-month warranty with hassle-free replacement. Won't win any beauty contests.
If the speaker is heading to the beach, the cottage, or the patio – Nordell. If it's going on a shelf to look pretty – Marshall. If you buy two Nordells as a stereo pair, you'll get better sound than from one Marshall, and still have money left over for beer.
The choice is yours. We want your money, but we won't lie to get it. That's what sets us apart from about a hundred other speaker brands.
