This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
I bought the Marshall Willen II purely for its looks and compared it with my JBL GO5 and the similarly priced JBL FLIP 7. It is a beautiful little speaker that sounds good, but at ¥14,980 for a 10 W speaker it is not a value pick. Buy it to put on a shelf or by the sink. For bigger sound, get the FLIP 7. For cheap shower music, get a GO5 or two.
What I tested
- Marshall Willen II in cream (¥14,980 at the time of recording)
- JBL GO5 (about ¥7,000), which I already use in the bath
- JBL FLIP 7 (about ¥15,000)
- Design, controls, the Marshall Bluetooth app, and side-by-side listening at the same position
Side by side
| Marshall Willen II | JBL GO5 | JBL FLIP 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Price in Japan (at recording) | ¥14,980 | about ¥7,000 | about ¥15,000 |
| Loudness | Enough for a small room | Slightly quieter than Willen II | In a different league |
| Best for | Sink, desk, bedroom | Bath, carrying around | Large living rooms |
What I found
- It looks like a classic Marshall amp cabinet. The cream is whiter than it looked on Amazon.
- Measured weight: 360 g, versus 230.5 g for the GO5.
- A gold control knob handles volume, track skip and play/pause. Only power and Bluetooth have buttons.
- The USB-C port is waterproof without a cover, which makes charging easy. A removable strap on the back lets you hang it.
- The app shows battery percentage and offers three EQ presets. Not much else.
- On paper it has more than twice the output of the GO5, but the loudness difference was smaller than I expected. Willen II still sounds roomier and better.
- The FLIP 7 (35 W) is far louder for the same price.
- Two GO5s in stereo sound wider than one FLIP 7 to my ears, and cost about the same as one Willen II.
Who it is for
- Willen II: you want a small, good-sounding speaker that looks great in a bathroom, on a desk or in an apartment.
- JBL GO5: you want something cheap for the shower, or a stereo pair.
- JBL FLIP 7: you want volume for a big room or outdoors.
Watch the review
The video is in Japanese. Chapters: 01:30 design and controls, 04:04 listening test against the GO5 and FLIP 7. The end of the video has recordings of the Willen II and GO5 at full volume.
Limitations
This was a first-look comparison in my studio, not a long-term test, and sound recorded through a camera is only a rough guide. Prices are Amazon Japan prices in yen at the time of recording.
Products
Marshall Willen II: on Amazon Japan
JBL GO5: on Amazon Japan
JBL FLIP 7: on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
All Earbuds, Speakers & Audio (35) →Browse all English reviews →
This review is also available in Japanese.