Marshall is originally a guitar amplifier brand, but the brand name is also used for wireless speakers and headphones. Marshall’s compact Heddon streaming hub adds wireless multi-room functionality and a RCA line input to the existing range of wireless speakers. The Heddon can be purchased separately, but a significant discount is offered with some speaker models.
Marshall Heddon: Wi-Fi multi-room streaming
Are you happy with your Marshall Bluetooth speakers, but would you like to connect a turntable or another source? And perhaps some additional wireless integration? Then Marshall’s new hub, the Heddon, might be just what you’re looking for. This compact device measures just 120.5 x 120.5 x 42 millimeters and adds Wi-Fi and multi-room streaming to select Marshall Bluetooth speakers.
The Marshall Heddon is compatible with the Marshall Acton III, Stanmore III, and Woburn III Bluetooth speakers. The Heddon hub streams music via Wi-Fi or a wired Ethernet connection from Spotify Connect, Tidal, AirPlay, and Google Cast. It then sends the music to the speakers via Auracast, creating a multi-room system when multiple Marshall devices or other Auracast-compatible devices are placed nearby.
This provides Marshall’s Bluetooth speakers with full-fledged streaming functionality, and playback on all speakers can be controlled using the Marshall app.
RCA line input and output
There’s more to it than that: a turntable or other source can be connected directly to the Heddon’s RCA line input to wirelessly stream vinyl records throughout the house to the Marshall speakers. Note: the Heddon hub doesn’t have a phono amplifier, so the turntable itself must have one, or a separate phono amplifier must be added to the chain.
The Heddon also works with certain older generations of Acton, Stanmore, and Woburn speakers, as well as Kilburn, Stockwell, Tufton, Acton Voice, and Stanmore Voice models, via a wired connection to the unit’s RCA line-out jacks, providing the older models with modern streaming capabilities. This also allows first- or second-generation models to sync with the third-generation compatible trio.
The Marshall Heddon streaming hub has a suggested retail price of just under €200. Buyers receive a 50% discount on the Heddon when purchasing the Acton III, Stanmore III, or Woburn III speakers. The Heddon is free with the purchase of two or more qualifying Marshall home speakers.
