Short answer: the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen. It ranks #2 of 13 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $179.99; the Marshall Acton IV ranks #3, rated 3.7/5, and costs $329.99, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The case for the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen: SoundGuys called it the best-sounding Amazon speaker they have tested, scoring it 7.8 of 10. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Acton IV cannot. Watch for: SoundGuys still marked it down on Value (4.0 of 10) given the $219.99 list price, and it is explicitly not true left-right stereo from one cabinet, so a stereo pair is needed for real width in a larger room.
The case for the Marshall Acton IV: A 4 inch woofer on a 60W amplifier and two 0.75 inch tweeters on 25W each, now with waveguides and a redesigned bass port, and Marshall rates it down to 37Hz. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen lacks. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen lacks. Watch for: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked.
Buy the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Marshall Acton IV and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen | Marshall Acton IV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.99 each | $329.99 each |
| Ranked | #2 of 13 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #3 of 13 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa Home Theater) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | No | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 3.6 lbs (1.632 kg) | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6E) | No |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes (Marshall) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute button, far-field) | No |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + Dolby Virtualizer, via Alexa app) | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | No |
| Drivers | 3.75in high-excursion woofer, 3x 2.25in full-range drivers (L/R/up) | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 6.1” x 5.6” x 5.8” (155 x 142 x 147 mm) | 6.7”H x 10.2”W x 5.9”D (171 x 260 x 150 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | - |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, SiriusXM | - |
| Amplifier Power | - | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) |
| Cabinet Color | - | black, cream |
| Frequency Response | - | 37Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 95dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen compares with other leading options:
- Amazon Echo Dot Max vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Denon Home 150
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Google Nest Audio
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen: $179.99 each Amazon eBay
Pros: SoundGuys called it the best-sounding Amazon speaker they have tested, scoring it 7.8 of 10. A 3.75-inch high-excursion woofer and three 2.25-inch full-range drivers fire left, right and upward, giving a real sense of width and instrument separation from a single enclosure, with vocals sitting forward and clean cymbals even at moderate volume. It supports Dolby Atmos and spatial audio on compatible content, stays distortion-free up to about 70% volume, and includes a built-in Zigbee, Matter and Thread smart home hub plus a 3-band EQ with a Dolby Virtualizer toggle.
Cons: SoundGuys still marked it down on Value (4.0 of 10) given the $219.99 list price, and it is explicitly not true left-right stereo from one cabinet, so a stereo pair is needed for real width in a larger room. There are no wired audio inputs of any kind and no battery, so it must stay plugged in, and Bluetooth is limited to the SBC codec. Voice recognition wasn’t perfectly reliable in testing, occasionally playing the wrong track for a specific artist-title request.
Full Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Alexa) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute button, far-field) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.1” x 5.6” x 5.8” (155 x 142 x 147 mm) |
| Drivers | 3.75in high-excursion woofer, 3x 2.25in full-range drivers (L/R/up) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + Dolby Virtualizer, via Alexa app) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa Home Theater) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, SiriusXM |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ |
| Weight | 3.6 lbs (1.632 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6E) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Denon Home 150
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Google Nest Audio
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Google Home Speaker
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Amazon Echo Pop
- See all 29 comparisons
Marshall Acton IV: $329.99 each Estimated Amazon eBay
Older models: the Marshall Acton III (rated 3.7/5) and the Marshall Acton II (rated 3.5/5).
Larger model: the Marshall Stanmore IV (estimated 3.8/5).
Pros: A 4 inch woofer on a 60W amplifier and two 0.75 inch tweeters on 25W each, now with waveguides and a redesigned bass port, and Marshall rates it down to 37Hz. Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3, multipoint, Auracast for linking more speakers, and a 3.5 mm aux input. The Marshall app adds EQ and room calibration, and the new M-button jumps to a saved EQ or Spotify Tap.
Cons: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked. One woofer serves both channels, so its stereo is limited to the tweeters. It needs mains power, has no RCA input (the Stanmore IV adds one), no Wi-Fi streaming and no microphone for voice control.
Full Marshall Acton IV review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) |
| App | Yes (Marshall) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7”H x 10.2”W x 5.9”D (171 x 260 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) |
| Frequency Response | 37Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons