Short answer: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It ranks #5 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $349. The Marshall Acton III ranks #11, rated 3.7/5, at $298.99, $50.01 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The HomePod 2nd Gen is the more refined, smarter speaker. A 4-inch high-excursion woofer and five horn tweeters give natural, spacious sound, and it measures the room and retunes itself continuously. It plays Dolby Atmos and two units stereo-pair. It streams only over AirPlay, with no Bluetooth playback or wired input.
The Acton III is the classic-looking Bluetooth speaker with an input. A 4-inch woofer, a midrange and two tweeters on 60W play over Bluetooth or aux, with bass and treble knobs, and Marshall rates it down to 45Hz. It has no Wi-Fi or room correction, and its amp-style design is much of the appeal.
Buy the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $50.01 with the Marshall Acton III does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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.
Specifications Side By Side
| Apple HomePod 2nd Gen | Marshall Acton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.00 each | $298.99 each |
| Ranked | #5 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #11 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (detachable cable) | - |
| Stereo | No | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs (2.3 kg) | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | No |
| App | Yes (Apple Home) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field array, no physical mute switch) | - |
| EQ | Yes (Reduce Bass toggle + automatic room correction) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) | No |
| Drivers | 4in high-excursion woofer, 5x horn-loaded tweeters | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 | Bluetooth, 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 | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6.7” x 5.6” x 5.6” (170 x 142 x 142 mm) | 10.2” x 6.7” x 5.9” (260 x 170 x 150 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri | - |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Frequency Response | - | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Amplifier Power | - | 60W (Woofer: 30W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Apple HomePod 2nd Gen compares with other leading options: