Short answer: the Audio Pro C5 MkII. It ranks #1 of 20 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.5/5, at $325; the Marshall Stanmore IV ranks #8, rated 3.8/5, and costs $429.99, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The Audio Pro C5 MkII is the better-sounding pick. Ac-powered operation and limited-stereo playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Stanmore IV cannot.
The case for the Marshall Stanmore IV: A 5 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 36Hz. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Audio Pro C5 MkII lacks. The catch: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked.
Buy the Audio Pro C5 MkII. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Marshall Stanmore IV and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audio Pro C5 MkII | Marshall Stanmore IV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $325 each | $429.99 each |
| Ranked | #1 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #8 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA | Bluetooth, RCA, 3.5mm aux |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Outputs | Subwoofer line out | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Partially | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Drivers | 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters | 1x 5” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides |
| TWS | No | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg) | 8.8 lbs (3.99 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)) | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| App | Yes | Yes (Marshall) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 9.8” x 5.1” x 5.9” (250 x 130 x 150 mm) | 8”H x 13.8”W x 7.3”D (203 x 350 x 185 mm) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 36Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Streaming Services | Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast | - |
| Amplifier Power | 41W (2x8W + 25W) | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Cabinet Color | - | black, cream |
| Maximum SPL | - | 97dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Bank | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Audio Pro C5 MkII:
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Woburn III
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Woburn II
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Audio Pro C5 MkII
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Edifier D12
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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Audio Pro C5 MkII: $325 each Amazon eBay
Pros: At 2.4 kg, Audio Pro C5 MkII combines 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters with Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA. Ac-powered operation and limited-stereo playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use. Reviews find the sound fairly neutral.
Cons: Bass is limited by its 50Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification. There is no battery, so it needs mains power.
Full Audio Pro C5 MkII review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 41W (2x8W + 25W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.8” x 5.1” x 5.9” (250 x 130 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA |
| Optical Input | No |
| Outputs | Subwoofer line out |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially |
| Streaming Services | Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Woburn III
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Woburn II
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Edifier D12
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs JBL Authentics 200
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Acton III
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Stanmore II
- See all 15 comparisons
Marshall Stanmore IV: $429.99 each Estimated Amazon eBay
Older models: the Marshall Stanmore III (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the Marshall Stanmore II (ranked lower, rated 3.7/5).
Smaller model: the Marshall Acton IV (estimated 3.7/5).
Pros: A 5 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 36Hz. Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3, multipoint, Auracast for linking more speakers, and both 3.5 mm aux and RCA inputs for a turntable. 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, with no battery, and it has no Wi-Fi streaming and no microphone for voice control.
Full Marshall Stanmore 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 | 8”H x 13.8”W x 7.3”D (203 x 350 x 185 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 5” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) |
| Frequency Response | 36Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, 3.5mm aux |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 8.8 lbs (3.99 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
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Woburn III
- See all 11 comparisons