Short answer: a tie on sound quality. Both are rated 3.7/5 (#14 and #11 of 28 powered desktop speakers) at nearly the same price ($299 vs $298.99), so choose on features and fit.
The case for the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Acton III cannot. It links with other speakers (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast), which the Marshall Acton III cannot. The catch: RTINGS lists sub-par directivity as its main weakness, and reviewers agree a single unit sounds narrow from side to side, so it works best as a stereo pair.
The case for the Marshall Acton III: At 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg), Marshall Acton III combines 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, Aux. The catch: Bass is limited by its 45Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker or the Marshall Acton III on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Three drivers (a 3in woofer and 1in tweeter facing forward, plus a 1.5in driver firing upward) give it a noticeably taller sound than most compact home speakers.
Amazon $299.00 eBay
At 2.85 kg, Marshall Acton III combines 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, Aux.
Amazon $298.99 Marshall $299.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 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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Specifications Side By Side
| Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker | Marshall Acton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.00 each | $298.99 each |
| Ranked | #14 of 28 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #11 of 28 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose app multi-room, AirPlay 2, Google Cast) | No |
| Power Input | AC power cord | - |
| Stereo | No | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs (1.68 kg) | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | No |
| App | Yes (Bose) | Yes |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (far-field, mic mute button) | - |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + up-firing driver level) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Bose app) | No |
| Drivers | 3in woofer, 1in tweeter, 1.5in up-firing mid/high driver | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | Bluetooth, Aux |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | Yes (3.5mm) | 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 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 7.2” x 4.8” x 6.6” (184 x 121 x 167 mm) (H x W x D) | 10.2” x 6.7” x 5.9” (260 x 170 x 150 mm) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | - |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Frequency Response | - | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Amplifier Power | - | 60W (Woofer: 30W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
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