Short answer: the Marshall Acton II. It ranks #15 of 19 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.5/5, at $195.60; the Klipsch The Three II ranks #17, rated 3.4/5, and costs $400, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The case for the Marshall Acton II: Marshall Acton II uses 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters. The tradeoff: Bass is limited by its 56Hz specification.
Why pick the Klipsch The Three II: Klipsch The Three II uses 4.5” woofer, 2x 2.25” full-range midranges. The catch: Its 45Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification points to limited deep-bass reach for the cabinet size.
Worth knowing: the Marshall Acton II has been discontinued and is hard to find new at this point.
Buy the Marshall Acton II. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Klipsch The Three II and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton II | Klipsch The Three II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $195.60 each Discontinued | $400 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #15 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #17 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | - |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs (2.9 kg) | 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg) |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX | SBC, aptX |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 10.2” x 6” x 5.9” (260 x 153 x 150 mm) | 11” x 7.3” x 7.3” (280 x 186 x 186 mm) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux | Bluetooth, Aux, RCA, Optical, USB |
| Drivers | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters | 4.5” woofer, 2x 2.25” full-range midranges |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| Voice Assistants | None | - |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| Amplifier Power | 50W (Woofer: 25W, Tweeters: 2x12.5W) | 60W (Woofer: 30W, Full-range: 2x15W) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.0 | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Acton II compares with other leading options:
- Marshall Acton II vs Audio Pro C5 MkII
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Woburn III
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Edifier D12 vs Marshall Acton II
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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
Marshall Acton II: $195.60 each Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Acton IV. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we can’t confirm that yet.
Pros: Marshall Acton II uses 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters. Its 2.9 kg, aux input and limited-stereo playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 56Hz specification. Discontinued.
Full Marshall Acton II review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 50W (Woofer: 25W, Tweeters: 2x12.5W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.2” x 6” x 5.9” (260 x 153 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | None |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs (2.9 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier D12 vs Marshall Acton II sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Marshall Stanmore II vs Marshall Acton II sound.DEMO
- Danny Pops: Marshall Acton 2 vs Klipsch The One 2 - which sounds better? More from DannyPops →
- One-month hobbyist: Klipsch The One ii vs Marshall Acton ii Sound Battle
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Acton 2 vs Marshall Kilburn 2 More from storytripperhd →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Acton II vs Klipsch The One II
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Acton II vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Acton II vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Woburn III
- See all 10 comparisons
Klipsch The Three II: $400 each Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Klipsch The Three Plus, ranked lower, rated 3.4/5.
Pros: Klipsch The Three II uses 4.5” woofer, 2x 2.25” full-range midranges. Its 4.7 kg, aux input and limited-stereo playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use.
Cons: Its 45Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification points to limited deep-bass reach for the cabinet size. There is no companion app. Discontinued.
Full Klipsch The Three II review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 60W (Woofer: 30W, Full-range: 2x15W) |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11” x 7.3” x 7.3” (280 x 186 x 186 mm) |
| Drivers | 4.5” woofer, 2x 2.25” full-range midranges |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux, RCA, Optical, USB |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Party Mode | No |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | Yes |
| Weight | 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch The Three II vs Klipsch The One II
- Klipsch The Three II vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Klipsch The Three II vs Marshall Acton III
- Klipsch The Three II vs JBL Authentics 200
- Klipsch The Three II vs Edifier D12
- Klipsch The Three II vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Klipsch The Three II vs Audio Pro C5 MkII
- Klipsch The Three II vs Edifier S2000MKIII