Short answer: the Acton III. These rank #19 and #11 out of 29 medium powered desktop speakers, and the Acton III costs $103.39 more. The Marshall Acton II is discontinued; its replacement is the Marshall Acton IV.
The Acton III addresses the Acton II’s specific flaws. Our notes on the Acton II call out boosted upper bass, boosted highs, and an overall mushy sound. The Acton III’s only listed con is not being as deep in bass as its competitors, a far shorter list of complaints. Both share the same driver layout, a 4” woofer/midrange, a second 4” midrange, and two 0.75” dome tweeters, but the Acton III runs more power through them: 60W total (30W woofer, 2x15W tweeters) against the Acton II’s 50W (25W woofer, 2x12.5W tweeters).
The Acton II does have one real feature the Acton III dropped: aptX support. It pairs over SBC and aptX, where the Acton III is SBC only. The Acton II also has voice assistant support, which is not listed on the Acton III. Otherwise the two are nearly identical: same app, same bass/treble EQ, same aux input, same ported cabinet design, and within an ounce of the same weight.
Buy the Acton III since it corrects the Acton II’s boosted, mushy tuning and is the version Marshall currently sells.
Buy the Acton II only if you find one used for meaningfully less and specifically want aptX support, and can live with its boosted, less refined sound.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
A compact home speaker with classic Marshall styling, aptX Bluetooth, an aux input and bass and treble adjustment.
A compact home speaker with classic Marshall amp styling, Bluetooth and an aux input for a small room or desk.
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
| Marshall Acton II | Marshall Acton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $195.60 each Discontinued | $298.99 each |
| Ranked | #19 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #11 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz | - |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs (2.9 kg) | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 10.2” x 6” x 5.9” (260 x 153 x 150 mm) | 10.2” x 6.7” x 5.9” (260 x 170 x 150 mm) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux | Bluetooth, Aux |
| Drivers | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| 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, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| 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 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Marshall Acton III: