Short answer: the Acton III. These rank #14 and #9 out of 17 medium powered desktop speakers, and the Acton III costs $62.43 more.
Worth knowing: the Marshall Acton II is discontinued, though it still ranks #14 of 17 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, so a used unit beats most of what is still sold new.
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.
The Marshall Acton II is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 17 powered desktop speakers; there are better options higher up.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton II | Marshall Acton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $195.60 each Discontinued | $258.03 each |
| Ranked | #14 of 17 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #9 of 17 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) |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| 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, 5.0 | Yes, 5.2 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Marshall Acton III:
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Woburn III vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Woburn I vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Acton III
Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 AM 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
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) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| 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 Three II
- Marshall Acton II vs Klipsch The One II
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Stanmore II
- 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 9 comparisons
Marshall Acton III: $258.03 each Amazon eBay
Pros: At 2.85 kg, Marshall Acton III combines 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, Aux. Ac-powered operation and limited-stereo playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use.
Cons: Bass is limited by its 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Full Marshall Acton III review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 60W (Woofer: 30W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.2" x 6.7" x 5.9" (260 x 170 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 4" (midrange/woofer), 1x 4" midrange, 2x 0.75" Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 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 |
| Weight | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Acton III vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Acton III vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Woburn I
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Acton III vs Klipsch The Three II
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Woburn III
- See all 10 comparisons