Short answer: the Marshall Stanmore III. It ranks #6 of 19 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $342.86. The Marshall Acton II ranks #15, rated 3.5/5, at $195.60, $147.26 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
Why pick 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.
The case for the Marshall Stanmore III: At 4.4 kg, Marshall Stanmore III combines 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, RCA, Aux. The tradeoff: Bass is limited by its 45Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Worth knowing: the Marshall Acton II has been discontinued and is hard to find new at this point.
Buy the Marshall Stanmore III. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $147.26 with the Marshall Acton II does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton II | Marshall Stanmore III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $195.60 each Discontinued | $342.86 each |
| Ranked | #15 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #6 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 | None |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs (2.9 kg) | 9.7 lbs (4.4 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) | 13.8” x 8” x 7.4” (350 x 203 x 188 mm) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux |
| Drivers | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters | 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” 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) | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | 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, 5.0 | Yes, 5.2 |
| Power Input | - | AC Power cord |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Stanmore III compares with other leading options:
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn III
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn I
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Edifier D12 vs Marshall Stanmore III
Prices on this page were last checked September 29, 2026 at 3:43 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 Three II
- 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 Woburn II
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Woburn III
- See all 10 comparisons
Marshall Stanmore III: $342.86 each Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Stanmore IV. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we can’t confirm that yet.
Pros: At 4.4 kg, Marshall Stanmore III combines 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, RCA, 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 to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Full Marshall Stanmore III review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Woofer: 50W, 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 | 13.8” x 8” x 7.4” (350 x 203 x 188 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn I
- Marshall Stanmore III vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn III
- See all 15 comparisons