Short answer: the Marshall Acton III. Both are rated 3.7/5 for sound quality (#10 and #3 of 20 powered desktop speakers), and the Marshall Acton III costs $189.99 against $329.99 for the Marshall Acton IV, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
What the Marshall Acton III does well: 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.
Why pick the Marshall Acton IV: A 4 inch woofer on a 60W amplifier and two 0.75 inch tweeters on 25W each, now with waveguides and a redesigned bass port, and Marshall rates it down to 37Hz. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Marshall Acton III lacks. It links with other speakers (Auracast), which the Marshall Acton III cannot. The tradeoff: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked.
Buy the Marshall Acton III. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $140 less than the Marshall Acton IV.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton III | Marshall Acton IV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $189.99 each | $329.99 each |
| Ranked | #10 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #3 of 13 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Weight | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) |
| App | Yes | Yes (Marshall) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 10.2” x 6.7” x 5.9” (260 x 170 x 150 mm) | 6.7”H x 10.2”W x 5.9”D (171 x 260 x 150 mm) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 37Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux | Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Drivers | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| TWS | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| Amplifier Power | 60W (Woofer: 30W, Tweeters: 2x15W) | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) |
| 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 |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Cabinet Color | - | black, cream |
| Maximum SPL | - | 95dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Input | - | AC Power cord |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Marshall Acton IV:
- Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen vs Marshall Acton IV
- Marshall Acton IV vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Marshall Acton IV vs Google Nest Audio
- Marshall Acton IV vs Apple HomePod Mini
- Marshall Acton IV vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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.
The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Acton III: $189.99 each Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Acton IV, estimated 3.7/5.
Larger models: the Marshall Stanmore III (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the Marshall Woburn III (ranked higher, rated 4.1/5).
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 to 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 |
| 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 Denon Home 250
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Stanmore IV
- Marshall Acton III vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Acton III vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Acton III vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- See all 17 comparisons
Marshall Acton IV: $329.99 each Estimated Amazon eBay
Older models: the Marshall Acton III (rated 3.7/5) and the Marshall Acton II (rated 3.5/5).
Larger model: the Marshall Stanmore IV (estimated 3.8/5).
Pros: A 4 inch woofer on a 60W amplifier and two 0.75 inch tweeters on 25W each, now with waveguides and a redesigned bass port, and Marshall rates it down to 37Hz. Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3, multipoint, Auracast for linking more speakers, and a 3.5 mm aux input. The Marshall app adds EQ and room calibration, and the new M-button jumps to a saved EQ or Spotify Tap.
Cons: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked. One woofer serves both channels, so its stereo is limited to the tweeters. It needs mains power, has no RCA input (the Stanmore IV adds one), no Wi-Fi streaming and no microphone for voice control.
Full Marshall Acton IV review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) |
| App | Yes (Marshall) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7”H x 10.2”W x 5.9”D (171 x 260 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) |
| Frequency Response | 37Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons