Short answer: the Marshall Acton IV. It ranks #3 of 13 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.7/5, at $329.99. The Apple HomePod Mini ranks #9, rated 3.3/5, at $149.36, $180.63 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The Marshall Acton IV is the better-sounding pick. 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 keeps a wired aux input, which the Apple HomePod Mini lacks. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Apple HomePod Mini lacks. The catch: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked.
Why pick the Apple HomePod Mini: SoundGuys called it good sound for its size, with a full-range driver and dual passive bass radiators giving the bassline in Anderson .Paak’s “Come Down” a decent thump most speakers this small can’t manage. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Acton IV cannot. The tradeoff: SoundGuys’ listed cons include no mute button at all, an occasionally annoying Handoff prompt, and no direct Spotify integration since Siri only launches Apple Music by voice.
Buy the Marshall Acton IV. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $180.63 with the Apple HomePod Mini does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton IV | Apple HomePod Mini | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 each | $149.36 each |
| Ranked | #3 of 13 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #9 of 13 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) | - |
| App | Yes (Marshall) | Yes (Apple Home) |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes (4 far-field mics, no mute button) |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| Dimensions | 6.7”H x 10.2”W x 5.9”D (171 x 260 x 150 mm) | 3.3” x 3.9” (84.3 x 97.9 mm) (H x diameter) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides | Full-range driver + dual passive bass radiators |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) | No |
| Frequency Response | 37Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | External AC adapter (USB-C) |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) |
| USB Input | No | No |
| Weight | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) | 0.8 lbs (345 g) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| Voice Assistants | - | Apple Siri |
| Streaming Services | - | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Acton IV compares with other leading options:
- 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 Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Marshall Acton IV vs Google Home Speaker
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 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
Apple HomePod Mini: $149.36 each Amazon eBay
Larger model: the Apple HomePod 2nd Gen (rated 4/5).
Pros: SoundGuys called it good sound for its size, with a full-range driver and dual passive bass radiators giving the bassline in Anderson .Paak’s “Come Down” a decent thump most speakers this small can’t manage. “Hey Siri” reliably hears the wake phrase even at full volume, it can distinguish different people’s voices for personalized requests, and setup with an iPhone nearby takes moments.
Cons: SoundGuys’ listed cons include no mute button at all, an occasionally annoying Handoff prompt, and no direct Spotify integration since Siri only launches Apple Music by voice. There is no way to stream to it over Bluetooth, only Apple’s AirPlay/Handoff, no battery, and no IP rating (Apple only claims humidity resistance, not a certified rating). It requires an iPhone or iPad to set up and get the most out of.
Full Apple HomePod Mini review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Apple Home) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (4 far-field mics, no mute button) |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.3” x 3.9” (84.3 x 97.9 mm) (H x diameter) |
| Drivers | Full-range driver + dual passive bass radiators |
| EQ | No |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | External AC adapter (USB-C) |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | No |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Apple Music (direct voice control); other services via AirPlay only |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | Yes (stereo pairing via Home app) |
| USB Input | No |
| Voice Assistants | Apple Siri |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (345 g) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Apple HomePod Mini vs Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen
- Apple HomePod Mini vs Google Nest Audio
- Apple HomePod Mini vs Google Home Speaker
- Apple HomePod Mini vs Google Nest Mini 2nd Gen
- Apple HomePod Mini vs Amazon Echo Pop
- Apple HomePod Mini vs Denon Home 150
- Apple HomePod Mini vs Amazon Echo Dot Max
- Apple HomePod Mini vs Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen
- See all 29 comparisons