Short answer: the Audio Pro C5 MkII. It ranks #1 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 4.5/5, at $325; the Marshall Acton IV ranks #3, rated 3.7/5, and costs $329.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Marshall Acton IV does well: A compact home speaker with classic Marshall styling, LDAC Bluetooth, Auracast, an aux input and app EQ with room calibration. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Audio Pro C5 MkII lacks. Watch for: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked.
What the Audio Pro C5 MkII does well: An excellent sounding medium home speaker, with fairly neutral sound, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming, and an RCA input for a turntable. It streams over Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth, which the Marshall Acton IV cannot.
Buy the Audio Pro C5 MkII. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Marshall Acton IV and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
About the ratings: the Marshall Acton IV’s rating is estimated from measured siblings and predecessors rather than its own measurements, with a likely range of 3.5 to 3.9, so this verdict could change once it is measured.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton IV | Audio Pro C5 MkII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 each | $325 each |
| Ranked | #3 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers Estimated | #1 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) | 41W (2x8W + 25W) |
| App | Yes (Marshall) | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| 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) | 9.8” x 5.1” x 5.9” (250 x 130 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides | 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 37Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | No | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| Weight | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) | 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | Yes (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| Outputs | - | Subwoofer line out |
| Streaming Services | - | Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast |
| Subwoofer Output | - | Yes |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Marshall Acton IV: manufacturer specifications and listening comparisons; no independent measurement has been published yet.
- Audio Pro C5 MkII: reviews by Smart Home Sounds and Storytripper HD.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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