Short answer: pick the Audio Pro C5 MkII if you want sound quality that has been measured and ranked; the Marshall Acton IV is unmeasured so far, so its case rests on features and price.
The case for 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.
On the Audio Pro C5 MkII side: At 2.4 kg, Audio Pro C5 MkII combines 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters with Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA.
On paper: The Marshall Acton IV is rated down to 37Hz against 50Hz, though makers quote these at different tolerances. The Marshall Acton IV has more amplifier power, 110W against 41W.
Price: the Marshall Acton IV lists at $329.99 and the Audio Pro C5 MkII at $300.
Buy the Audio Pro C5 MkII if you want a speaker whose sound quality has been measured and ranked. It also has Wi-Fi streaming and RCA inputs.
Buy the Marshall Acton IV if you want deeper rated bass, more power and an aux input, and you can wait for measurements to confirm how it sounds.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton IV | Audio Pro C5 MkII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 | $300 each |
| Ranked | - | #1 of 19 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, 5.3 | Yes, 4.2 |
| 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 | 171H x 260W x 150D 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 | 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 |
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 IV: $329.99 Amazon eBay
Older models: the Marshall Acton III (rated 3.7/5) and the Marshall Acton II (rated 3.5/5).
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, 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 171H x 260W x 150D 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 | 2.65 kg |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- These figures are manufacturer-specified rather than independently measured.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Audio Pro C5 MkII: $300 each Amazon eBay
Pros: At 2.4 kg, Audio Pro C5 MkII combines 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters with Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA. Ac-powered operation and limited-stereo playback make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use. Reviews find the sound fairly neutral.
Cons: Bass is limited by its 50Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification. There is no battery, so it needs mains power.
Full Audio Pro C5 MkII review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 41W (2x8W + 25W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 9.8” x 5.1” x 5.9” (250 x 130 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 4” woofer, 2x 0.75” tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Wifi, RCA |
| Optical Input | No |
| Outputs | Subwoofer line out |
| Party Mode | Yes (AirPlay 2 multi-room) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially |
| Streaming Services | Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs (2.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz)) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Woburn III
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Woburn II
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Edifier D12
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs JBL Authentics 200
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Acton III
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Denon Home 250
- See all 14 comparisons