Short answer: the Marshall Acton IV. It ranks #3 of 15 powered desktop speakers by sound quality (rated 3.7/5) at $329.99 and is still sold new; the Marshall Acton II ranks #19 (rated 3.5/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
Why pick the Marshall Acton IV: A compact home speaker with classic Marshall styling, LDAC Bluetooth, Auracast, an aux input and app EQ with room calibration. It supports LDAC Bluetooth, which the Marshall Acton II lacks. It links with other speakers (Auracast), which the Marshall Acton II 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.
What the Marshall Acton II does well: A compact home speaker with classic Marshall styling, aptX Bluetooth, an aux input and bass and treble adjustment. Watch for: Bass is limited by its 56Hz specification.
Buy the Marshall Acton IV. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Marshall Acton II is discontinued.
Worth knowing: the Marshall Acton IV has not been measured yet. Its rating is estimated from related models, with a likely range of 3.5 to 3.9, so treat this verdict as provisional.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton IV | Marshall Acton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 each | $195.60 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #3 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers Estimated | #19 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) | 50W (Woofer: 25W, Tweeters: 2x12.5W) |
| App | Yes (Marshall) | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | SBC, aptX |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| 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) | 10.2” x 6” x 5.9” (260 x 153 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome 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, Aux |
| Maximum SPL | 95dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | - |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| Weight | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) | 6.4 lbs (2.9 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 56Hz |
| Voice Assistants | - | None |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Marshall Acton IV: manufacturer specifications and listening comparisons; no independent measurement has been published yet.
- Marshall Acton II: reviews by DSAUDIO.review, Danny Pops 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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