Short answer: the Marshall Stanmore III is the proven choice, measured and ranked among powered desktop speakers, while the newer Marshall Acton IV has no independent measurements yet and can only be compared on specs.
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 Marshall Stanmore III side: At 4.4 kg, Marshall Stanmore III combines 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, RCA, Aux.
On paper: The Marshall Acton IV is rated down to 37Hz against 45Hz, though makers quote these at different tolerances. The Marshall Acton IV has more amplifier power, 110W against 80W.
Price: the Marshall Acton IV lists at $329.99 and the Marshall Stanmore III at $342.86.
Buy the Marshall Stanmore III if you want a speaker whose sound quality has been measured and ranked. It also has RCA inputs.
Buy the Marshall Acton IV if you want deeper rated bass and more power, 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 | Marshall Stanmore III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 | $342.86 each |
| Ranked | - | #6 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| App | Yes (Marshall) | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.3 | Yes, 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| Dimensions | 171H x 260W x 150D mm | 13.8” x 8” x 7.4” (350 x 203 x 188 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides | 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 37Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, 3.5mm aux | Bluetooth, RCA, 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 | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | No | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| Weight | 2.65 kg | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| XLR Input | No | No |
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
Marshall Stanmore III: $342.86 each Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Stanmore IV. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we can’t confirm that yet.
Pros: At 4.4 kg, Marshall Stanmore III combines 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, RCA, 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 Stanmore III review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.8” x 8” x 7.4” (350 x 203 x 188 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Stanmore II
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- See all 15 comparisons