Short answer: the Marshall Stanmore III. It ranks #6 of 29 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $388.99. The Marshall Acton IV ranks #3, rated 3.7/5, at $329.99, $59 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The case for 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 Stanmore III lacks. It links with other speakers (Auracast), which the Marshall Stanmore III cannot. The catch: No independent measurements or side by side comparisons against speakers we rank have been published yet, so it can’t be ranked.
The case for the Marshall Stanmore III: A mid size home speaker with classic Marshall amp styling, Bluetooth, and RCA and aux inputs for a turntable or other source. The tradeoff: Bass is limited by its 45Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Buy the Marshall Stanmore III. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $59 saving on the Marshall Acton IV is not enough to make up the difference.
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.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Acton IV | Marshall Stanmore III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 each | $388.99 each |
| Ranked | #3 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers Estimated | #6 of 29 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 | Yes |
| 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 | 6.7”H x 10.2”W x 5.9”D (171 x 260 x 150 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 | 5.8 lbs (2.65 kg) | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| XLR Input | No | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Marshall Acton IV: manufacturer specifications and listening comparisons; no independent measurement has been published yet.
- Marshall Stanmore III: reviews by 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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