Short answer: the Marshall Stanmore III. It ranks #6 of 19 powered desktop speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $342.86. The Marshall Acton III ranks #9, rated 3.7/5, at $250.03, $92.83 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
Bass is the recurring complaint on both. Our notes flag the Stanmore III as not as good sounding as the older Stanmore II, with not enough bass and distortion at higher volumes. The Acton III’s own note is shorter but points at the same weakness: not as deep bass as competitors. Neither speaker is a bass powerhouse, and the higher price of the Stanmore III does not buy its way out of that complaint.
What the extra money on the Stanmore III does buy: a larger 5 inch woofer and midrange driver against the Acton III’s 4 inch equivalents, 80W of total output versus 60W, and an RCA input in addition to Bluetooth and aux that the Acton III doesn’t have. It is also noticeably heavier at 4.4 kg versus 2.85 kg for the Acton III, and about 3.5 inches taller and deeper.
Everything else matches: both use Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC only, a bass/treble EQ, no battery, no IP rating, and the same partially stereo layout with a single woofer.
Buy the Marshall Acton III if you want the smaller footprint and lower price, and can live with the same bass limitations either speaker has.
Buy the Marshall Stanmore III if you need the bigger drivers, the extra power headroom, or the RCA input for a wired source.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Stanmore III | Marshall Acton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $342.86 each | $250.03 each |
| Ranked | #6 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #9 of 19 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 13.8” x 8” x 7.4” (350 x 203 x 188 mm) | 10.2” x 6.7” x 5.9” (260 x 170 x 150 mm) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, Aux | Bluetooth, Aux |
| Drivers | 5” (midrange/woofer), 1x 5” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | - |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | No | No |
| Weight | 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| Amplifier Power | 80W (Woofer: 50W, Tweeters: 2x15W) | 60W (Woofer: 30W, Tweeters: 2x15W) |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 5.2 | Yes, 5.2 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn III
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn I
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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 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
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn I
- Marshall Stanmore III vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Woburn III
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Denon Home 250
- See all 15 comparisons
Marshall Acton III: $250.03 each Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Acton IV. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we can’t confirm that yet.
Pros: At 2.85 kg, Marshall Acton III combines 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, 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 Acton III review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 60W (Woofer: 30W, 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 | 10.2” x 6.7” x 5.9” (260 x 170 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, Aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| RCA Input | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Acton III vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Acton III vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Acton III vs Denon Home 250
- Marshall Acton III vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
- Marshall Acton III vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Woburn I
- Marshall Acton III vs Sonos Era 100
- See all 16 comparisons