Short answer: the Marshall Stanmore IV. It ranks #8 of 20 powered desktop speakers by sound quality (rated 3.8/5) at $429.99 and is still sold new; the Marshall Acton II ranks #16 (rated 3.5/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
What the Marshall Stanmore IV does well: A 5 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 36Hz. 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: Marshall Acton II uses 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters. The tradeoff: Bass is limited by its 56Hz specification.
Buy the Marshall Stanmore IV. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Marshall Acton II is discontinued.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Stanmore IV | Marshall Acton II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $429.99 each | $195.60 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #8 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #16 of 20 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 | 8”H x 13.8”W x 7.3”D (203 x 350 x 185 mm) | 10.2” x 6” x 5.9” (260 x 153 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 5” 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 | 36Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, 3.5mm aux | Bluetooth, Aux |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord | - |
| RCA Input | Yes | No |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| Weight | 8.8 lbs (3.99 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 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Marshall Stanmore IV compares with other leading options:
- Audio Pro C5 MkII vs Marshall Stanmore IV
- Marshall Woburn III vs Marshall Stanmore IV
- Apple HomePod 2nd Gen vs Marshall Stanmore IV
- Marshall Stanmore III vs Marshall Stanmore IV
- Edifier D12 vs Marshall Stanmore IV
Prices on this page were last checked October 4, 2026 at 9:58 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 IV: $429.99 each Estimated Amazon eBay
Older models: the Marshall Stanmore III (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the Marshall Stanmore II (ranked lower, rated 3.7/5).
Smaller model: the Marshall Acton IV (estimated 3.7/5).
Pros: A 5 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 36Hz. Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3, multipoint, Auracast for linking more speakers, and both 3.5 mm aux and RCA inputs for a turntable. 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, with no battery, and it has no Wi-Fi streaming and no microphone for voice control.
Full Marshall Stanmore 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 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Cabinet Color | black, cream |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8”H x 13.8”W x 7.3”D (203 x 350 x 185 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 5” woofer + 2x 0.75” tweeters with waveguides |
| EQ | Yes (bass/treble knobs, app EQ, room calibration) |
| Frequency Response | 36Hz - 38kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, 3.5mm aux |
| Maximum SPL | 97dB at 1m (Manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TRS Input | No |
| TWS | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 8.8 lbs (3.99 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Marshall Woburn III
- See all 11 comparisons
Marshall Acton II: $195.60 each Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Acton IV, estimated 3.7/5.
Pros: Marshall Acton II uses 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters. Its 2.9 kg, aux input and limited-stereo playback make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 56Hz specification. Discontinued.
Full Marshall Acton II review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 50W (Woofer: 25W, Tweeters: 2x12.5W) |
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 56Hz |
| Battery Life | No Battery |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.2” x 6” x 5.9” (260 x 153 x 150 mm) |
| Drivers | 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Treble) |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 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 |
| Voice Assistants | None |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs (2.9 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
| XLR Input | No |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier D12 vs Marshall Acton II sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Marshall Stanmore II vs Marshall Acton II sound.DEMO
- Danny Pops: Marshall Acton 2 vs Klipsch The One 2 - which sounds better? More from DannyPops →
- One-month hobbyist: Klipsch The One ii vs Marshall Acton ii Sound Battle
- Storytripper HD: Marshall Acton 2 vs Marshall Kilburn 2 More from storytripperhd →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Acton II vs Sonos Era 100
- Marshall Acton II vs Klipsch The Three II
- Marshall Acton II vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
- Marshall Acton II vs Klipsch The One II
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Stanmore II
- Marshall Acton II vs Marshall Acton III
- Marshall Acton II vs JBL Authentics 200
- Marshall Acton II vs Edifier D12
- See all 14 comparisons