Short answer: the Marshall Stanmore IV for better sound quality, the Marshall Acton III for the lower price. The Marshall Stanmore IV ranks #8 of 20 powered desktop speakers, rated 3.8/5, at $429.99. The Marshall Acton III ranks #10, rated 3.7/5, at $189.99, $240 cheaper.
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 III lacks. It links with other speakers (Auracast), which the Marshall Acton III cannot. Watch for: 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 Acton III: At 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg), Marshall Acton III combines 4” (midrange/woofer), 1x 4” midrange, 2x 0.75” Dome tweeters with Bluetooth, Aux. The catch: Bass is limited by its 45Hz to 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) specification.
Buy the Marshall Stanmore IV when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Marshall Acton III when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Stanmore IV | Marshall Acton III | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $429.99 each | $189.99 each |
| Ranked | #8 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #10 of 20 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Amplifier Power | 110W (woofer 60W, tweeters 2x 25W) | 60W (Woofer: 30W, 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 | 8”H x 13.8”W x 7.3”D (203 x 350 x 185 mm) | 10.2” x 6.7” x 5.9” (260 x 170 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) | 45Hz - 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) | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| XLR Input | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Marshall Stanmore IV:
- 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 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
- Marshall Stanmore IV vs Sonos Era 100
- See all 11 comparisons
Marshall Acton III: $189.99 each Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Marshall Acton IV, estimated 3.7/5.
Larger models: the Marshall Stanmore III (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the Marshall Woburn III (ranked higher, rated 4.1/5).
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 |
| 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 Denon Home 250
- Marshall Acton III vs Edifier D12
- Marshall Acton III vs Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker
- Marshall Acton III vs Marshall Stanmore III
- Marshall Acton III vs Apple HomePod 2nd Gen
- Marshall Acton III vs Sonos Era 100
- See all 17 comparisons