Marshall’s Acton III Doesn’t Do Enough To Separate It From The Previous Generation
The Marshall Acton II and the newer Acton III share more in common than they do in differences. These compact Bluetooth speakers are great around the house, but they lack versatility, without water-resistance or a built-in battery. If you already own the Acton II, it’s probably not worth upgrading, but if you’re buying your first Marshall Acton, both models have something to offer.
Key Takeaways:
- The Acton III improves on soundstage, for a more immersive experience.
- Although older, the Acton II is a louder speaker with better EQ capabilities.
- Only the older Acton II supports multispeaker pairing.
- Neither speaker features a battery, limiting their use outdoors.
Our Top Pick
Marshall Acton II vs Acton III
| Model | Acton II | Acton III |
| Water Resistance | None | None |
| Output Power | 60W | 60W |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Battery Life | AC Only | AC Only |
| Woofers | 1x 4″ Woofers | 1x 4″ Woofer |
| Tweeters | 2 x 0.75″ Tweeters | 2 x 0.75″ Tweeters |
| Multi-Speaker Pairing | Yes | No |
| Weight | 6.28 lbs | 6.28 lbs |
| Dimensions | 10.24 x 6.30 x 5.91″ | 10.24 x 6.69 x 5.91″ |
| App Support | Marshall Bluetooth | Marshall Bluetooth |
| Price: | Check Price | Check Price |
Table of Contents
- Design, Build & Durability
- Controls, Connectivity & App Support
- Sound Quality & Volume
- Battery
- Price & Value
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
Differences In Build Quality, Portability & Durability Between The Marshall Acton II and Acton III
- There are a few noticeable differences between the Acton II and III.
- Neither speaker is waterproof, and best kept away from water.
- Since neither speaker has a battery, they also aren’t very portable.
Durability & Water Resistance
Winner: Tie
Marshall Acton II
Marshall Acton III
The Acton II and Acton III both share very similar designs, they share a nearly identical silhouette with only a few minor differences. The grille is an area that got a slight tweak, with the gold trim that runs along the bottom of the grille now minimized to make the grille a bit cleaner.
They’re both manufactured using PVC-free 70% recycled plastics, which gives them sufficient durability. However, neither speaker is particularly well-suited to outdoor use, with no dust or water protection ratings.
These speakers are best used in controlled environments, and while they will do just fine out in the garden, they’re not exactly designed for camping or used around the pool, for example.
Portability
Winner: Tie
Marshall Acton II
Marshall Acton III
Both speakers weigh 6.28 lbs and measure 10.23 inches long, meaning they’re not particularly large but are quite heavy for their size. Still, they can be carried fairly easily over short distances, but the lack of a carry handle makes it awkward to carry over longer distances. Neither speaker is particularly better suited to portability than the other.
As with a lot of Marshall speakers, the Acton is better for use around the home than it is for outdoor adventures. In fact, the lack of a built-in battery means there isn’t much versatility on offer.
The Acton III Upgrades The Controls, But Loses The Ability To Adjust The LEDs
- The power switch returns to its glory, closer emulating the old classic Marshall amps.
- Improvements to the play control button make it easier to skip tracks.
Connectivity
Winner: Tie
There’s very little difference in the connectivity of these speakers; the Acton III has a slight advantage in that it uses Bluetooth 5.2 while the Acton II only supports Bluetooth 5.0, but this upgrade isn’t particularly noticeable. They both have the same general range, and the reliability of the wireless connection is also the same.
They both support dual connectivity, meaning you can have two Bluetooth devices connected at the same time without dropping the connection for the other.
They also both have a 3.5mm aux input on the top of the speaker, a feature that allows users to stream music via a wired connection instead of using Bluetooth.
Controls
Winner: Acton III
Marshall Acton II Controls
Marshall Acton III Controls
The controls are one of the few areas where these speakers differ. The Acton II’s power button slides back to its original position, while the Acton III adopts the classic Marshall switch that stays in position, as with their original amplifiers that inspired their speaker range.
In addition, the Marshal Acton III has better playback controls. Instead of relying on multiple button presses, like on the Acton II, there’s now a sliding mechanism on the playback button where, if slid left or right, it will skip tracks. A small change, but a welcome one.
A key feature of both models is the ability to adjust the sound via the bass and treble buttons. These make it easy for users to tweak the sound profile without having to dig into the mobile app.
Again, confusingly, Marshall did away with the adjustable LED control lights, which one could use on the Acton II to dim the lights through the app.
TWS & Group Pairing
Winner: Acton II
Group and stereo pairing is a popular way of connecting two or more Bluetooth speakers together to improve audio quality in true wireless stereo mode, or increase coverage in general pairing.
The Acton II can be paired with the following models: Acton II, Acton II Bluetooth, Stanmore II, Stanmore II Bluetooth, Woburn II Bluetooth
Inexplicably, Marshall removed the ‘coupling’ feature from the Acton III, meaning the Acton II is the clear winner in this area.
App Support
Winner: Acton II
Marshall’s Bluetooth speaker app offers a useful way to control your speaker from afar, but while the Acton II benefits from coupling features and a 5-band EQ, the Acton III is more limited in its app functionality. It only allows one to tweak the bass and treble, instead of offering a broad range of frequencies to change.
The Acton III does have an advantage in that it’s got placement compensation, which can adjust how the speaker sounds depending on where and how it’s placed. Although this is a cool function to have, the Acton II’s app features still feel more powerful.
Marshall Acton II Vs Acton III: Which Sounds Better?
- Casual music enjoyers may not notice much difference, but the Acton III has a better soundstage.
- The older Acton II got quite a bit louder than the new version.
Marshall Acton II
Marshall Acton III
Driver Configuration
Winner: Acton III
The Acton III got some enhancements to its driver setup, but it still uses the same components as the Acton II. Marshall sought to improve the soundstage on the Acton III by changing the tweeter positions, angling them outwards instead of straight forward.
They also added waveguides, which help disperse sound in a broader way than your average front-facing tweeters.
Otherwise, these speakers have the same dual 15W tweeters and single 30W woofer.
| Acton II | Acton III | |
| Tweeters | 2x 15W | 2x 15W |
| Woofer | 1x 30W | 1x 30W |
Frequency Response
Winner: Acton III
The Acton III has a deeper bass extension than the Acton II, able to produce frequencies as low as 45Hz, while the Acton II’s deepest frequency response is at 50Hz. Although this theoretically gives the Acton III more bass potential, in real-world sound comparisons, it isn’t easily noticeable, with both speakers sounding very similar.
The midrange is quite well balanced on both models, and the treble also comes across as clear, detailed, but without being too sharp or grating.
Regardless of which music genres you listen to, both speakers do a good job of producing clear vocals, a punchy bass, and detailed sound.
Soundstage & Dynamics
Winner: Acton III
Soundstage refers to how encompassing a speaker is. A good soundstage makes the experience more immersive, while a narrow soundstage can come across as cramped or lacking expanse.
The Acton III’s new angled tweeters and waveguides give it a wider sound, but casual music enjoyers may not pick up on this enhancement.
Dynamic range is also better on the Acton II, due to the speaker’s new ‘Dynamic Loudness’ feature, which adjusts the sound to prioritize balance and clarity over volume.
Volume
Winner: Acton II
If you’re looking for pure loudness, then the Acton II has more to offer. It’s able to reach several decibels more than the Acton III. So, while the Acton III’s dynamic loudness feature was added to improve and optimize sound, it comes at a cost.
No Battery Means The Acton II And III Are Both Limited To Indoor Use In Most Cases
Winner: Tied
Neither the Marshall Acton II nor Acton III has a built-in battery. You’ll need a power source to plug them into, meaning they’re only really useful indoors.
Price & Value
Winner: Acton II
At the time of the Acton III’s release, it was substantially more expensive than the Acton II. However, over time, the price has become closer aligned, with the Acton III now retailing for as low as $270 on Amazon, which was the same as the release price of the Acton II.
The Acton II has become somewhat of a collectible, though, owing to its additional features over the Acton III, and even in used condition it retails for close to that of its successor.
If multispeaker pairing and 5-band EQ aren’t that important to you, you’re not going to be missing much by going with the Acton III, and you will see some benefits, especially in soundstage. However, the Acton II is also a great speaker if you can find it at a good deal. For many people, the Acton II is the real winner between these two models.
Conclusion
Overall, if you can find the Acton II, it’s going to give you a similar sound to the Acton III but with multispeaker pairing support and increased volume. If you already own the Acton II and are thinking about upgrading to the Acton III, it’s probably not worth it. The Acton II is still a reliable speaker with good performance.
Our Top Pick
