Marshalls new home speaker is a bass beast and has a delicious design I just wish it had this one feature

Date:
Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Description:
Marshalls new mid-sized home speaker is an absolute bass beast, and its
design is undeniably enticing heres how I rate it after hours of testing.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Marshall
Acton IV review Marshall has refreshed its mid-sized home speaker, which promises enhanced bass, dynamic loudness tech and improved tweeters, among other things. Yes, the Marshall Acton IV looks to be quite the improvement over its predecessor, and after testing it for myself, I have to say, it certainly makes good on its promises.

Lets start by taking a look at the tech specs. The Acton IV features a single 60W woofer alongside two 25W tweeters, helping it to produce powerful and energetic audio. It also has a frequency response of 37Hz-38kHz, meaning it can extend down seriously deep for such a compact speaker and you can really feel the bass more on that later. One standout difference between the Acton
IV and its predecessor is its inclusion of RCA connectivity. This makes it a great option for hooking it up to turntables, for instance, and its easy to switch between Bluetooth and RCA mode with the built-in source controls.
3.5mm connectivity is back too, if you want to access lossless audio something I always look out for when testing the best Bluetooth speakers . Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

Although these connectivity options are all very welcome, it would have been great to see Wi-Fi playback, given that this is a speaker most people will likely keep at home. Streaming using your home's Wi-Fi network is ideal for such speakers because it provides an even more stable, higher-resoltuion quality than Bluetooth can offer, and means that notification sounds on your source device dont play through your speaker. Still, there is LDAC this time out something that Marshall has been keen to integrate into its consumer audio products recently, as we saw with the Marshall Milton ANC . This opens up higher-res wireless playback over Bluetooth (provided you've got a source device that supports it), and it works great if youre streaming on platforms such as Tidal, for instance.

Despite the omission of Wi-Fi, the Acton IV does include Auracast, enabling you to create a multi-room setup with other products from the brand, such as the Marshall Heston 120 soundbar and Marshall Stanmore IV. Some older models, like the Marshall Acton III can also join the Auracast multi-room setup with the Marshall Heddon streaming hub.

I was also interested to find that the Acton IV connects to the newer
Marshall app, which has so far been restricted to the brands TV audio gear.
It feels more intuitive and detailed than the standard app, and features a five-band equalizer, which enables you to set three presets of your liking. You can also customize the speakers M button to cycle between these. The app also enables you to cycle between different sources, optimize audio with a placement compensation tool, set a standby timer, and adjust the brightness
of the speakers LED indicators. Good stuff.

One thing that may dissuade some from picking up the Acton IV is that it
lacks baked-in voice assistant support. This means that it cant act like a smart home speaker in the way that a Sonos model would, say. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. (Image credit: Future) Marshall Acton IV (Black) at Amazon for 259.99 But, by now, you must be wondering: just how good does the Marshall Acton IV sound? Well its good
news, because it sounds pretty great. Something that instantly struck me, is that the speaker has a very exciting sound signature, with attention-grabbing and relatively prominent bass, as well as energetic, forward-sounding treble.

This was great for livelier genres like dance tracks. For instance, in Get It On by Jansons, higher-pitched drums came through with serious bite, hitting with speed and precision. Meanwhile, pumping bass came through with great impact without ever overshadowing vocal chops and synths in the mid-range. Even with some deeper house tracks, I was truly wowed by the Acton IVs bass extension. It can reach down into deep dark depths with great confidence, and even the sub-bass was full-sounding and seismic.

Luckily, the Acton IV continued to perform well with more laid-back tracks.
In Ned Dohenys Sing To Me , soulful vocals were nicely weighted, and came through with solid clarity. They werent separated to the point that they occupied a unique pocket in the mix, although when I bumped things up in the mid-range, they had a little more space to express themselves. Bass
definitely remained fairly weighty, and although this gave the tune a pleasantly funky edge, some may prefer to mess around with different EQ settings.

Its also worth noting that the Acton IV has a stereo sound configuration, rather than the basic mono that a lot of Bluetooth speakers use. While it doesnt produce the most amazing stereo imaging Ive ever experienced, this is understandable for a smaller-sized speaker. In All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix, vocals were well-defined in the left channel, and percussion expanded well beyond the Acton IVs limited confines. With LDAC on, I also appreciated the speakers attention to detail, with small vocal quirks and subtle percussive elements illuminated to impressive effect.

My main critique of the Acton IVs audio output relates to its control at higher volumes. Despite including the dynamic loudness tech seen on the Marshall Kilburn III, for instance, I found that the speaker could sound a
tad harsh at high volumes. At 90% and above, compression was more noticeable, with highs turning slightly shrill and bass lacking the control Id
experienced at mid-volumes. It's pretty standard for speakers to compress towards maximum loudness, though, and if youre looking for meatier sound, the mightier Stanmore IV is available. (Image credit: Future) Moving on to an
area where Marshall speakers always excel now: design. The Acton IV looks
very similar to its predecessor, but thats no bad thing. It has enticing faux leather casing, a neat speaker grille, and a gorgeous golden control panel. Its amp-inspired aesthetic makes it feel like just as much of a statement piece as it is a great-sounding speaker.

The buttons and control knobs are also highly responsive and satisfying to use, and there are even onboard EQ controls for the bass and treble if you want to make some changes on the fly.

But its time to address the most crucial question of all: is the Marshall Acton IV worth the money? Lets start by looking at its price. The Acton IV comes in at $299.99 / 259.99 (AU$430). Thats by no means cheap, and puts the speaker in competition with the Wi-Fi equipped Sonos Play and home speakers like the JBL Authentics 200 .

Id argue that the Acton IV certainly sounds up to scratch for this money. It offers mighty yet refined bass, clean and detailed mids, and vivid highs.
It's also decently powerful, and would make a great fit for a small or medium-sized space. However, the lack of Wi-Fi playback may prove to be a deal-breaker for some its the connectivity method many will favor for home speaker use, and again offers better quality and seamlessness than Bluetooth.

Still, its brilliant design, solid set of features and, of course, impressive audio capabilities, means this is still a great home speaker. All in all, Id recommend the Acton IV if you want a powerful and stylish speaker, even if youre a little limited on space. If you want something more portable, the Marshall Kilburn III is a great alternative, though, coming with a handle, 50-hour battery life, and waterproofing at a very similar cost. (Image
credit: Future) Marshall Acton IV review: price & release date $299.99 / 259.99 (AU$430) First released July 2026 The Marshall Acton IV was released
in July 2026, just short of four years after its predecessor came to market. It launched alongside the Marshall Stanmore IV, which is essentially just a larger variant of the Acton. It comes in at $299.99 / 259.99 (AU$430), representing a slight price bump in the US, but continuity in the UK, if were comparing it against the Acton III. Marshall Acton IV review: specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Weight

5.8lbs / 2.6kg

Dimensions

10.24 x 6.73 x 5.91 inches / 260 x 171 x 150 mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm, RCA

Speaker drivers

1x 4-inch 60W woofer, 2x 0.75-inch 25W tweeters

Waterproofing

Not stated (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Marshall Acton IV? Swipe
to scroll horizontally

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Nifty app and RCA is a welcome addition, but lacks Wi-Fi playback.

4/5

Performance

Fantastic bass extension and vivid highs with clean mids, some compression at top volumes though.

4.5/5

Design

Brilliant looking speaker with retro, amp-inspired aesthetic.

4.5/5

Value

Not the cheapest, but performance and build help it to earn price.

4/5 Buy it if

You want a stylish home speaker Something that stands out with Marshall speakers every time is their design. And the Acton IV is no exception. Its faux leather outer casing, its golden details, its eye-catching grille it all comes together to make a truly stellar-looking speaker.

You want great sound in a (relatively) compact model Although the Acton IV
is hardly the largest home speaker out there, it really does sound great. It has fantastic bass extension, with clean and hard-hitting low end. Highs are articulate and vibrant too, although mids still get plenty of space to shine. The LDAC codec also helps you access a more detailed listen. Dont buy it if

You want a speaker to take on the road The Marshall Acton IV is designed for home use. Therefore, it needs to be plugged into the mains to be used, and
its lack of a handle, rechargeable battery, or waterproofing, means youre better off with a model like the Marshall Kilburn III for on-the-go audio.

You want a smart speaker with Wi-Fi Although the Acton IV is designed for home use, it misses out on some of the properties of a smart speaker, like voice-assistant compatibility and Wi-Fi connectivity for the most seamless playback around. Marshall Acton IV review: also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell - Column 0

Marshall Acton IV

Sonos Era 100 SL

WiiM Sound

Price

$299.99 / 259.99 (AU$430)

$189 / 169 / AU$289

$299 / 299 / AU$499

Weight

5.8lbs / 2.6kg

4.3lbs / 2kg

5.5lbs / 2.5kg

Dimensions

10.24 x 6.73 x 5.91 inches / 260 x 171 x 150mm

7.2 x 4.7 x 5.1 inches / 182.5 x 120 x 130.5mm

5.7 x 5.7 x 7.5 inches / 146 x 146 x 193mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm, RCA

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm

Speaker drivers

1x 4-inch 60W woofer, 2x 0.75-inch 25W tweeters

2 x angled tweeters, 1 x mid-woofer

2x tweeters, 1x woofer

Sonos Era 100 SL Want a Sonos home speaker at an easy-to-stomach price? Then the Era 100 SL is an ideal option. It has Wi-Fi playback, precise and
detailed sound, and a gorgeous look, making it well worth its modest price tag. Read our full Sonos Era 100 SL review .

WiiM Sound Another great Wi-Fi equipped speaker is the WiiM sound, and it sits at a very similar price as the Acton IV. The WiiM sound supplies fantastic sound quality, has a unique and intuitive touchscreen, and voice assistant support. Read our full WiiM Sound review . How I tested the
Marshall Acton IV (Image credit: Future) Tested across multiple days Used at our dedicated music testing space at Future Labs Mainly streamed music over Tidal I spent days testing the Marshall Acton IV, listening to hours worth of music, testing its various features, and exhausting every option available in its companion app.

For the most part, I tested the Acton IV in our dedicated music testing room at Future Labs, where I mainly streamed tunes via Tidal on my Xiaomi 17 . I started by playing tracks in our TechRadar reference playlist which features songs from a wide variety of genres but I also bumped a bunch of tunes from my personal library.

More generally, Ive spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar. Ive reviewed all sorts of tech, from premium wireless headphones like the Sony 1000X The Collexion through to Dolby Atmos soundbars such as the JBL Bar 1300MK2. Ive also tested more than 50 Bluetooth speakers, including lots of Marshall models, such as the Marshall Middleton II and Kilburn III. Read TechRadars reviews guarantee First reviewed: July 2026 Marshall Acton IV: Price Comparison 259.99 View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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