Marshall Acton III review 2024: iconic design with great sound

The Marshall Acton III brings together iconic design and great sound in a relatively compact package that will attract both eyes and ears. While it lacks some of the modern features we expect from Bluetooth speakers, its unique retro look and excellent sound should be compelling enough, despite its hefty price tag.

The Acton III, the smallest of Marshall’s revamped Homeline series of Bluetooth speakers, looks identical to its larger siblings (Stanmore III and Woburn III). But its guitar amp-inspired design is now presented in a smaller housing finished in faux leather. It weighs just under 3 kg, compared to 4 kg for the Stanmore III. But despite the reduction in size, the Acton III is still not a portable loudspeaker. 

Marshall Acton III specifications

Marshall Acton III review: Design

Marshall’s design language is fairly fixed, as mentioned above, so their speakers don’t differ drastically from each other. However, that’s not a bad thing. There is an industrial, classic quality to their use of grilles that absolutely stands the test of time.

The classic Marshall logo almost always in the foreground. This is the Acton III’s image, but it wears it well. This is not a tiny speaker, but it is small enough to fit on a shelf with ease, or sit on a surface without overpowering it. You can buy this speaker from its official website

Marshall Acton III review: Performance and features

the sound has great punch and the volumes it is capable of reaching pleasantly surprised me, it carries well even through larger rooms, meaning it could easily be used to soundtrack a party. As you would expect from Marshall, the audio is perfectly tuned for rock music, meaning there is a wide soundstage that allows you to hear all the instruments very loudly without drowning out the vocals.

The tweeters face outward, which makes this possible. On the Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black, the guitar licks were as clear as every drum beat and cymbal crash, while Mick Jagger’s growling lyrics were balanced throughout. Not everyone will want such a bass-laden sound, especially if you’re more into quiet classical music or clear podcasts.

Marshall Acton III review: Price

At $459, the Marshall Acton III seems expensive for a Bluetooth speaker that lacks some modern features, such as Wi-Fi and multi-room audio. But there are few speakers that command as much attention as the Acton III for its sound and unique retro look. Its value is amplified in the right home with the right decor. Get it now at Lazada, Shopee and Amazon SG.

Final Words

The Marshall Acton III is a small but powerful device, with a very attractive style. When you take it out of the box, you don’t expect it to be as powerful as it actually is.

Of course, some people will want a lot more in the way of features at this price point, but we personally don’t mind because it means Marshall has put all their effort into making this speaker sound as good as possible rather than offering a long list of unnecessary extras.

FAQs

Is Marshall Acton 3 worth it?

The Marshall Acton III marries iconic design with great sound in a relatively compact package that will attract looks and ears. While it lacks some of the modern features we’ve come to expect from Bluetooth speakers, its unique retro look and excellent sound should be convincing enough, despite its high price.

What is the frequency response of Marshall Acton 3?

Behind the grille, it employs a single 30 W Class D amplifier for the woofer and two 15 W Class D amplifiers for the tweeters; the combination delivers stereo audio with a frequency range of 45 Hz to 20 kHz.

Can I connect Marshall Acton speaker to TV?

There are many ways to connect to your Acton Multi-Room Speaker, either through your phone, TV or tablet. The connection can be wireless with Wi-Fi OR Bluetooth or via a cable. The SOURCE knob allows you to select the source.