Customer Ratings & Reviews

GOOD - Excellent overall sound quality - Amplifiers can deliver lots of volume without distortion - Uses standard power cable BAD - No advanced Bluetooth codec support - No Wi-Fi or network connection - Limited equalizer controls - Could use a carry handle - Aux input would be better in the back than on top TL/DR For those looking for a semi-permanent media speaker for their home, instead of a small portable speaker for everywhere else, the Marshall Action III is a simple and decent option. DETAILS The Marshall Action is a bit odd in the world of Bluetooth speakers as it's strictly AC powered from the wall instead of having a battery. While this makes it less than portable, it also means it's not limited in power draw. The large amps allow the speaker to get quite loud if you like while still having clear audio. It has a dedicated amp for the woofer while another amp feeds the two tweeters. At maximum volume it does distort somewhat, but it's rather unlikely you'll need it that loud. It's also nice the Action has an internal power supply and standard power cable instead of a special power brick adapter. Controls are simple. The power switch feels authoritative to flick on and off and the knobs up top feel solid. However this also limits the equalizer to simply treble and bass instead of having multiple frequency bands. The mobile application doesn't have any additional equalizer controls, only some settings for toggling where the speaker is placed ( makes slight audio processing changes if it's by a wall or near a ledge, but they're not very noticeable ). You can change volume from the app while using the auxiliary 3.5mm connector though, so that's nifty. The big downside is the lack of advanced wireless connection. While it handles Bluetooth 5.2, it doesn't have any sort of Wi-Fi or networking capabilities. You can't have it play directly from your home media library or from any streaming service. For Bluetooth it's limited to basic SBC codec and doesn't support AAC, aptX, LDAC, or anything else. The mobile app does allow the speaker firmware to be updated, so perhaps those features will be added in future, but until then it's just SBC Bluetooth and wired 3.5mm cables. Other nit-picks are the aux connection being on top of the speaker ( it really would be better on the back ) and the lack of any sort of a carry handle. While it doesn't have a battery, it's still small enough that you might move it around the house on occasion, and a handle would be helpful for that. Going along with that, the speaker has a a very nice size to it, being big enough to fit nice sound and power without being so large it needs its own dedicated shelf.

This is my first Marshall product. I was in the market for a bluetooth speaker. I live in a 650 square foot apartment and needed something to stream audio without disturbing the neighbors. There are so many types out there but portability wasn't on my list so I was looking for something that blended in well and sounded good. The sound quality is very good on this speaker. Excellent highs and good lower end especially for it's size. It's also quite louder than I expected with clean distortion free sound. What I didn't know was just how much I would enjoy the design. This is so cool. Real high quality lighting, knobs and switches. The exterior is a leather material. This is a see it to understand type product. It just screams high quality and brings on retro vibes of old where everything wasn't made of cheap plastics and design wasn't an afterthought. The bluetooth connection works fine on IOS and Android. The app is useful but I found myself not using it much because you will enjoy getting out of the chair to manually make adjustments, see the light meters and turn the dials and switches. It's well worth the cost especially in an apartment or office type environment.

No Warranty. Do not buy it from Best Buy. The speaker stopped working within one year of purchase. Best Buy told me that unless I purchased Geek squad membership, they won’t provide any kind of warranty or support. I need to contact manufacturer. This is an extra cost on customers pocket. Rather buy everything from manufacturers. Never going back to Best Buy for anything.

Been using this speaker for a couple weeks now. I have it sitting in my whiskey bar because I feel it matches the aesthetics and vibe I am going with and here's my review. Sound 5/5 This speaker sounds amazing and it is loud and has great bass. I had some friends over and played music through this speaker and it can be heard throughout the whole house. My friends were amazed on how much sound can come out of it. the vocals are clear, mids sound balance and bass is definitely present but not overbearing which I prefer. I am not a bass head. My focus on music is voice and instrumental clarify which is definitely is present. There is also knobs to adjust bass ands treble. Capabilities & portability 3/5 There's not much else to do with the speaker other than set it in a certain spot and leave it there. It is wired so you have to keep it close to an outlet and there's not many other bells and whistles with the speaker either. It connects via bluetooth or auxiliary cable and the Marshall app is very limited with what you can do. Through the app you can modify treble and bass, change songs, change volume, change source and some options for room placement. But overall very solid speaker and connects easily to any device. Aesthetics/Quality This speaker looks amazing and gives off a sort of vintage speaker vibe. Also the quality of materials feel premium and has a good solid weight to it. The speaker houses a tweeter and 4 inch woofer and Marshall is known for their quality speakers. It is a bit pricey but I feel it is a must have for any household and can fit any room in the house.

My husband was SO excited when he opened this, as an anniversary gift. We are very loyal to the Marshall brand because it continues to show that they know what they are doing and they are proud of their products and it just stays heads above over amp brands! He has an older version that is larger and stationary in his office/music room and has been raving about it for years. I saw this one and realized that with "compactness", it would be perfect to place in our living room and to use for travel. I love that the bluetooth connection is so easy to set-up and that I have not experienced any poor sound or disconnection while I'm streaming music to it. I also love that it's just so dang good looking, I'm just not sure that a cooler looking speaker is made by anyone. My husband is now so excited that he can bring along this really quality amp wherever he wants. He's taken it to the back yard (which I'm sure the neighbors loved) and we've taken it with us on a vacation weekend to a condo which was WILDLY exciting for him and only mildly irritating to me that I got to continuously hear him "noodle". Oh, love. Bottom Line: The speaker is just great!!!

When I see the Marshall name, I think crunchy distorted guitar and stacks of 4x12 speaker cabinets 4 units high and 25 or so units wide, blasting a Kirk Hammett, Jeff Hanneman, or Eddie Van Halen guitar solo to a stadium with 40,000+ that paid for seats they never used. So imagine my surprise when I see they make Bluetooth speakers. They’re styled like miniature versions of their amps and speaker cabinets. While they’re surprisingly light for their size, they punch above their weight class. The model I received is the Action III. It’s small - about 10 inches wide, 5 inches deep, and 6 inches tall with its feet. It requires mains power, so it’ll sit in your study, kitchen, or bedroom and probably not move. The most noticeable thing about the Action III is how solid the switchgear feels - a heavy toggle that feels like it came off an actual Marshall amp, buttons for playback controls and pairing that feel substantial, and knobs that feel like solid analog knobs (though they’re all rotary encoders with red LED indicators to show you volume, treble, and bass levels). Unboxing was easy enough, with molded cardboard around the speaker unit itself. Pairing was straightforward on my iPhone. Once done, you’ll want to download the Marshall Bluetooth app - which, as an absolute win, does not require an email address to function. The app allows you to adjust treble and bass response, along with wall and shelf compensation. Audio quality is remarkably good - solid treble and incredibly deep bass response for its size. It also gets very loud, though bass does distort at higher volumes - expected for the amplifier power (1x30 for the woofer and 2x15 for the tweeters). Everything I threw at it - NOFX’s “Don’t Count On Me”, TI and Rihanna’s “Live Your Life”, Mighty Mighty Bosstones’”Wonderful Day for a Race”, Avenge Sevenfold’s “Thick and Thin”, Yo-yo Ma’s rendition of Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello Suite, Pompeii’s rendition of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly”, and the Charles Mingus Band’s rendition of “Moanin’”. What was most surprising was clean the instruments sounded - you could hear hear the different parts of horn sections, guitars sounded like they should, and even a baritone sax “honk” sounded like the musician was in the room. Only real negative? This speaker isn’t portable. But that’s okay because it wasn’t meant to be. Also, it could be considered pricy compared to other options but you won’t get this amount of quality sound in a package this small. And if it wasn’t for the control app not requiring an email to work, I would subtract a star for the lack of AirPlay, Chromecast, Sonos, or other wifi speaker tech. It’s a solid value for a smaller listening space, no matter what genre of music you like. The lack of wifi audio doesn’t subtract enough from a quality aural and app experience to not give this 5 stars.

Hello, friends! This is my review of the Marshall Acton III Bluetooth Speaker. First off the box that it arrived in was badly damaged. However, the fine folks at BB double-boxed it. So the inner box was only slightly damaged and the speaker was in perfect condition. The unboxing experience was nice. Marshall did a good job with the packaging. The design of the box does a great job of protecting the speaker. The Marshall Acton III Bluetooth Speaker is very easy to set up and get connected. Within 3 minutes I was able to enjoy music streaming from this speaker. Handling this speaker, you quickly realize its build quality. This speaker is built like Marshall builds their amps. It has a nice leather wrap on the body that gives a clean look. The controls on top of the unit are solid and feel like a guitar amp knob. The on-off switch is also so much heavier than a regular run-of-the-mill Bluetooth speaker. The weight of the speaker when lifted lets you know that it is not hollow inside. Instead, it has a large speaker and a powerful amp to drive it. With that said, how does it sound? The Acton III sounds to me like a Marshall guitar amp. This little guy is only 6 inches tall and 10 inches wide. But I really am surprised by how much sound it can deliver. It can get loud and proud no problem. It also delivers big-time sound quality. The bass is rich and full, not even a hint of cracking at high volumes either. The speaker is rear ported which helps small speakers in the lower frequencies. I'm not sure how Marshall did it, but they made this speaker sound much larger than it is. Bass is not the only trick for this speaker, the mids and highs are clean, crisp, and balanced. I didn't get any one area of the sound that seemed too bright or harsh. So far everything I have listened to thru this speaker has sounded great. Almost as if I were listening to a speaker 3-4 times its size. I keep mentioning the size because Marshall did such a great job on the amp with this thing. The Acton III is capable of adjusting the treble and base to your liking. Once again, the knobs are high quality with little LED's that light up as you move them. Looks very nice to me and has smooth interaction. There is only one thing that could make this Bluetooth speaker better and that would be 2 speakers for stereo sound. I reached out to Marshall and asked if this speaker could be paired with another to play the same thing. The reply is that it's not capable of playing 2 speakers together right now, but they are thinking about adding that capability in the future with a software update to the app. I really like this Bluetooth speaker. The Marshall Acton III Bluetooth Speaker is enjoyable to listen to and makes my back porch rock! Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes, a big yes! If you need a portable speaker that sounds like a Marshall amp, then you should look no further.

The power button is broken. I will return this product.

not loud enough, the bass is heard as if it thunders and it does not have much volume for a small space

Action III versus Action II. Marshall states that they have tweaked (re-engineered) their speaker to bring the user a better, more expansive and immersive listening experience with the Action III. Side by side, there are subtle cosmetic changes that differentiate the two. Front panel trim and top-side control changes are the most noticeable, with the new Action III being my preference. Control layout is the same, a 3.5 mm Aux input jack, Aux/Bluetooth Source Select button, Volume, Bass and Treble knobs. Thee Action III adds Rewind/Reverse-Skip, Skip-Forward and Fast-Forward options to the Play/Pause switch as found on the Action II. The Power Switch is now a solid two-position switch instead of a momentary switch.. Dimensions are almost identical, the Action III being 10 mm deeper. Not really noticeable unless reading the specs. Weight increases by 1.5 lbs and there is no carry handle so this is not really a “portable” unit. Desk or shelf-top. Speaker drivers are the same, two 3/4” tweeters and one 4” woofer all front facing, the Action III now incorporating outward-facing tweeters to help disperse the sound and increase the width of the sound-stage . Amplifier power is also the same. 15 watts for each tweeter and 30 watts for the woofer. Frequency Response for the Action III is better at 45 Hz to 20K Hz, providing slightly lower bass, but the Max SPL is lower, from the Action II's 98 db to 95 db. I wasn't able to detect much difference when listening to both side-by-side in the garage. Sound is amazing for a compact unit that really looks classy. Bass response and channel separation are very good. Bass and Treble controls provide plenty of adjustment to customize the sound to your liking. Another new feature, accessible only through the Marshall App is a Placement Compensation setting. Bass response is adjusted depending upon options, unit placed close to a front edge, close to a wall or corner or free-standing. Audible bass response difference depending upon selection. NO to all gives the best sound in my opinion as the bass is cut for any other selection. Over all, this is a fantastic speaker. Small size, huge sound. Bluetooth connectivity was instantaneous with my Android phone and signal strength remained strong even when my phone was 30 to 40 feet away. The speaker appears to be well built, rugged enough to keep in the garage or use outside without worry of damage. Marshall has delivered again.

This little Bluetooth speaker from Marshall is a winner! The unit has a retro vibe that reminds me strongly of the vintage Marshall guitar amplifiers in appearance and is no slouch in the sound department either! The unit's packaging has been clearly thought out and sports recyclable materials throughout. I really appreciated being able to get the box open easily and to find minimal product literature packed inside. In fact, I was surprised at the brevity of the "Getting Started" instructions. However, it turned out that this was one of the easiest products to get powered on and linked to that I have used in quite some time. The app is a joy to use. My cellphone detected the speaker immediately, pointed me to the app store and began downloading without a hitch. This product is an example of how ALL Bluetooth devices should work! The speaker has a very high quality feel to it. From the vinyl wrapped exterior to the satisfying heft of the box itself, it reminded me very much of Marshall's amps and just exuded quality construction. All of the switches and controls feel solid and silky when you use them. I played a wide variety of content from multiple sources and the sound quality was outstanding. The speaker has a 4 inch woofer and two 3/4 inch angled tweeters in a bass reflex design (rear ported) and punches way above its weight. You have separate volume, bass, and treble controls and this thing plays PLENTY loud. The app offers limited bass/treble controls and offers some tuning for room placement via a simple Q&A dialog. Overall the Acton III deserves your serious consideration!

Full Disclosure, I didn’t realize it was not battery powered and needs to be plugged in to power on. Outside of this oversight, this speaker oozes awesomeness! It takes the legendary Marshall design and marries together newer technology into one feature packed speaker. Unboxing, I was surprised by the build quality and weight. Before you could sync with a phone or tablet via bluetooth it suggests you need to download the Marshall app, no biggie but another app to manage. Once downloaded, it connected easy and I was off to the races testing how fantastic this speaker sounds. Marshall’s signature sound makes all genres of music come alive and their statement of “room-filling sound” is no joke. This speaker delivers on all fronts. The app or manual dials on the speaker let you fine tune your audio preferences with bass and treble adjustments from 1-10 ranges. I played audio from my iPhone from several sources like Prime Music, Spotify, and Pandora. With how well this speaker projects, I was able to notice some new unfamiliar instrument contributions from some of my favorite songs. Future proofing this speaker is the app’s ability to update firmware. You can also adjust the placement compensation so the speaker can excel considering where you have it placed. It takes things like walls and countertops and can ensure maximum sound projecting giving your space. I also really like the manual toggle power switch and it mirrors the look and feel of other quality Marshall audio products. For the size of this speaker it does really shock you how loud it can be, all the while maintaining the quality of the audio! Highly recommend this speaker for someone looking for a really retro/classic high quality bluetooth speaker. This would be at home in any man cave or bar area. Well done Marshall!

This was an excellent purchase! My budget was ~$200 so I spent a bit more but it’s worth it. I used this all weekend without a second of buyer’s remorse. Sound quality is great and easily adjusted thanks to the actual dials! I LOVE that it isn’t portable. So tired of babysitting batteries and not making it through a day with a 100% charged battery. This sits on my dresser, plugged in, well behaved and looking good!

The new sonic options available through the app to account for speaker placement near a wall and/or near the edge of a shelf are a real game changer! My family has used the Action II as our daily driver for years now and we can’t believe how much better the sound is with the new adjustments. Listening to some of the same tracks that we used to through the Action II is a different experience. The audio just sounds so much more full. The addition of the rewind and fast forward button makes things so much simpler. Even if the phone that’s connected to the speaker is nearby, the switch gives you an quick option, rather than having to enter the pin into your phone, open the app, and make the adjustment. Finally, I love that they changed the power switch to a full toggle instead of the Action II’s one switch for on, long press switch for off. I just think it made operation a little bit simpler but much more useful. If you don't have a Marshall Bluetooth speaker already, I highly recommend this one. However, if you do, this would make a great addition and would definitely be worth your time and money.

The Marshall Acton III Bluetooth speaker in black is a great way to project the sound from either your computer, tablet, phone or any device that plays music, talk radio, etc- whatever you listen to from any device you can Bluetooth to or Aux hard wire to. This Marshall model is a solid black box with gold dials and knobs, veey aesthetically pleasing with 60's vibes. The speaker is about 9 lbs and quite dense, no handle on top, so if you would like something to carry around with you this is not that speaker, more like one you would put on a shelf or put in a bookcase. In my case, I have an all in one monitor and computer in my kitchen area that i wanted to play music from. This Marshall speaker does the trick very nicely and effectively. I really like the rich and robust sound known for by Marshall that comes from this speaker. There are 3 knobs, adjustable from 0 to 10, for volume, base and treble, easily accessible on top; you can personalize the sound to be whatever you want your sound to be.

The Marshall Acton III Bluetooth Speaker in Cream is a charming addition to any space. The vintage-inspired design adds a touch of nostalgia, and the sound quality is good, offering clear audio and decent bass. The Bluetooth connectivity works well, and the EQ presets provide some customization options. While it's not the most powerful speaker out there, its portability makes it convenient for moving around. Overall, the Acton III is a decent choice for those seeking a blend of classic aesthetics and satisfactory audio performance.

It looks beautiful, sounds amazing, is compact so it fits anywhere, and is deceptively small for its powerful volume.

Super quality speaker for your home. The best and most affordable home speaker that beats Bose hands down. Has an opening for the sub woofer and also there is an 360 degree feel to it. Sounds are not forced and are very clear. Nice build, hefty weight and amazing quality !!!!

The reason why I'm really enjoying this Acton III speaker from Marshall is because it's simply a speaker. It's not an assistant device (alexa/google/etc). It's not a speakerphone when someone calls. And it doesn't do fancy light shows along with the music. It just looks great with that classic/retro styling of a Marshall amp. The controls on top are big and easy to use. The levers click solidly into place and the knobs turn effortlessly with no clicks, just lights that show what level your at. Because they don't click at each level, you can be between levels and adjust the volume to your preference. Same goes for the Treble and Bass settings. Overall, the panel is very simple. Aux input, Volume knob, Treble knob, Bass knob, multi-function switch, and power switch. That's it. The multi-function button is press to pause/play, push right to skip, push left to go back. And I love the power switch being a lever instead of a button you have to hold down for 3 sec to turn it off. It's got a very satisfying feel when it locks into place. Sound wise, this speaker can get loud. At higher levels, some of the bass heavy music can get a bit distorted, although very few speakers at this size and price point avoid that. And this is where my one criticism of this speaker comes into play. It should be able to to connect to other Marshall speakers to create surround sound or have a multi-room feature. I have another Marshall bluetooth speaker and it would be awesome to pair them for better sound. Omitting that feature is the one knock I have on this otherwise great speaker. Some people will expect assistant features and speakerphone at this price point. I don't disagree, but you're paying for great sound, simple controls and the design of this is hard to beat. It looks awesome sitting on my desk and I absolutely love that when a call comes in I can simply turn a knob down really quick instead of holding down a button while the volume goes down or fumbling for the pause button. Overall, it sounds great, it avoids all the nonsense of "smart" speakers, and it looks amazing. If I could make one improvement, it's adding the ability to connect to other Marshall speakers for surround sound/multi-room play. Otherwise, I definitely recommend this speaker for anyone that wants an easy to use, great looking speaker that can bump!

I wasnt sure what to expect with this Marshall speaker. I have had some other brand name smart speakers around the house and wasn't sure about adding a "regular" speaker into the mix. I have been pleasantly surprised by this speaker! It sets out to fill a room and to look good; it is able to do both easily. The Acton III feels like a premium speaker. It is a heavy little thing. With this extra heft I feel more comfortable moving it from place to place knowing that it will be safe. The gold plating shines bright and accents the black leather case well. My favorite physical aspect of the Acton III is the toggle power switch. The switch is stiff, but not too stiff. I like that it makes you feel like you are starting a special experience just by powering it on. I wasn't blown away with the dials. The three dials on top control volume, bass, and treble. Each dial has red led indicators to indicate the current levels. I really with that the dials would have had a click feedback when turning the dial either up or down. The dials also infinitely spin which was a stark difference between the power toggle switch. I was really expecting a premium feel from the dials, but it just wasn't what I had expected it to be. The speaker sounds great. My wife has been enjoying listening to music while working from home. The Acton pairs effortlessly to her phone which is a huge bonus. She is able to keep the speaker low enough that it doesn't disturb others in our home while still being able to hear the playback clearly. Overall the Marshall Acton III is really nice speaker. It has the charm of a Marshall amp with the modern audio quality and experience we all expect to have nowadays. The App is required for setup but not for everyday use. It is able to pair quickly and play almost immediately once powered on. I cant believe I am actually typing this out. I probably would have given the Acton III a higher rating if the dials had tactility when spun. Given the exquisite feel of the toggle switch the dials were a big let down for me. I would certainly still recommend it to a friend if they were in the market for a speaker for indoors or outdoors.