Marshall home speakers look similar, but size and generation names alone do not make the choice easy. Start with where the speaker will sit and what you will connect: a phone, television or turntable. This guide compares Acton III, Stanmore III and Woburn III, not their II or IV counterparts.
Marshall Acton III
Marshall Stanmore III
Marshall Woburn III
The short answer
- Acton III — a starting point when space is limited and Bluetooth or a 3.5 mm input is enough.
- Stanmore III — worth considering if you have room for a 35 cm-wide cabinet and want a line-level RCA input too.
- Woburn III — the option here for HDMI ARC with a TV, provided the largest cabinet fits your space.
Specifications compared
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to see every model →
| Feature | Acton III | Stanmore III | Woburn III |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions, W × H × D | 260 × 170 × 150 mm | 350 × 203 × 188 mm | 400 × 317 × 203 mm |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 3.5 mm input | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Line-level RCA input | No | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI ARC | No | No | Yes |
| Power | Mains | Mains | Mains |
Size is about more than loudness
Acton III is easier to accommodate on a small desk or shelf. Measure depth as well as width: the power cable needs room, and the controls on top must remain accessible. Avoid squeezing it into a tight, enclosed recess.
Stanmore III and Woburn III take up more space. Their larger cabinets and different acoustic designs are reasons to compare them at your preferred volume, not proof that the biggest one is always the best choice. Background music at a desk and listening from across a room are different uses.
We do not assign rigid limits such as “only for rooms up to 20 m²”. Distance, furnishings, open doorways and preferred volume all matter. If possible, compare a familiar track at a comfortable level rather than choosing by maximum power alone.
How much space does each speaker need?
Phone, TV or vinyl: check the connections first
For a phone, all three offer Bluetooth. Wireless audio does not mean cordless power: these are mains-powered home speakers, not battery speakers for a walk.
For television, Woburn III is the one to consider for HDMI ARC. Your TV needs a compatible ARC/eARC port and the correct audio-output settings; an ordinary HDMI socket alone is not enough. With Bluetooth, check speech-to-picture synchronisation. A simple passive adaptor cannot add HDMI connectivity to Acton III or Stanmore III.
For vinyl, the RCA inputs on Stanmore III and Woburn III accept line-level audio; they do not replace a phono preamp. That stage must be built into the turntable or supplied separately. Acton III can accept a line-level signal through 3.5 mm with the appropriate cable. Check whether your turntable output is PHONO or LINE before ordering.
Choosing between Stanmore III and Woburn III
Start with the TV question. If you need HDMI ARC, that is a specific reason to choose Woburn III. If your only source is a phone or a line-level output and space is tight, its extra size may not offer a practical benefit.
For music, prepare a short playlist with vocals, bass and dense arrangements. Compare at similar volumes and listen for clarity, not just bass quantity. This is a way to choose for yourself, not a promise of identical sound in every room.
Before placing an order
- Measure the space and allow access to the top controls and mains socket.
- Check the outputs on your TV or turntable and the cables required.
- Check the generation: this table covers III models only.
- Check the current price, colour and availability on the product page.
For listening away from a socket, see portable speakers. If you want two physically separated speakers for the left and right channels, consider an active stereo pair. That is a different listening setup, not merely a different cabinet style.
Choose for the job, not the model hierarchy
Acton III is a starting point when space matters; Stanmore III adds RCA and a larger format; Woburn III is worth considering for HDMI ARC if you have the room. Compare available Marshall speakers and variants in the catalogue. For compatibility help, tell us your source model and where the speaker will sit so the advice can be specific.
Sources and fact-checking
Specifications checked against Marshall documentation on 6 October 2026. This is a buying guide, not a report of our own measurements or listening tests. Photos from the WaveSound catalogue.