Marshall Acton IV Black

Another in what’s becoming a long line of enjoyable wireless speakers from Marshall. The lack of Wi-Fi feels like a missed opportunity, but the sound, the looks, the addition of an RCA input, and the usability make this a Bluetooth speaker with big appeal.

The Acton IV is a really sensible little upgrade over its predecessor, a few years down the line. It upgrades its Bluetooth and sound, making for a more seamless experience, and continues to be a belter of a one-speaker system. That said, I wish it had Wi-Fi for extra options, as in the era of Sonos Play, this being a totally fixed home speaker might make it slightly outdated soon.

The Marshall Acton IV improves on its predecessor by introducing RCA input for connecting your turntable, and it’s Auracast-enabled to connect with other Homeline IV speakers, like the Stanmore IV. It boasts room-filling sound, and carries Marshall’s trademark retro looks and amp-like controls. The treble is crisp and vibrant while the bass is meaty and powerful. However, it doesn’t feature Wi-Fi streaming or voice assistant support, and it can sound distorted at high volumes.

The Marshall Acton IV is a great home speaker that supplies the kind of sound that instantly grabs you. With deep, regimented bass, as well as vibrant highs and detailed mids, you get plenty of quality across the frequency range. It's a shame there’s no Wi-Fi connectivity for superior wireless playback, and there is noticeable compression towards peak volumes, but the Acton IV’s suave looks and strong overall performance ensures it's still a hit.