Marshall unveils Acton IV and Stanmore IV: Better sound, LDAC, and turntable support at the same price

The first piece of good news is the pricing. While the cost of just about everything has increased in recent years, Marshall is keeping the prices of both speaker models unchanged despite the four-year gap. The Acton IV is priced at €299, while the larger Stanmore IV costs €399. Both speakers are already available through Marshall's official website, with additional retailers expected to offer them in the coming days and weeks.

So what's new? According to Marshall, just about everything, as both the sound quality and overall user experience have been redesigned. The company has optimized the tweeters and waveguides to deliver a wider, more evenly distributed, and more immersive soundstage. The bass port has also been redesigned, with improved airflow intended to produce cleaner and more powerful bass.

The iconic brass control panel now features updated media controls alongside the familiar rotary knobs and signature toggle power switch. Users planning to place the speakers against a wall will appreciate the new cable routing along the underside. The wood used in the cabinets comes from 100% FSC-certified sources, and several components—including the grille, control knobs, and feet—can be replaced.

Vinyl enthusiasts can now connect a turntable directly using the built-in RCA and AUX inputs, something that wasn't possible with the previous generation. Marshall has also brought over audio features from its newer product lineup. Adaptive Loudness, for example, boosts bass output at lower volume levels to maintain a full and powerful sound. Auracast also makes it possible to link multiple Acton IV and Stanmore IV speakers together.

As expected, the Stanmore IV is slightly larger than the Acton IV, primarily because it features a 5-inch woofer. The Acton IV, by comparison, uses a 4-inch woofer. Both speakers are also equipped with two 0.75-inch tweeters. The woofers are powered by 60 W amplifiers, while each tweeter is driven by its own 25 W Class D amplifier. Supported audio codecs include SBC, MPEG-2 AAC, LC3, and LDAC.