Marshall's New Retro Speaker Sounds Stadium-Worthy in My Living Room

I’ve been working with the same janky Bluetooth speaker that I got from T.J. Maxx for a while now (what can I say, I’m a proud Maxxinista). Technically, it gets the job done—but I’ve known that I’m due for an upgrade. Sorry, Corona speaker, I love you, but you’re not cutting it any longer. 

Along came the Marshall Acton III, and let me just tell you, if you haven’t been listening to your favorite songs on a quality device, you will be shook when you hear them on this speaker. I honestly forgot how soulful and powerful music can sound when it really fills the space. 

If you’re a musician, you already know that Marshall is synonymous with rock ‘n’ roll, and is the industry leader when it comes to amps, headphones, and other technical equipment. The brand doesn’t instantly come to mind when talking about home audio, but Marshall’s recently released III series of speakers offer sound quality and looks that really stack up to the competition. 

The Acton III’s handsome, retro good looks are part of its initial appeal, as well as its compact size. But it’s in its audio performance that this thing really delivers. Now for the nitty gritty details—the sound on this thing is truly remarkable. Acton III has a frequency range of 45–20,000 Hz, and “tweeters angled outwards and updated waveguides,” according to the brand, which helps sound travel around the room. For non music-buffs, tweeters are the part of a speaker that produces high-pitched tones, while the woofers produce low ones. The Acton III also has a feature called dynamic loudness that “adjusts the tonal balance of the sound to ensure your music sounds brilliant at every volume.” Plus, you can control every aspect right on top of the device, so if you misplace your phone every minute, you won’t have to worry about a really embarrassing song playing out in its entirety, and you can customize the bass and treble to your liking. When I listened to my current fixation song, Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” on it, I was super impressed by the way the musical fully surrounded me. It really felt like I was at a Steve Lacy Concert, versus listening to it in my car, or on the TV, or in my headphones—you get it. I’m obsessed.  

Lastly, the Bluetooth functionality is so easy, even my mom could use it—at least I’m 90% certain she could (sorry, Mom). There’s a compatible app, but it isn’t necessary to get started; you can simply turn your Bluetooth on, turn the speaker on, and you’re good to go. Plus, the newest model has technology that automatically updates over the air to make sure your system is always up to date. 

Similar speakers from Bose and Sonos cost at least $100 more than the Acton III, and to these ears, there is no discernible difference. Plus, I’d choose the classic, vintage-feeling look of the Acton speaker over a “sleek and simple” (aka sterile) design any day.

The Acton III is currently available in black vegan leather, with cream and brown colorways debuting later this year. Each device is made with 70% recycled plastic, which is PVC-free and vegan. So, not only will it look killer sitting on your shelf—earning you street cred from any musicians that visit—it’s also friendly to our planet. 

Rock on, muchachos!

The Marshall Acton III is available exclusively at Marshall.

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.