Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Marshall’s third-generation home speakers go eco-friendly with a wider soundstage

Marshall’s line of in-home wireless speakers has always aimed to bring powerful sound and elegant design to your bookshelf, and the third generation available now carries that just a bit further into the modern day. The new lineup features the small space-friendly Acton III, the mid-sized Stanmore III, and the flagship Woburn III speakers.

Everything listeners love about the Marshall speaker line is still here. There’s still decent power on deck with 15-watt tweeter amps on all models, and 30-watt, 50-watt, and 90-watt setups for each of the main drivers on the respective speaker models. The Woburn also folds in dedicated mid-frequency drivers for more fullness in general. There’s also solid integration via Bluetooth aptX codec support, plus an array of wired inputs. But now Marshall is putting an emphasis on a few additional modern specs.

The Marshall third-gen home speaker sitting on a bedside table.
Marshall

For starters, there’s a revitalized focus on eco-friendly manufacturing. This is nice to see for a category like Bluetooth speakers and headphones, which are churned out in such high volume that material manufacturing has had quite a footprint in recent years. In the Acton, Stanmore, and Woburn III speakers, Marshall has shifted to nearly PVC-free material choices, building these speakers with vegan fabrics and a 70% recycled plastic makeup.

Recommended Videos

The other key update is the wider soundstage; more specifically that the tweeters in each model are angled more dramatically outward and the waveguides have been updated. This allows Marshall to achieve a much wider cast in sound projection, which, when paired with the already impressive dedicated amps and woofers seen in the second generation, make for pretty impressive detail and fullness.

There’s also a Placement Compensation feature that automatically aims to correct for nearby reflective surfaces to ensure that the sound carries without unwanted resonance. While this kind of tech can be hit or miss, the new line of speakers will at least do their best to account for resonance without listeners having to activate anything out of the box.

A closeup of the Marshall home speaker third-gen control panel with power toggle switch.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Marshall is also baking in new automatic over-the-air updates alongside next-generation Bluetooth 5.2 — an attempt to “future-proof” the tech in these speakers to keep up with evolving Bluetooth versions. Round this all out with the classic bookshelf-friendly design, playful aesthetic choices we’ve seen on previous generations, including the textured power toggle switch, and you’ve got a unique-looking speaker.

The Acton III drops at $279, the Stanmore III comes in at $369 (both available in black, cream, or brown colors), and the Woburn III is $579 (in black or cream) — all available directly at Marshall Headphones.

Jason Schneider
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jason Schneider is a northeast US-based writer, editor, and horror movie enthusiast with more than 10 years of experience. He…
Rock your next garden party with Victrola’s solar-powered speakers
Two Victrola Rock Speaker Connects in a garden.

Victrola is mostly known for its turntables, but the company is taking audio outside with its Rock Speaker Connect, a Bluetooth landscape speaker designed for the backyard, garden, or patio. What really sets it apart is that the speaker is solar-powered, so you don’t have to worry about running wires or plugging it in to keep it powered up.

Designed to blend in with all types of gardens via its Stone, Sand, or Granite finishes and realistic rock texture, the durable speaker is IP65 dust and water resistant. This rating means the outdoor speaker is protected against light water pressure jets, like your sprinkler or rain, as well as sprays and splashes.

Read more
LG’s Tone Free T80 wireless earbuds come with head tracking — and a free portable speaker
LG Tone Free T80 wireless earbuds

LG has added to its growing Tone Free wireless earbuds line with the new T80 earbuds, which boast an upgraded design and Dolby Atmos support with Dolby Head Tracking. Plus, LG is throwing in a free portable Bluetooth speaker for a limited time.

The LG Tone Free 180 true wireless earbuds, available for $199, offer “vibrant bass and enhanced mid- and high-range frequencies,” according to the company. Crafted with a reinforced graphene speaker driver that LG says helps reduce vibrations to improve sound, they are compatible with Dolby Atmos content played through a wirelessly connected device. They also feature Dolby Head Tracking so the audio, like a music playlist, podcast, movie, or video game, follows you as you move your head, always remaining front and center. Just make sure to turn Dolby Head Tracking and the audio virtualizer on in the companion LG Tone Free app.

Read more
Sony’s ULT Power Sound headphones and speakers go big on powerful bass
Sony ULT Wear and ULT Field 1.

Sony has announced a line of wireless audio products under a new sub-brand called ULT Power Sound (or ULT for short). They look familiar because they are the next-gen versions of three of Sony's existing product lines: Extra Bass headphones, portable Bluetooth speakers, and tower-shaped party speakers.

They'll all be available this spring, but Sony hasn't given exact timing for release dates.

Read more