The Marshall Acton 3 is a compact home speaker meant to live on a shelf or desk—it’s mains-powered only, and while it has Bluetooth 5.2 and a slightly wider soundstage thanks to its updated waveguides and tweeter angle, it’s not built for portability. The Marshall Kilburn 2, on the other hand, is a true grab-and-go speaker with a built-in battery (up to 20 hours), Bluetooth 5.0, and a rugged design that includes corner caps and an IPX2 rating (good enough to survive some drizzles or splashes). It weighs more (around 2.5kg vs the Acton’s 2.85kg) but includes a sturdy guitar-strap-style handle that makes it feel easier to carry around. Personally, I think of the Acton 3 as a stylish desktop companion and the Kilburn 2 as more of an outdoor or travel speaker.
Specs Comparison
The Marshall Acton 3 is a Bluetooth home speaker with no battery, so it needs to stay plugged in. It uses Bluetooth 5.2 with LE Audio support which is a newer, more efficient standard, though that feature is still waiting for wider adoption. It has one 30-watt class D amplifier driving the woofer and two 15-watt amps for the tweeters. The sound is more spread out too because Marshall redesigned the tweeter waveguides and angled them slightly outward. It gives a bit more openness when I’m listening in a room.
The Kilburn 2, though, is built with portability in mind. It’s a battery-powered speaker with up to 20 hours of playtime and Bluetooth 5.0. It doesn’t support LE Audio, but it still connects quickly and holds a stable signal. The amp configuration is similar but slightly different—it has one 20-watt class D amp for the woofer and two 8-watt amps for the tweeters. That means it’s not quite as powerful as the Acton 3 on paper, but it’s more compact and much more rugged. The IPX2 water resistance and solid construction with corner bumpers make it better suited for movement. For me, the Acton 3 sounds more refined in a home setup, while the Kilburn 2 trades off a bit of finesse for the freedom to go wherever I need music.
Table Comparison
| Specification | Marshall Acton 3 | Marshall Kilburn 2 |
| Speaker Type | Home speaker (mains-powered only) | Portable Bluetooth speaker (with battery) |
| Amplifier Output | 1 x 30W (woofer), 2 x 15W (tweeters) | 1 x 20W (woofer), 2 x 8W (tweeters) |
| Total Power Output | 60W RMS | 36W RMS |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.2 (LE Audio capable) | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Wired Input | 3.5mm AUX input | 3.5mm AUX input |
| Battery Life | N/A (no battery) | Up to 20 hours |
| Charging Time | N/A | ~2.5 hours (for full charge) |
| Multi-Directional Sound | Yes (angled tweeters with updated waveguides) | Yes (front and rear facing drivers) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 260 x 170 x 150 mm | 243 x 162 x 140 mm |
| Weight | 2.85 kg | 2.5 kg |
| Water Resistance | None | IPX2 (splash resistant) |
| Voice Assistant Support | No | No |
| App Support | Marshall Bluetooth App | Marshall Bluetooth App |
Sound Comparison
The first time I played music through the Marshall Acton 3, I noticed how much more spacious the soundstage sounded compared to earlier Acton models. I tested it with “Devotion” by Jessie Ware and what caught my ear was how the angled tweeters (driven by 15-watt class D amps) pushed the high frequencies slightly outward. It gave the vocals room to breathe and added a little width to the stereo image, even though this is a single unit. The 30-watt woofer gave a clean and weighty thump in the low end but didn’t try to overwhelm the mix. I didn’t feel like it was bass-heavy. It felt like a fairly neutral sound with just a bit of low-end boost to give it presence on lower volumes, which worked well when I was sitting at a desk or across the room.
When I switched to the Marshall Kilburn 2 with the same track, the difference was subtle but noticeable. The Kilburn 2 has a slightly smaller amp setup (20 watts on the woofer and 8 watts on each tweeter), and I could tell there was a bit less headroom. I played “Rolling Blackouts” by The Avalanches and while the midrange stayed surprisingly clear, the highs were a little tighter and less airy than what I heard on the Acton 3. What I appreciated was how well the Kilburn 2 handled dynamics on battery power—it didn’t drop in quality when unplugged. The bass had a punchier feel, but it didn’t dig quite as deep. That said, the soundstage still felt reasonably open for a speaker that’s built for movement and outdoor use. It gets loud enough to fill a medium-sized room or patio without losing its grip.
The big takeaway for me is that the Acton 3 works better in a controlled home environment where I want to hear details and enjoy more open vocals. I played “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder and felt like I was getting more texture in the horns and the highs had a cleaner sparkle. On the Kilburn 2, that same song felt slightly more compressed in the top end but still enjoyable—especially when I used it outside where some of that detail naturally gets lost anyway. If I’m staying in, I’d reach for the Acton 3 without hesitation. But when I want music on the move or need something I can grab quickly without cables, the Kilburn 2 is easier to live with and still holds its own in sound quality.
Design Comparison
The Marshall Acton 3 weighs around 2.85 kg and has a slightly wider body, wrapped in textured vinyl with a solid wooden cabinet underneath. The brass control knobs sit on top in that signature Marshall line-up—volume, bass, treble—all with that retro amp-style precision. There’s no battery inside so it has a permanent power cord attached at the back, and it’s clearly made to stay on a shelf or a desk. I like that the build is clean and dense—it doesn’t feel hollow—and when I knock the side panels it gives back a tight, dull response that tells me it’s not just a plastic shell.
The Marshall Kilburn 2 in contrast is built with more real-world use in mind. It’s slightly lighter at 2.5 kg but still has a very chunky presence. The cabinet has a similar leather-like wrap, though it’s reinforced with rubber corner caps that make a lot of sense when I’m moving it around. The metal grille is tighter and more industrial too, with the Marshall logo floating dead center. What I like is how the carry strap clips on with metal brackets that feel secure—almost like the handle of a guitar case—and it gives me a better grip when I need to bring it outdoors. The battery is sealed inside so there’s no flap or removable panel, and the charging port sits flush in the back. It’s also rated IPX2 which doesn’t mean waterproof but gives it a little resistance if I leave it out on a slightly wet surface or if it catches some light rain (I wouldn’t recommend exposing it to any moisture though as it may corrode the brass knobs).
I find the Acton 3 more refined visually—it’s the kind of speaker I don’t mind having out in the living room even if music’s not playing. It just blends in with other vintage-style gear and has that quiet confidence in its lines. The Kilburn 2 feels more like a tool. It’s designed to be handled and moved and occasionally knocked into something without needing to worry. They both carry that classic Marshall design language, but in use, I feel like the Acton 3 wants to be admired while the Kilburn 2 wants to be used.
The Verdict?
Personally, I would go with the Marshall Acton 3 if I were looking for a speaker to keep at home. The soundstage feels more spacious and refined, especially with vocals and stereo-heavy tracks, and that’s likely due to the updated waveguides and the more powerful amp setup (30 watts for the woofer and 15 watts for each tweeter). I noticed it brought out more detail in tracks like “Devotion” by Jessie Ware and “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder, and the clarity didn’t feel forced. It also fits naturally into a home setup with its vintage look and solid wood construction. I don’t mind that it doesn’t have a battery because it’s not the kind of speaker I’d want to move around anyway. It’s more of a dedicated listening piece, and it feels like it’s built with that intention.
But if I needed something I could grab and take out to the patio or a friend’s place, I think the Kilburn 2 is still the obvious choice for portability. It’s lighter, battery-powered with up to 20 hours of use, and the build is clearly more rugged (those corner guards and IPX2 resistance make it feel a lot more stress-free). The sound isn’t quite as wide or deep, and the amp is less powerful on paper (20 watts woofer, 8 watts tweeters), but it still holds its own—especially in outdoor or casual listening scenarios. Overall, I think the Acton 3 is the better speaker in terms of sound fidelity and in-home experience. But if portability matters more, the Kilburn 2 is a more practical companion. For my home setup, I’d pick the Marshall Acton 3.