Home Speakers / Marshall Acton IV vs Sonos Era 300
Marshall Acton IV vs Sonos Era 300
Sonos Era 300
Dolby Atmos music and the best Sonos soundbar surround you can buy.
Wins overall by 2.3 points
Quick Verdict
The Sonos Era 300 takes this by a clear 2.3 points. Dolby Atmos music and the best Sonos soundbar surround you can buy. The Marshall Acton IV only makes sense if it wins on a category you care about more than the total.
The Marshall Acton IV and Sonos Era 300 are both closely matched home Speaker models, and the Marshall Acton IV is $149 cheaper than the Sonos Era 300 ($329.99 vs $479). On Multiroom, the Sonos Era 300 leads (9.5 vs 3.0/10) — how well it groups with other speakers around the house. On Voice Assistant, the Sonos Era 300 leads (7.0 vs 1.0/10) — which assistants are built in and how well they work. On Smart Home, the Sonos Era 300 leads (7.0 vs 3.0/10) — matter, Thread, Zigbee and hub capability. Overall, the Sonos Era 300 scores 7.9/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.6/10 for the Marshall Acton IV. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Marshall Acton IV | Sonos Era 300 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329.99 | $479.00 |
| Release Year | 2026 | 2023 |
| Voice Assistant | None | Alexa and Sonos Voice Control; Google Assistant is not supported |
| Drivers | 1x 4-inch woofer plus 2x 0.75-inch tweeters | Six drivers — four tweeters (one forward-firing, two side-firing, one upward-firing) plus two angled woofers |
| Power Output (W) | 110W total — 1x 60W Class D for the woofer plus 2x 25W Class D for the tweeters; maximum SPL 95dB at 1m | Sonos publishes six class-D digital amplifiers but no wattage |
| Wi-Fi | None | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 with Auracast and multipoint; codecs SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 | 5.3 |
| Streaming Protocols | None — no AirPlay, Chromecast or Spotify Connect. Spotify Tap via the customisable M-button only | Sonos app, AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect; no Chromecast |
| Multiroom System | None natively — Auracast broadcast only; Marshall's Heddon hub is required for a proper multi-speaker setup | Sonos |
| Stereo Pairing | Marshall documents Auracast and Bluetooth multipoint but not a true two-unit stereo pair | Yes; also the preferred Atmos surround for the Arc, Arc Ultra and Beam Gen 2 |
| Smart Home Hub | No | No |
| Spatial Audio | No | Yes |
| Line In | Yes | Yes, but only via the optional Sonos Line-In Adapter, sold separately |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black, Cream | Black, White |
Category Scores
Sound Quality
The Marshall Acton IV and Sonos Era 300 are level here, at 8.5/10 each. tonal balance, clarity and detail for the size is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Bass
The Marshall Acton IV and Sonos Era 300 are level here, at 8.0/10 each. low-end weight and extension is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Smart Home
The Sonos Era 300 leads clearly here, 7.0 against 3.0 — a 4.0-point margin on matter, Thread, Zigbee and hub capability. If that is what you are buying for, the Marshall Acton IV does not close the gap elsewhere.
Multiroom
The Sonos Era 300 leads clearly here, 9.5 against 3.0 — a 6.5-point margin on how well it groups with other speakers around the house. If that is what you are buying for, the Marshall Acton IV does not close the gap elsewhere.
Connectivity
The Sonos Era 300 leads clearly here, 7.5 against 5.0 — a 2.5-point margin on Wi-Fi standard, Bluetooth, streaming protocols and physical inputs. If that is what you are buying for, the Marshall Acton IV does not close the gap elsewhere.
Design & Build
The Marshall Acton IV leads clearly here, 9.5 against 8.5 — a 1.0-point margin on materials, finish and how it looks in a room. If that is what you are buying for, the Sonos Era 300 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Voice Assistant
The Sonos Era 300 leads clearly here, 7.0 against 1.0 — a 6.0-point margin on which assistants are built in and how well they work. If that is what you are buying for, the Marshall Acton IV does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Marshall Acton IV and Sonos Era 300 are level here, at 7.0/10 each. performance and features relative to price is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Best For
Choose the Marshall Acton IV if…
- • Design & Build matters most to you — the Marshall Acton IV scores 9.5/10 here (materials, finish and how it looks in a room).
- • You want to spend less — it's $149 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is home.
Choose the Sonos Era 300 if…
- • Multiroom matters most to you — the Sonos Era 300 scores 9.5/10 here (how well it groups with other speakers around the house).
- • Voice Assistant matters most to you — the Sonos Era 300 scores 7.0/10 here (which assistants are built in and how well they work).
- • Smart Home matters most to you — the Sonos Era 300 scores 7.0/10 here (matter, Thread, Zigbee and hub capability).
- • Connectivity matters most to you — the Sonos Era 300 scores 7.5/10 here (Wi-Fi standard, Bluetooth, streaming protocols and physical inputs).
- • Your main use case is home-theater or multiroom.
Pros & Cons
Marshall Acton IV
Pros
- +110W published power and genuinely good sound for the size
- +RCA and 3.5mm inputs make it the easiest speaker here to connect a turntable to
- +LDAC hi-res over Bluetooth
- +Beautiful FSC-certified wood cabinet
Cons
- −No Wi-Fi at all — if you want a network speaker, this is not one
- −No voice assistant and no network multiroom
- −Marshall does not document a true stereo pairing mode
- −Its sibling the Stanmore IV offers a bigger woofer for $100 more
Sonos Era 300
Pros
- +Genuine Dolby Atmos music support with an upward-firing driver
- +The best wireless surround speaker you can add to a Sonos soundbar
- +Six drivers give real width from a single box
- +Trueplay room tuning
Cons
- −The Atmos music catalogue remains thin outside Apple Music and Amazon Music
- −A single unit gives only a modest height effect — two Era 100s often sound better for plain stereo music
- −Not a smart-home hub
- −List price rose from $449 to $479
- −Line-in needs a paid adapter
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Marshall Acton IV or Sonos Era 300 better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Sonos Era 300 comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Multiroom, the Marshall Acton IV or the Sonos Era 300?+
The Sonos Era 300 scores higher on Multiroom (9.5/10 vs 3.0/10) — how well it groups with other speakers around the house.
Which is better for Voice Assistant, the Marshall Acton IV or the Sonos Era 300?+
The Sonos Era 300 scores higher on Voice Assistant (7.0/10 vs 1.0/10) — which assistants are built in and how well they work.
Which is better for Smart Home, the Marshall Acton IV or the Sonos Era 300?+
The Sonos Era 300 scores higher on Smart Home (7.0/10 vs 3.0/10) — matter, Thread, Zigbee and hub capability.
Which is better for Connectivity, the Marshall Acton IV or the Sonos Era 300?+
The Sonos Era 300 scores higher on Connectivity (7.5/10 vs 5.0/10) — Wi-Fi standard, Bluetooth, streaming protocols and physical inputs.
Is the Marshall Acton IV worth the price difference over the Sonos Era 300?+
The Marshall Acton IV is the cheaper option at $329.99 versus $479. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Multiroom.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Marshall Acton IV is the better fit if you mainly care about home. The Sonos Era 300 is the better fit for home-theater or multiroom.
What's the warranty on the Marshall Acton IV vs the Sonos Era 300?+
The Marshall Acton IV ships with a 12-month warranty; the Sonos Era 300 ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Sonos Era 100 — $219.00
Premium Option
Sonos Five — $599.00
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.