Too often, the latest headphones to come across my desk for review look unexciting and drab. But Marshall continues to prove that there’s room for style in this category, consistently delivering models that look the part while also sounding terrific.
The newest Marshall Major V don’t reinvent the iconic style you’d associate with the name, and they’d remain my go-to choice as an aesthetic pair to show the world you’re a true music fan.
I already liked Marshall’s previous iteration of these cans, so I had high expectations coming into testing these out. They don’t disappoint.
Before I get onto the design, though, it’s worth focusing on the other headline features.
They’ve got the latest Bluetooth capabilities, app support, battery preservation tech, custom 40mm drivers in each ear cup, wired connectivity, an intuitive control knob and a massive 100 hours of battery life.
The Major V also has a new dedicated custom button – you can use this as a one-click way to launch Spotify, change your equaliser settings or summon your voice assistant.
Overall, I think the appeal of these is that they’re not only feature-packed, they also look great. The first thing you’ll notice upon unboxing them is the striking design.
They’re classic, functional and rugged, with the evident Marshall logo immediately reminding anyone of the British brand’s history making the amplifiers and speakers you’ve seen behind The Who, Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones.
Even if they look old-school rock ‘n’ roll, they’ve got the latest useful touches, like that new custom button and how the brass knob works as a multi-directional and intuitive way to control playback and volume. I also like that these don’t look bulky when on your head.
I find these easy to use and the leather look ear pads are soft and incredibly comfortable for hours on end.
They’re an on-ear rather than fully over-ear design, though. Because of that, you may hear some external sounds and there’s no active noise-cancelling – though it does make them a good option for those who wear glasses.
Unsurprisingly, the sound quality is excellent for a wide range of genres. Of course, they’re great for rock music, but they offer a well-rounded reproduction of audio whether you’re playing pop music, dance, jazz, classical or just your podcasts and audiobooks.
Battery life is a major selling point. 100 hours of listening time is far more than you’ll ever see in noise-cancelling models, and it means you won’t have any problem keeping this in your bag for weeks on end without needing to recharge them.
They also have a quick charge feature when they need a top-up: a quick 15-minute charge gives you around 15 hours of playback.
Talking of tossing them in a bag, I like how these are ultra-compact with a collapsible design. They only weigh 186g, and it’s neat that you can clip the two sides together in the folded-up state. It is a shame there’s no carry pouch to keep them safe from bumps and scratches. There’s also no official IP rating, so they’re not for wearing in a downpour.
Overall, though, these are great value for money at £129. They hold their own against high-price competitors when it comes to versatility and sound while looking better than most rivals too.
If you’re after a bit of a saving, I’d recommend the older Major IV while those are still on sale or the £119 Final UX3000 if you want noise-cancelling in a compact and foldable over-ear pair.
Simon Cocks is Hearst UK’s Technology Ecommerce Editor, overseeing tech shopping content and strategy across a range of titles including Good Housekeeping UK, Esquire UK, Digital Spy, Men’s Health UK and Women’s Health UK.
Simon specialises in testing the latest smart gadgets, home entertainment gear, headphones, speakers, portable chargers, radios, ebook readers and smartphones. He’s reviewed top tech products from brands including Google, Apple, Amazon, JBL and Bose.
A magazine journalism graduate from Kingston University in 2014, Simon also worked on the Discovery and Silkroad inflight magazines. He then gained experience writing about entertainment at SFX and Total Film. He also contributed reviews and interviews to TwitchFilm (later ScreenAnarchy), CultBox and Frame Rated.
He joined Good Housekeeping UK as the Editorial Assistant for Special Projects and was part of Good Housekeeping’s Consumer Affairs Team between 2014 and 2019. In this role, he conducted price comparison research, wrote detailed household and money-saving advice guides and edited thousands of in-depth reviews for the Good Housekeeping Institute.
He has focused on technology and gadgets since 2020, where he started by testing out power banks and instant cameras. He writes reviews, roundups, news articles and deals updates, and also covers top tech deals during sales like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When not testing out the latest gizmos, you’ll find Simon either catching up with the newest releases at his local cinema or out shooting with his beloved compact camera.
You can follow Simon on Instagram at @simonrcocks, on Threads at @simonrcocks, and on Twitter/X at @simoncocks.
