Marshall Monitor II Review | 93 Data compared

The Marshall Monitor II ANC headphones deliver a well-balanced audio profile featuring rich bass depth and exceptionally crisp, bright highs across multiple musical genres. Designed with heavily cushioned memory foam earpads and a classic leather grain texture, they offer a lightweight, comfortable fit suitable for extended listening sessions. Notable pros include their highly intuitive on-ear controls—such as a multi-directional control knob—an impressive battery life of up to 30 hours with Bluetooth and ANC turned on, and a customizable "M" shortcut button that easily toggles between EQ presets or summons voice assistants. Additionally, the physical layout allows for convenient wired listening, and the integrated companion app provides a dedicated slider to fine-tune the noise-cancellation levels. SoundStage! However, the reviewer points out several notable cons that make the $319.99 price tag difficult to justify compared to market leaders like Apple and Bose. The active noise cancellation, while decent at tamping down low-frequency plane or train rumbles, introduces a faint but noticeable high-frequency hiss in quiet environments and is easily compromised when you turn your head away from directional noise sources. Furthermore, high-resolution...

The Marshall Monitor II ANC headphonesGo are highlighted as a stylish, comfortable, and highly portable option for commuters, featuring excellent build quality and a user-friendly joystick control. Strengths include impressive battery life and effective sound isolation, paired with comfortable memory foam cushions. Conversely, the review notes significant drawbacks for the price point, specifically the lack of high-quality codec support (aptX/AAC) and mediocre microphone performance. While ANC is functional, it falls short of top-tier competitors, limiting the overall value proposition against similar alternatives.

The Marshall Monitor II A. N. C. closed over-ear Bluetooth headphones feature a robust, all-black design with a high-quality finish reminiscent of classic Marshall amplifiers. Notable pros include exceptional wearing comfort from thick, soft imitation leather padding, a highly flexible folding mechanism, and a strong wireless battery life of 30 hours with ANC enabled (extending to 45 hours without it). The companion app adds high utility, offering users precise control over seven EQ presets, a 5-band custom equalizer, an adjustable power-off timer, and customizable noise-cancelling and transparency "monitor" intensities. Furthermore, while a comment on the review initially caused confusion regarding maintenance, the brand has confirmed that the padded earpads are indeed fully interchangeable and replaceable. In terms of audio, the headphones deliver a warm, homogenous, and balanced sound signature with an accurate response to bass transients and distortion-free playback at high volumes. However, prominent cons include a lack of self-confidence in the treble frequencies, which reduces overall transparency and leaves some subtle top nuances sounding slightly duller in direct comparisons. The reviewer also noted a narrower stereo soundstage image compared...

The Marshall Monitor II ANC over-ear headphones deliver exceptional, precise audio performance and top-tier active noise cancellation that rivals the best in the market. Designed with a unique vintage aesthetic inspired by the brand's iconic amplifiers, these dark headphones feature a highly intuitive gold joystick controller that simplifies track and volume management. A companion mobile app allows users to create custom 5-band EQ settings, tweak the strength of the noise cancellation, and configure an "M-Button" on the ear cup to toggle digital assistants or sound profiles. Additionally, they provide solid connectivity via Bluetooth 5.0, support wired use through an included 3.5mm cable, and offer a respectable real-world battery life of roughly 20 hours. Despite their fantastic sonic capabilities, these headphones have notable drawbacks regarding ergonomics and pricing. They retail at a premium price of $319.99, which may be a barrier for budget-conscious buyers. The primary criticism centers on long-term comfort, as the 12-ounce weight, combined with high headband tension, creates noticeable physical pressure. Furthermore, the shallow ear cups allow the wearer's ears to rub against the internal speaker grills, causing...

Marshall Monitor II ANC The Marshall Monitor II ANC headphones are a highly capable and exceptionally comfortable alternative to mainstream premium over-ear models, offered at a competitive price of £279 / $319. Boasting a compact, highly portable design, these 320g headphones feature heavily cushioned, 90-degree pivoting ear cups that fold inward to fit into an included fabric carrying case. Users can easily control music playback and volume via a signature gold multi-directional joystick, alongside two discreetly placed buttons for adjusting active noise cancellation (ANC) and switching customisable equaliser (EQ) presets. Audio performance delivers excellent clarity with a crisp mid-range ideal for vocals, warm bass, and bright highs powered by 40mm dynamic drivers. Battery life is another major highlight, offering up to 45 hours of wireless playback or up to 30 hours with ANC activated, backed by fast USB-C charging that provides 5 hours of power in just 15 minutes. Despite their strengths, the headphones come with a few notable drawbacks. The active noise cancellation, while decent at cutting out consistent background travel sounds like trains, falls short of the class-leading...

The Marshall Monitor II ANC headphones review highlights a premium, retro-style pair of over-ear headphones that excel in overall build, sound quality, and battery endurance. The pros include an iconic leather-look aesthetic reminiscent of classic guitar amplifiers, highly functional physical controls like a golden joystick, and a collapsible frame optimized for portability. In terms of performance, the reviewer praises the crisp highs and warm, well-tuned mid-range—ideal for rock and guitar-heavy music—alongside a massive battery life reaching up to 30 hours with ANC enabled or 45 hours without it. Conversely, the evaluation identifies several cons, primarily pointing out that the $320 price tag is quite steep. The fit is generally comfortable, but the headband clamp is noted as slightly too tight, and the package includes a soft carry pouch instead of a more protective hard case. Crucially, the active noise cancellation is not industry-leading; the review states that it does not outperform market leaders like the Sony WH-1000XM3, making the Marshall Monitor II ANC a better choice for brand enthusiasts who prioritize aesthetic and signature sound over absolute noise isolation.

The Marshall Monitor II A.N.C. headphones ($319.99 USD) offer a highly comfortable, compact, and travel-friendly design that mirrors the portability of popular Bose models. A standout feature is the physical control layout, which utilizes a single brass-finished joystick/pushbutton for primary functions like volume and tracking, alongside hidden hinge buttons to toggle through noise-canceling modes and equalizer presets. Battery performance is strong, delivering up to 30 hours with active noise canceling active and 45 hours when deactivated. Furthermore, the active noise canceling reduces heavy background sounds, like airplane engines, to acceptable levels without inducing uncomfortable "eardrum suck". However, these headphones suffer from a flawed out-of-the-box audio configuration. The stock "Marshall" EQ profile produces an unnatural, bass-light, and midrange-heavy sound that feels confused and fatiguing at loud volumes. Users must manually tweak the companion app's equalizer—such as switching to "Rock" mode or creating a "Custom" preset—to unlock a balanced, clear, and powerful sonic character. Additionally, while the physical joystick was favored by the main reviewer, a listening panelist found its curved earcup placement unintuitive. The overall soundstage also leans toward a more...

The Marshall Monitor II ANC headphonesGo offer rich, bass-forward sound, crisp highs, and highly functional, intuitive on-ear controls with customizable shortcut buttons. The companion app is praised for allowing users to effectively adjust both EQ settings and ANC levels, enhancing the overall user experience. However, the PCMag review notes that the headphones are relatively expensive for the package and suffer from a lack of high-quality, high-fidelity codecs like AAC or AptX. Additional drawbacks include noticeable in-app EQ software quirks and a slight high-frequency hiss produced by the ANC in quiet environments.

The Marshall Monitor II ANC wireless headphones combine the brand's classic, guitar-amp-inspired aesthetic with robust build quality and impressive comfort for long listening sessions. They feature exceptionally compact folding designs, highly intuitive joystick controls, and a phenomenal battery life that delivers 30 hours of playback with active noise cancellation (ANC) turned on and up to 45 hours when turned off. Sonically, the headphones lean into Marshall’s signature warm, full-blooded midrange tone, which delivers an energetic soundscape that is perfectly tuned for rock music while remaining adaptable to other genres. However, the headphones suffer from notable drawbacks given their premium £279.99 price tag. The active noise cancellation is mediocre; it mitigates low-frequency engine rumbles but struggles significantly to block out human speech and wind noise. Furthermore, Marshall took a technical step backward by restricting wireless audio to the basic SBC Bluetooth codec, leaving out higher-quality options like AAC or aptX. While they provide an engaging, repairable package, their weak ANC and lack of premium codecs prevent them from truly besting top-tier competitors.