Marshall is an audio brand with a very long history – in fact, it’s been around since the early 1960s building guitar amplifiers, which have since been used by everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Prince.
In more recent years, the brand has branched out, applying that expertise to a range of portable speakers and noise-cancelling headphones.
I’m well-versed in Marshall gadgets. Since 2019 I have reviewed lots of its products, including its latest devices – the Marshall Emberton III and Willen II Bluetooth speakers and the Marshall Major V on-ear headphones. All of them share the same style and signature Marshall sound.
The Marshall Monitor III ANC are a premium set of wireless headphones launched in mid-2024 at a price of £299. This third generation improves on the last with new softer ear cushions and a lighter build, much longer battery life, spatial audio and upgraded Bluetooth which is LE audio-ready.
I’ve been testing the Marshall Monitor III ANC for over a week or so, and here’s everything you need to know about them before you buy a pair.
Marshall Monitor III ANC key specs
| Battery life | 70 hours with ANC, 100 hour without |
|---|---|
| Weight | 250g |
| Water resistance | No |
| Noise cancelling | Yes |
Marshall Monitor III ANC: Design and comfort
Marshall’s unique design language sets all of its audio devices apart from the crowd, and the Monitor III ANC’s retro style is sure to win a lot of people over. The earcups and headband are covered with broken vegan leather, the golden Marshall logo sits on both sides, and visible wires connect them to the headband.
There’s a brass control knob on the right earcup which works in the same way as on Marshall speakers, pausing the music when you press it down, skipping backwards or forwards through songs when you flick it to either side and adjusting the volume when you push it up or down.
There’s also a discreet M button which is customisable so you can use it to call your voice assistant, switch between equaliser settings or play music from Spotify.
Super-soft cushioning surrounds your ears, but the headband has no padding. Instead, a rubber band runs across the top of your head. At 250g, these headphones are relatively lightweight in comparison to their similarly priced competitors.
They’re built using recycled aluminium which has reduced the weight by 70g in comparison to the previous generation. Admittedly, these don’t feel as premium as other similarly priced headphones, they could be a little sturdier in my opinion.
Overall I found the headphones comfortable to wear for an hour or so, they don’t weigh you down and the soft padding on the earcups doesn’t clamp too hard. However, the lack of padding on the headband did eventually cause some discomfort.
Completely collapsible with a very bendy headband, the Monitor III will be a great travel companion and will take up little luggage space.
For when you aren’t using them, there’s a protective case included in the box that is hard-shelled and shaped like an egg, it matches the headphones with the same broken leather look and golden logo decorating the front.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the shape of the case because it added a lot of extra bulk to my bag and I would much rather it have been flatter – not everyone will agree with me on that!
Marshall Monitor III ANC: Features
Marshall has updated the Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones with the latest version of Bluetooth to be LE Audio-ready which means better transmission of your tunes with less impact on battery life. That also means these headphones will eventually get Auracast and you’ll be able to play music from your phone to multiple audio devices, including these, simultaneously.
Not only can you connect via Bluetooth but you can also listen to music through a wired connection using the USB-C to 3.5mm cable included in the box. Marshall has gotten rid of the 3.5mm audio port on this pair of headphones, though.
The Marshall smartphone app is available for iOS and Android and has a selection of extra settings and features. You can adjust the equaliser settings, switch between ANC modes, customise the M button and more.
When you take the headphones off, the music will automatically pause and it’ll play again when you put them back on. You won’t miss a beat of your favourite songs and it’ll help to conserve battery too.
Marshall Monitor III ANC: Battery life
If you’re the type of person who regularly forgets to charge your headphones, you should buy the Marshall Monitor III. With ANC switched on, they’ll last about 70 hours of playback, and with it turned off, that increases to 100 hours. That’s roughly thousands of songs!
A full charge takes around two and a half hours, or if you’re short on time, plugging them in for 15 minutes will give you around 12 hours of music.
By default, the headphones use a selection of features to help prolong the battery’s lifespan, including implementing a charging limit and slowing down charging speeds. You can remove these if you want to.
To save on battery life, the headphones will automatically turn off after an hour of inactivity. You can adjust how long they stay switched on before they time out in the app.
Marshall Monitor III ANC: Sound quality and noise-cancelling
Sound quality is hugely important in any pair of headphones, especially when they sit on the more premium end of things. Luckily, Marshall has that area covered.
If the type of music you’re into is instrument-heavy then you’ll certainly be well catered to with these. The soundstage is expansive and you can hear each individual element well.
Packing a punch, the low end is forceful and rich, yet there’s a precise midrange and treble to balance it out. Because of that, rock and metal will deliver the best listening experience but that’s not to say other genres sound bad, quite the opposite, electronic music is energetic while softer jazz tracks sound intricate.
The delivery isn’t as dynamic as some other pairs of premium cans but considering Marshall’s rock and roll legacy, these perform well across the board.
I listened to a couple of podcasts using these headphones too, and voices came across clearly so I never missed a word of what was being said.
Soundstage spatial audio is new for this model and makes it seem as though you’re in the room hearing the song played live. It sounds like the audio is coming from all around you when you have it switched on. However, it won’t enhance Dolby Atmos mixes or have a big effect on surround sound in films and TV shows.
Adaptive loudness adjusts the audio based on the noise happening around you, so you’ll get the same experience no matter where you are. These features make a lot of difference to how the music is delivered, making it feel fuller and more realistic even in particularly loud environments.
Through the Marshall app, there are five preset sound modes to choose from, including Bass Boost, Mid Boost, Treble Boost and Mid Reduction, as well as the default Marshall signature sound. Or you can create your own custom settings across a detailed five-band equaliser.
Noise-cancelling is one of the biggest draws of the Marshall Monitor III ANC. You can’t hear much, if anything, happening around you when you have them on.
I wore these on my commute and at the office, and I felt completely in my own world of music. I couldn’t hear the people chatting next to me, the sound of the train was blocked out and people’s keyboard taps didn’t bother me either. The ANC isn’t the best I’ve tried, Bose still takes the crown there, but Marshall does get somewhat close.
Marshall Monitor III ANC: Verdict
The Marshall Monitor III ANC have a lot of strengths. The sound quality is punchy and lively. You get detailed equaliser settings to tailor the audio. The noise-cancelling is very effective in cutting out distractions almost entirely. They look really cool with the retro broken leather style. The battery life is among the best you’ll find. The case looks and feels premium and it does a great job of protecting the headphones.
The drawbacks are limited but there are a couple of sticking points. For instance, I would have preferred padding on the headband and a flatter case to carry them in. Fans of the 3.5mm audio port will be disappointed to see that go as well.
Marshall Monitor III ANC: Also consider
If it’s the most persuasive ANC you’re looking for, I still think the best headphones in the world are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra.
They offer a totally different style to the Marshalls, they’re more modern, but they’re equally as good for travel and they fold up neatly. You can expect impressive sound and super immersive listening with these. They are significantly more expensive, though.
Another super stylish pair of headphones to consider are the Sonos Ace. Not only do they look great but they are super comfortable to wear with crystal clear people-pleasing sound, spatial audio, decent noise cancelling and 30 hours of battery life.
