Marshall, as a brand, needs no introduction. The company is famous for making some of the best audio products while maintaining its retro design aesthetic. Now, it has just released the new Marshall Major V headphones, which claim to have a battery life of over 100 hours! After using the headphones for over a week, here’s my review of the Marshall Major V headphones and whether they’re worth your money.

Marshall Major V Review: Design & Comfort

If there is one thing Marshall knows how to perfect, it’s the design. The textured finish, the leather, and that classic script logo — it’s all there. And if you have liked Marshall’s design aesthetic before, you will also love the Major V.

Despite being made of plastic, the headphones feel sturdy, and the foldable design makes them super easy to toss in a bag. Unfortunately, Marshall doesn’t include a carrying case in the box, which was an issue, as I was never completely sure if the headphones would stay intact during long travels.

Moving to comfort, the Major V are on-ear headphones. And if you like such a fit, they would feel incredibly comfortable. The cushion is soft and doesn’t heavily press on your ears. And since I often find that over-ear headphones make my ears uncomfortably warm, the Major V headphones were a great solution. However, as you may have expected, this on-ear design does result in poor sound isolation, and others can hear what you’re listening to if they’re close enough.

Marshall Major V Review: Controls & Companion App

Keeping with the retro theme, the Marshall Major V headphones skip touch controls entirely, and I am thankful for it. Instead, the headphones feature the signature knob controller, which works both as a button and a directional switch. With this, you can answer or decline calls, play or pause music, and adjust the volume.

On the other hand, there is also an “M” button on the left-hand side, which can be customized to your liking. It can be a shortcut for custom EQ settings, voice assistants, or the Spotify Tap feature. For the uninitiated, Spotify Tap lets you start a new listening session based on Spotify’s recommendations with a single tap, saving you the trouble of reaching for your phone and searching for a song.

Companion App

All this is controlled by the Marshall app, which has drastically improved from its initial days of instability. The app is pretty aesthetic and lets you control all the headphone’s functionality.

However, in addition to the basics, like customizing the EQ and controls, the app also introduces a few new features. One standout is Battery Preservation, which lets you set a maximum charge limit to help prevent battery degradation. There’s also a Standby Timeout feature that powers off the headphones after a set period of inactivity to save battery life.

Marshall Major V Review: Sound Quality & ANC

Okay, let’s get into the most essential part of a headphones review: sound quality. The 40mm dynamic drivers in the Marshall Major V honestly surprised me. On tracks like “Skyfall” and “Last Christmas,” the vocals were clear, with no distortion. The bass was punchy without being overwhelming, while the mids and highs came through nicely.

For pop tracks like “feelslikeimfallinginlove,” the sound was bright and lively. Even when listening to classical music, Major V handled it well with a balanced soundstage. However, it’s important to note that the headphones don’t support aptX Adaptive or Lossless audio, so audiophiles looking for high-definition sound may be a bit disappointed. On the bright side, the headphones come with a high-quality 3.5mm headphone jack to help you enjoy the best sound quality.

As for Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)—there’s none, due to the on-ear design. And there are only two ways about it. You either love the open-back design because it makes you aware of the surroundings at all times, or you hate the fact that background noise always seeps through.

The call quality was also pretty good. The other person could hear me clearly without me shouting or worrying about my voice sounding robotic.

Marshall Major V Review: Battery Life & Charging

Battery life is a huge deal for Bluetooth headphones, and Marshall has nailed it. The Major V boasts a whopping 100 hours of claimed battery life, and during my tests, they lived up to it. I actually got 98 hours of listening, meaning I didn’t need to charge them for over two weeks. This massive battery alone could be a dealmaker for anyone who hates frequent charging.

When it was finally time to charge, a quick 15-minute charge gave me around 15 hours of listening time—enough for a full commute. The Major V also supports wireless charging, making it even more convenient.

Verdict

At $149 (or Rs. 14,999), the Marshall Major V headphones offer something unique. They don’t follow the industry trend of over-ear ANC headphones—and I’m glad they don’t. While this approach might limit their appeal for some, the Major V headphones are a great choice if you love the retro aesthetic and prefer an on-ear design. With solid sound performance and an impressive 100-hour battery life, they get a solid thumbs up from me. Check out the Marshall Major V on Amazon, BestBuy, and Flipkart.