Beats Solo 4 vs Marshall Major V
Quick take: The Beats Solo 4 costs $30 less; the Marshall Major V lasts longer per charge (100 hrs); only the Marshall Major V supports multipoint (two devices at once).
| Spec | Beats Solo 4 | Marshall Major V |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$100 | ~$130 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | On-Ear Headphones | On-Ear Headphones |
| Noise Cancelling | None | None |
| Battery (single charge) | 50 hrs | 100 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | — | — |
| Quick Charge | Fast Fuel: 10 min = 5 hrs | 15 min = 15 hr |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC (lossless via USB-C) | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | No | Yes |
| Driver Size | 40 mm | 40 mm |
| Weight | 217 g | 186 g |
| Water Resistance | — | — |
| Wireless Charging | No | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | No | No |
| Spatial Audio | Yes | No |
| App EQ | No | Yes |
Pros & cons
Beats Solo 4
- ✓Huge 50-hour battery is untouchable for on-ears
- ✓Genuine lossless over USB-C or 3.5mm
- ✓Far more balanced tuning than 2010s bass-cannon Solos
- ✓Fast Fuel: 10 minutes buys 5 hours
- ✓Personalized Spatial Audio head tracking on iPhone
- ✓One-touch pairing on both iOS and Android
- ✗No ANC at a $200 list price
- ✗Trademark Solo clamp aches after an hour or two
- ✗On-ear clamp plus glasses gets painful fast
- ✗No EQ app on either platform
- ✗No true multipoint — just Apple ecosystem switching
Marshall Major V
- ✓Class-leading 100+ hour battery life
- ✓15-minute quick charge delivers 15 hours
- ✓Fun, punchy Marshall signature sound with app EQ to adjust it
- ✓Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint plus LE Audio/Auracast-ready LC3
- ✓Wireless charging — almost unheard of in headphones
- ✓Folds compact; 186g is light for the battery inside
- ✓3.5mm jack works both as input and audio-share output
- ✗On-ear clamp gets fatiguing over long sessions for some owners
- ✗No ANC at a price where some rivals include it
- ✗Leaks sound noticeably above half volume
- ✗Bass-forward tuning isn't for neutrality purists
- ✗No water-resistance rating