Marshall Monitor III A.N.C. vs Marshall Major V
Quick take: The Marshall Major V costs $120 less; the Marshall Monitor III A.N.C. has active noise cancelling while the Marshall Major V doesn't; the Marshall Major V lasts longer per charge (100 hrs).
Which one to buy
Vinyl texture, a brass knob, and a battery you barely need to think about are common to both of these Marshalls. The extra $120 for the Monitor III buys two things the Major V can't offer: noise cancelling and over-ear cups. Those two decide most of this choice.
The Major V is an on-ear headphone. Its cups press on your ears, and a meaningful share of owners report soreness around the two-hour mark. It also leaks sound noticeably above half volume and has no ANC at all. The Monitor III's soft, deep cushions sit around the ear, so owners wear it for full workdays, and its mid-tier ANC plus strong passive isolation makes it usable on a plane in a way the Major V isn't. If you mainly listen in short trips around a city, none of that matters much. The Major V weighs 186g against 250g, folds to roughly hand size, and runs 100 hours to the Monitor's 70 with ANC on.
The cheaper model has two connectivity extras. The Major V supports wireless charging and LC3/LE Audio, while the Monitor III sticks to SBC and AAC. The Monitor III adds transparency, a spatial mode most owners turn off, and an app EQ, which both have. Both have a warm, bass-heavy Marshall tuning, and neither has a water rating.
Marshall Monitor III A.N.C.
If you'll wear them for hours, fly or ride trains, or want an ambient mode. Over-ear comfort and real ANC are what the extra money pays for.
Marshall Major V
If your listening happens in commute-length sessions, you want the smallest fold and the longest battery, and $130 is the budget.
| Spec | Marshall Monitor III A.N.C. | Marshall Major V |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$250 | ~$130 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Over-Ear Headphones | On-Ear Headphones |
| Noise Cancelling | ANC | None |
| Battery (single charge) | 70 hrs | 100 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | — | — |
| Quick Charge | 15 min = 12 hrs | 15 min = 15 hr |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes |
| Driver Size | 32 mm | 40 mm |
| Weight | 250 g | 186 g |
| Water Resistance | — | — |
| Wireless Charging | No | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | No |
| Spatial Audio | Yes | No |
| App EQ | Yes | Yes |
Pros & cons
Marshall Monitor III A.N.C.
- ✓70-hour ANC battery — longest of any flagship rival
- ✓15-minute charge buys 12 hours
- ✓Brass joystick handles everything without touch-surface guesswork
- ✓Distinctive guitar-amp styling stands out from black slabs
- ✓250 grams with a folding travel-friendly design
- ✓Energetic rock-friendly tuning with proper app EQ
- ✗ANC a clear tier below Bose and Sony
- ✗Bare-bones SBC/AAC despite LE Audio-ready Bluetooth 5.3
- ✗32mm drivers sound congested next to the Px7 S3
- ✗Clamp runs tight for the first weeks
- ✗No adaptive ANC or speech detection like rivals offer
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
Marshall Monitor III A.N.C. vs Marshall Major V: common questions
Is the Monitor III worth $120 more than the Major V?▾
If you wear headphones for more than a couple of hours at a time or travel by plane, yes. Over-ear comfort and ANC are the two things owners say the Major V lacks. For short commutes, the Major V matches the sound character and lasts longer per charge.
Does the Monitor III leak less sound than the Major V in a quiet office?▾
The Monitor III. Its deep over-ear pads seal well, while owners say the on-ear Major V leaks noticeably above half volume, enough that people nearby will hear your playlist.
Do the Monitor III and Major V share the same Marshall sound?▾
They share Marshall's warm, bass-forward, rock-friendly tuning, and both have an app EQ to tone it down. The Monitor III adds the Soundstage spatial mode, but most owners say it mainly adds reverb and turn it off.