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I'm a fan of Marshall speakers, but I didn't expect its $100 headphones to sound this good
ZDNET's key takeaways
- The Marshall Major IV headphones are available now on Amazon for $100 (retails for $150).
- These headphones deliver powerful sound, with bass and treble to spare and smooth, subtle mids, and can last for days on a single charge.
- Note that there's no active noise cancellation, but you really won't need it, especially if you crank your music to 11.
I'm a fan of all types of music. When I'm not listening to classical music, I tend to veer toward harder bands and artists like Rush, Sevendust, Devin Townsend, Judas Priest, or I'll take a goth turn with The Cure, Birthday Massacre, or Sousxie And The Banshees.
But no matter what I'm listening to, I want it to sound good enough so that I might break out into a bought of headbanging (yes, even to Mahler, Mozart, or Beethoven… come on, they were the original metal).
Also: I test dozens of headphones a year, and these might be the best ones under $100
So, when I received a pair of Marshall Major IV headphones, I gave them my best Ronnie James Dio devil horns, opened the box, turned them on, connected them to my Pixel 8 Pro, and fired up Tom Sawyer by Rush.
From the introductory keyboard punch, I knew these babies were going to be winners. No matter what music I pushed through them, I was in my happy place. These on-ear cans from Marshall are good.
View at AmazonThe specs
- Driver Impedance: 32 Ω.
- 40 mm dynamic drivers with a sensitivity of 99 dB SPL
- Frequency range: 20-20,000Hz.
- 80+ hours of wireless playback time and 15 hours with a 15-minute charge.
- Multi-directional control knob for play, pause, skip, and volume adjustment.
- 3.5 mm socket so another person can plug in and listen to your music.
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Weight: 165 grams.
- Price: $149 on Amazon, currently discounted to $100.
My experience
From the very first measure of music, I knew these on-ear headphones were going to be outstanding. Are they audiophile quality? Not really. Why? Mostly because they color the sound far too much to please those who prefer a neutral studio monitor-like pallet. But if you like an EQ curve perfectly suited for rock (with punchy bass, subtle mids, and splashy highs), these headphones will have you smiling and banging your head for hours.
Also: The best music headphones of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed
One thing to keep in mind is that I do tend to prefer an EQ curve that is indicative of 80s rock. Think Van Halen at their Van Halen-yist; punchy bass, pronounced treble, and recessed mids. If you prefer a more even EQ curve, you might not like the sound produced by these headphones as anything in the midrange (between 250Hz and 800Hz) is going to be reduced dramatically. If singer-songwriter is your genre of choice, these headphones are a hard sell. But even the dulcet, groovy sounds of Miles Davis were well-defined.
No matter what music I listened to, I found myself really digging in. Even though these headphones are more suited for rock, I decided to listen to Elgar's Cello Concerto (played by one of the greatest, Jacqueline du Pré). If you know the piece (and du Pré's rendition), you know how much of a gut punch the opening is. The Marshal Major IV honored her performance with the ferocity with which she played.
So, yeah, throw some classical music at the Major IV and you won't be disappointed. Truth be told, I couldn't find a genre of music these didn't love.
Also: The best over-ear headphones: Expert tested and reviewed
As far as fit is concerned, these headphones are comfy. Because they're fairly lightweight (and well-padded), you could sport these for hours and barely notice they're there (other than the punchy, crunchy sound spilling into your ears).
In the box, you'll find a USB-C cord for charging and a 3.5mm for plugging in and listening with a wired connection (instead of USB).
ZDNET's buying advice
Of all the headphones I've tested over the past year, I'd say the Marshall Major IV had me smiling and banging my head more than any other. And with the easy-to-use joystick, controlling music is a treat. It certainly helps that they're affordable too, priced at just $100 at the time of writing.
If you're looking for a pair of headphones that will last for days on a single charge, can deliver that classically heavy Marshall sound, and won't feel as if something is squeezing your head hard enough to break through to the meaty center, the Marshall Major IV are hard to beat.