Background
Iconic British brand Marshall is well known for its audio products and rock n’ roll legacy. I was first introduced to the brand with a Marshall amp, back in the days when I played electric guitar, so was keen to try out the brand’s new wireless Bluetooth over-ear headphones.
The Major V were released in April 2024 and are an upgrade on the previous Major IV. As someone who travels up to three times a month, a pair of good headphones is essential – just look at the most common answer for ‘indispensable travel gadget’ in our Air Miles interviews.
The product
Let’s start with the look of the vegan leather headphones, which are in keeping with the brand’s style. The headphones are stylish with a retro feel, featuring a fully black design aside from the familiar white Marshall font on the textured ears and a striking gold control knob on the right hand shell. The well-cushioned ear pads are square rather than circular, which is a nice touch – reminiscent of the brand’s amps.
While the headphones don’t come with a protective case, which might be a downside for some travellers, this didn’t bother me as the headphones are rugged, lightweight at 186g and collapse inwards – making it compact enough to fit snugly into your backpack without trouble (or round your neck). They are also easily adjustable, so should fit any head.
While the style is attractive, this is really just a bonus for frequent travellers. It’s the lightweight, compact design and impressive battery power which are more important. The headphones promise over 100 hours of playtime. I used them on three train journeys in Switzerland, followed by a flight back to London and finally the tube home. I then found myself using the headphones on commutes to work the following week, without needing to charge them again.
When they do eventually run out of juice, there’s a USB-C to USB-C cable or you can rest the headphones on a wireless charging pad.
The headphones have two control buttons – the aforementioned gold button and a more discreet black M button. Click the jazzy gold button for powering on/off or receive/reject calls, and then you can toggle it up and down like a games controller to adjust the volume, or left and right to skip tracks back and forth.
The M button, meanwhile, opens the hands-free Spotify Tap feature by default – one click and it starts playing Spotify tracks based on your taste, while a double tap skips the song.
It takes a bit of time to get used to the functions of each knob, but there’s a simple manual to help you. It’s also easy to set up the headphones – push and hold the gold knob until there’s a pulsing LED light and Major V will pop up on your Bluetooth list.
You’ll then need to download the Marshall Bluetooth app to complete the set-up, which also allows you to monitor the battery level and also customise the sound in the Equaliser tab – there are presets such as bass boost and treble boost, or you can create your own with controls ranging from 160 Hz to 6.25 kHz (I had full confidence in Marshall’s default). The M button can also be programmed within the app so that, instead of Spotify Tap, it changes your equaliser preset, brings up voice assistant or even does nothing.
So what about the sound? Note that the headphones aren’t advertised as noise-cancelling, but I found them to muffle external noise far better than any in-ear offerings. The sound is also crisp and clear, so I could immerse myself in every genre – from Taylor Swift’s new lyrical-packed album to Fleetwood Mac’s rocky tracks. I used the wireless option, but the box also comes with a 3.5mm audio cord – though this seems a bit outdated for new smartphones without a jack port.
The only trouble I had was when walking in heeled boots, with the vibrations shuddering through the headphones. For that reason, I recommend using earphones for certain footwear!
Verdict
A portable pair of headphones with great sound and long-lasting battery for business trips, not to mention stylish with design nodding to Marshall’s heritage.
£129.99; marshall.com
