Marshall Major V

The Major V is a battery beast with killer looks and average everything else. Buy it for the 100-hour playback, not for the sound or calls.

The 27mm dynamic drivers pump out that familiar Marshall tuning, punchy bass and soft mids, but the overall sound lands right in the middle of the pack. What surprised us most is the battery. 100 hours is absurd, and the wireless charging pad support means you can just drop them on a charger and forget about cables. The foldable design and 165g weight make them easy to toss in a bag, and the M-Button is genuinely handy for Spotify Tap or EQ presets. But the mic quality is rough, wind noise reduction or not, and the ANC is basically a suggestion rather than a feature.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 crushes the Major V on sound, ANC, and mic quality, but costs significantly more. The Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus is a better all-rounder if you want decent calls and sound without spending Sony money. The JBL Tune 670NC is the closest direct rival in the budget on-ear space, with better ANC but nowhere near the Marshall's battery. If you want the absolute longest playback and that iconic look, the Major V wins. If you want better sound and calls, look elsewhere.

At USD 90 in the US, the Major V is a solid deal if battery life is your top priority. In Europe, prices swing from EUR 94 to EUR 112 depending on the store, so shop around. The best EUR deal we found is at the lower end of that range, EUR 94, so don't overpay. You're buying battery and style here, not sound quality or call performance.

The Marshall Major V is a battery monster wrapped in that classic rock-and-roll look. Over 100 hours of wireless playback is the headline here, and it's not marketing fluff, it's the single best battery score in our entire on-ear database. But the sound is just average for the price, and the mic is a real weak spot. If you want days of playback and don't care about calls, this is your pair.

If you need good call quality or strong noise cancelling, skip the Major V entirely. The mic is one of the weakest we've tested, and the ANC barely makes a dent. Go get the Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus or Sony WH-1000XM6 instead. If you want balanced sound for music, these aren't it either.

The Marshall Major V is a one-trick pony, but it's a hell of a trick. 100 hours of battery and wireless charging make it the ultimate travel companion for people who hate plugging things in. Just don't buy it for calls or critical listening. If battery life is your number one feature, buy it. If you need a balanced headphone, get the Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus instead.