Marshall Major V Review: Crisp sound quality, 100+ battery life, but no ANC

Hindustan Times

19-05-2025

Marshall Major V Review: When looking for headphones, I believe the design, comfort, and flexibility to carry around play a huge role alongside the sound quality. Headphones are such devices which are worn for extended periods or kept in a resting position around the neck when they are not being used. But finding such high-quality headphones that provide comfort and good audio quality is not easy to find. Well, Marshall is one such brand which you can rely on for such high requirements.
I recently got the opportunity to review the Marshall Major V headphones, which are the company's latest generation headphones. While I prefer using earbuds over headphones, Marshall Major V kept me hooked for the entire two weeks, and I quite literally forgot that I own earbuds as well. From Amazing sound quality, personalisation, to immense comfort, Major V offers everything you need. However, my one disapproval from this headphone is that it misses out on Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) despite being priced at Rs.14999. To know more about these feature-filled headphones, here is a detailed Marshall Major V review.
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Marshall Major V has a simplistic and minimalistic design that anyone can instantly like. The earcups have a faux leather finish with Marshall branding, maintaining the brand identity quite smartly. However, I do not prefer heavy branding on my electronic products. The textured leather finish makes it look rugged, and it also feels durable. The padding on the band feels comfortable when kept around the neck. The padding on the earcups is quite thick, providing a perfect fit and comfort. The other parts are made up of plastic. However, the plastic does not feel cheap, and it ensures high-quality material.
On the right side of the earcup, you can see a multi-directional control button, a 3.5mm jack, and a USB-C port. On the left side, you get a customisable M-button. Furthermore, the Marshall Major V are quite flexible with its foldable design, and it is also lightweight. Overall, the headphones have a pleasing design, offering comfort and premiumness at the same time. You can easily use the Marshall Major V for hours and use it for extended periods without getting strained. Therefore, for commuting, long listening hours, or finding the right space for the headphones in your bag, the Marshall Major V is a perfect choice.
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To provide a detailed experience with Marshall Major V, I have divided this section of the review into two parts. The first section will cover its unique features that differentiate the headphone from others. And the second part will discuss the audio quality and sound.
You can seamlessly connect the Major V via Marshall app integration to your smartphone or simply connect with Bluetooth on other devices. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired connectivity. With the app, users can access the equaliser, which has five preset modes and a customisable EQ curve to personalise the sound experience. Therefore, custom features are always welcomed and appreciated, considering the price tag of the Marshall Major V.
Another notable feature is the new M-button, which offers customised functionality via the app. The button can be set to activate EQ functions, voice assistant, or open Spotify for music control. The M-button adds another custom feature which works as a shortcut. Another intimate feature is the multi-directional button for play/pause, fast-forward, etc. While headphone comes with different buttons for these functions or different clicking functions, Marshall has simplified this process.
One feature that left me wanting more was ANC, as the headphones do not block the environment or background noise, affecting the audio and calling experience.
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Looking at the sound and audio quality, the Marshall Major V is perfect for audiophiles who prefer crisp audio, dynamic sound, and medium bass. However, with no ANC and smaller earcups, the outside noise could hamper the experience, as I have mentioned above. I listened to a couple of genres using the Marshall Major V, and the headphones provide a pleasing experience with almost all kinds of music.
Music like 'Luther' by Kendrick Lamar, 'Anxiety' by Doechii, provided a great vibration, average deep bass and managed to provide high-pitched sounds. However, low beat songs such as 'Sailor Song' by Gigi Pere or 'Blue' by Yung Kai are not very enjoyable due to weak noise isolation. Therefore, it can be said that songs with beats, drums, and music can be enjoyable. It should also be noted that Marshall Major V lacks the bass power; it is decent, but you will miss the energy and excitement.
Apart from music, I also used the headphones for watching movies and gaming, the Marshall Major V provided a pleasing sound quality. The vocals, background music, sound effects, and everything were crystal clear and enjoyable. With gaming, I experience a similar experience, from clear footsteps, to thumping gun shots while playing BGMI, the Major V was an absolute hit.
The Marshall Major V claims to provide more than 100 hours of battery life, and to my surprise, it exceeds the promises. It is one of the long-lasting headphones I've used this year, and the listening time is simply unmatched by several pricer options available on the market. I have been using the Marshall Major V for about 3 to 4 hours daily, and it has been more than 2 weeks since I last charged the headphones, and I still have 17% percent. However, the longer battery life can also be due to the lack of ANC.
The headphone also offers Battery Preservation mode that provides extended listening time, and also a Standby Time setting, which turns off the headphone when not in use, which is quite unique in my opinion.
At Rs.14999, the Marshall Major V is an expensive buy considering the headphones lack ANC, offer average deep bass, and the on-ear design with small earcups did not feel ideal at the given price point. However, the audio quality is not compromised as it provides rich sounds with great clarity, offering a pleasing day-to-day experience or for casual use. Its never-ending battery life is commendable, especially with additional battery-saving features. Another likeable feature of Marshall Major V is greater personalisation offers, from EQ settings to the M-button, users can customise their listening preferences, which makes it a hit in my experience. Therefore, if a lack of ANC and deep base is not a problem for you, the Marshall Major V is a great choice if purchased during the sale on e-commerce platforms.
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