Marshall Monitor II ANC Review – Buying Guide, Opinions and Analysis

Technical characteristics:

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Design and quality:

The Marshall Monitor II ANC headphones are designed, like many products of the brand today, following the aesthetic line of the classic Marshall amplifiers. Black leather and the unmistakable logo on the back of the ear cups follow the classic design logic. They look very similar to the previous model, with oval cups and a premium finish, but offer active noise cancellation. ⁽¹⁾

They are designed for those who want to wear the Marshall brand with pride and look great. Moreover, They integrate a gold potentiometer in the right cup that allows you to play, pause, adjust the volume, and turn off the Marshall headphones. This multi-function button can also be used to accept or end calls. The design is minimalist, but this golden touch contrasts well with the black and gives it an elegant touch.

It also has the M button that allows you to choose between different equalization presets and activates the Google Assistant on your device. Moreover, it presents the ANC button in the left cup with which you can choose between the normal active noise cancellation mode, turn it off or activate the monitoring mode.

The Monitor II ANC has a folding structure and a very flexible and resistant band. These Marshall headphones feel very comfortable thanks to the soft padding of the cups and the headband. They can be used in long sessions as they are not heavy and do not generate any annoying pressure. The package includes an excellent quality audio cable, an attractive carrying case, and the USB-C for charging.

Sound:

Like the previous model, they integrate 40mm dynamic drivers that produce a pre-frequency response of 20-20kHz. The main difference they offer from the previous model is the active noise cancellation technology.  It is not the best on the market, but it is excellent. It almost completely reduces ambient noise, although you can hear moderate nearby conversations. You may adjust the noise cancellation and transparency mode levels from 0 to 100% using the Marshall app.

With the application, you may also equalize the sound to your personal taste.  The normal sound profile is very well balanced at all frequencies. Still, the application offers settings that optimize the sound according to the musical genre, including rock, metal, hip-hop, pop, electro, jazz, or classical music. You can also create your own settings.

In terms of sound quality, they are the best Marshall headphones we’ve ever tested. This new model offers excellently balanced audio with sublime details at all frequencies. The vocals stand out, as do the percussions and instruments. The low frequencies are deep but feel controlled and do not overshadow the other tones. The sonic spatiality is not the widest, but the performance is great.

Connectivity:

The Marshall Monitor II ANC works with Bluetooth 5.0 technology.  The connectivity is flawless, and the wireless range is quite wide. Unfortunately, they do not support the aptX codec, something we expected in a headset of this price. On the other hand, these Marshall headphones integrate a 3.5mm connector to listen to music using the included audio cable. To consider: if you want to stop wasting battery using the cable, you must turn them off manually since this does not happen automatically. ⁽²⁾

To get the most out of them, you need to download the Marshall app, available for IOS and Android devices. The app will allow you to adjust the sound settings, noise cancellation levels and activate the personal assistant of your mobile phone.

Battery:

Our tests returned a capacity of 30 hours with noise cancellation activated at medium volumes. If you turn off the ANC technology, the autonomy can even reach 45 hours. It is an undeniably interesting amount and outperforms even more expensive competitive models. In addition, it loads very fast. 15 minutes of charging is enough to use them for more than five hours.

Verdict:

The Monitor II ANC is one of the best Marshall headphones we’ve ever tested. They carry the classic and elegant style of the brand, the sound quality is great, and they are very comfortable. The active noise cancellation is one of the best, and the equalization options make it a unique and beautiful model. Interested? Take a look at the best prices on Amazon.

If you don’t need active noise cancellation, you can opt for Marshall Monitor Bluetooth headphones. They do not offer ANC technology, but they are more affordable.

References:

1. What is ANC – How does Noise Cancellation work? from https://www.bang-olufsen.com/en/us/story/active-noise-cancellation
2. Bluetooth Core Specification Version 5.0 Feature Overview from https://www.bluetooth.com/bluetooth-resources/bluetooth-5-go-faster-go-further/