You might know the name from their guitar amps, but Marshall also makes audio headphones and speakers. The Marshall Mid ANC Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones are their new headphones that allow you focus more on the music with freedom to move.
The headphones use Bluetooth aptX technology, which gives you freedom of movement of about a 30’ radius from the sound source. ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) technology uses microphones built into the headphones to monitor ambient noise and help block especially low-end external noise. In use I found the headphones do not block high frequency audio well but does a good job at reducing noise that can make traveling and listening to audio bothersome, like engine rumble.
The headphones have a balanced frequency response–not too bassy and just right for a variety of music styles (especially rock!). In particular, I found the audio clear, not muffled like some other headphones I have. The rechargeable battery lasts about 20 hours if you are using ANC and Bluetooth, and you’ll get more than 30 hours of play time if you are using Bluetooth without ANC. Recharging will take about 3 hours.
Note that these headphones have on-ear cushions. While this does make the headphones more compact, and some people complain about their ears getting too hot from over-the-ear headphones, on-ear headphones are more noisy. For me, I also find on-ear headphones to be less comfortable than over-the-ear headphones. These cushions are well-padded however, and I found that I can wear these headphones for longer than I normally can with other on-ear headphones.
The headphones come with a carrying case, a micro-USB charging cable, a 3.5mm audio cable, and instructions. Though these are wireless headphones, the included audio cable allows you to listen wired or share your audio with someone else if you are listening wirelessly.
The carrying case is actually nice–black vinyl on the outside with a red velvet-like lining, including an embossed “EST. 1962”.
The build quality for the headphones is high. The black anodized metal hinges are sturdy, the cables are thick and coiled, and the headband is nicely padded–wrapped with black leather vinyl and a soft microfiber material. The headphones have a brass multi-directional knob (which matches the brass Marshall logo) that allows you to adjust the volume and advance audio tracks. The knob also allows you to take or reject an incoming phone call. There is also a switch that allows you to toggle the ANC.
Overall, I found the Marshall Mid ANC Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones to be a solid choice for Bluetooth headphones. I found these to work especially well when I am on travel flying (would probably also be great when traveling on the subway)–their compact size helps make them more portable and the active noise cancelling helps tune out the travel chaos around me. The addition of active noise headphones is a welcome feature to the Marshall headphone lineup, and the quality of these headphones only adds to the Marshall name. Rock on.
- Pricing and Availability on Amazon: Marshall Mid ANC Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
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