I’ve been testing the Marshall Milton ANC on-ears vs Marshall Monitor III over-ears — and it’s closer than you think

Marshall has just added the new Milton ANC to its lineup of audio gear and headphones, and these on-ear cans are nothing short of a triumph. As someone who prefers over-ear headphones, these feel like a game-changer, and they're the most comfortable on-ears I've used so far.

But before I started using the Milton ANC, I'd been using the Monitor III over-ears for over a year. This got me thinking, "Do I like the Milton ANC better than the Monitor III?" The answer, unfortunately, isn't a simple "yes" or "no."

To answer this question, I listened to music on both headphones back to back, and compared all their other features. They share some similarities, yes, but is one pair better than the other? And should you spend more nearly $120 more on the Monitor III? Let's find out together.

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: Specs

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: Price

One of the key differences between the Marshall Milton ANC and the Marshall Monitor III is the price. The Milton ANC sit between the flagship Monitor III and the Major V on-ear headphones, and they cost $229 / £179. These are mid-range headphones that offer some premium features at a non-premium price.

The Monitor III, on the other hand, cost a lot more. They have a retail price of $349 / £299 but given that they've been around since September 2024, you can frequently find them discounted for around $250 — especially during sales events. It remains to be seen what kind of discounts the Milton ANC will get once the headphones have lived a little.

Given their price, the Monitor III are priced similarly to (or even less than) other flagship active noise-canceling headphones from the likes of Bose and Sony. Also given their higher price point, they offer more features than the Milton ANC — but if you're on a budget, the Milton ANC are the way to go. If you can loosen the purse strings, the Monitor III are a no-brainer. This round is a tie.

Winner: Tie

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: Design

The next biggest difference between the Marshall Milton ANC and the Marshall Monitor III is the design. The Monitor III are over-ear headphones while the Milton ANC are on-ear cans. We'll talk about the Milton ANC first, as they're newer. They feature square earcups with soft memory foam cushions, and they sit on your ears rather than around them (as is the nature of on-ears).

If you're skeptical about how comfortable on-ears are, I'm here to tell you that as a fellow (and former) skeptic, I think the Milton ANC are the most comfortable on-ear headphones on the market. They don't clamp down on your ears too much, and the earcups themselves are quite spacious — so there's plenty of room for all ear sizes. The only issue is that people with cartilage piercings may find them uncomfortable.

That's where the Monitor III come in. These over-ear headphones are comfortable for all types of ears, and even for those who have several piercings. Because they sit around your ears, they don't press down on piercings. Ear cushions, again, are very comfortable, as is the suspended headband. They're heavier than the Milton ANC, though, as they weigh 8.8oz while the Milton ANC weigh 7.06oz.

Controls on both headphones are nearly identical as both feature a customizable 'M' button and a joystick-like power button for adjusting volume and playback. The buttons give lovely tactile feedback when pressed — kinda like on a guitar amp. Neither headphones' controls give you anything to complain about.

The Milton ANC borrow styling cues from the Monitor III too, which is why they're covered in black with brass accents. Given that the Monitor III did it first, and they're ever-so slightly more comfortable than the Milton ANC, the over-ears get the win in this round.

Winner: Marshall Monitor III

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: Features & connectivity

Even though the Marshall Monitor III are the British brand's flagship headphones, the Marshall Milton ANC pack the latest Bluetooth 6.0. They also feature support for LDAC and LC3, while the Monitor III utilize Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC and AAC. Multipoint connectivity is at play here, as both sets of cans can connect to two devices at once. Both headphones can be used wired too, thanks to USB-C ports on each.

In addition to this, the Milton ANC become Marshall's first headphones to carry Apple Find My support (along with Google Find Hub). This is a fantastic addition for Apple and Google Pixel owners alike as they can keep track of their headphones at all times.

One thing the Monitor III pack that the Milton ANC don't is wear detection — but honestly, I've never been a fan of wear detection on headphones as I've always found it to be finicky. I'd take Apple Find My and Google Find Hub over wear detection any day. To my surprise (and perhaps yours), the Milton ANC win the features & connectivity battle.

Winner: Marshall Milton ANC

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: Sound quality

What good are a pair of headphones if they aren't brilliant for music? Whether you get the Marshall Milton ANC or the Marshall Monitor III, you'll be getting powerful sound regardless — take the word of someone who's been listening to the same songs back to back on both pairs.

The first thing you need to know is that both sets of cans use the same 32mm dynamic drivers but cover different frequency response ranges. The Monitor III cover 20Hz-20KHz while the Milton ANC cover 20Hz-40KHz — so the entirety of the human hearing spectrum and then some.

Both headphones are tuned differently too. The Monitor III have a well-balanced sound while the Milton ANC are more bass-heavy straight out of the box, so it depends on what you like. I don't mind either of the headphones' default Marshall Sound EQ, but if you want to make adjustments to the equalizer, the companion app (Marshall Bluetooth) is very user-friendly.

To compare the headphones, I listened to the same three tracks first on the Milton ANC and then on the Monitor III. I used my Milton ANC testing playlist on Qobuz.

First up, 'Everybody Scream' by Florence + The Machine. Both pairs of headphones handled this witchy track exceptionally well. The Milton ANC put the bass first and it reverberated through the track, while the Monitor III offered a balanced sound profile. Vocals, through both, sounded beautiful, and the treble was never shrill or piercing. I'd say the Monitor III make the track sound more snappy and capture Florence's vibrato better, but the Milton ANC did a respectable job too.

I then listened to 'Elephant' by 070 Shake. Personally, I preferred the Milton ANC's sound profile for this track. Thanks to its bass-forward tuning, I felt immersed in the synthesized, wobbly bassline, and it felt like there was a better balance between the thumping bass and distorted vocals. The Monitor III, on the other hand, made the track sound more clinical which is better for those into detailed listening.

The final song I played was 'Let It Happen' by Tame Impala, and I listened to it to test the Soundstage spatial audio. Soundstage debuted on the Monitor III back in September 2024, and now, Marshall has equipped the cheaper Milton ANC with it too. Soundstage, essentially, moves the sound into a virtual room so it feels like the track is swirling around your head, which is incredible for an immersive listening session.

On both the Milton ANC and the Monitor III, Soundstage works very well. I set the virtual room to 'large' via the app while using both headphones, and it made me feel like I was at a Tame Impala concert. The soaring synths had plenty of height through both headphones. The Milton ANC, again, emphasized the bass but not too much. What I like, though, is that the Monitor III made the song sound wider and more expansive, which makes sense given their price point.

Sound quality was a close call, but the Monitor III take it. The Milton ANC offer excellent sound for the price, but the Monitor III are just a bit better and more well-rounded overall.

Winner: Marshall Monitor III

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: ANC

For ANC to be effective, there needs to be a good seal around your ears — or in your ears, if you prefer in-ear buds. It's for that reason that the Marshall Monitor III win this round. Don't get me wrong: the Marshall Milton ANC boast effective ANC, and I even slept through an entire flight without being disturbed. But because they're on-ears, breaks in ANC are to be expected and that's not their fault: it's the nature of on-ears.

By on-ear standards, the ANC is great. By general standards, the Monitor III offer better.

The Monitor III create a great seal around your ears and provide a decent level of passive noise cancelation too. Indoors, I can't hear anything, not even the sound of my very loud mechanical keyboard. Outdoors, I can hear cars going by but not to the point that they disturb my peace or break my immersion when I'm jamming to Green Day.

Winner: Marshall Monitor III

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: Call quality

Unfortunately for the Marshall Milton ANC, this round goes to Marshall Monitor III straight off the bat. The Milton ANC's call quality can be described as middling at best as they made me sound scratchy and tinny on the phone. When I spoke with my colleagues on a Google Meet team call, they instantly noted, "You don't sound as good as your other headphones."

The other headphones in question? The Monitor III. I've been told by my partner and many other people I've spoken to on the phone and team calls that I sound warm and true-to-life through the Monitor III. It's disappointing that the Milton ANC don't make me sound as good but it is what it is.

Winner: Marshall Monitor III

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: Battery life

I'll be upfront here: it's an uphill battle for any pair of headphones to upstage the Marshall Monitor III when it comes to battery life. These headphones pack monster battery life as they can last up to 100 hours with ANC off or 70 hours with ANC on.

But this doesn't mean that the Marshall Milton ANC have poor battery life — on the contrary, they're long-lasting too. The Milton ANC can last up to 80 hours with ANC off or 50 hours with ANC on. That's quite a big drop compared to the Monitor III, yes, but remember that there's a substantial price difference between the two.

The Milton ANC have an ace up their sleeve though: they feature a consumer-replaceable battery which can be accessed by twisting off the left earcup. This isn't particularly groundbreaking, though, as all Marshall is doing is abiding by E.U. regulations — but at least you can replace the battery yourself now in case it goes kaput.

I'd say the Monitor III win this round by a narrow margin, but rest assured that even though you're spending lesser on the Milton ANC, you're still getting long playback time.

Winner: Marshall Monitor III

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: Verdict

When I first held the Marshall Milton ANC in my hands three weeks ago, I thought, "They're on-ears, how good can they really be?" Turns out, very, very good. They're excellent on-ear headphones and are ridiculously comfortable. I've never been happier to be proven wrong.

And truth be told, I'm surprised how close the competition was between the Monitor III and the Milton ANC. As you'll soon see in the ratings scorecard below, the Milton ANC come very close to the Monitor III — which is commendable given that they cost $120 less than the brand's flagship cans.

This face-off ends with the Monitor III earning 93/100 points, followed very closely by the Milton ANC earning 86/100 points. The Monitor III are the superior headphones, yes, but the Milton ANC are a home run for Marshall, too, and they've shaken up the on-ears realm in the best way possible.

Marshall Milton ANC vs Marshall Monitor III: Ratings scorecard

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• I've been testing the new Marshall Milton ANC for 3 weeks — they fix my biggest gripe with on-ear headphones, and are the new gold standard
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