The Marshall Monitor III ANC is Marshall Headphone's latest folding pair of over-ear wireless headphones that brings significant improvements to comfort, battery life, and noise cancellation to their iconic rugged design.
This year’s model focuses on making the headphones lighter, and more comfortable, and nearly doubles its battery life to up to 100 hours, something most of the best headphones can't beat. Their styling might not be for everyone and they still fall behind in a few areas, but for what they offer, they have lots of character and won’t disappoint… except for its lack of a 3.5mm jack.
But at $349, is the Marshall Monitor III ANC worth your money?
Follow along with our full video to learn more.
Marshall Monitor III ANC: Reasons to buy
Improved design and comfort
Aside from Billy Joe Armstrong being the new brand ambassador, which for Green Day fans like myself is reason enough to want these, the Monitor III ANC gets several tweaks to its design which contributes to better fit and feel.
Similar to their more affordable on-ear headphones, the Marshall Major V, the Monitor III now have softer and plushier ear cups which not only are significantly more comfortable than their predecessor but also conform the shape of your head and ears for improved passive noise isolation.
In addition to its redesigned headband which distributes the weight, they’ve also noticeably lighter at just 8.8oz vs 11.3oz of its predecessor. While I wouldn't go as far as to call these the most comfortable over-ear headphones I've tried — that crown still belongs to my trusty Sony WH-1000XM4s — the Monitor IIIs get surprisingly close this year.
Doubles the battery life + faster charging
The Monitor III now hits triple-digit hour battery life giving you about 70 hours with ANC or 100 without, up from 30 hours with ANC and 45 hours without on its predecessor. It easily beats out everything on our best headphones of 2024. I've taken these on a week-long trip and didn't have to charge them once. As someone who likes to fall asleep with their headphones on or just use its ANC to block out noise (like on a long flight), the Monitor III's improved battery life is much appreciated.
To achieve this extended battery life, Marshall made several modifications under the hood. Firstly, the audio drivers have been reduced in size from 40mm to 32mm. While smaller drivers might be expected to compromise performance, I haven’t noticed any significant differences. Marshall emphasizes that the improved fit and driver positioning of the Monitor III are designed to enhance sound quality, although they still sound the same to me.
Aside from the fact that these smaller drivers are less power-hungry, and there are some other simplified internals (one of which I’m not a fan of), this design allows Marshall to fit a second battery in the other ear cup. This not only extends the playtime but also contributes to a more balanced feel, unlike a single larger battery in one cup on the Monitor II. Another advantage of swapping to two slightly smaller batteries instead of one is the faster charging time. A 15-minute charge provides 12 hours of playtime with ANC, or about 40 minutes with a quick 60-second emergency charge.
Physical controls
Something that continues to be one of the Monitor III ANC's stand-out features, setting itself apart from almost every other “high-end” consumer wireless headphone, is how well built these are. It’s got that retro rock and roll influence that’s carried over from Marshall’s Amp DNA which we see in the basically scratch-proof ear cups and very bendy headband. Just like their predecessor, these are built like a tank and can be tossed around without showing any wear - something that can't always be said for other premium headsets like the Apple Airpods Max.
We find the same joystick controls for playback and volume as well as dedicated buttons for ANC and a customizable ‘M’ button that lets you quickly launch Spotify or your Voice Assistant, as well as its new Soundstage - Marshall's take on spatial audio to widen your tracks. which does an alright job, though probably won’t blow you away if you've tried Apple Spatial Audio. Regardless, I think physical buttons are easier to use and more reliable than touch controls like with my Sony WH-1000XM4s.
If you need extra protection or just want to keep your cables bundled together while taking these on the go, Marshall now includes a new hardshell case. Unzip it and you'll be greeted with this nice red velvet interior and a pocket for your cables and other small accessories. It's definitely is a nice touch and helps make the Monitor III more in line with many of the other best over-ear headphones. While I appreciate the convenience, I personally don't use it much as it kind of takes away from the Monitor III ANC’s compactness and ruggedness, which made them easy enough to just toss in a bag. That said, I’m impressed Marshall included this case without increasing its price, though maybe it would have made more sense for them to ditch it in favor of making them cheaper.
Marshall Monitor III: Reasons to skip
No 3.5mm headphone jack
The first reason you may want to skip the Monitor III is its one big downgrade from its predecessor. To help make room for that second battery and achieve its impressive 100 hours of playback, Marshall has ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack which was a huge bummer for me.
While the 3.5mm jack is becoming increasingly niche for a lot of people like myself, there’s still a real need for one at times. Between using these to play my E-drums, monitoring audio levels from my camera, or, the classic, using them on a plane, I'm not ready to lose that port yet.
In fairness, Marshall includes a 3.5 to USB-C adaptor, which yes does get the job done, but if you’re like me, you’re either instantly losing or forgetting to bring this adaptor when you need it most. On top of that, I noticed a few instances where I was picking up electrical interference when connected to my Sony a7siii camera that a traditional 3.5mm cable didn't have. On top of that, even if you’ve managed not to forget the cable, it’s worth mentioning that it’ll still drain the Monitor IIIs battery as the headphones need to be powered on. I can’t count the amount of times when I was able to use my other wireless headphones with their 3.5mm jack even while they were dead has come in handy.
You don’t like the styling
The Monitor III’s design is pretty timeless if you ask me, but some people may not vibe with it as much. You get the one color choice, and the combination of its retro looks and black textured earcups isn’t for everyone. Maybe you prefer something more modern and shiny, like the Apple Airpods Max or Sony WH-1000XM5 , rather than the rugged looks of the Monitor IIIs. While the all black design with its gold branding is extremely unique, I'd love to see the Monitor III offered in a white color scheme.
Doesn't have all the bells and whistles
Finally, while the Monitor III’s have significantly improved with their ANC and passthrough modes, I believe they still lag behind the best over-ear headphones from Sony and Bose. These competing models typically can automatically adjust the noise cancellation level based on your surroundings and detect when you’re speaking and pause the music or lower the volume of your headphones. Unfortunately, these features are completely absent from the Monitor IIIs. Considering the Sony WH-1000XM5 can frequently be found on sale for under $300 while offering these features, the Monitor III still have room for improvement.
Marshall Monitor III: Buy or skip?
The lack of a 3.5mm jack and its pricing can put this in an awkward spot, but if it were me spending my $349 and I needed to buy a new pair of headphones, I would buy the Marshall Monitor III. I use my headphones on the go a lot and prioritize battery life, comfort, and of course durability. While these still fall behind the competition in a few areas, the improvements to comfort and battery life while being just as compact and rugged make these a stand-out choice for me.
