Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones review
Marshall has a cult following even in India for its signature sound and trademark looks. However, I was not prepared for how unique the Marshall Monitor III was. It is not a headphone that looks very different, but it folds into a fetal position of sorts, which means it squeezes into a case that defies its size. But is this the only unique aspect of these over-the-ear headphones?
Yes, the way it folds and the egg-like case it goes into are unique to the Marshall Monitor III. But the headphones are stylish and classy with a leather finish and metallic accents on some buttons. They are comfortable to wear for long hours with a cushioned headband and soft, welcoming earcups. There are buttons on the hinge that connect the headband to the earcups. The one on the left lets you cycle noise-cancelling modes, while the one on the right can be customised — I had it set up to start Spotify with a click.
The headphones have a typical Marshall look and feel. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)
The Marshall app lets you do this and much more, including customising this so-called M button to summon a voice assant or to enable Soundstage. The Soundstage setting in the app lets you create a virtual space to play your music in and decide how large this room will be. This gives the audio output of the Marshall Monitor III a very natural feel.
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I experienced this when enjoying the Madras Quartet play Esane. It was as if I were sitting in a theatre with the Cello and Violin competing for my attention. The Soundstage is as magnanimous as that. And if you feel that it is getting a bit impersonal, you can reduce the size of this soundstage or switch it off for a more in-your-ear kind of experience.
In fact, I did exactly this for vocal-heavy playls, which I wanted to feel closer to the heart like Haniya Nafisa and Govind Vasantha’s soulful Mulchedi with its loop recording style and guitar-only setting. You can customise the equaliser exactly as you want if the Marshal presets are not how you like your playback.
The sound profile is what sets these headphones apart with a pure feel… no extra bass, no extra treble, no extra nothing. As monitor headphones should be, the Marshall Monitor III offers music as it was created and recorded. But that does not mean anything is muted unless it was intended to be heard that way. With Trio Pantoum’s Modere, I could gauge the range of these headphones, painting a sound canvas with as broad brushstrokes as possible, never faltering, never struggling, never overwhelming.
It helps that the Marshall Monitor III has top-notch noise cancelling which again does not suck you into a synthetic vacuum. It is the perfect accompaniment for your music, guiding your attention towards where it matters. But if you are in the metro and don’t want Bach to stop you from watching your back, then the transparency mode is just a tap away.Story continues below this ad
The battery life is a huge plus, offering over 60 hours of lening with ANC on a single charge. You can extend this life switching the noise-cancelling off.
Well-tuned headphones with excellent noise cancellation. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)
One thing to keep in mind, the shape of the carrying case makes it a bit tough to fit into a messenger-style laptop back. And the case is hard, so you can’t squeeze it in either. You might want to abandon that at home for short trips.
At Rs 29,999, the Marshall Monitor III is one of the best options for purs. This is audiophile quality, and that too wireless, without any bells and whles that the musicians did not plan for. Buy this if you love your music unadulterated.
Nandagopal Rajan writes on technology, gadgets and everything related. He has worked with the India Today Group and Hindustan Times. He is an alumnus of Calicut University and Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal. … Read More
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