Marshall Major Major IV Review
The Marshall Major IV headphones are all about the iconic look. But when you compare their sound, comfort, and value to the competition, the performance doesn't quite rock as hard as the branding.
The 30-Second Version
Buy these for the look on your head, not the sound in your ears. They're a cool accessory with average performance and a price tag that's mostly for the logo.
Overview
The Marshall Major IV is a pair of headphones with a very specific vibe. If you're buying these, you're buying the iconic Marshall look first and the sound second. The one thing to know is that this is a fashion statement with decent battery life, but its performance is firmly middle of the pack. It's for the person who wants their headphones to look cool on a coffee shop table, not for the audiophile chasing perfect sound.
Performance
The most surprising thing here is the battery life ranking. Marshall touts '80+ hours' as a headline feature, but in our database, that actually puts it in the bottom 15% of all products. It turns out a lot of modern headphones are pushing well past 100 hours, making the Major IV's claim feel less impressive. The sound quality is about average, which is fine, but you'd expect a bit more 'roar' from a brand built on rock and roll heritage.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Iconic, stylish design that screams 'Marshall'. 85th
- Solid 80+ hour battery life for most users. 69th
- Convenient wireless charging and a multi-directional control knob.
- Foldable and relatively portable for on-ear headphones.
Cons
- Sound quality is just okay, not the 'unrivalled' experience they promise. 10th
- Build quality feels a bit cheap for the price, ranking in the bottom third. 31th
- Comfort is merely average, which is a letdown for long listening sessions. 34th
- A terrible choice for travel, scoring near the bottom of our charts.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Weight | 0.2 kg / 0.4 lbs |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5 |
| Multipoint | Yes |
Case Battery
| Wireless Charging | Yes |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
Value & Pricing
At the lower end of its price range, around $70, it's a fun buy for the style. At $165, it's a hard sell. You're paying a premium for the logo when the actual performance is mediocre. If the look is worth an extra $50 to you, go for it. If not, your money buys better sound and comfort elsewhere.
vs Competition
This isn't competing with the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra on sound or features. It's competing with other style-focused headphones. A better comparison is something like the Beats Solo3, which also trades heavily on brand aesthetics. The Major IV has better battery life than the Beats, but the Beats often integrate more seamlessly with Apple ecosystems. Against the Technics EAH-AZ80, there's no contest on audio fidelity—the Technics wipe the floor with the Marshalls. You're choosing between being a walking billboard for a cool brand and actually getting great sound.
| Spec | Marshall Major Major IV | Technics EAH-AZ80 Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless | Apple AirPods Apple - AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation - | Soundcore Liberty Soundcore by Anker Liberty 5 True Wireless | Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise-Canceling Earbuds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | - | In-Ear | in-ear | In-Ear | In-Ear | In-Ear |
| Driver Type | - | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | - | true | true | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Battery Life Hours | - | 7 | 5 | 8 | 7.5 | 8.5 |
| Case Battery Hours | - | 16 | 25 | 24 | 22.5 | 21.25 |
| Water Resistance | - | IPX4 | Water-Resistant | IP55 | IP54 | IPX4 |
| Multipoint | true | true | true | true | - | true |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Anc | Mic | Build | Sound | Battery | Comfort | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall Major Major IV | 33.8 | 64 | 36.7 | 42.7 | 30.9 | 69.2 | 85.2 | 10.3 |
| Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless In-Ear Compare | 82.6 | 99.9 | 91.2 | 98.4 | 68.9 | 93.2 | 98.5 | 93 |
| Apple AirPods Noise-Canceling Compare | 96.1 | 87.8 | 81.3 | 91.8 | 90.8 | 93.2 | 97.7 | 98.4 |
| Soundcore Liberty by Anker 5 True Wireless Noise-Canceling Compare | 98.7 | 98.9 | 95.9 | 95.2 | 93.2 | 93.2 | 98.5 | 99.6 |
| Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 Noise-Canceling Compare | 98.7 | 99.9 | 36.7 | 99.6 | 92.1 | 93.2 | 92.4 | 93 |
| Bose QuietComfort Earbuds QuietComfort Wireless Noise-Canceling Compare | 82.6 | 87.8 | 91.2 | 42.7 | 92.3 | 93.2 | 99.7 | 93 |
Common Questions
Q: Are these good for working out or running?
No, they're on-ear and not sweat-resistant. They'll get uncomfortable and probably damaged. Get proper sports earbuds instead.
Q: Is the noise cancellation any good?
It's passive only, meaning it just blocks some sound by covering your ears. It's not active noise cancellation (ANC), and it ranks poorly compared to real ANC headphones.
Q: Can I use them wired?
Yes, there's a 3.5mm socket, which is great for saving battery or sharing your music. It's one of their better features.
Who Should Skip This
If you're looking for the best sound quality under $150, this isn't it. Go get the Sony WH-CH720N instead. Also, skip these if you travel a lot; they scored abysmally low for that use case. And gamers or people who take a lot of calls should look elsewhere—the mic is just average.
Verdict
We can only recommend the Marshall Major IV if your top priority is nailing that specific rock-and-roll aesthetic. For everyone else, it's a skip. The performance is unremarkable, the comfort is just fine, and you can get better-sounding headphones for the same money. It's a case of style over substance, and the substance here is pretty thin.