r/marshall • u/ramrun_ • 14d ago
Advice for the Marshall Monitor 3 ANC
Hi guys, I'm thinking about buying the Marshall Monitor 3 ANC because I've been very interested in their speakers and headphones lately. Personally, as well as probably many others, the design appeals to me very strongly. It conveys retro vibe with old guitar amplifiers that you know from Marshall. However, I wonder if for the current price 240€ it is worth moving up from my soundcore Liberty 4nc according to a few ki analyses and website comparisons (but were only pure data sheet comparisons) the soundcore in ears are better what I can hardly imagine.... But that brings me to my next point with several comparisons lose according to the test report the Marshall headphones mostly on cheaper devices or in ear headphones compared to large Marshall on or over ears. This gives me the feeling that you are paying for the style and the brand rather than functions or sound quality. Therefore the question what do you think of the Marshall Monitor 3 ANC and has someone made a similar jump and can talk about his experiences precisely because I have always believed that over ear are better than in ears is that confirmed?
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u/Urgash 14d ago
It's the best headset I've ever owned. It's comfortable, stylish and has batteries for days. Over-ear is a no brainier for comfort, it's night and day.
And as someone who listens to heavy and speed metal the sound is amazing, even though I did have to tinker with the equalizer because there wasn't enough trebles with the "marshall signature sound" out of the box.
I guess it's calibrated for your average rock music rather than high-pitch screaming guitar soloes 24/7, but everything is customizable within the marshall app.
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u/kebap11 9d ago
I can agree %100 percent to this. if you listen rock, metal, jazz, classical little bit synthpop like tame impala you will be happy. I bought this headphones 1 week ago its pretty solid pair headphone. nothing too special like sennheiser or bose ex. but they are good headphone. if you plan to use this headphone majority of time while you are walking outside you will definetely hear your steps. I would not recommend this headphone for this use case. otherwise like me you want to enjoy music while you chilling at your home its a decent headphone.
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u/AnMuricanPrayer 14d ago edited 14d ago
I used to have Liberty 4 Pros before I got my Motif IIs, and despite my Marshalls technically being inferior I like them a lot more. I wear a lot of vintage/thrifted clothes so the general design works a lot better, and the music I listen to (rock/Motown) benefits far more from Marshalls specifically, rather than Soundcore's jack-of-all-trades (or modern pop/rap tuned) sound. I also really like the auto pause/play feature newer Marshalls have
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u/ramrun_ 14d ago
Very cool, was the one to the motif II's so quite good because I also considered buying them because I like the Marshall Design very much with headphones and speakers, but I noticed that from the specs the Soundcore are far better which surprised me at first because the Marshall cost a lot more (at least if you buy from Marshall yourself...) Would you say buying them today is still worth it. I also thought about buying the small ones before I thought if I want to surpass the sound quality of my current soundcore and have the design of Marshall I need a large headphone where the Monitor 3 came to mind.
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u/AnMuricanPrayer 14d ago
Definitely, especially if you can find them on sale/refurbished (I only paid $120 for mine). Personally I prefer the Marshalls working very well with the music I specifically listen to, rather than having earbuds that are better on paper but aren't necessarily tuned for what I enjoy
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u/shinypink_ 14d ago edited 14d ago
I love mine. The bass is not as strong as I'd like but it works fine for what I mostly listen (indie pop/rock etc).
The battery is great and they are soooo comfortable! They look great and are easy to take with you as they pack in very small size.
Only clear negative I have is the Bluetooth LE Audio. It's not implemented yet, even tho it's advertised as "Bluetooth LE Audio-ready". Or at least I couldn't make it work with any of my devices.
Other than that, would definitely buy again.
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u/IndependentGarbage3 14d ago
I assume that you have set the equalizer to Bass Boost? I think the bass isn’t that bad, especially with indie pop’n’rock. It’s definitely a lot better than with the Monitor 2 ANC.
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u/shinypink_ 14d ago
Yeah I've played with the EQ. I do listen to more bass heavy edm also sometimes and it's a bit lite there. But overall I do like the sound and enjoy them a lot.
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u/Minimum_Ad4707 14d ago
Best headphones I've ever owned!
Pros: Sound is great, comfortable, interchangeable sound input and the battery life is fantastic.
Mine had a slight clicking noise in the right cup last week after almost 2 years of having them. Contacted Marshall and without question (just filled in a short email and provided a picture) to prove I had done firmware update etc and they send me a brand new headset out completely free of charge. My old ones are still great tbf and my wife doesn't even notice it.
Go direct via Marshall to get the 2 year free warranty, as from another retailer you'll only get 1 year.
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u/YakovPinedovski 14d ago
I had some Major V headphones and jumped to the Monitor III, thinking it would offer great improvements, but I was disappointed not because of the sound but for two aspects: they removed the jack port, which seems a bit silly but complicates the simplicity of using the cable. He clarified that I’m not a fan of Bluetooth, which is why I prefer cables. The other thing, and it’s fundamental to me, is that they are not wireless headphones; if you use them with a cable they must be on, no matter what, which is very different from their previous model, the Marshall Monitor II. For me it was a downgrade; with both models I always use the Monitor II for its battery life, and I also picked up the 60th‑anniversary Noir model.
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u/Infinite-Ad3944 13d ago
Sound is pretty subjective, so here's a post i made on it awhile back. ithttps://www.reddit.com/r/marshall/s/kHyaYeoQjG
But tldr, you might find less bass and ANC, while vocals/instruments may pop more. I'm sick of the overly V-shaped tuning of most buds/headphones, so I really love the Monitor 3's tuning
Aside from sound quality, I found its comfort to be one of the best. I was able to have a 6hr study session without fatigue. Metal hinges also make me worry less about snapping and replaceable earcups are a win. Silicon headband is also a nice touch as I often wear it on my neck when outside.
But what's important to me might not be for ya. What would you say are your priorities?
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u/ramrun_ 12d ago
Especially the music quality. I have only ever used in-ear headphones until now, and the one on-ear I had was a very cheap one for 10 euros. My Soundcore Liberty 4nc perform very well in tests, also against the Marshall Monitor 3; however, I find the Marshall design one of the best in the whole market, and I think that there is already a difference between in-ear and over-ear in terms of quality of music and perception. I'm just thinking that I wouldn't use the Marshall for everyday life, so where I'm on the road, but my small in-ears, since I never have much space in my pocket, and since the A.N.C. can keep up with much more expensive headphones, I think I'll put on the Marshall at home. Would love to hear your opinion, think you also have in-ears. Believe just because of the driver size ... The battery life is actually also very important to me, but with 100 hours these are one of the best headphones on the market. However, what keeps me back from my purchase is the fact that ANC and transparency mode of my in-ears quite outperform those of the Marshall, for almost triple the price, and that no stronger codecs than AAC are available. I've recently been very interested in good headphones, and with Marshall it's a bit behind. But I also don't know if I really notice the difference between AAC at Marshall and ldac or aptX or as it means with headphones at the same price at other models? I just feel like I'm paying more for the brand, and at the price I just wanted to have a rise in terms of sound.
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u/Infinite-Ad3944 12d ago
Here goes an essay of personal opinion hehe ~
Having worked in the audio retail space for 2 years, I'd say every headphone/earbuds above 100 bucks has its special place in music quality. And the Liberty 4 is one I've been surprised by. I consider it a giant killer in overall sound quality. Great bass, clear vocals and high highs. However, something felt missing. After switching back and forth, I realized what it is - it doesn't have the same "resolveness" at Marshall. Marshall's reverb has more delay and depth to it, and string plucks felt intimate. This is not to be confused by resolution, which by technicality hands the win to Liberty's LDAC.
But I've got to be honest, Marshall could have sold their products at a lower price and rely on high volume sales like JBL does. So yes, you do pay for branding. But why did I still choose it after trying the competition (XM6, Px7 S3, QC Ultra, MM5)? It boiled down to lifestyle. I'm a student who requires all day comfort and battery for studying. But I'm also someone who really appreciates music. And despite MM5 and Px7's better resolveness, the Monitor 3 simply had soul which resonated well with my taste in nightcore, instruments and classicals. ANC is just enough where it can remove bus rumble and distant chatter, but not so strong where I can't hear a bike behind me or if someone calls my name. Some hate it for how bad it is, I call it practical.
And then there's my Final Audio ZE300 $75 earbuds which I listen to whenever its just a quick walk to the nearby mall, or if I wanna lie on my side in bed. Perhaps your Liverty could be your "today i want a little more bass" or "too lazy to bring out my headphones" earbuds
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u/ventura726 8d ago
I love everything about these EXCEPT the noise canceling for flights. I’ve tried and compared about 10 or so different models of ANC headphones over the last month, and these were by far my favorite for comfort and overall sound. Then I took them on a three-hour flight and as soon as the plane engine kicked on, the ANC was basically useless. I ended up wearing my AirPod Pro 2s for the rest of the flight. I now ended up getting a really good deal on the Bose quiet comfort ultra Gen 2, and I’m debating whether or not to return the Marshalls or keep them just for the sound when I’m not on a flight.
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u/RedditAPIBlackout24 14d ago
3 months and the earcups and headband look like total ass. I wish they would just stop using fake leather and switch to something else. Velour, mesh, real leather . . . WHATEVER! Just not faux leather.