The Marshall Major V mixes retro looks with modern tech. These super rugged folding headphones are extremely compact and deliver a very neutral sound that still has plenty of punch. In addition to boosting battery life to 100+ hours of playback and offering fast wireless charging, you also have the convenience of physical controls for that more tactile experience. But are these worth the money?
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00:00Should you buy or skip the Marshall Major 5's?
00:03I've been using these retro-looking, rugged, and very compact folding headphones for the
00:08past few weeks to help you decide if they're worth $149.
00:14The Major 5 is the updated version to Marshall's debut headphone model, which first came out
00:18in 2010.
00:20Marshall is best known for their amps, and they have over 60 years of history and influence
00:24in the music industry, which they've taken a lot of that core DNA and brought over into
00:28their headphones, but with a modern touch.
00:31The Major 5's are marketed as a folding pair of headphones that are instantly recognizable
00:36for their retro styling.
00:38You have all the latest tech with Bluetooth LE and wireless charging.
00:42Although its design remains largely unchanged from last year, there are a number of finer
00:45details that improve its comfort, its neutral sound profile, as well as the introduction
00:50of some smart features.
00:52But are these worth your money?
00:55The first reason the Major 5's are worth buying is its form factor and comfort.
01:00These are one of the most compact pair of headphones that you can get.
01:03They're extremely lightweight, they fold down to about the size of your hand, and they
01:07have these clips that secure the band together so that you can pack them up easily.
01:11The 5's also have softer and plushier earcuffs, and the headband has been tweaked this year
01:15to allow the earcuffs to lay against your ears a little bit better.
01:19Altogether you can wear these for several hours, and you won't feel that fatiguing
01:23sensation that you do with a lot of other headphones.
01:26These are probably the most comfortable on-ears that I've tested, but even when I'm not
01:30listening, I can take these off, lay them around my neck, and turn the earcuffs just
01:34a little bit, and I hardly notice that they're there.
01:37But despite their small size, they're super rugged.
01:39The band stretches, twists, and these feel like they can take a major beating for several
01:45years.
01:46And with its textured plastic on its cups and band, it's designed to resist scratches,
01:51and even if you do manage to scuff this up, it'll probably be hidden pretty well.
01:57If your priority is having extremely long battery life, then the 5's won't disappoint.
02:02A big upgrade this year is the jump to triple-digit playback time.
02:06You can get about 100 hours on a single charge, which is a 20-hour boost from its predecessor,
02:11the 4's.
02:12And given how small this is, that's even more impressive.
02:15This supports fast charging via USB-C, and it has wireless recharging built into its
02:19right earcup.
02:21For added longevity, you can program when and how fast the battery will recharge, which
02:24helps prevent extra wear on the battery.
02:28A final reason that you should buy the Major 5's, and something that I think is often
02:31overlooked, is its controls.
02:33A lot of headphones either don't include any, or they try to be too fancy and use touch
02:38controls.
02:39With the 5's, we have a simple brass-colored knob that gives you quick adjustments for
02:43changing tracks, rewinding, fast-forwarding, or adjusting volume.
02:47I really like having a physical button because I always know what input I'm making, which
02:52can't always be said about those headphones with touch controls.
02:55Similarly, the Major 5's now have an M button underneath their left earcup.
03:00You can program this in its app to quickly switch between your different EQ presets,
03:04activate your voice assistant, or quickly launch Spotify and start listening to your
03:08favorite playlist right away.
03:09It's pretty simple, but it's a great feature that lets you not have to reach out for your
03:13phone as often.
03:16There are a couple other cool things that I really like about these that make them worth
03:19considering, but there's also a few reasons that these may not be worth your money.
03:23The first reason that you may want to skip out on the 5's is that by design, they're
03:27on-ear headphones.
03:29So while this does help with their compact size and helps keep your ears cooler with
03:32longer listening sessions, it comes with a few disadvantages.
03:35One, you're going to hear a lot more of what's happening on the outside world.
03:40Sure, this can be great when you want to know when someone's actually trying to talk to
03:43you, and when you want to be more aware of what's happening around you.
03:47These do a surprisingly good job with their passive noise isolation for sounds like the
03:50hum of an AC or quiet chatter.
03:53And actually, when going back and forth between these and the Monitor 2's in a room like
03:56this, I'd say they're pretty much on par.
03:59But in louder environments, say with a screaming kid, or on a plane, or on a plane with a bunch
04:04of screaming kids, these may not be the best choice and you're probably better off with
04:09something with ANC, like the Monitor 2's, especially if you rely on them to block out
04:14sound even when nothing is actually playing.
04:17I also think the Major 5's aren't necessarily the right choice for someone looking for a
04:21simple and cheap pair of headphones.
04:23I think these aren't priced competitively, but if you don't need all of its bells and
04:26whistles like its Bluetooth LE, its folding design, or that super long battery life, then
04:32you can definitely find a lot of other great sounding options at $100 or even less if you
04:36wanted.
04:38Finally, this styling isn't for everyone.
04:40If you're familiar with Marshall's amps, you can see where the design inspiration has
04:43come from.
04:44But at the same time, those retro touches may not resonate as much with you, especially
04:49with those squared ear cups.
04:51Personally, I'm a huge fan and I think they have their very own unique identity.
04:56Almost everything else on the market is round, shiny, and smooth.
04:59These definitely feel more utilitarian and honestly, that's what makes them so special.
05:06So if it were me spending my $149 and I needed to buy a new pair of headphones, I would buy
05:11the Marshall Major 5's.
05:13I travel and work remotely a lot and I prioritize size, durability, and comfort as well as battery
05:18life.
05:19As something that I can always have chucked in my book bag without it taking up much space,
05:23that doesn't need a case, without me worrying about it getting crushed, and that I know
05:27is always going to have a good charge even though it's been a week since I last had
05:30them plugged in, these fit the bill.
05:33Again, I probably wouldn't bring these on a long flight, but for pretty much everything
05:37else, this offers a lot and at its price point, in my opinion, there really isn't anything
05:42else like it.
05:43But what do you think?
05:44Which headphones do you think these come closest to competing with?
05:46Let me know in the comments.
05:48For more cool tech, you can follow us everywhere at Tom's Guide and you can follow me to see
05:52what I'm testing next.
05:53Until the next one, I'll catch you later.