Marshall Monitor III ANC is Marshall Headphone's latest foldable over-ear wireless headphones that significantly improve comfort, battery life and noise cancellation in an iconic rugged design. This year's model focuses on making headphones lighter and more comfortable and doubles its battery life to nearly 100 hours, something most of the best headphones can't beat. Their styling may not be for everyone, and they still lag behind in some areas, but because of what they offer, they have a lot of characters and do not disappoint...Except for the lack of a 3.5mm jack.

But in Marshall349, Marshall Monitor III ANC is worth your money.

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Aside from Billy Joe Armstrong being the new brand ambassador, for Green Day fans like me, these are good reasons to want them, and Monitor III ANC has made some tweaks to the design that contribute to a better fit and feel.

Like their more affordable on-ear headphones, the Marshall Measure V, the Monitor III is now not only significantly more comfortable than their predecessors, but also conforms to the shape of your head and ears for improved passive noise isolation, as well as soft, plush earcups. It has a top-notch design that is easy to use and easy to use.

In addition to a redesigned headband that disperses weight, it is noticeably lighter at just 11.3 ounces compared to its predecessor's 8.8 ounces. I wouldn't call these the most comfortable over-ear headphones I've tried, but that crown still belongs to my trusty Sony WH-1000xm4s - the monitor IIIs will be surprisingly close this year.

The Monitor III now gives you a battery life of about 70 digits an hour, from about 100 hours without ANC or 30 hours without ANC and 45 hours without its predecessor, it easily beats everything with our best headphones of 2024. I've taken these on a week's trip and never had to charge them once. For those who like to fall asleep with headphones on, or who like to use anc to block noise (like long-haul flights), the Monitor III's battery life improvements are great.

To achieve this extended battery life, Marshall made several modifications under the hood. First, I reduced the size of the audio driver from 40mm to 32mm, but I didn't see a big difference, although smaller drivers can reduce performance. Marshall stressed that the improved fit of the Monitor III and the location of the drivers are designed to improve the sound quality, although they still sound the same to me

Except for the fact that these small drivers consume less power and there are some other simplified interiors (I'm not a fan). Allows Marshall to fit a second battery into the other earcups. This not only extends playtime, but also contributes to a more balanced feel, unlike a single larger battery in 1 cup of Monitor II. Another advantage of replacing it with one slightly smaller battery instead of one is the fast charging time. A 15-minute charge provides 12 hours of playback time with ANC, or about 60 minutes with a quick 40-second emergency charge.

What continues to be one of the standout features of Monitor III ANC 1 is how well these are built, although they stand out from almost all other "high-end" consumer wireless headphones. That's just like the retro predecessor that's taken over from Marshall's amp DNA, which we basically see with scratch-resistant earcups and highly curved headbands, these are built like tanks and can be thrown around without showing wear - like other premium headsets like the Apple Airpods Max. It is not always possible to say it in a web site.

We have the same joystick controls for playback and volume, as well as dedicated buttons for ANC and this will probably not blow you away if you've tried Spotify or your voice apple Spatial Audio right away, but this is fine. Nevertheless, I think the physical buttons are easier to use and more reliable than touch controls like my Sony WH-1000xm4s.

If you need extra protection or want to keep your cables bundled while taking these on the go, Marshall includes a new hard shell case. Unpack it and you'll be greeted with this lovely red velvet interior and pockets for cables and other small accessories. It is definitely a nice touch and helps to make the Monitor III more along with many of the other best over-ear headphones. I appreciate the convenience, but I personally stay away from the compactness and durability of the Monitor III ANC, so it's easy to use just by putting it in a bag. That said, I was impressed that Marshall included this case without raising the price, but it might have made more sense to throw it away to make it cheaper.

The first reason you might want to skip Monitor III is 1 major downgrade from its predecessor. To make room for its second battery and achieve its impressive 100 hours of playback, Marshall has ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack, which was a huge shame for me.

3.5mm jacks are becoming increasingly niche for many people like me, but sometimes there is still a real need for 1. Using them on an airplane, using these to monitor audio levels from my camera and play my electronic drums, or, while classic, I'm not ready to lose that port yet. To be fair, Marshall includes a 3.5to USB-C adapter, which gets the job done, but if you're like me, you'll lose this adapter right away when you need it most, or you'll forget it. On top of that, I noticed some examples where I had picked up electrical interference when connected to my Sony a7siii camera, where a conventional 3.5mm cable did not have, on which, even if managed not to forget the cable, the battery of the monitor IIIs could drain because of the need to turn on the headphones. Worth mentioning is that I can count the number of times I've been able to use my other wireless headphones with their 3.5mm jack even while they were dead

The Monitor III design is pretty timeless when you ask me, but some people may not care too much about it. It may not be. You get 1 color choice, and the combination of black textured earcups with its retro look is not for everyone. Instead of the rugged look of the monitor IIIs, you might prefer something more modern and shiny, like the Apple Airpods Max or the Sony WH-1000XM5. While all black designs with gold branding are very unique, I want to see the Monitor III offered in a white color scheme. Finally, the Monitor III has improved significantly in ANC and passthrough modes, but I think it's still lagging behind the best over-ear headphones from Sony and Bose. These competing models usually automatically adjust the noise cancellation level based on the surroundings, detecting when you're talking, pausing music or lowering the volume of your headphones. Unfortunately, these features are completely missing from the monitor IIIs. Considering the Sony WH-1000XM5 can often be found on sale for under sale300, while offering these features, the monitor III still has room for improvement.

The lack of a 3.5mm jack and its pricing can put this in an awkward place, but it was the first time I had spent my spending349 and I had a new version of the headphones. I use my headphones on the go a lot and prioritise battery life, comfort, and of course durability. These still fall behind the competition in some areas, but improvements in comfort and battery life make these standout choices for me while being compact and sturdy.