I’ve been using Marshall earbuds for the past several weeks, swapping between the Motif II ANC and the Minor IV during my daily commute, at my desk, on runs, and on a couple of longer train journeys. I also own the Sony WF-1000XM5 and have spent time with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, so I’m not coming at this without a reference point.
The short version: Marshall earbuds are good, but good in a very specific way. If that way matches how you listen, you’ll love them. If it doesn’t, you’ll spend time fighting the default sound. This review is here to help you figure out which side of that line you’re on.
If you want the full picture of where Marshall sits against every major brand, our complete wireless headphone buying guide has that comparison covered.
The Lineup
Before anything else, let me clarify what Marshall currently sells in the earbud category, because the naming can trip people up.
| Model | Type | ANC | Earbud Battery | Total Battery | MSRP | Street Price 2026 |
| Motif II ANC | In-ear stem | Yes, with Transparency | 6 hrs (ANC on) / 9 hrs (off) | 30 hrs (ANC) / 43 hrs (no ANC) | $199 | $140 to $160 |
| Minor IV | Open-fit bud | No | Approx. 8 hrs | 30+ hrs | $129.99 | Approx. $99 |
| Motif I ANC | In-ear stem | Yes (older gen) | 4.5 hrs (ANC on) | 20 hrs total | Discontinued | Clearance |
| Minor III | Open-fit bud | No | 5 hrs | 25 hrs | Discontinued | Clearance |
| Mode | Wired in-ear | No | N/A | N/A | $29.99 | $25 to $30 |
The Motif I and Minor III are both discontinued. If you find them heavily discounted, the Minor IV is still the smarter buy at current prices. The wired Mode is worth mentioning for anyone who wants zero battery anxiety and the Marshall look at under $30.
For this review I focused on the Motif II ANC and Minor IV, since those are what you’ll actually find at retail in 2026.
Design and Build Quality
The first thing I noticed pulling the Motif II ANC out of the box was the case. It’s heavier than the AirPods Pro case, with a magnetic snap lid and a textured rubber finish that doesn’t collect fingerprints. The earbuds have brass-tipped stems, a detail borrowed directly from Marshall amplifier knobs. It’s a small thing that makes the whole product feel considered rather than assembled.
The Minor IV has a lighter case with a more compact form factor. Both cases charge via USB-C and support wireless Qi charging. I’ve started dropping the Motif II case on my desk pad overnight rather than hunting for a cable, which I didn’t expect to appreciate as much as I do.
Put them next to a Sony WF-1000XM5 or AirPods Pro 3, and the Marshalls are the ones that get comments. At a coffee shop, three separate people asked what brand they were. That matters to some buyers more than others, but it’s worth saying.
Comfort
Comfort is where I’ve seen the biggest split in opinion, so I want to be specific.
The Motif II ANC uses a traditional in-ear stem with three ear tip sizes in the box. Getting the right size matters a lot with these. Medium tips worked for me and created a solid seal without pressure. I wore them for a three-hour work session without discomfort. At hour four, some canal fatigue started, which is normal for this style.
The Minor IV is a completely different experience. The open-fit design sits in the outer ear rather than pressing into the canal. No seal pressure, noticeably lighter. I wore the Minor IV for a four-hour afternoon walk and forgot I had them in. The tradeoff is that without a seal, outside noise comes in freely and you lose some low-end presence.
If you’re sensitive to in-ear tips or plan long listening sessions, the Minor IV will suit you better. If you want isolation and stronger bass, the Motif II is worth the adjustment period.
How They Sound
Marshall has been building amplifiers since 1962. Hendrix, Clapton, and Led Zeppelin all built their live sound through Marshall gear. That history shows up in how these earbuds are actually tuned, not just in the branding.
Both the Motif II ANC and Minor IV are voiced with elevated mids and controlled low-end. Treble is present but rolled off slightly so it never gets harsh on distorted guitar or crashing cymbals. Once you hear it, you understand why Marshall calls it their “signature sound.”
Here’s what I found genre by genre:
Rock and Blues: This is where the Marshalls genuinely deliver. I played through Zeppelin, John Mayer, and Arctic Monkeys. Guitar riffs have real weight and texture. Drum hits feel physical. Vocals sit naturally in the center rather than getting buried.
Jazz and Acoustic: Surprisingly strong, especially on the Minor IV. The open-fit design creates a wider soundstage and instrument separation feels natural.
Podcasts and Spoken Word: The mid-forward tuning works well here. Voices are clear and warm, and I had no listening fatigue over long sessions.
Hip-Hop and EDM: This is where you’ll need the app. The sub-bass depth that Beats or Sony deliver by default isn’t there out of the box. I spent a few minutes in the Marshall app bumping the low-end EQ and got it to a workable place, but it’s an extra step that Sony listeners won’t have to take.
The ANC Test
I want to be direct here because this is where I see the most misleading reviews.
The Motif II ANC handles office environments well. Sitting at a desk with HVAC running, keyboard noise from nearby coworkers, and general background chatter: all of that gets pushed back noticeably. I could focus on music without raising the volume to compensate.
On the subway, it’s a different story. The low-frequency rumble gets reduced, but mid-frequency train sounds and station noise come through more than I expected. Compared to the Sony WF-1000XM5, the Marshall feels like roughly 70% of the noise suppression on a loud train. For office use, the gap barely matters. For a loud underground commute, you’ll notice it.
Wind noise reduction is better on the Motif II ANC than the first-generation model. I tested them on a windy morning walk and the improvement is real. Transparency mode is good too. It lets in outside sound without the tinny processing that some earbuds add.
IPX5 on the earbuds and IPX4 on the case means sweat and rain aren’t concerns. I wore them in light rain twice without any issues.
Battery Life
| Mode | Rated Time | What I Got |
| Motif II ANC on | 6 hours | 5 hrs 45 min |
| Motif II ANC off | 9 hours | 8 hrs 50 min |
| Total with case (ANC on) | 30 hours | Roughly accurate |
| Minor IV | 8 hours | 7 hrs 40 min |
| Quick charge (15 min) | +1 hour | Confirmed accurate |
The 15-minute quick charge is more useful than I expected. I tested it twice: once deliberately, once when I grabbed the earbuds off my desk having forgotten to charge them. Both times I got just over an hour of listening from the top-up.
Both models support multipoint Bluetooth, so I stayed paired to my laptop and my phone simultaneously. Switching when a call came in worked without any manual re-pairing.
One spec worth flagging: both the Motif II ANC and Minor IV run Bluetooth 5.3 with LC3 codec support alongside SBC and AAC. LC3 is the codec used by Bluetooth LE Audio, and while most devices don’t fully activate it yet, the hardware is ready. Older competing models like the JBL Tour Pro 2 or Technics AZ100 missed this window before LE Audio became a standard consideration.
The Marshall App
The Marshall Bluetooth app is available on iOS and Android with identical feature access on both. That matters because Apple AirPods give Android users a stripped-down experience. Marshall doesn’t do that.
What I actually used:
The EQ presets are where I spent the most time. I landed on Studio for most listening after a few days of experimenting. It brings the sound closer to neutral without losing the warmth that makes Marshall’s tuning worthwhile. For hip-hop I pushed the low-end manually beyond what the Bass preset offered.
The battery health mode caps charging at 90% to reduce long-term lithium cell stress. Most audio brands at this price point don’t offer this. It’s a genuine sign Marshall is thinking about the product past the initial sale.
The ANC intensity slider gives you a range from zero to full rather than just on/off. I ran it around 70% in the office and was full on the commute.
One more thing worth knowing: the Minor IV is made from 90% recycled plastic, sourced from old CDs, washing machines, and electric bikes. The Motif II uses recycled materials in its case as well. Neither Sony nor Bose matches this at the same price range.
How They Compare to What Else Is Out There
| Feature | Marshall Motif II ANC | Sony WF-1000XM5 | Bose QC Ultra Earbuds | Apple AirPods Pro 3 |
| 2026 Street Price | Approx. $150 | Approx. $279 | Approx. $249 | Approx. $249 |
| ANC Performance | Good for offices | Best-in-class | Excellent | Excellent |
| Codec Support | AAC, SBC, LC3 | LDAC, AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC | AAC (Apple only) |
| Sound Profile | Mid-forward, warm | Neutral, balanced | Warm, detailed | Crisp, balanced |
| Battery with ANC | 6 hours | 8 hours | 6 hours | 6 hours |
| Water Resistance | IPX5 buds / IPX4 case | IPX4 | IPX4 | IP54 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Android Experience | Full features | Full features | Full features | Limited |
| Design | Retro amp-inspired | Minimal | Premium oval | Stem, minimal |
At $150 street price, the Motif II ANC sits $100 below Sony and Bose. The ANC gap is real, but so is the price gap. For Android users who listen to rock and value design that stands out, the value case holds. If ANC depth in loud environments is the top priority, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are the stronger technical choice.
Final Words
After several weeks of daily use, here’s where I landed.
The Motif II ANC is the more complete product. The ANC works, the sound is genuinely distinctive, the battery matches the spec sheet closely, and at $140 to $160 in 2026 it’s priced at a point where the value case holds up against the Sony and Bose competition. Not because it beats them technically, but because it doesn’t need to at that price difference.
The Minor IV at $99 is the easier recommendation. No ANC, but better comfort for long sessions, bigger drivers, longer battery, and the full Marshall sound at a price that doesn’t require much justification.
