Marshall Major III Bluetooth

The workmanship of the on-ear headphones is undoubtedly impeccable. Thus, the consistently padded jet black Major III Bluetooth sits quite comfortably and with appropriate pressure on the ear. Height-adjustable and rotatable ear cups, which can also be folded inwards for space-saving transport, ensure the right fit. The technical specs don’t end there; the battery provides up to 30 hours of running time (manufacturer) at a charging time of three hours, while the Bluetooth range supports the aptX codec. The handset can also be used passively or actively with a detachable, one-sided spiral cable. It even has a simple one-button remote and, like the handset itself, a built-in microphone. Alternatively, the connection socket on the right earphone allows the signal to be passed on to an “earphone”.

Device Controls

Operation is easy and intuitive. All functions are handled by a single small golden button on the left auricle. If you press this, the Major III Bluetooth is switched on or off. This button also activates the headphone pairing. Repeated pressing lets you accept or end calls and call the voice assistant of your smartphone. The button can also be moved in four directions. Thus, a volume control, track skipping and even fast forward and rewind is possible.

Sound

The on-ear listeners deliver a powerful and, if necessary, high-level sound. The overall impression is full and powerful. This starts with a full bass, which also includes low frequencies. At the same time, the dynamic 40mm drivers provide enough control for a tight response, if you do not overdo it with the volume. The tonality is also easy to understand, but the dynamics are less pronounced.

In the lower middle range, this impression continues. The Major III Bluetooth sounds full-bodied, but also does not set vocals in terms of speech intelligibility and solo instruments. In the upper mids and highs, however, the Marshall shoots a bit beyond the finish. Especially with modern pop productions and even more in the rock range with distorted guitars, it regularly sounds a bit too aggressive, especially at higher volumes. The less perfect the mixture, the more noticeable the problem. Naturally, styles such as singer/songwriter, classical or even jazz have less difficulty with this emphasis. In short, the Major III Bluetooth is not for audiophile listeners, but can be a powerful companion in everyday life—you should probably listen first before buying. In passive mode, the test receiver is quieter but still powerful. Again, the sound tends to a certain hardness.

Finally, good speech intelligibility is praiseworthy when making calls in Bluetooth mode.