Mid-range Marshall’s for the win
Marshall is known for its extravagant, expensive, vintage-looking products, whether it’s amplifiers, wireless speakers, or headphones. The Marshall Mid Bluetooth Headphones attempt to bring the pricing down towards mid-ranged priced headphones, which is already an oversaturated market.
What sets these apart is the list of flagship-like specifications along with Marshall’s solid, vintage design choices and build quality.
So, can these headphones raise above the ocean of decently priced mid-range options, or will it sink like a boulder and rot in the depths of mediocrity?
Let’s find out in our in-depth Marshall Mid Bluetooth Headphones Review…
(4.3 / 5)Contents
Design
The Marshall Mid is designed to look like most Marshall headphones, including the Marshall Major 3. The earcups are more square than round and have the Marshall branding on them.
The earpads are wrapped in leatherette, which is fashionable and cheaper but does become slightly warm after a while.
Comfortable and portable…
The headphones aren’t too large and fit quite comfortably on your head. However, the headband can cause some discomfort after a few hours for some listeners, so we don’t recommend these for very long listening sessions.
Their very practical with an easy-fold design, making storage easy, and considering they are lightweight makes carrying them around a no-brainer.
The design is mostly plastic, but that doesn’t take away from the excellent build quality on offer here. The chrome accents are reminiscent of the golden knobs found on their amps.
Wired option…
The coiled cable is a great addition and leaves you without tangled cables to sort out before you can start listening to your favorite tunes.
That said, these are wireless headphones, so you might not even be using the cable much. If you do use them with the cable, say for monitoring your recordings, the braided cable does add some extra protection if the cable gets yanked/pulled.
Sound
Considering the mid-range price, you might be thinking that these will sound similar to most of the headphones at this price range. Usually, the mid-range headphones have a fun, bass-boosted sound that is great but won’t be impressing any audiophiles soon.
But, that’s where you’d be wrong.
Yes, there is still some emphasis on the low-end frequencies, but not nearly as much as most of the headphones at this price range, like the Sony MDR-7506 or JBL’s Live 500BT.
A true Marshall sound…
Compared to even more expensive headphones like the Beats Solo 3, these seem to have a more refined bass tone. The Beats tend to fall victim to auditory masking. That’s when a certain frequency, in this case, the bass, is much louder than the rest of the frequencies.
The 40mm drivers offer great sounding mid-tones, which makes us really think about the name. The Marshall Mid has excellent mid-tones, a mid-range price, and for the most part, mid-range features, with some standout ones, of course.
Guitars are crunchy and sound alive, while hi-hats and cymbals shine vibrantly. This is where the soundstage comes into play. It’s good with enough room for all the instruments and vocals to occupy their own space.
Connectivity and Battery
The headphones are mainly made for wireless use over a Bluetooth connection. These headphones even offer aptX codec support for hi-res music streaming. A lot of newer Android headphones support aptX, but don’t think about hi-res streaming over an iOS device since that would require AAC support, not aptX.
The headphones do have a 3.5mm jack, as mentioned before. It adds some extra versatility, especially for people who still aren’t convinced by wireless audio.
Long-lasting battery…
The headphones charge using micro-USB, which is unfortunate. We’d love to see USB Type-C, but it’s not always the case at this price point. But the battery life itself is great. Expect up to 30 hours of playback before needing to charge again. That’s up there with some of the flagship models like the Sony WH-1000XM3.
We did notice some short interruptions with the connection, especially when we were listening to hi-res music streaming over TIDAL with an aptX compatible mobile phone. These occurrences were scarce but should be noted.
Who is the Marshal Mid Bluetooth Headphones for?
If you’re looking for an affordable pair of great-sounding, wireless headphones, look no further. Especially if you aren’t into gimmicks, like super bass or active noise-canceling.
What Marshall offers here is an effective, simple pair of headphones that do everything a pair of headphones should do. And do it really well.
These are also great for musicians looking for an inexpensive pair of reference headphones that they can also use for day to day listening.
Marshall Mid Bluetooth Headphones Review Pros and Cons
Pros
- A great sound profile.
- AptX support.
- Vintage Marshall design.
- Price.
Cons
- May cause discomfort for some when worn for longer than a few hours.
- No AAC support for iOS.
- Micro-USB charging.
Looking for some more superb headphone options?
Then take a look at our in-depth reviews of the Best Headphones for Commuting, the Best Lightning Headphones for iPhone iPad, the Best Podcast Headphones, and Best Headphones Under 200 dollars, and the Best aptX Bluetooth Headphones currently on the market.
Or how about the Best Lightweight Headphones, the Best Bluetooth Headphones Under 200 dollars, and the Best Headphones with Google Assistant Integration you can buy in 2023.
Marshall Mid Bluetooth Headphones Review Round-Up
Whether you want a great sounding pair of wireless headphones or are on a medium budget, the Marshall Mid Bluetooth Headphones are one of the best wireless headphones Marshall has made to date.
With excellent battery life, great wireless connectivity, aptX support, a nearly flat frequency response, and decent comfort Marshall really offers a full package at half the price.
Until next time, happy listening.
