Thinking of buying a set of active noise canceling (ANC) headphones? In addition to the many excellent models you’ll find on our best noise-canceling headphones list, we now also recommend the $320 Marshall Monitor II ANC. These ANC cans capture the iconic Marshall design language while adding some cool features to create a stylish alternative to the headphones made by Sony, Bose, Apple, and others. But the competition is stiff — do the Marshall Monitor II ANC have what it takes to justify their hefty price? Let’s take a look. Props go to Marshall for creating packaging that at least tries to be sustainable. It’s mostly recyclable cardboard, save for a few bits of foam that will eventually need to be discarded in a landfill. Inside, you’ll find the Monitor II ANC, a USB-C charging cable, a coil-style 3.5mm analog cable, a quick-start guide, and a soft fabric carry pouch. Whether you dig Marshall’s guitar amp-inspired design language or not (I think it looks awesome), you’ve got to admi...
Signature Marshall style; Very comfortable; Good ANC and transparency; Very intuitive controls; Excellent battery life;
Pricey for what you get; No wear sensor or multidevice pairing; Narrow soundstage;