Marshall introduced its first pair of true wireless earbuds, and over the past few years has focused primarily on over-the-ear headphones, wired headphones, and portable speakers.
The brand, best known for its iconic guitar amps, claims that the Marshall Mode II wireless earbuds will deliver “a thundering sound experience” while being “effortlessly portable” thanks to their compact boot.
The new earbuds retain the look of the previous Marshall headphones, with the ‘M’ logo of the brand on their outer housings, as well as a leather chest of drawers.
They have four earpieces of different sizes, so you can find a secure fit, while an IPX4 waterproof means you can possibly practice the Mode II without worrying that sweat or rain will break them. .
Inside the earbuds are 6mm dynamic drivers, which Marshall said will produce “a growling bass, a natural sound and sharp dribbles”. We were impressed with the sound quality of the Minor II neck buttons (although we found it unbearably uncomfortable), so Marshall hopefully took some clues from his previous model. That being said, the Minor II had 14.2mm drivers, so the new Mode II may not be quite as powerful.
You can control your music playback and activate the transparency mode by tapping the earbuds, thanks to touch-sensitive housings. Meanwhile, Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity should ensure fast pairing times and a stable connection.
Battery life comes in within five hours of the earbuds themselves, with another 20 through the boot – it’s about the same as the Apple AirPods, though it’s certainly not a leading battery life.
Is that enough?
So, how much does it cost? You will be able to buy the Marshall Mode II from March 18, and they will refund you $ 179 / £ 159 (approximately AU $ 230).
We can not help but feel a little surprised by the price. After all, these wireless earbuds do not have an active noise cancellation, and all the other specifications seem to be quite … average. The Mode II may be Marshall’s first true wireless earbuds, but the form factor has evolved quite a bit over the past few years, and we expect the price buttons to have a few extra features to distinguish them from the budget overhang. wireless earbuds on the market.
Aside from Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity and a rock-inspired design, there really is not much difference between this and the 2019 Apple AirPods.
Still, if the Marshall Mode II sounds extraordinarily good, the average specs will not matter at all. As with any headphone, it’s about delivering excellent sound performance, and this’s what we’ll be looking at as we test the brand’s first true wireless earbuds for ourselves.