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Similarly, not allowing the user to adjust the in-app equaliser feels like an oversight. I found the default Marshall tuning pretty much perfect, but those seeking more comprehensive control over the sound signature will find the Motif’s audio options wanting.
Usability is good – one touch controls Play/Pause, two touches will skip you forward. The buds will Auto Pause when you take them from your ears. The soundstage is broad and no song on the aforementioned playlist illustrated this better than Malevolence’s “Remain Unbeaten”. The thrashing instrumental sections were pleasingly uncluttered, ensuring that every guitar strum and crashing drum was articulated cleanly. READ NEXT: The best headphones for every budget Marshall Major IV review: What do you get for the money? Finally, while total battery life is passable at 20 hours with ANC on, the in-ear stamina leaves a lot to be desired, so anyone who engages in extended listening sessions may find the Motif ANC dying prematurely. If true wireless staying power is of utmost importance to you, the Creative Outlier Pro offer a highly impressive ten hours of battery life with ANC enabled, and up to 15 hours with it switched off.
PACKS A PUNCH
We pushed our selection of Marshall headphones through a range of music genres - from bass-heavy bruisers, riff-filled wonders and gentle acoustic pieces to get a proper feel for what they can deliver. Victoria Marshall added: “With Marshall Group, the potential to further impact an ever-modernising music industry is a highly genuine one. Together, we will preserve the Marshall legacy and shape the future of ‘Live Loud’. Having worked alongside my father during his later years, I know he would be excited at this direction and the potential to reach a larger worldwide audience with innovation and passion which he always had in spades.” How we test Marshall and Zound first collaborated in 2010 in a deal that resulted in Marshall’s range of headphones and Bluetooth speakers.
Marshall Amplification was was formed in 1962 and remained under family ownership for more than 60 years until March 2023, when they were sold to Swedish speaker manufacturer Zound Industries. Marshall still own a 24% stake in the company, making them the largest shareholders in the newly-titled Marshall Group. The takeover deal covers Marshall Amplification and its subsidiaries Marshall Records, Marshall Live Agency and Natal Drums Marshall’s most obvious competitor in the headphone market is JBL, a brand which also comes with considerable live music credibility. JBL offers a comparable mix of headphone styles, but somehow the Marshall design just feels a little more granular – they get you closer to the stage. Who owns Marshall Amplification?
The Marshall Motif ANC nail the brand’s signature sound and style, but are held back by limited customisation and several niggling issues
The Motif ANC operate over Bluetooth 5.2 – the latest version – but codec support is limited to just SBC and AAC.The earbuds are rated IPX5, meaning that they are protected against jets of water from all directions, while the case is IPX4-rated so has a decent level of water resistance, too. Not all wireless earbuds’ cases possess an IP rating, so it’s refreshing to see one here, and the case itself is one of the most striking around.
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