Because of its length and reputation in the music industry, Marshall frequently seeks to evoke bygone eras as inspiration for a contemporary twist when it releases headphones or speakers. As a result, it frequently has timeless aesthetics and a distinct appearance from that of its rivals. In that sense, the Minor III earbuds are unquestionably true to their brand because they offer a certain level of simplicity in addition to their promised performance.
Because the business intended for these to be less expensive than the Motif ANC, which has more features, it had to make some cost-saving decisions in order to differentiate them. Although the reductions are a good thing, the Minor III may have been too severely reduced as a result of one particular design decision. The Minor III is one of my current favorite designs among the several earbuds we have tested.
The base and buds’ rough finishes, as well as their overall design, had a certain allure. The case has a little guitar amp or Zippo lighter look when it is closed. The bottom could have stood erect on its own if Marshall had only smoothed it out more at the bottom. Wireless charging is supported as well, which is convenient. With magnets that are strong enough to lock them in but not too sticky to make taking them out feel like a bother, the earphones themselves fit into the case well.
Furthermore, they feature an open-fit design, which means they don’t utilize any separate ear tips. I’ll be honest: there are a few reasons why I don’t like this particular build. It first restricts options for getting a better fit. Additionally, it is more difficult to tighten the seal so that more bass is heard, which would help the music seem more balanced. Last but not least, earbuds with this design don’t always feel secure in your ears because there is less friction when they begin to move around.
Marshall Minor III review: Design
It’s really simple to use the Marshall Minor III. Open the lid, press and hold the button on the case’s bottom until the light begins to flash blue to start pairing, and then choose it on your smartphone. There are no extras like ear tips or fancy apps. Earbuds, a USB-C charging cable, and the charging case are the only items in the box.
Like all Marshall products, the Minor III pays homage to the company’s history as a maker of guitar amplifiers. Although I can appreciate the gripping, textured case, it feels a little bit flimsy in comparison to the vinyl of a Marshall guitar amp. Instead of being reminded of Marshall’s illustrious background, I feel as though it has been watered down like a pastiche and it’s not even humorous. The lid has the impression that it could break easily with only one mishap. I’ve seen Marshall amplifiers tumble down steps and still function, in contrast.
The earphone stems are made of brass-colored and black metal with knurled edges, another nod to Marshall amps. This is probably intended to resemble an amplifier’s knobs. In reality, the metal simply adds weight, which you may feel on your skin if it’s cold outside. The Minor III earbuds are light, but they are made of cheap plastic that works well for action figures from the 1980s, which just makes the already uncomfortable fit worse.
The housings’ unfinished seams are visible, but more crucially, feelable. On the other hand, the battery charging case’s edges are also noticeably jagged. The metal button on the case and the gleaming brass at the base of the stems are the best-looking finishing touches.
Marshall Minor III review: Connectivity & Comfort
The first pairing simply takes a few seconds once the charging case has been opened. In order to achieve the illusion of a quick connection, Bluetooth 5.2 technology is specifically used while pairing bluetooth connections. When used afterwards, it will automatically connect to the phone as long as the earphones are removed from the charging case.
When worn, the Marshall Minor III earbuds are less recessed into the ear because of their semi-in-ear shape and short sound guidance tube. The biggest sensation while wearing it is that the ear canal’s pressure is kept extremely steady while being at a very low level. After wearing it continuously for two hours, there was no visible discomfort.
Additionally, the sound field and sound source can both be spread more evenly in the ear canal at the same time. Additionally, the Marshall Minor III earbuds feature IPX4 waterproof rating, even though perspiration and rain can be somewhat resistant to them. The Marshall Minor III earbuds are excellent for a range of usage conditions due to their high level of comfort.
Marshall Minor III review: Sound quality
The Minor III offers airy, clean sound and supports multiple codecs (aptX and SBC). It is equipped with 12mm speakers. I thought most tracks had clean vocals and a large soundscape. These earbuds’ audio performance is an improvement over that of the AirPods, but it falls short of the Mode II’s rich, immersive listening experience.
With its fantastic frequency response, the Minor III was great for symphonic tracks like Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments.” The double bass was groovy, the horn part was lively, and the hi-hats were audible throughout the entire album. Along with the brass synthesiser and recognisable trumpet arrangement, Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al” sounded bright and detailed, right down to the flute solo in the middle.
The bass was muted and didn’t hit as hard as it does on other wireless earbuds, but Cypress Hill’s “I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That” had enough power to inspire some rhythmic head-nodding. This has the advantage of giving the midrange greater breathing room. B-high-pitched Real’s nasal voice was accurately replicated, and his rhymes were clearly pronounced over the production’s excessive boom.
The Minor III’s sound quality is excellent for music but variable for watching videos. On occasion, while binge-watching YouTube on my MacBook Pro 14, static would appear, making it difficult to watch sports highlights and movie trailers. When using my Android device to watch videos, this was less of a problem Samsung Galaxy Note S20 Ultra. There was no latency and the audio was crystal clear when static wasn’t present.
It’s disappointing that the Marshall app can’t be used with the Minor III because users would have had access to an EQ, firmware upgrades, battery life indications for both earbuds, and a Find My Buds feature. Isolation from noise is terrible. When we shared an office throughout the day, I could hear my wife’s Zoom calls in their entirety. Furthermore, even with the windows closed, we could hear the landscaping being done next door. Active noise cancellation and ear tips may have assisted in reducing ambient noise, but Marshall opted to save these for the more expensive Motif A.N.C.
Marshall Minor III review: Battery Life
Your ears will hurt before the battery runs out thanks to the long battery life. In my tests, you can listen for almost 4 hours at medium volume (50%) After that, you can refill the earphones inside the case. No concerns at all with battery life, largely because no advanced features like noise-cancelling earbuds or ambient sound removal are present.
Marshall Minor III review: Price and availability
Currently only accessible through Marshall’s website, you can ultimately buy the Marshall Minor III earphones from other stores like Amazon if the company’s previous headphone releases are any indicator. Additionally, they cost $129.99 and are only offered in black. The product is currently out of stock, but it should return soon.
Final Words
True wireless earphones like the Marshall Minor III aren’t terrible. The headphones don’t really provide many functions, and Marshall has directly copied Apple’s design. But they still have a decent sound, and that counts for something. I’m hoping Marshall soon raises the bar for headphones.
As a musician, I place a lot of value on the Marshall brand, but I don’t think these headphones truly live up to the moniker. Although they aren’t bad, they don’t truly outperform the opposition.
