28 Apr
Blog

Marshall Monitor II ANC Review: Stylish, Comfy Cans

Marshall Monitor II ANC

"These headphones offer high-energy sound and tremendous battery life, Marshall-style."

  • Signature Marshall style

  • Very convenient

  • Good ANC and transparency

  • Very intuitive controls

  • Excellent battery life

  • Expensive for what you get

  • No wear sensor or multiple device pairing

  • Narrow sound stage

Are you thinking of buying active noise canceling (ANC) headphones? In addition to the many great models you'll find on our list of the best noise-canceling headphones, we now also recommend the Marshall Monitor II ANC for $ 320.

These ANC cans capture the iconic Marshall design language and add some cool features to create a stylish alternative to the headphones made by Sony, Bose, Apple, and others.

But the competition is tough – does the Marshall Monitor II ANC have what it takes to justify its high price? Let's take a look.

What's in the box?

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Props go to Marshall to make packaging that at least tries to be sustainable. Most of it is recyclable cardboard, with the exception of a few pieces of foam that may need to be disposed of in a landfill. Inside, you'll find the Monitor II ANC, a USB-C charging cable, a 3.5mm coil-style analog cable, a quick start guide, and a soft fabric carrying case.

design

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Whether you love Marshall's guitar amp-inspired design language or not (I think it looks awesome), you have to admit, the Monitor II is ANC Peak Marshall.

From the textured black plastic on the ear cups to the coil of the supplied analog cable and of course the distinctive Marshall logo, these headphones exude a rock music atmosphere that you won't find in any other can.

And Marshall's dedication to this look didn't detract from some extremely practical features. By combining the three sets of hinge and pivot pins, the Monitor II ANC can deform into an incredibly compact shape. I find it hard to think of full size headphones that are more travel-friendly.

While most headphones at this price point (and many that are considerably cheaper) come with a zippered hard shell, the way the Monitor II articulates them makes them beg to be thrown in a pocket. Speaking of the included tote bag, it's hard not to notice how Marshall channeled the Herschel backpack look for his black denim bag. Very cool.

The ear cups are super flat, even with the generous padding of the ear pads, which gives the Monitor II a clean, head-hugging look. And when you peel them off your head and hang around your neck, they fold slightly flat against your collarbones.

The construction is mostly plastic, but Marshall used metal for the auricle forks and headband sliders, which helps make these cans feel sturdy and durable.

Convenience, control and connections

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

At 11.29 ounces, the Monitor II ANC can't be considered light when compared to other over-ear headphones, especially the feather-light Sony WH-1000XM4 (8.8 ounces), but they don't feel particularly heavy to wear . I appreciate the combination of clamping force, ear pad fit, and balance for how well they fit.

I'm a huge fan of the Monitor II controls. They're simple and effective.

Given my Dumbo-like ears, I'd prefer slightly deeper cavities in the ear cups, but overall these headphones are more than comfortable enough for hours of continuous use.

I'm a huge fan of the Monitor II controls. They're simple and effective. The gold colored button protruding from the bottom of the right ear cup is actually a tiny joystick that you can click to activate power, bluetooth pairing, answer / end calls, and play / pause. You move it up, down, front, or back to perform actions like volume and track controls.

There are two other controls that you would totally miss if you didn't look carefully. Each is inserted into the hinge point of the auricle forks where they blend seamlessly with the design and are easy to access. The left button is used to switch between ANC and transparency mode, which happens very quickly. The right "M" button, which is user configurable and allows you to choose between EQ mode, activates Siri (iPhone only) or Google Assistant.

You make these and other selections in the Marshall Bluetooth app.

Instead of spreading out and creating a warm thrum that you can feel, the bass stays a little two-dimensional.

The Monitor II's Bluetooth range is approximately 20 to 30 feet, which should be sufficient for most situations.

Unfortunately, unlike many Bluetooth headphones, you can't pair these sockets with more than one device at a time, making them less suitable for people who want to switch between their phones and laptops on a regular basis.

There's also no wear sensor, so removing the headphones from your ears won't automatically pause your music.

Sound quality

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Overall, the Monitor II ANC sounds very good. In the factory EQ setting (known as a “Marshall” sound), the sound shifts to higher frequencies. However, the Marshall app lets you choose from six more EQ presets and create your own custom balance.

These adjustments help the Monitor II deliver more bass when you want it, and I've been able to find settings that work with a variety of genres from rock to classical.

Throw in a track like Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz 'On To The Next One, and the intensity hits you like an electric shock.

The soundstage isn't as wide or as detailed as the Sony WH-1000XM4, but what the Monitor II lacks in openness it makes up for in energy.

The acoustics are precise, bright and powerful, with a sharp focus on snare drums, cymbals, vocals and higher-frequency woodwinds such as the clarinet.

Throw in a track like Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz 'On To The Next One, and the intensity hits you like an electric shock.

Deeper, more resonant sounds like jazz bass that rely on the mid-to-low frequencies don't do quite as well. Instead of spreading out and creating a warm thrum that you can feel, they stay a little two-dimensional.

All of this results in headphones that are clearly tuned for energetic rock, pop, and hip-hop music.

Noise cancellation and transparency

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Some headphones with active noise cancellation try to block out as much background noise as possible. The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 are the flagship for this approach. Marshall's Monitor II ANC isn't as aggressive – you don't quite get that silent cone effect – but they do reduce the low to mid frequencies significantly when ANC is on.

I found it worked best when listening to podcasts, which were very effective in muting sounds that would otherwise make it difficult to hear spoken words. As an aid to silencing a noisy environment, they were not that helpful due to a small noticeable hiss that I found annoying after a while.

The transparency mode, on the other hand, is excellent. One press of the special ANC button and the world was suddenly very audible.

You can tweak both ANC and transparency modes in the Marshall app, but I found that the 100% levels are best in both modes.

Battery life

The Monitor II ANC's battery life is among the best for premium ANC headphones. Marshall claims 30 hours with bluetooth and ANC on and up to 45 hours with bluetooth only. That beats the $ 400 Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 (up to 20 hours), Apple's $ 549 AirPods Max (up to 20 hours), and even the $ 280 Sony WH-1000XM4 ( 30 hours with the ANC switched on, 38 hours with the device switched off).

They also have a respectable quick charge feature that gives you five hours of playtime after 15 minutes of charging.

As far as I can tell, these numbers are correct. Unlike some wireless sockets, you can also use the Monitor II ANC while charging with the analog cable, so you can never go without music.

Call quality

Marshall Monitor II ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Calls on Monitor II ANC are generally good. You can block out most of the background noise when talking on the phone outdoors while keeping your voice reasonably clear. It's not the high fidelity you get from the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700, but it's perfectly fine for most calls and they work very well indoors.

For some reason, you can't choose how much sidetone you get during a call (this is equivalent to calling transparency mode). The headphones switch to about 50% transparency – enough to hear your own voice a little more clearly, but not quite as clearly as if the transparency were at 100%.

Our opinion

As with most Marshall products, the Monitor II ANC offers a price premium that is difficult to justify based on performance alone. But if you like the retro-cool guitar amp style only Marshall can offer, then these cans make a fun set of full-featured wireless companions.

Is there a better alternative?

If you don't mind the relatively conservative appearance, that's $ 280 Sony WH-1000XM4 are an excellent alternative. They're cheaper (around $ 40), lighter, more comfortable, have better sound quality and ANC, and have more features like wear sensors and Bluetooth multipoint.

But there's no denying that the Marshalls really are in a class of their own when it comes to style.

How long will they last?

The Marshall Monitor II ANC appears to be very well built from high quality materials. The ear pads are easy to remove and replace when worn. Marshall grants a one-year guarantee on these headphones. I suspect that if properly cared for, they will last for many years, although the lack of a hard case means you should be careful about how they are packaged.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If you want a set of high quality ANC wireless headphones with a unique style and sound signature that favors high energy music, this is the Monitor II ANC will make you very happy.

Editor's recommendations




28 Jan
Blog

1More ComfoBuds Review: Small And Comfy AirPods Alternatives

1More comfobuds

"You won't be amazed by the sound quality, but they are tiny, comfortable and affordable."

  • Very convenient

  • Tiny charging case

  • Good call quality

  • Fast and reliable coupling

  • Customizable controls

  • Auto play / pause

  • Some functions still require phone access

  • Mediocre sound quality

  • Bad battery life

  • No wireless charging

Most of the true wireless earbuds you can find there share a common design: they seal your ear canal with silicone or rubber earbuds. This is a good approach to sound quality. The more you can prevent external noise from entering the ear, the better the audio from the earbuds will sound. But it can also cause fit issues – especially if the company doesn't have a good selection of earplugs. Then there are the people who can't stand the feeling of having something in their ears.

This is one of the main reasons Apple's original AirPods continue to sell so well. They just sit in your outer ear and there is no twisting or fiddling with the earplugs required. At $ 149 (excluding wireless charging), AirPods aren't exactly cheap, which has paved the way for lower-cost earbuds that offer the same functionality as the AirPods. The latest company to try this is 1More with $ 60 ComfoBuds. The name says it all: These affordable earbuds value comfort. But has 1More made a real AirPods alternative or just another discount? Let's take a look.

What's in the box?

In the simple white cardboard box you will find the ComfoBuds in their charging case, a USB-C charging cable and operating instructions. It's mostly recyclable, with the exception of a layer of black foam on the lid of the top box. Before using the ComfoBuds, you must pull them out of the charging case so that you can remove some protective plastic strips from the charging contacts.

design

1More comfobudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The ComfoBuds and their cover are available in black or white and are made of high-gloss plastic. Digital Trends received a black test device. If you look closely at the case, you'll see tiny, subtle blue enamel flecks beneath the surface. It's pretty noticeable, at least for the first few seconds after opening the box. After that, the glossy surface quickly turns into a fingerprint pizza, and you wonder why 1More didn't include a microfiber cleaning cloth in the package.

Aside from stains, the ComfoBuds are incredibly compact. Instead of using Apple's cigarette-box approach to vertically charging the AirPods in their case, 1More puts the ComfoBuds on their sides. This gives the case an elongated diamond shape, which is reinforced by gently rounded corners and edges.

All of that slippery, shiny plastic can make it difficult to free the buds from the case, but 1More suggests rolling the ComfoBuds towards you with your finger and that seems to work.

The buds happily snap back into their loading crevices with no effort and stay there until you need them.

True to its name, I found the ComfoBuds very convenient. Even after a few hours, I hardly noticed her.

The charging case lid is the only weak point. It feels thin and cheap, and doesn't open very wide. Once opened, there is no notch in the hinge to hold it in place so it flutters around a bit. You can't open it all the way while charging – something you have to do with the included cable as there is no wireless charging option.

Finally, 1More claims an IPX5 rating for the ComfoBuds, which is decent. That's more than enough water repellent for sweaty workouts – just don't immerse them in water.

Convenience, control and connections

1More comfobudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

True to its name, I found the ComfoBuds very convenient. Even after a few hours, I hardly noticed her. The part that sits in your ear is very similar to the Apple AirPods, which in turn are similar to the company's EarPods. If you've ever tried one of these other earbuds and found them comfortable, the ComfoBuds should feel great.

Tiny rubber seals are attached around the speaker openings, which are supposed to make the fit a little more secure, but didn't make a big difference to me. That's probably a good thing: if at some point they wear out and fall off, you won't miss them.

The ComfoBuds have almost no mass, which means that they stay in position even during training – as long as your training is not too intense.

Like the vast majority of earbuds, the ComfoBuds currently use tap control. These can be fully customized in the 1More app with triggers for playback, call, volume, title and voice assistant. However, you only get two gestures per earbud: a double tap and a triple tap, which limits the possibilities of something on the earbuds themselves.

Taps are usually well known, but I found the response times to be a little slow. The gap between double tapping to play / pause and actually playing or pausing my iPhone was up to 2 seconds.

On the other hand, the automatic pause / play function (also configurable in the app) works like a charm and reacts immediately when you remove or reinsert an earbud.

Although the ComfoBuds can deliver a clear and precise sound, they suffer from a lack of deep bass.

The device coupling is another bright spot: Open the lid and the ComfoBuds are connected immediately. Bluetooth Multipoint would have been nice (to pair two devices at the same time), but as long as you originally paired the ComfoBuds with a second device – and they are not yet connected to the first device – they can switch back and forth as quickly as you can yours Toggle Bluetooth settings.

The Bluetooth range is a little less impressive. Indoors, I couldn't get lost more than 20 feet before losing contact.

Sound quality

1More comfobudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

I mentioned earlier that the more you can prevent external noise from entering the ear, the better the audio from the earbuds will sound. Unfortunately, the opposite is also the case.

Although the ComfoBuds can deliver a clear and precise sound, they suffer from a lack of deep bass. When you are in a busy environment, some types of audio are difficult to hear.

My usual torture test for this is listening to my favorite podcasts while walking through busy streets. The ComfoBuds do an excellent job with spoken words, but these words are drowned out by outside noise.

Turning up the volume is usually the answer. However, if you are not careful, it can damage your hearing. On the other hand, the earphones don't get that loud. At 80% volume on my iPhone 11, I wish there was more electricity on tap.

But let's put this into perspective. The AirPods aren't particularly noteworthy for their sound quality either, but they offer slightly better overall performance when compared to the ComfoBuds. This is particularly noticeable at the lowest frequencies. If you're not a huge bass fanatic, this could be a perk for the ComfoBuds. At least because of its semi-open design, you can have a conversation without removing an earbud.

It is possible that the ComfoBuds would sound better if you could tweak their EQ, but the 1More app doesn't currently offer that option.

Conclusion: The ComfoBuds are well suited for casual listening. However, if sound quality is paramount, then you should definitely check out the many excellent earbuds at this price point that feature an in-ear canal design.

Battery life

It's a bit strange that a line of earbuds like the ComfoBuds that have an emphasis on long-term comfort have been given batteries that only last four hours on a charge. That puts them at the bottom of the true wireless earbuds category, and their charging case doesn't help much – it only extends that playtime to 18 hours.

The call quality on the ComfoBuds is good. You will have no problem being understood.

This would have been easier to swallow if the ComfoBuds had a fast charging system like the AirPods, but not that lucky. Charging the buds takes about 85 minutes once they are dead.

Call quality

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The call quality on the ComfoBuds is good. Most competing sounds are suppressed very effectively, wind noise doesn't seem to be picked up much, and your voice, while not crystal clear, is certainly clear enough that you will have no problem being heard.

Our opinion

The highly deployable 1More ComfoBuds are a very affordable AirPods alternative with great convenience for those who hate the feel of silicone earbuds. They won't please audiophiles, and their batteries will barely get you through a day, but as long as those drawbacks don't crush you, the ComfoBuds are definitely worth considering.

Is there a better alternative?

Since the ComfoBuds are semi-open wireless earbuds, it is not appropriate to compare them to earbuds that use a closed design. And while it's certainly possible to buy half-open earbuds with better sound quality, battery life, and features like wireless charging, you'll have to pay well over $ 60.

If you're okay with that, I recommend checking out the $ 149 Strange branches. They are just as comfortable as the ComfoBuds, but they sound a lot better and have quick charging and a wireless charging case. I think their aluminum-clad stems look really good too.

How long will they last?

With a 1More one-year warranty, the ComfoBuds will likely last as long as any other true wireless earbud at this price point. However, be aware of the following: as battery capacity decreases over time, you will have less stamina than models that begin their life after six hours or more.

Should you buy it?

Yes. If they were more expensive I would hesitate, but for their price, I think they deliver the kind of affordable AirPods alternative that most people are looking for.

Editor's recommendations




02 Sep
Blog

Know Comfy Review: Fantastic-Fitting True Wireless Earbuds

Do you know comfortable earphones?

"The Comfy are the ear-friendly buds that live up to their name."

  • Super comfortable design

  • Secure fit

  • Good overall sound

  • Visually strange

  • Not special scope of functions

It takes a certain amount of confidence to put a name like Comfy on your new pair of true wireless earbuds. As a company, you almost have to be sure that these buds will feel great in every ear they come across, or otherwise.

That's the bet Know made on its $ 160 comfy wireless earbuds and marketed the wearables as a "fit" you've never felt before. Spoiler Alert – a gamble that paid off for Know. Double spoiler alarm – the right fit is not everything, especially with earphones.

Out of the box

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

I previously learned with the Calm headphones that Know as a Company likes to do things a little differently, and I was expecting something similar in the Comfy earphone packaging. Expectations were met with small details like a card in memory of the Kickstarter supporters and circular sticky notes of the product and a rather provocative (for earphones) work of art “Listeners make good lovers” and a USB-C charging cable with the inscription “These Side “surpassed up” on one side of the USB end of the cable and “or this side up” on the other side. If there are points that can be earned for creativity, Know gets them all.

If there are points that can be earned for creativity, Know gets them all.

In addition to this USB-C cable, the Comfy earphones have a collapsible quick start guide and a well-made compartment with additional ear fins and ear plugs. These are standard accessories, of course, and the same level of normalcy applies to the Comfy Buds setup process. Pull them out of the charging case, find them in your mobile device's bluetooth settings, and you're well on your way to listening to your favorite song or podcast episode.

Bluetooth 5 technology is rightly implemented in the Comfy earphones at this price point. As with most earbuds with this technology, I was free of connectivity issues during the time I tested these buds. That includes the time I spent tidying up my yard while my phone was hanging around the house. With that in mind, I'd say these earbuds have a solid range.

design

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Count me confused about the design of the Comfy earbuds because there is really a lot going on here. Right off the bat, I will confirm that they masterfully live up to their name, with earplugs that felt at home in my ears even after long periods of listening, and ear fins that kept the buds firmly in place during daily activities. In fact, wearing these buds felt a lot more natural than any real wireless earbud I recently tested. But when you pull those buds out of your ears and look at them, it's hard not to comment on how bizarre they look.

Wearing these buds felt a lot more natural than any real wireless earbud I recently tested.

That doesn't have to be badly bizarre, by the way. They are just different from most of the other true wireless earbuds I've seen. The Comfy thickens the classic golf tee stem that the Apple AirPods popularized, adds an elongated ear fin at the top, and uses pointless, tapered earbuds. Now there are different sizes of tips and fins, and again it's an incredibly comfortable fit for my ears. It is clear, however, that these earbuds are designed for function rather than form.

The charging case for the Comfy reminds me of a hockey puck or maybe an Amazon Echo Dot, depending on which visualization is best for you. It looks elegant enough to take up space on your desk or on your work-from-home surface. I don't think this case is as pocket-friendly as the AirPods or even the Google Pixel Buds 2, however.

Here's what I seldom say about true wireless earbuds with no physical buttons: I really like the controls on the Comfy. Everything is touch-based, with a swipe up or down on either handle serving as a volume control. The top of each stem also has a touch sensor that answers or ends calls, pauses and plays music, and switches between tracks based on how often you tap on it. I had a few glitches at first, but the Comfy controls eventually turned out to be just the right level of responsiveness to be functional, but not annoyingly sensitive like other buds I've tried.

properties

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Know says the Comfy earbuds have around seven hours of listening time per charge, with a total of 28 hours of life with the included case, and I found these numbers to be mostly accurate. By comparison, these statistics are about right. The Google Pixel Buds 2 and Apple AirPods both have worse batteries, but other buds in this price range like RHA TrueConnect 2, Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Buds + give you more per charge. That being said, the Comfy are pretty close to these competitors and have a quick charge feature that gives you three hours after five minutes of a network, so they can get past this category.

An IPX5 weather resistance for the Comfy Buds is a nifty touch that offers the buds effective protection against sweat and water jets. You can get the same rating in cheaper options like the 1More Colorbuds, or you can spend the same amount of money and get better weather protection with buds like the RHA TrueConnect 2. As with the battery life, the Comfy are not noticeable here. Instead, they're just decent.

The Comfy earbuds have an automatic pause / play function and are compatible with both Siri and Google Assistant. For the third paragraph in a row, these are decent features. Unfortunately, in this price range, it is almost necessary to be more than "decent" to stand out above the massive amount of competing true wireless earbuds.

Audio quality

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Let's look back at these earbuds for a moment. Although they used to make fun of them a bit, they prove to be a valuable part of the comfortable footprint by creating a seal against the outside of your ear canal, as opposed to tips that need to be plugged inside. The result is the superb passive noise cancellation you can hope for without the clogged ear discomfort that usually comes with this effect. I was able to listen from my surroundings for longer with fewer interruptions and not experience the kind of fatigue I got used to with tighter buds.

By the way, listening was an enjoyable experience overall. I found the Comfy to offer exceptional clarity and a very pleasant sound at normal listening levels. However, this sound was hit a bit at higher volumes, exposing some dazzlingly bright higher frequencies and a lower end that weren't as clean as I originally expected. However, these observations do not affect overall good sound when it comes to standard listening levels, especially when listening to acoustic tracks. A selection like Midlands Fast Hearts and Slow Towns showed me that if you don't squeeze them too hard, the Comfy earbuds are capable.

Similar to the features of the Comfy, the call quality was good with these earbuds. It just wasn't more remarkable than the countless other true wireless earbuds I've tested before. Both ends of my conversations went down well with the Comfy. But the same goes for the Google Pixel Buds or the Microsoft Surface Earbuds, or … you get it. Even so, perfectly functioning call quality is certainly better than if you handled them extremely poorly, as you would find it with the Raycon E55s.

Our opinion

Know Comfy true wireless earbuds are the ear-friendly buds they are designed for after their namesake. They're good in other areas too, but not good enough to stand out from alternatives in a hugely overcrowded field. If these buds were $ 40 cheaper, they'd suddenly be a lot more attractive. However, their $ 160 price tag makes it especially difficult for them to stand out.

Are there any better alternatives?

The $ 150 RHA TrueConnect 2 has better features for $ 10 less, and while they may not be as comfortable, they look slimmer than the Comfy. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are bulky, less comfortable buds for $ 150, but they have great sound and excellent features that compete with the Comfy. Finally, the Jabra Elite 75t focuses on sound quality but offers good comfort and a slimmer profile.

How long will they last?

The Know Comfy comes with a one year warranty and I can't think of any reason why these buds shouldn't last well beyond that period.

Should you buy it?

If you're looking to invest in a pair of ultra-comfortable earbuds with features that won't let you down, I think the Know Comfy is a great option. However, if convenience isn't high on your wish list, there are better sounding buds with more impressive features at similar prices.

Editor's recommendations