Don’t mess with the classics. That is unless you’re going to make them significantly better. That’s the concept behind Marshall’s update of its Major III wireless Bluetooth headphones, the $169 Major III Voice. Virtually identical to the previous version, the new cans now include one-button access to Google Assistant and have a vastly improved battery life. They’re available today on Marshall’s website, as well as selected retailers.
Adding Google Assistant to the Major III makes what was already an easy-to-use set of headphones even easier. Press and hold the dedicated voice button and you can summon Google Assistant for all of your music-related needs, from artists and albums to playlists and podcasts. It will also read your text messages, give you turn-by-turn directions as you wander, and answer your most pressing questions. Android users should already have Google Assistant on their phones, but iOS users will need to download the free Google Assistant app.
When Marshall introduced Bluetooth wireless connectivity as an option on the Major II edition of these headphones, battery life was already at a decent 30 hours. Any set of wireless headphones that can last all day are probably sufficient for most people’s needs. That number only grows with the introduction of the Major III. Mirroring some of the amazing improvements in battery life we’ve seen in true wireless earbuds this year, the Major III Voice delivers a 100% better battery life with 60 hours of wire-free performance.
All of the Major’s best features, like its retro-cool styling and comfortable fit, remain untouched. And though we haven’t had a chance to hear them yet, we’re betting the Major III Voice continues the line’s tradition of offering excellent sound quality for the price. We’re also thrilled that Marshall has kept its unique and intuitive single-button control. It’s a clever design that gives you a directional joystick and a button in one easy-to-use control. Play/pause/volume and track control are all contained within its movements, as is power on/off and phone call management.
We’re looking forward to trying the Marshall Major III Voice ourselves, to see if they indeed live up to the high expectations set by the previous models. They’re $20 more expensive, but we expect the extra battery life and convenience of Google Assistant will go a long way toward justifying it.
