Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Marshall debuts the $179 Mode II, its first true wireless earbuds

Marshall Mode II as worn by Iggy Pop
Marshall Headphones

Marshall, the iconic British guitar amplifier brand, has revealed its first set of true wireless earbuds, the $179 Mode II. The earbuds are available for pre-order today, with shipping starting March 18.

And just in case you’re not obsessively paying attention to tech publications like Digital Trends, Marshall intends to make everyone aware of these new earbuds (plus its $319 Monitor II ANC and $149 Major IV wireless headphones) via a “Never Stop Listening” ad campaign featuring none other than veteran punk rocker Iggy Pop.

Marshall Mode II
Marshall Headphones

We’re not quite sure what to make of the Marshall Mode II. Its price, at $179, suggests that it should be a premium product with premium features, and yet Marshall’s claimed specifications seem a little underwhelming:

  • IPX4 water resistance
  • Tunable EQ via a mobile app
  • Transparency (ambient) mode
  • Five hours of battery life per charge, 25 hours total with the charging case
  • Wireless or USB-C charging
  • Voice assistant compatible

There’s no active noise cancellation (ANC), and no mention of things like auto-pause, touch control customization, single earbud use, or Bluetooth Multipoint, all of which are features we’ve found on true wireless earbuds for the same price or less.

Marshall Mode II
Marshall Headphones

What these specs don’t tell us is how the Mode II will perform in terms of sound quality. If they live up to Marshall’s promise of “growling bass, natural-sounding mids, and crisp treble,” then it’s possible these earbuds will be more than the sum of their parts.

What’s clear from looking at the press photos is that Marshall has found a way to bring its signature, amp-inspired aesthetics to the true wireless earbud category. The charging case uses the same textured finish and instantly recognizable Marshall logo as the company’s line of Bluetooth speakers, which helps to set them apart from the sea of black-encased earbuds you’ll find on Amazon.

In looking at Marshall’s specs for the Mode II, something else becomes immediately apparent: These earbuds and their case are really light — just 44.5 grams in total. That’s lighter than the Apple AirPods with wireless charging case (48 grams), which are some of the lightest true wireless earbuds you can buy.

Marshall was kind enough to pass along a sample of the Mode II, and our first impressions are very positive — these things sound great. Check back with us soon for our full review.

Editors' Recommendations

Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like…
Technics’ new wireless earbuds let you connect three devices at once
Technics EAH-AZ80 in black.

Technics has released two new models of noise-canceling wireless earbuds, and along with the usual improvements in things like sound quality and battery life, the EAH-AZ80 and EAH-AZ60M2 have a unique ability: they are the first wireless earbuds to expand Bluetooth Multipoint from two simultaneous connections to three. This could let you keep the buds connected to two smartphones and a laptop -- or possibly a laptop, a phone, and a TV -- without needing to disconnect and reconnect when you want to change the device you're listening to.

The two models share many features, including wireless charging, which makes its debut on Technics wireless earbuds this year. They're protected against some water exposure via their IPX4 rating, and they're equipped with wear sensors, which enable auto-pause and the playing of music when the earbuds are inserted or removed.

Read more
Sony debuts the WF-C700N, its most affordable noise-canceling earbuds
Sony WF-C700 with charging case.

Sony has announced its latest wireless earbuds, and they bring the cost of the company's excellent active noise cancellation (ANC) technology to a new low price. At $120, the WF-C700N are a step up from the entry-level $100 WF-C500, which lack ANC, yet they're considerably more affordable than the $200 Sony LinkBuds S or the $279 WF-1000XM4, the company's only other ANC models.

The WF-C700N can be preordered immediately in one of four colors (black, white, lavender, and sage green), with an expected delivery date of April 17 to April 18.

Read more
Jabra’s $100 Elite 4 are its most affordable ANC earbuds yet
The Jabra Elite 4 true wireless earbuds.

Jabra today launched the latest member of its flagship Elite line of true wireless earbuds, the step-up Elite 4. Picking up where the popular Jabra Elite 3 left off, the $100 earbuds aren't a huge departure, but add some key new features, such as active noise cancellation (ANC), Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, and Swift Pair linking with Windows PCs.

Jabra's Elite line of true wireless earbuds are top performers for the brand (and some of the best earbuds around, period), with several models of them landing on our top earbud lists over the years, including the stellar Elite 7 Pro and the Elite 85t. Sitting at the more affordable end of Jabra's lineup, 2021's Elite 3s were a great-sounding pair of super-comfortable earbuds with easy-to-use physical controls on each bud, and a wide range of customizable features through the Jabra Sound+ app.

Read more