Marshall Major over-ear headphones

Up to eleven

So much for looks and comfort, but the most important aspect of any pair of cans, especially when they cost 90 quid, is audio fidelity. I tested the Majors on a variety of different kit, listening to digital audio encoded at different bit rates and qualities.

When hooked up to an iMac listening to music encoded with Apple’s Lossless codec, they sounded magnificent. Detail was picked out with precision and care. The acoustic guitar intro to Big Star’s Watch the Sunrise, for example, was bright and punchy, exhilarating, even.

Iconic brand

John Paul Jones’ bass on Led Zeppelin’s Dazed and Confused was delivered perfectly without overpowering the speaker drivers, and on Black Dog, Jimmy Page’s Les Paul cut through John Bonham’s snare with the detail in each brought to life.

If these headphones are at their best delivering loud rock music, they handle acoustic tones with just as much aplomb.

My only criticism is that for £90, I’d like a case too.

Verdict

If you’re a headphone purist and wouldn’t dream of hooking up a pair of closed-back cans to your hi-fi, these aren’t for you. But for the rest of us, who want a versatile, easy to transport pair of headphones which sound terrific, they’re hard to beat. ®

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