Want on-ears with the benefits of ANC? Marshalls new headphones could be the perfect fit heres how I rate them after weeks of testing

Date:
Tue, 19 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Description:
I tested Marshalls new on-ear headphones, and they seriously impressed me
with top-tier comfort, incredible battery life, and a sustainable build.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Marshall
Milton ANC: two-minute review The Marshall Milton ANC brilliantly fuse everything I loved about the company's Major and Monitor models. They combine the iconic on-ear look of Marshalls most popular headphones with the noise-cancelling capabilities and rich feature-set of their pricier
over-ears, but for an official price of $229 / 179 / AU$329. This combination has resulted in something that ranks among the best on-ear headphones , and that perform well across (the vast majority of) the board. Just at a glance, the Milton ANC clearly stand as a middle point between their two siblings.
For example, they have the PU-leather and golden detailing, alongside the exposed wires design elements I loved on the Marshall Monitor III ANC . However, their on-ear build and smaller sized earcups are likely to appeal to fans of the Major line. Latest Videos From

Of course, the Milton also bring active noise cancellation to the on-ear
form, and they pull this off pretty well overall. There are some limitations to how effective ANC is the lack of a full seal around the ears means that some harsher sounds will still seep in with relative ease.

However, I used the Milton on a flight, and they dulled the sound of a jet engine and surrounding chatter very well, enabling me to enjoy my tunes without many distractions, which isn't always the case with on-ears.

Marshall also aimed to level up its on-ear sound quality with the Milton, and Id argue that they sound very decent for the price you pay. Some may find
them to be a little bass-heavy out of the box, and they arent the most expressive-sounding headphones Ive ever used but a custom EQ can remedy the first point, and its also important to remember that these are moderately priced on-ears, not $400 / 350 over-ears.

The Milton offer energetic, clean, and relatively spacious sound, and perform well across various genres, and they even bring LDAC and USB-C audio to the table. The LDAC codec enables higher-res Bluetooth listening, and the Milton is the first Marshall product its featured on. Meanwhile, USB-C or USB-C to 3.5mm wired connectivity provides the highest-fidelity audio possible, and
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One thing I really admired about these on-ears was their sustainable design. Theyre made of 42% recycled materials (by weight), and multiple parts of the headphones are replaceable. You can also easily screw off the ear cups and replace a battery if need be. And this doesn't come at the cost of good looks
the Milton ANC effortlessly pull of the retro-style Marshall look.

These on-ears are also very plentiful in the battery life domain. You can get up to 80 hours of listening time with ANC off, and an admirable 50 hours with noise cancelling on, which is even better than the high-performing Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 . Battery health settings are also accessible in the Marshall Bluetooth app, which I found to be relatively user-friendly, despite a few loading issues.

Perhaps the very best thing about the Milton ANC, though, is their almost weightless feel in use. Id say that the Milton are the most comfortable
on-ear headphones Ive used in my entire life Im usually more of an over-ear fan, but sometimes I even forgot I was wearing these headphones.

Ultimately, then, the Marshall Milton ANC are an accomplished pair of on-ear headphones that perform well where it matters most. They arent quite perfect I wouldve liked to have seen wear detection on-board, and there are some limitations in terms of sound and ANC. But for the price you pay, I think these headphones are well worth the investment. (Image credit: Future) Marshall Milton ANC review: price and availability List price of $229 /
179.99 / AU$329 Released on Marshall website on May 19, 2026 Coming to select retailers on May 27, 2026 The Marshall Milton ANC are available for $229 / 179.99 / AU$329, placing them directly between Marshalls budget-friendly on-ears, the Major V, and their premium over-ears, the Monitor III ANC. They are currently available in Black only.

The Milton ANC were released on Marshalls website on 19 May 2026, but will be available from select retailers starting on May 27, 2026. Marshall Milton ANC review: specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Drivers

32mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

50 hours ANC on; 80 hours ANC off

Weight

200g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz (Image credit: Future) Marshall Milton ANC review: features Colossal battery life of up to 80 hours with ANC off Lossless wired audio and LDAC for higher-res Bluetooth listening Commendable yet inherently limited noise cancellation The Marshall Milton ANC are overflowing with features, including some that Marshall has never offered in its products before.

One exciting addition is LDAC, which enables you to stream higher-res audio over Bluetooth, from a compatible device. Of course, Bluetooth audio is still inherently lossy, but if you want the best quality possible, you can connect your device to the Milton via USB-C for wired audio theres even a USB-C to 3.5mm cable in the box.

The Milton ANC also bring support for Apple Find My and Google Find Hub, making it easy to locate your on-ears if youve forgotten their whereabouts.

A lot of the good stuff we saw on the Monitor III ANC features here too, including a five-band equalizer alongside a handful of presets, a
customizable M button, and Auracast connectivity. You can access all of this in the Marshall Bluetooth app, which is well laid-out, but prone to a few loading issues in my experience.

I was pleased to see the Soundstage mode make a return, which is intended to make your sound more spacious. This works nicely, and I found myself using it pretty often. The effects arent as drastic as you get from some headphones spatial audio options, but you can adjust the metaphorical room size and amount that you want to employ spatial sound. For me, a medium room at 80%
was the sweet spot.

Lets also talk about battery life something Marshall has been leading the
way with on its Bluetooth speakers like the Kilburn III and Bromley 750 . Things are no different on the Milton. You get a whopping 80 hours of
playtime with ANC off, and a still-great 50 hours with noise cancelling active.

Thats considerably more than a lot of premium over-ear headphones, such as
the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 or Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 can offer.

In-line with upcoming EU regulations, the battery will be readily removable and replaceable. Repairs and replacements are available through Marshall directly, as part of the companys aim to deliver more sustainable tech.

I think its about time we go to the main event, though, and discuss ANC. When I attended the launch of these headphones, Marshall stated that the Milton were designed to push ANC performance further than on-ear headphones have
gone before.

And I have to say, the Milton offer pretty solid noise cancelling
capabilities all things considered. Even while on a flight, the rumble of a jet engine and of general chatter was dulled pretty effectively. These headphones dont fully cover your ears, so there are limitations to what they can do, and on occasion, Ive still been able to hear sounds like cars passing by or babies screaming when out and about.

Still, its neat to see ANC on some Marshall on-ears. The adaptive ANC is paired with a dynamic loudness feature, which adjusts audio playback
depending on the noise level in your vicinity. If things are getting noisy, the headphones will raise the bass and lower the mids the idea is to "to energize listening sessions no matter what", though obviously this is great for running tracks to keep you pushing, and less so for podcasts.

Theres also a transparency mode if you want to be more aware of your surroundings when out and about, as well as battery preservation options to extend the long-term lifespan of the headphones.

Marshall has rammed these on-ears with just about every feature you could
want well, just about . I wouldve liked to have seen wear detection included, so that my music automatically pauses when I take the Milton off it's pretty standard fare these days. Otherwise, though, their features suite is golden. Features score: 4.5 / 5 (Image credit: Future) Marshall Milton ANC review: sound quality Clean, energetic sound Bass is a little heavy-handed out of the box Enjoyable, spacious sound with Soundstage mode active Out of the box, the Marshall Milton ANC offers an energetic sound signature, and I was instantly struck by the hard-hitting bass. For some, the low-end may feel a little over-emphasized and with more stripped back, acoustic tracks, I preferred using a custom EQ with a slight bump in the mids and some reduction down low.

However, I think that the signature sound will be a hit with a lot of listeners the meaty bass was great for tracks like Authentic Computers 2.0
by Kolter. The pumping bass came through with seismic impact, but didnt sound lethargic, and never obscured synths or vocals in the midrange. Meanwhile, drums higher in the frequency range sounded expressive yet controlled,
helping to maintain the tracks high energy.

With more acoustic, laid-back tunes like Get It Up For Love by Ned Doheny,
the Milton continued to perform well. Acoustic guitars in the build-up didnt have top-tier expressiveness and detail of premium over-ears like the Sony WH-1000XM6 , but they remained nice and clear in the mix, and intertwined
with soulful vocals with elegance. Again, percussion was brilliantly balanced in the mix, and this even remained true at top volumes.

By default, the Milton ANC offer a solid soundstage, with a decent amount of width and immersion. However, if you make use of the Soundstage feature in
the Marshall Bluetooth app, you can get more three-dimensional, spacious audio.

When listening to Down East by Sadao Watanabe, it really did seem as if sound had been released into a virtual room the leading saxophone had more space
to work its magic, while percussion felt as if it occupied a more distinct pocket.

I've flagged this in the Features section above, but I was also delighted to see LDAC make an appearance on a Marshall product, and it opened up more intricate detailing when listening to higher-res files on Tidal. Nothing is going to beat USB-C audio passthrough, however, which provides lossless quality via a wired connection.

Even using a more basic Bluetooth codec like AAC, though, the Marshall Milton ANC are a very solid-sounding pair of on-ears. They wont astonish audiophiles with perfect instrument separation or top-tier attention to detail, but their engaging and energetic sound is sure to appeal to many.

On top of this, the Milton offer commendable mic quality, with four of the total six microphones being used for clear calls. I tried recording my voice and was very satisfied with the clarity of my speech throughout. Sound
quality score: 4 / 5 (Image credit: Future) Marshall Milton ANC review:
design Repairable and made of 42% recycled material Plush earcups are super-comfortable Beautiful retro-style look Ive mentioned a couple of times how Marshall is aiming to produce more sustainable technology at the moment, and the Milton ANC are a glowing example of that.

First of all, they contain 42% recycled material (by weight), which is a pretty significant proportion. On top of that, multiple parts of the Milton are replaceable, and Marshall can service the headphones or sell replacement parts when needed. The earcups also use bayonet locking, making them simple
to screw off and on, and under the left earcup, you can easily unscrew a
panel to replace the headphones battery.

Its not all about sustainability though the Marshall Milton ANC are brilliantly designed right across the board.

The earcups are more plush than those featuring on the Major V, and its incredibly apparent. They feel amazingly soft in use, and fit on my ears perfectly. The headband also feels relaxed, and never clamped down too hard, while still remaining secure.

Combine these two factors, and the Marshall Milton ANC are, without question, the most comfortable on-ear headphones Ive ever used. Ive used them for all-day use at the office, and never felt agitated or uncomfortable, which is a huge plus.

These headphones also look great in my opinion. The faux-leather casing, the golden Marshall logo, the exposed wires these headphones nail the retro-style and look pretty premium for the price. The multi-directional button for playback control is attractive too, and was easy to use whenever I wanted to pump up the volume or skip a track.

Marshall has made a real effort to stress the ruggedness of the Milton, and I have to say they do feel pretty hardy. The practical draw-string case also helps to keep them safe against any tumbles or liquid splashes.

Speaking of which, the Milton ANC do not have a waterproof rating, which is a bit of a shame given their focus on durability and longevity. Dont get me wrong: this is pretty common for headphones, but it would be nice to see a player like Marshall start adding IP ratings to its on-ear and over-ear products. Despite this, Marshall told me that the Milton were tested for higher humidity conditions and should be able to survive the odd raindrop,
for example. Design score: 4.5 / 5 (Image credit: Future) Marshall Milton ANC review: Value Well-priced against the competition Incredible comfort, solid sound, and loads of features A great middle point between the Major V and Monitor III ANC The Marshall Milton ANC are well priced against a lot of the competition. For instance, the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100, which offer ANC, a similar amount of battery life, and similarly strong audio, are priced at
$229 / 199 / AU$314.

On top of that, the Milton fit perfectly between Marshalls more budget-friendly on-ears, the Major V, and its premium over-ears, the Monitor III ANC. The former will typically set you back $149 / 129 / AU$259, and the latter have a list price of $349 / 299 / AU$569.

The Milton offer the form-factor and compact style of the Major V, while cramming in a lot of the smart features and noise-cancelling capabilities of the Monitor III, neatly fusing what makes their sibling models so appealing.

And just overall, I think youre getting good overall quality for the money
you spend. With top-tier comfort, plenty of playtime, and a sustainable design, the Milton ANC feel like a worthy investment.

Are they the best sounding headphones ever? Perhaps not they lack the detail and balance that some competitors can supply. But still, these are hardly the most expensive on-ears out there, and their energetic sound signature is sure to appeal to a large proportion of the market. Value score: 4.5 / 5 (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Marshall Milton ANC? Swipe to scroll horizontally

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Higher-res Bluetooth audio, great battery life, solid ANC; where's the wear detection?

4.5/5

Sound quality

Clean, energetic sound with LDAC and wired lossless, but could sound more balanced and detailed.

4/5

Design

Sustainable, durable construction with an iconic, enticing look, and best-in-class comfort.

4.5/5

Value

Well-priced against competition and not short on all-round quality.

4.5/5 Buy them if You want maximum comfort The Marshall Milton ANC are, without a doubt, the comfiest on-ear headphones Ive ever tested. They never clamp too heavily, and the plush earcups ensure that youll be able to enjoy your tunes for hours on end. Youre looking for on-ears with noise-cancelling capabilities A big positive about the Milton compared to a model like the Marshall Major V, is that they come with adaptive noise cancelling. That
means that you can block the outside world out to decent effect, and the headphones can even adjust ANC levels depending on the noise levels in your environment. Dont buy them if You want the best sound quality available Although the Milton offer very decent sound for the price you pay, they dont offer the most nuanced or detailed sound Ive ever heard from a pair of headphones. For the best sound quality, it may be worth looking to the over-ear market, and going with a pair like the Sennheiser Momentum 4
Wireless . Youre looking for a budget pair of headphones Although the Milton arent massively expensive, especially for the quality on offer, you can certainly nab great quality headphones for less. In the over-ear category,
its worth checking out cans like the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 and the
Soundcore Space 2 . But if you want to stick with on-ears, Id recommend
taking a look at the Sony WH-CH520, listed below. Marshall Milton ANC review: Also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell - Column 0

Marshall Milton ANC

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100

Sony WH-CH520

Price

$229 / 179 / AU$329

$229 / 199 / AU$314

$60 / 60 / AU$99

Drivers

32mm dynamic

45mm dynamic

30mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

No

Battery life

50 hours ANC on; 80 hours ANC off

40 hours ANC on; 60 hours ANC off

50 hours

Weight

200g

220g

137g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.2

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

20Hz-22kHz

20Hz-20kHz Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 We rated these on-ears from Beyerdynamic pretty highly when we tested them last year and, as a result, they made the cut in our guide to the best on-ear headphones . With impressive ANC, strong battery life, and beautiful looks, theres a lot to like about these headphones, although we did wish they sounded a little more detailed. Read
our full Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 review . Sony WH-CH520 If on-ears are your thing, but you dont want to spend upwards of $200 / 150, then the super-cheap Sony WH-CH520 could be perfect for you. They dont feature active noise cancelling or fancy looks, but what they do provide is solid sound quality, plenty of playtime, and upscaling for lower-res audio files. Read our full Sony WH-CH520 review . How I tested the Marshall Milton ANC (Image credit: Future) Tested over the course of multiple weeks Used on a flight, public transport, and on walks Predominantly streamed music on Tidal I spent weeks testing the Marshall Milton ANC, taking them with me just about everywhere I went. I used them on a flight, train journeys, my daily walks, and while working away at the office.

When listening to music, I used Tidal to experience the headphones higher-resolution capabilities, but I also dipped into Spotify from time to time. As always, I used the TechRadar testing playlist , which features songs from a wide variety of genres, but I also spent hours bumping tunes from my personal library.

More generally, Ive spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, and
have tackled everything from premium headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6 through to small Bluetooth speakers like the Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2 . Ive also tested a whole lot of Marshall products, including headphones such as
the Marshall Monitor III ANC and soundbars like the Marshall Heston 60 . Read more about how we test First reviewed: May 2026



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