ANC VS Minor III pattern: Which Marshall earphones suit my needs?

La Rédaction Clubic December 15, 2021 at 10:00 amSponsored byMarshall0 Sponsored by Marshall

No True Wireless headphones are universal. All have their own ergonomics, a unique sound personality, a specific shape or functions adapted to certain uses. Each user has his definition of the ideal product, forged by his preferences. While most brands focus on a single formula, Marshall offers a real choice in its new range of True Wireless. Indeed, the Minor III and the Motif ANC were created to meet these different definitions of the ideal product.

Insulated or open? Two philosophies for two uses

On the one hand, the Motif ANC joins one of the modern trends in the sector, namely the integration of hybrid active noise reduction. This allows you to enjoy, on these very compact headphones, excellent attenuation of ambient noise, from the lowest to the highest frequencies.

Here, the user of the Motif ANC is a user required to go to noisy places (public transport, busy street, etc.). Enjoying your music does not go through the excessive increase in volume, this is where the headphones stand out. In addition, the manufacturer does not only apply automatic noise reduction, it leaves the choice to the user. This can be deactivated, in which case the insulation depends solely on the end pieces. But above all, Marshall also highlights its Transparency mode. This feature makes it possible to recover a large part of the sounds attenuated by these earmolds, and therefore to no longer be cut off from the sound environment. The Transparency and ANC functions are both adjustable in intensity to adapt to different situations.

Unlike the Motif ANC, the Minor III take a much more open path and are intended for users who precisely do not want any insulation. Here, the interest of the headphones is to find a more airy feeling, to hear perfectly the surrounding noises, to have the impression of wearing nothing. The Minor III are logically reserved for those who use their True Wireless in a quiet environment, noisy places making listening much more difficult.

With or without tips?

In order to be the most insulating earphones possible, the Motif ANC display a form that is called in-ear. Holding each earphone in the ear is based on a cannula (stem) on which is placed a silicone tip. By obstructing the auditory canal, this tip/cannula duo guarantees the separation between the ear and the external environment, while ensuring a good hold in the ear. With a very short and therefore non-intrusive cannula, Marshall is aimed at the majority of users. Additionally, three sizes of tips are available with the product.

But as studied as it is, the in-ear form is not suitable for everyone. The simple fact of having a tip in the ear canal puts off some users. The Minor III circumvent this problem since their shape, called earpiece button, precisely frees itself from the tips. Here, the inside of the earpiece is wedged into the hollow of the ear. As for the speaker grille, it is pointed directly at the ear canal.

This design, less widespread, remains essential for all those allergic to in-ear headphones.

Comfort is never universal, which is why Marshall did not restrict itself to a single form of earphone. On the one hand, the cannula and the different tips of the Motif ANC make it possible to cover the vast majority of ear sizes, while ensuring a very good hold. On the other, the Minor III headphones rely on one size, but eliminate the discomfort that ear tips can cause.

Turnkey on one side, application on the other

It may be normal to favor the simplicity of True Wireless, even when this means integrating few functions. Conversely, a very rich ergonomics coupled with many functions, carried by a dedicated application, makes it possible to enrich the user experience. The latter can thus build his headphones à la carte.

The Minor III are clearly going for the simplest, they are the very example of turnkey headphones. When opening the charging box for the first time, a simple window (under Android) allows you to confirm the pairing and associate the headphones with the phone. Simple presses on the stem provide navigation (play/pause/skip tracks) in the playlist. The optical sensors allow the music to be automatically muted once the Minor IIIs are removed.

Difficult to make more accessible. Marshall has created a product that reflects the simplicity of its functions. No noise reduction or Transparency mode, everything is concentrated around the sound quality of the hands-free kit.

The functions of the Motif ANC are much broader, which is why Marshall associates them with its dedicated application, Marshall Headphones. Via its clean interface and totally in the codes of the brand, this application expands the possibilities of the headphones. In addition to adjusting the intensity of ANC and transparency, it is possible to configure the touch controls of the headphones, or even to set up advanced equalization. Plus, with regular updates from Marshall Headphones, new tweaks and features aspire to appear in the future.

Marshall sound in two forms

The brand is aimed at a public who wants to find the Marshall identity in mini format. Thus, we find in both models an energetic sound, but controlled, powerful, but not in excess, the maturity of the rock sound in short. But if the Minor III and Motif ANC develop this same sonic tendency, they are not clones.

On the one hand, the Minor III open headphones allow you to enjoy excellent sound ventilation, as well as an even more balanced acoustic signature. Their very large speaker makes it possible here to compensate for the open structure of the set, which guarantees very extended bass, something particularly rare with this morphology of headphones.

On the other side, the Motif ANC develop a slightly sharper and forward projecting sound. The transducer, smaller than on the Minor III, makes it easier to adapt to the diameter of the cannula. Here again, despite the more classic semi-intra design, the Motif ANC stand out from the crowd by focusing on a synergy between energy and balance.

Marshall Minor III

Marshall Pattern ANC