Marshall has launched the Milton A.N.C., a new pair of wireless on-ear headphones that combine adaptive noise cancelling with up to 80 hours of playtime. Available now from marshall.com at £179.99, they arrive at select retailers from 27th May.
The Milton A.N.C. is Marshall’s answer to the growing demand for portable headphones that don’t compromise on features. While over-ear ANC cans tend to offer more passive isolation through their bulk, Marshall has gone a different route here, enlarging the ear cushions and fitting them with memory foam to improve comfort and noise attenuation in a foldable, on-ear form factor. The result is a headphone that fits in a bag without fuss but still delivers what the brand is calling next-generation adaptive ANC, which analyses the surrounding environment and adjusts noise cancellation in real time, rather than relying on preset modes.
The headline spec is the battery life. With ANC switched off, the Milton A.N.C. offers up to 80 hours of wireless playtime from a single charge, dropping to 50-plus hours with ANC active. A full recharge takes two hours. For context, 80 hours is more than three full days of continuous audio, and comfortably covers several weeks’ worth of commuting.
This is also the first set of Marshall headphones to carry a High-Res Audio certification, with a frequency response of 20Hz to 40kHz and a newly developed 32mm driver system tuned specifically to improve bass and treble extension. Nicolas Pignier Delafontaine, Senior Manager of Audio and Acoustics at Marshall Group, says the driver system was designed to deliver “dynamic Hi-Res audio with rich details,” complemented by six microphones optimally placed for both ANC performance and call quality.
Two smart audio features make their debut on the Milton A.N.C. Adaptive Loudness automatically adjusts playback tonality depending on volume and environment, a feature designed to maintain bass and detail even at low listening levels. Soundstage Spatial Audio, Marshall’s in-house spatialisation algorithm, can be activated via the Marshall app to add depth and width to any stereo track.
Connectivity is built around Bluetooth 6.0 with LE Audio, and the headphones support SBC, AAC, LC3 and LDAC codecs. A customisable M-button lets users toggle between ANC and Transparency mode, switch EQ settings, or jump directly into a Spotify playlist or voice assistant without picking up their phone.
On the sustainability side, the Milton A.N.C. is constructed with 42% recycled material by weight, including post-consumer recycled plastics, metals and rare-earth elements. The battery is replaceable, in line with Marshall’s broader commitment to repairability.
Evelina Lindström, Product Manager at Marshall Group, said: “With Milton A.N.C. we have created a premium, yet durable headphone that is easy to bring with you wherever life takes you. The combination of adaptive ANC with 80 hours battery life is guaranteed to take on-the-go music listening sessions to the next level.”
Marshall’s loyalty programme, Amplify, also runs alongside the launch. Members earn points on purchases and Marshall commits an amount equal to 1% of member purchases to support grassroots music, beginning with independent music venues. More information is available at marshall.com/amplify.
Milton A.N.C. at a glance:
- Price: £179.99 (also $229.99 / €199)
- Available now: marshall.com
- In-store from: 27th May at select retailers
- Driver: 32mm, 99.3dB sensitivity, 32 ohm
- Battery: 80 hours (no ANC) / 50+ hours (ANC on)
- Charge time: 120 minutes
- Bluetooth: 6.0 with LE Audio, LDAC, AAC, SBC, LC3
- Weight: 200g
- Certification: Hi-Res Audio
Image credits: Marshall
In this article: Bluetooth, LDAC, LE Audio, Spotify. Generated by Wikidata Schema Link Builder.
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