Marshall promises improved active noise cancelling, 30 hours of total battery life and a launch price held at 199 euros for its Motif II ANC. In the real world, the street price drops fast at retailers and earbud battery life easily delivers, but active isolation stays shaky on mids and highs according to the three testers we consulted, and nothing in the design specifically targets running.
© Marshall, official photo used for editorial purposes
The Marshall Motif II ANC bet on a well-executed vintage look, compact comfort praised by every tester and earbud battery life that beats the manufacturer's claim. Active noise cancelling improves on the first generation but stays uneven: effective in the lows, limited on voices and highs, and the supplied tips don't suit every ear canal. Not designed for dedicated sports use, they still stay put while running according to one tester, without matching earbuds built for hard efforts.
The market for sport-oriented true wireless earbuds is still dominated by a core of specialist brands and well-known generalist giants: Jabra, JBL, Shokz, Beats, Samsung, Sony and Apple. Marshall, famous for its guitar amps and Bluetooth speakers, has carved out a quieter spot in in-ear headphones with its Motif ANC range, developed by Marshall Group (formerly Zound Industries), which also designs audio products for Urban Ears and Adidas.
The Motif II ANC, a second generation launched in autumn 2023 and still widely sold in France in autumn 2026, had never been reviewed by RunMorph. On paper, these earbuds don't specifically target runners, but they're compact and light enough to end up in a jogger's ears every day. The question that matters: beyond the looks, what are they really worth once you've laced up?
| Brand | Marshall (Marshall Group / Zound Industries) |
| Model | Motif II ANC |
| Launch | October 2023, still on sale in autumn 2026 |
| Type | True wireless in-ear with active noise cancelling |
| Earbud weight | 4.3 g per earbud |
| Case weight | 47 g |
| Driver | 6 mm dynamic driver, 16 Ohm impedance |
| Claimed frequency response | 20 Hz to 20 kHz |
| Water resistance | IPX5 (earbuds), IPX4 (charging case) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3, LE Audio Ready, Google Fast Pair, Multipoint |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC (no aptX or LDAC) |
| Claimed earbud battery life | 6 h with ANC on |
| Claimed total battery life | 30 h with the case (about 4 extra full charges) |
| Charging | USB-C, Qi wireless charging on the case |
| Tips included | 3 silicone sizes (S, M, L) |
| App | Marshall Bluetooth (5-band EQ, ANC settings, partial control customisation) |
| Launch price | €199, typically €135 to €150 at retailers in autumn 2026 |
| Data point | Marshall's claim | Measured by independent testers |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €199 at launch | Typically €134.99 to €149.99 at Cdiscount, Fnac, Darty and Amazon in autumn 2026, up to 32% below the official price |
| Earbud battery life | 6 h with active noise cancelling | Confirmed and even beaten: 6 h 30 to 6 h 40 measured by two testers, one of the rare gaps that works in the manufacturer's favour |
| Active noise cancelling | "Improved active noise cancelling", with no figures | Effective in the lows and low mids, up to 30 dB on some frequencies, but clearly weaker on upper mids and voices according to lab measurements, a point two out of three testers see as a step behind |
| Water resistance and sports use | IPX5 earbuds, shown with a range of use cases | Rating confirmed and tested on a run by one tester with no fall-out, but explicitly judged "not the best in-ear models for sport" |
On earbud battery life and street price, the gap with the claims favours the buyer. On active noise cancelling, the central marketing pitch of this second generation, the measured reality is more nuanced than the deliberately vague wording Marshall uses.
Marshall stays vague on the numbers behind its active noise cancelling, simply calling it "improved" over the first generation, with better wind resistance. Lab measurements run by Clubic confirm real but partial progress: attenuation in the low frequencies and low mids easily passes 20 dB, reaching 30 dB on some specific frequencies, which effectively wipes out engine rumble, wind and background traffic.
Attenuation of the upper mids, which includes the human voice, remains a weak spot flagged by the measurements. Le Labo Fnac, using its own protocol, gives it an isolation score of 6.6/10, with noise cancelling judged weak on mid and high frequencies and an unconvincing Transparency mode. More of a problem according to Clubic: the size L tips, narrower than the competition's, leave some users with wide ear canals with an imperfect seal, which cuts the real-world effectiveness of the ANC for that ear shape.
© Marshall, official photo used for editorial purposes
On comfort, all three testers agree without reservation. The compact button shape, 4.3 g per earbud and short nozzles make these in-ears barely noticeable. Eric Zaccaron's tester even rates them more comfortable over long sessions than pricier models like the Sony WF-1000XM5, a gap you rarely see in this price range.
On fit during effort, the same tester reports a positive experience: "we even managed to test them running without them falling out". Encouraging, but a one-off result, not backed by a pull-out force measurement or a dedicated sports test protocol, unlike running earbuds with hooks or wings. The case is wrapped in the same Tolex-style finish as Marshall amps, tough but with no real ergonomic innovation over the previous generation.
© Marshall, official photo used for editorial purposes
For daily use, commuting or an easy jog where isolation isn't the top priority, the Motif II ANC do the job: light, stable, with battery life to spare. On a long run or in a noisy city where noise cancelling needs to erase traffic and surrounding voices, the measured weakness on upper mids becomes more noticeable. For intervals or a session along a busy road, the lack of a dedicated retention system and the IPX5 rating, less water-resistant than the IP68 of some sports rivals, call for caution in heavy sweat or sustained rain.
Lab measurements point the same way: the Motif II ANC's noise cancelling effectively cuts low frequencies and engine noise, up to 30 dB on some bands, but struggles with upper mids and voices, with an isolation score of 6.6/10 from Fnac. For a runner who mainly wants to block out city traffic or nearby conversations, this gap matters more than it does on the sofa or on public transport.
Only 3 tip sizes included, vs 4 to 5 for most recent rivals, with the L size judged too small for large ear canals. No hook or wing for retention, codecs limited to SBC and AAC with no low-latency option for sport, and Eric Zaccaron's tester puts it bluntly: "not the best in-ear models for sport". IPX5 protects against rain and moderate sweat, but falls short of the IP68 rating of several sports earbuds on the market.
| Criterion | Motif ANC (2021) | Motif II ANC (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Earbud battery life with ANC | 4 h 30 claimed | 6 h claimed (+33%), 6 h 30 to 6 h 40 measured |
| Active noise cancelling | Decent in the lows, limited elsewhere | Stronger in the low frequencies, still limited on mids and highs |
| Design | Black stem tip | Brass-coloured stem tip, larger microphone vent |
| Wear sensor | Cannot be turned off | Can be turned off in the app |
| Launch price | €199 | €199 (price held) |
The simple read: the Motif II ANC mainly improves battery life and fixes a few ergonomic annoyances, without overhauling the audio architecture or the active noise cancelling carried over from the first generation. If you own the original Motif ANC and you're happy with it, there's no urgent reason to upgrade for the ANC alone, but the more generous battery life justifies the switch for heavy daily use.
| Criterion | Marshall Motif II ANC | Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 | Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | €135-199 | Around €200 at launch, frequent discounts | About €220-250 at launch |
| Water resistance | IPX5 earbuds, IPX4 case | IP68, MIL-STD-810H military standard | IP57 |
| Sports design | No dedicated feature, tested informally while running | ShakeGrip, designed specifically for intense sport | Premium all-rounder, not sport-oriented |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC only | SBC, AAC, aptX depending on market | SBC, AAC, Samsung Seamless Codec |
| Positioning | Lifestyle earbuds with a bold look | Rugged sports earbuds, shock- and sweat-resistant | High-end all-rounder, advanced ANC |
The simple read: next to the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2, designed from the ground up for hard training with IP68 sealing and a non-slip coating, the Marshall Motif II ANC remains an all-rounder that tolerates the occasional run without being made for it. Against the Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro, also a high-end all-rounder, the difference comes down mainly to price and ecosystem rather than sporting intent, since neither is built first and foremost for effort.
© Marshall, official photo used for editorial purposes
The IPX4 case and IPX5 earbuds hold up reasonably well to the elements for daily use, with a matte finish that hides visible wear. Marshall says 45% of the product's materials are recyclable, including 70% recycled plastic according to the brand, a figure not independently verified by the testers we consulted.
Money-wise, at an average of €140 at retailers and a claimed total battery life of 30 h with the case, the cost per listening hour before the case needs a full recharge works out to just under €5 per hour of initial battery life. It's a purely indicative calculation that says nothing about real battery lifespan over several years of use, which none of the three testers consulted has documented so far.
If you're mainly after a bold look and everyday comfort, the Motif II ANC do the job on occasional jogs without letting you down on fit. To build a real training plan with regular sessions in all weather, you're better off with earbuds designed for sport, keeping the Motif II ANC for easy runs or off-run use. Check out our RunMorph training plans to structure your sessions, whatever earbuds you use.
© Marshall, official photo used for editorial purposes
The Marshall Motif II ANC keep some of their promises and even beat one: earbud battery life, rarely a strong point in this market, outperforms the manufacturer's claim for two testers out of three. Comfort is close to unanimous, and the street price, often 30% below the official price, makes them a sensible buy if you want stylish all-round earbuds.
RunMorph score: 6.8/10. The weighting leans on suitability for dedicated sports use and on active noise cancelling, the two weakest points measured by testers, rather than on comfort and style, even though those are the brand's main selling points: that imbalance explains a lower score for a regular runner, even if the earbuds remain pleasant to wear.
They stay in place according to one tester who tried them on a run without any fall-out, but they aren't designed specifically for sport: no retention hook, IPX5 only, and 3 tip sizes vs 4 to 5 on dedicated sports earbuds.
Between 6h30 and 6h40 measured by two independent testers, above the 6 h claimed by Marshall, plus about 4 extra charges from the case for a total close to 30 h.
€199 at launch, but commonly found between €134.99 and €149.99 at Cdiscount, Fnac, Darty or Amazon in autumn 2026, up to 32% off the official price.
Partly: up to 30 dB of measured attenuation on low frequencies and engine noise, but an isolation score of only 6.6/10 from Fnac on mids and highs, where most voices and urban noise sit.
No, only SBC and AAC are supported for now. The earbuds are labelled "LE Audio Ready" and could move to the LC3 codec through a future update, with no date confirmed by Marshall.