Marshall Minor II Bluetooth Earphone review

[dalethorn 0]

Here's an interesting earphone - similar to the Airpods insofar as the earpieces do not go into the ear canals, but different in having a much more secure fit, yet the sound is a mixture - deep bass no better than Airpods, but from the upper bass to the top end much more like a typical IEM.

http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/community/threads/marshall-minor-ii-bluetooth-earphone-review.4549/

 

[dalethorn 0]

And now for phase 3 of my Marshall Minor II ('Minor2') Bluetooth earphone review. As noted above, I use a minimum amount of EQ with earphones that need it, in an attempt to bring them closer to the sound of live acoustic music**. This doesn't always succeed, either because the equalizer is too limited, or the curve I apply doesn't work for some reason. In this case it worked well, but be aware that a user's experience can vary greatly with pod-style earphones like the Minor2.

 

**I'd prefer that my earphones sound truly neutral, with as little EQ modification as possible, but in the end I get there only about half of the time. In the other cases, I either give up or settle for a "warm-neutral" result that's satisfactory for most genres.

 

The ultimate test for me is when the earphone has good frequency extension on both ends with no apparent distortion, a tonally accurate midrange that blends well with the bass and treble, and plays equally well with all of my favorite tracks in multiple genres. The Minor2 does very well for me in this regard - all the more amazing given that it's designed to be a pod-type Bluetooth earphone.

 

Above & Beyond - We're All We Need (feat. Zoe Johnston): A very nice tight but impactful bass with crystal clear vocals - the Minor2 plays this with great ambiance.

 

Anamanaguchi - Planet: A complex mix of percussion sounds and hummed vocals. The bells and other high-frequency percussion are highly detailed, the bass line has average weight, and the bass detail is excellent.

 

Armin van Buuren - J'ai Envie de Toi (Orig Mix feat Gaia): Good bass impacts, breathy vocals, lots of fun noise - the Minor2 plays this perfectly.

 

Avicii - Feeling Good: Classic female vocal in movie-theme style - the Minor2 brings this to life like few other earphones I've heard.

 

Carl Kennedy-Tommy Trash ft Rosie Henshaw - Blackwater (Original Master): Nice strong tight bass impacts, female vocal, rendered delectably by the Minor2.

 

Crystal Castles - Wrath of God: Atmospheric tune with vocal sound effects and strong bass line, plus some unique treble percussion sounds. The Minor2 brings these unique sounds to life.

 

Digitalism - Pogo: A driving beat with a detailed bass synth and great vocals ("There's something in the air...") - the Minor2 makes this very enjoyable.

 

Dino Lenny-Lino Di Meglio - We Will Make It: Atmospheric tune with mixed vocals - the female vocal is a special treat with the Minor2.

 

DJ Shadow - Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt: High-pitched tones and strong deep piano chords with a hummed female vocal - ultra-cool with the Minor2.

 

Fairmont - Poble Sec: Awesome detailed bass impacts with some nifty pingy guitar/synth effects. I discovered this tune at the time I purchased my 3rd v-moda M100 - the Minor2 makes this just as enjoyable.

 

Giuseppe Ottaviani - Lost for Words (On Air Mix feat Amba Shepherd): Strong bass impacts behind a female voice - a large-scale sweeping sonic image reminiscent of epic adventures in an exotic land. The Minor2 is playing on a whole new level here.

 

Hecq - Enceladus (With Skyence): Prodigious deep bass and clean at that. This tune's melody is more abstract than most of the others here, but the Minor2 makes it a real adventure.

 

Katy B - Crying For No Reason (Tom Shorterz Remix): Oh myyyyy, I love Katy B. The vocal mix here is awesome and the bass is solid. This is the Minor2 at its best.

 

Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch: I first heard this in The September Issue film and soundtrack, as the backdrop for the opening catwalk (watch Andre grinning at 1:51 - all you need to know) - the Minor2 plays this amazing tune perfectly.

 

Lee and Malinda - Truth Will Set You Free (V-Moda Mix): Lee Kalt is the master, this is the masterpiece. The drum (or tom-tom) hits here have a very realistic skin-tone, the female vocal is seamlessly integrated into the driving beat, and the synth effects also blend well - the Minor2 just owns this.

 

Markus Schulz - Mainstage: The granddaddy of bass is in this track, and the Minor2 plays it smooth and clean.