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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for a more affordable option that allows wireless convenience and a solid build quality, consider the Marshall Major IV. They also provide long battery life and are foldable for better portability. However, for an unmatched sound experience favoring precision and a wide soundstage, the Sennheiser HD800S is superior but at a higher cost. The HD800S are open-back headphones, which aren't ideal for noisy environments and don't offer wireless connectivity. The Major IV is suitable for casual everyday use and can handle calls well, while the HD800S is tailored for critical listening and does not include a microphone. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Marshall Major IV
Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD800S
Best in class for music
Good for gaming
Best in class for TV and video
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.6/10
9.9/10
The Sennheiser HD800S is best in class for music, while the Marshall Major IV is only fair.
Gaming
5.4/10
7.5/10
The Sennheiser HD800S is good for gaming, while the Marshall Major IV is poor.
Phone Calls
5.8/10
5.0/10
The Marshall Major IV and Sennheiser HD800S are both poor for phone calls, though the Marshall Major IV is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.1/10
8.1/10
The Sennheiser HD800S is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Marshall Major IV is only fair.
TV and Video
5.7/10
9.7/10
The Sennheiser HD800S is best in class for TV and video, while the Marshall Major IV is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.6/10
2.5/10
The Marshall Major IV and Sennheiser HD800S are both poor for noise reduction, though the Marshall Major IV is somewhat better.
Battery
80.0 Hours
N/A
The Marshall Major IV has 80 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser HD800S does not have a battery.
Cost
$100
$1,400
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Marshall Major IV has a price of $100 and the Sennheiser HD800S costs $1,400.
Build Quality
8.5/10
9.0/10
The Sennheiser HD800S has excellent build quality, while the Marshall Major IV has very good build quality.
"The Marshall Major IV shares quite a bit in common with its predecessor, but a key upgrade appears to be softer ear cushions. They make upgrading worth it. As a set of basic wired or wireless headphones the Major IV ticks most boxes by remaining easy to use, and fairly comfortable (at least, as on-ear headphones go)."
"The cans offer stellar sound quality, comfort, and good maintenance options—so they're an easy recommendation if you have the cash and the need for the last headphones you'll buy for years."
Get a great deal on the Marshall Major IV or the Sennheiser HD800S
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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