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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Marantz Professional Monitor Headphones — biggest strength: a wide 15 Hz–28 kHz frequency range from a 40 mm dynamic driver, a sealed over-ear design that resists leakage, and a 180-degree rotating frame for one-ear monitoring.
• Marantz Professional Monitor Headphones — biggest trade-off: it's a wired-only headphone with no noise cancelling and no microphone, so it won't cut out a plane cabin or handle hands-free calls.
• Fisher Active Noise Cancelling — biggest strength: dual-sensor active noise cancelling rated at 22–25 dB of reduction, Bluetooth 5.3 wireless, a built-in mic and up to 16 hours per charge.
• Fisher Active Noise Cancelling — biggest trade-off: its frequency range tops out at 20 kHz, and it depends on a battery that takes about 2 hours to charge.
• Pick Marantz Professional if you're at a desk, in a studio, gaming, DJing or practising an instrument.
• Pick Fisher if you're commuting, flying, working out or taking calls and want one wireless pair for everything.
The MPH-1 is built around a single clear idea: keep the original sound intact and keep it sealed in. The 40 mm dynamic driver covers 15 Hz to 28 kHz — a genuinely wide spread that reaches well above the 20 kHz ceiling most consumer headphones stop at. That upper extension is exactly what you want when you're listening for detail rather than vibe: cymbals, string overtones, the tail of a reverb. The airtight, enclosed over-ear cups resist sound leakage and block outside noise passively, and Marantz recommends them for vehicles, studios and home use.
The other thing that stands out is the frame. It rotates 180 degrees, which makes one-ear monitoring practical — you can keep one cup on the mix and one ear open to the room. For DJs cueing a track, for musicians tracking a part against a click, for anyone who needs to hear a bandmate mid-take, that's the whole point of the design. The included cable runs about 9.5 ft (2.7 m) and comes with a standard stereo plug adapter, so it reaches from a desk to a mixer and still works with a phone's 3.5 mm jack. Cushions are made for long sessions, and the stainless steel enclosure suggests it's meant to survive being carried around.
Fisher Active Noise Cancelling: Who It's For
The Fisher headset solves a different problem. Its headline feature is active noise cancelling with dual noise sensors and microphones that sample the outside world and cancel it, rated at a reduction depth of 22 dB to 25 dB. That's meaningful for a commuter or a flyer: engine drone, air conditioning, road noise. It's the kind of thing that turns a noisy open-plan office into something workable. The 40 mm drivers use a titanium-plated diaphragm, which the spec sheet credits with deep bass, clear mids and crisp highs, and the response runs 15 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Wireless is the other half of the pitch. Bluetooth 5.3 gives you faster pairing, lower latency and better resistance to interference, with a stated range of about 32.8 feet — plenty for moving between a laptop and a kitchen. The 300 mAh battery is rated for up to 16 hours of playback, and a quick-charge feature gets you several hours from a short top-up; a full charge takes about 2 hours via the included USB-C cable. There's a built-in hands-free mic for calls and voice-assistant control, push-button controls for volume and track skipping, a foldable frame, memory foam ear cups and an adjustable headband. Weight comes in at 6.4 ounces, which keeps head and neck strain down over long sessions.
Who should buy it: travellers, commuters, gym-goers, remote workers on calls all day, students, and anyone who wants one pair for music, podcasts and meetings. Who should skip it: if you need reference-grade monitoring, a rotating cup for one-ear work, or a wired signal path with no charging routine, the Fisher won't replace a proper monitor headphone. Its noise cancelling is also an active system, so it depends on power — no battery, no ANC.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for critical listening and detail → Marantz Professional Monitor Headphones. The 15 Hz–28 kHz range reaches further up the top end than the Fisher's 20 kHz ceiling.
• Best for blocking out the world → Fisher Active Noise Cancelling. Active cancellation of 22–25 dB is something the Marantz simply doesn't offer; the Marantz only isolates passively.
• Best for studio, DJ and instrument work → Marantz Professional Monitor Headphones. The 180-degree swivel frame and 2.7 m cable are made for this.
• Best for travel, gym and commuting → Fisher Active Noise Cancelling. Wireless Bluetooth 5.3, a foldable design, 6.4 oz and up to 16 hours of playback.
• Best for a no-maintenance setup → Marantz Professional Monitor Headphones. Wired means no charging, no pairing, no battery degradation.
• Best for gaming and streaming → Marantz Professional Monitor Headphones if you already have a separate mic; Fisher if you'd rather have the mic built in and go wireless.
• Best for a gift → Fisher Active Noise Cancelling. Its universal Bluetooth compatibility and foldable, all-in-one format make it the easier present to hand over.
In my opinion, these two aren't really competitors — they're answers to different questions. If your priority is sound fidelity, a wired connection you never have to think about, and the flexibility of one-ear monitoring, I'd buy the Marantz Professional Monitor Headphones. If your priority is silence on a plane, hands-free calls and cable-free movement, I'd buy the Fisher Active Noise Cancelling. I'd lean Marantz for anyone at a desk or in a studio, and Fisher for anyone whose headphones leave the house. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit — the numbers move, the use cases don't.
No. They're a wired over-ear headphone with a 3.5 mm jack, a roughly 9.5 ft (2.7 m) cable and a stereo plug adapter for larger jacks. There's no Bluetooth audio pairing in the spec sheet, despite a Bluetooth field appearing in the product data.
Do the Fisher headphones actually cancel noise?
Yes — they use dual noise sensors and active noise cancelling rated at 22 dB to 25 dB of reduction. That's designed for steady background noise like engines and air conditioning. It's an active system, so it needs battery power to work.
It depends on what you mean by better. The Marantz covers a wider 15 Hz–28 kHz range and is tuned for faithful, uncoloured monitoring. The Fisher covers 15 Hz–20 kHz with a titanium-plated diaphragm and a bass-forward tuning. For mixing, I'd take the Marantz; for casual listening and travel, the Fisher.
Up to 16 hours of playback on a single charge, with a quick-charge feature that gives you several hours from a short session. A full charge takes about 2 hours over USB-C.
Both are built for it. The Marantz uses over-ear cushions designed to avoid fatigue during long instrument or work sessions. The Fisher uses memory foam ear cups, an adjustable headband and a 6.4 oz weight to reduce pressure and heat. Fit is personal, so either could win depending on your head.
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