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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-28 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Marshall Major V — biggest strength: 100+ hours of wireless playtime from a single charge, plus a detachable 3.5 mm cable so you can keep listening even when the battery is empty.
• Marshall Major V — biggest trade-off: It's an on-ear design with passive sound isolation only, so your ears are covered and you stay tuned out of what's happening around you.
• Pupabiflor Bone Conduction Headphones — biggest strength: Bone conduction drivers sit outside the ear canal and fire sound through your cheekbones, so your ears stay fully open to traffic, training partners and ambient noise.
• Pupabiflor Bone Conduction Headphones — biggest trade-off: 12 hours of playtime and no audio jack at all, so long trips and wired listening aren't part of the deal.
• Who each pick is for: Marshall Major V for commuters, travellers and desk listeners who want big sound and marathon battery; Pupabiflor for runners, cyclists and gym-goers who need to hear the world while they train.
The Major V is, first and foremost, a battery story. Marshall rates it at 100+ hours of wireless playtime, with a full charge taking around 3 hours. That's the kind of figure that changes how you use headphones — you stop thinking about the charger and start treating them like a grab-and-go pair you can leave in a bag for a week or two without a second thought. A 40 mm dynamic driver, 32 ohm impedance and a 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency range put it firmly in conventional headphone territory rather than anything exotic.
The design backs that up. It's an on-ear, foldable set built from plastic, silicone and fabric, weighing in at 7.84 ounces, and it ships with a carrying case, a USB-C charging cable and a detachable 3.5 mm audio cord. That detachable cable matters: it means the Major V isn't dead the moment the battery runs out, and it opens up wired listening on a plane, in a studio or on a laptop that still has a headphone jack. You also get Bluetooth 5.3 with a 33-foot range, wireless charging, and a customisable M-button that can jump straight to Spotify Tap, your EQ settings or a voice assistant.
Who should skip it? If you run or ride on open roads, the Major V is the wrong tool. It's an isolating on-ear design, so it blocks rather than invites the outside world. And if you want to hear your surroundings, or you hate the pressure of on-ear cups after a few hours, look elsewhere.
Pupabiflor Bone Conduction Headphones: Who It's For
The Pupabiflor set is built around a completely different idea: nothing goes in or over your ear. Bone conduction drivers send audio through your cheekbones while your ear canals stay open, which is the whole point of the category. The frame is titanium — flexible enough to hold a secure fit without clamping — and the earpieces are open-ear by design. For running, cycling, gym sessions and outdoor walks, that means you hear traffic, footsteps, cyclists coming up behind you and anyone talking to you, all while your music or podcast plays.
The spec sheet reads like a sports accessory rather than a home-listening headphone. It's Bluetooth 6.0, wireless only — there's no 3.5 mm jack at all — with a 12-hour battery average life, IPX5 water resistance against sweat and moisture, touch controls, and a built-in microphone for calls. There's no active noise cancelling and no isolation; that's not a shortcoming here, it's the design intent. The listing leans hard into hearing safety and situational awareness, and that framing is honest about what the product is.
Who should buy it? Runners, cyclists, gym regulars and anyone who trains outdoors or in shared spaces and refuses to be cut off from their environment. The open-ear build is also a reasonable option if you find in-ear tips uncomfortable or if you want music during long walks without sealing your ears. The lightweight titanium frame and IPX5 rating are aimed squarely at sweat and movement.
Who should skip it? If your priority is bass weight, isolation or long-haul battery life, this isn't the pair. Twelve hours is fine for a training week, but it's a fraction of what the Major V offers. And with no wired option, once the battery is gone, you're done listening until you charge.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for open-ear safety and awareness → Pupabiflor. Bone conduction keeps your ears open; the Major V isolates you from your surroundings.
• Best for travel and flights → Marshall Major V. Foldable, comes with a case, and the detachable 3.5 mm cable covers in-flight entertainment systems.
• Best for running, cycling and gym work → Pupabiflor. Titanium frame, IPX5 sweat resistance, secure fit and touch controls.
• Best for calls and voice assistants → Marshall Major V. A dedicated microphone, a customisable M-button and app control give you more ways to handle calls and commands.
• Best for wired listening → Marshall Major V. It's the only one of the two with a headphone jack.
• Best for long listening sessions without ear fatigue → Pupabiflor. Open-ear designs don't press on or plug the ear canal, which is the main complaint people have with on-ear cups.
• Best for sound quality as a priority → Marshall Major V. A 40 mm dynamic driver with a 20 Hz–20 kHz range and a tuned signature is built for music; bone conduction trades fidelity for awareness.
In my opinion, most people should buy the Marshall Major V. It's the more versatile product: it plays for 100+ hours, it works wirelessly or wired, it folds into a case, and it's designed for actual music listening rather than as a safety accessory. The one situation where I'd steer you the other way is training outdoors — if you run, ride or lift in places where hearing your surroundings matters, the Pupabiflor Bone Conduction Headphones are the honest choice, and no amount of bass is worth riding blind. Buy the Major V for the desk, the commute and the plane. Buy the Pupabiflor for the road and the gym. If you're only buying one, decide which of those two lives you actually live.
FAQ
You can, but it's not what they're built for. They're wireless-only with no 3.5 mm jack, so you can't plug into in-flight entertainment, and their open-ear design means cabin noise comes straight in. The Major V is the better travel pick, and its detachable cable covers seatback screens.
No. The spec sheet lists no noise control at all, and that's deliberate — bone conduction headphones are designed to let ambient sound in. The Marshall Major V doesn't have active noise cancelling either, but its on-ear cups provide passive sound isolation.
The Pupabiflor, in my opinion. Its lightweight titanium frame sits outside the ear canal, so there's no pressure on the ears during long sessions. The Major V is an on-ear design, which is comfortable for many people but can start to feel warm and pressed after several hours.
Pricing changes often and I don't quote figures here. Check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page before you decide.
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