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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want active noise cancellation, sweat resistance and the longest run time per charge in the most portable package, choose Skullcandy Icon ANC Noise; if you need the biggest battery number on the page, a detachable cable and Marshall's signature bass-forward tuning, choose Marshall Major V.
• Skullcandy Icon ANC Noise — biggest strength: real active noise cancellation plus IPX4 sweat and water resistance, in a flat-folding on-ear shell that weighs 0.24 kg and charges from empty in about an hour.
• Skullcandy Icon ANC Noise — biggest trade-off: its 60-hour figure is quoted with ANC off, so the headline number shrinks the moment you switch the noise cancelling on.
• Marshall Major V — biggest strength: 100+ hours of wireless playtime, a 40 mm dynamic driver and a detachable 3.5 mm cord, so it works wirelessly or wired indefinitely.
• Marshall Major V — biggest trade-off: there is no active noise cancellation here — only sound isolation — and a full charge takes around three hours.
• Who each is for: the Skullcandy is for commuters, gym-goers and travellers who want the outside world turned down; the Marshall is for long-haul listeners who want their music loud, warm and running for days.
The Icon ANC is the more feature-dense of the two, and almost all of that density sits in one place: noise control. This is a true active noise cancelling headphone, not a passive seal. You get three listening states — full ANC, Stay-Aware mode, and off — and the Skullcandy App lets you dial how much of the outside world Stay-Aware actually lets in. That adjustability matters more than it sounds. On a train platform you want everything muted; at a coffee counter you want the barista's voice to cut through without pulling the headphones off your head. The Icon ANC is built for exactly that back-and-forth.
Battery is the second story. Skullcandy quotes up to 60 hours with ANC off, and Rapid Charge gives you roughly four hours of listening from a ten-minute top-up. A full charge from empty takes about an hour. In my opinion that one-hour charge time is the underrated spec here — it is the kind of thing that makes the headphone genuinely travel-ready, because you can plug it in while you pack and leave with a usable charge. The IPX4 rating means sweat and light rain are not a problem, which is why I would point runners, gym users and anyone who commutes on foot toward this one. The flat-folding, collapsible design and the included 3.5 mm AUX cable round out the travel case for it: if the battery ever runs dry, you plug in and keep going.
Marshall Major V: Who It's For
The Major V plays a different game entirely. Marshall's pitch is tone first, endurance second. The brand describes powerful bass, smooth mids and crisp treble, balanced rather than scooped, and the hardware backs the intent: a 40 mm dynamic driver, 105.5 dB sensitivity and a 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency response. Higher sensitivity than the Skullcandy's 97.5 dB means the Major V gets loud easily, which is handy when you are running it off a phone or a laptop headphone jack at the end of a long day. If you like your low end present and your vocals forward, this is the tuning that will feel familiar from the first track.
Then there is the number that defines the product: 100+ hours of wireless playtime. That is not a typo-adjacent marketing flourish; it is the whole reason to buy this headphone. Charge time is about three hours, so it is slower to fill than the Skullcandy, but you do it far less often. Wireless charging is on board too, which removes the cable-fumbling part of the routine. Marshall also equips it with Bluetooth 5.3 and a stated 33-foot range, plus a detachable 3.5 mm audio cord — so if you ever do run it flat, or you want zero-latency wired monitoring, you are covered. The M-button is the other nice touch: one press gets you to Spotify Tap, your EQ, or your voice assistant. It is a small thing that you end up using constantly.
Who should skip it? Anyone whose priority is blocking out engine noise, office chatter or a busy street. The Major V uses sound isolation, not active noise cancellation — it seals, it does not cancel. If you fly a lot or work in a loud open office, that difference is the entire decision. The rugged, foldable build and the plastic-and-square-cup design are aimed at people who toss a headphone in a bag and expect it to survive, not at people who need a silence switch.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for noise cancelling → Skullcandy Icon ANC Noise. It is the only one of the two with active noise cancellation, plus an adjustable Stay-Aware mode.
• Best for the gym, running or wet weather → Skullcandy Icon ANC Noise. IPX4 sweat and water resistance is a real advantage the Marshall does not claim.
• Best for quick top-ups → Skullcandy Icon ANC Noise. About one hour to full charge and roughly four hours of playback from a ten-minute Rapid Charge, against a three-hour charge on the Marshall.
• Best for pure sound-first listening → Marshall Major V. A 40 mm driver, higher 105.5 dB sensitivity and Marshall's bass-forward signature tuning.
• Best for wired flexibility → Marshall Major V. Its 3.5 mm cord is detachable; the Skullcandy ships with an AUX cable but the design is built around wireless use.
• Best for app-based personalization → Skullcandy Icon ANC Noise. Personal Sound by Mimi, EQ tuning and adjustable hearing modes all live in the Skullcandy App.
• Best for travel packing → a genuine toss-up. Both flat-fold and collapse; the Skullcandy is lighter at 0.24 kg, while the Marshall is the more rugged-feeling build.
If I were buying one of these today, I would take the Skullcandy Icon ANC Noise. In my opinion, active noise cancellation plus IPX4 sweat resistance plus a one-hour charge time is the more useful combination for how most people actually listen — on trains, in gyms, on noisy streets. The Marshall Major V is the better pick only if your priority is raw endurance and a bass-forward sound signature you never have to open an app to enjoy. If you already own a quiet environment and just want a headphone that lasts for days, buy the Major V. Otherwise, the Skullcandy does more of the jobs that matter. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that is the one variable that can flip this call.
Yes. The Icon ANC has active noise cancellation with an adjustable Stay-Aware mode, while the Major V relies on passive sound isolation only. If blocking out noise is your main goal, the Skullcandy is the clear choice.
Does the Marshall Major V really last 100 hours?
Both include a 3.5 mm connection. The Marshall Major V has a detachable audio cord, so you can swap or replace it, while the Skullcandy Icon ANC ships with an AUX cable for plugging in when you want to.
That depends on what you value. The Skullcandy gives you active noise cancellation, IPX4 water resistance and faster charging; the Marshall gives you roughly double the wireless playtime, wireless charging and a larger 40 mm driver. Check the current price on Amazon for both and match it against the feature you care about most.
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