True wireless headphones are a dime a dozen nowadays but rather than doing what everyone is doing, Master & Dynamic took a different approach: With the MW07, the company’s first pair of truly wireless headphones, Master & Dynamic focused on the music listening experience, design, and materials.
On paper, the Master & Dynamic MW07 seem like a poor value. Why spend $300 (about £230, Au$414) when you can get the excellent Jabra Elite 65t (or the work-out focused Jabra Active Elite 65t) for almost half the cost?
Having used the MW07 for a month, however, we came away loving what the company has done for its first pair of true wireless headphones – the sound is addictive and the headphones just work, which can’t be said about many true wireless headphones on the market.
Sure, you can get better value elsewhere but for the person looking to stand out from the crowd or simply wants excellent audio quality, the Master & Dynamic MW07 is worth its premium price.
Design
If you want to stand out from the crowd of black, white and gray plastic, these are the headphones to do it. The most striking design element is the acetate finish on the earbuds, which resemble premium eyeglass frames.
The MW07 comes in four different colors: Steel Blue, Tortoiseshell, Matte black, and Grey terrazzo, like our review unit. Additionally, the stainless steel case is mirror polished, making them feel like a premium product. However, the case scratches extremely easily, even if you use the included pouch so be aware. Of course, since the case is stainless steel, you have the option of polishing it if you wish.
Each earbud houses buttons on top; the left has the volume rocker while the right has a single button to control playback, play/pause, and activating your phone’s voice assistance. It’s nice that Master & Dynamic built a dedicated volume rocker instead of relying on users adjusting it on their phones.
To aid with the fit, Master & Dynamic designed unique silicone “Fit Wings,” which help hold the headphones in your ears. Using them, we found the MW07 one of the most comfortable true wireless earbuds we’ve tried. The silicone wings are extremely flexible and don’t extra pressure on our ears.
Hidden away on the earbuds are IR sensors that detect when you remove an earbud, pausing and resuming your music automatically. It’s a nice touch that makes the MW07 a joy to use and we wish more companies would add this feature.
Performance
The Master & Dynamic MW07 are one of the best sounding true wireless headphones we’ve tested and yes, it beats our perennial favorite, the Jabra Elite 65t ... at least when it comes to sound quality.
Music is extremely punchy with a relaxed mid-bass bump that doesn’t overwhelm. Bass as impressive punch and depth while highs have good detail, but are slightly recessed. Mids are lush and do a great job of highlighting vocalist.
Tonally, the MW07 are definitely on the warmer side of neutral but they sound fun while retaining a good level of detail thanks to aptX support. They also get impressively loud without distortion.
While most true wireless headphones sound confined inside your head, the Master & Dynamic MW07 do a respectable job of opening the soundstage. No, you’re not going to get open-back levels of imaging or depth but the MW07 helps music sound like it’s coming from around you instead of coming from inside your head.
Wireless performance for the MW07 is great, though we found the Jabra Elite 65t were a bit stronger thanks to Bluetooth 5.0. Though it's a shame Master & Dynamic couldn’t release the MW07 with the updated spec its headphones retain a reliable connection nonetheless.
Battery life is average with the earbuds themselves lasting a claimed 3.5 hours. We found the number closer to 3 hours in real-world testing. The charging case houses an additional 3 charges for a combined 12 hours of listening (14 hours claimed).
While the battery life is average the addition of USB-C charging means you can get 40% charge in 15 minutes and a full charge in around 40 minutes.
Verdict
Looking at the Master & Dynamic on paper, we wouldn’t blame you for balking at its $300 (about £230, AU$414) asking price. Why would someone spend this much on a pair of headphones that doesn’t offer active noise cancellation, ambient noise passthru or even a mobile app to configure EQ settings?
But once you’ve spent some time with the MW07, you’ll come away loving its sound quality, reliability, and build quality. Master & Dynamic has always charged more for their headphones for their refinement in design and materials, and the MW07 is no exception.
If you’re looking for a stylish pair of earbuds that sound great, the Master & Dynamic MW07 are an excellent choice. For everyone else, the Jabra Elite 65t are the clear value kings while the most extreme budget-minded folks will want to check out the NuForce BE Free5, which can often be found for around $100 (about £75, AU$134).
from TechRadar: Technology reviews https://ift.tt/2ImpNhB
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