Master & Dynamic is one of the most under rated brands in regards to audiophiles and to prove this, all you have to do is check out the MW60 headphones and their impeccable design – pure eye candy. The Master & Dynamic brand is slowly emerging from the woodworks thanks to state-of-the-art products such as the MW60 Wireless Headphones. Wondering why they have been creating the entire buzz lately? Well, here is a comprehensive review on the MW60’s by Master & Dynamic.
Before delving on what the brand has to offer, it is worth noting that the world is slowly shifting towards wireless technology and for good reason. If you’ve been closely following the latest tech-news, you are probably aware of the fact that Apple has done away with the headphone jack from the iPhone 7. To make up for this, the popular brand is offering a lightning adapter instead, meaning your safest bet of ever listening to quality music again lays in quality wireless headphones such as the MW60’s by the Big Apple-based audio company Master & Dynamic. With the trend and focus shifting to wireless technology this certainly would be the perfect time to try them out.
Unboxing Process
Unlike most headphones which come in a box, the MW60’s are packed in a case that sort of reminds you of those secret agent briefcases you see in the James Bond movies. In fact, the metallic case comes complete with a working combination locking system just in case you doubting the above. In order to craft the cool-looking package to top-notch standards, Master & Dynamic partnered with Zero Halliburton, though, all this will cost some extra bucks of course – worth every penny if you are always on the move. Inside, you get the MW60 headphones of course, a micro USB charging cable, a carrying pouch for the headphones, a 3.5mm audio cable 45mm Neodymium drivers, Omni-directional microphone and the user’s manual.
Build and Design
On the surface, it is highly likely you will fall in love with these headphones from the get go. If you’ve been fortunate enough to set foot in a German-made vehicle, you’ll probably know what it means when we say these headphones pay great attention to detail. The craftsmanship is simply unique – considering that most mobile devices nowadays tend to use plastic in almost everything including the cream of the crop in the niche – Beats and Bose. The MW60’s sport an alluring metallic design in high-strain areas for enhanced durability, with genuine lambskin leather overlays on the earcups and headband – how cool is that? It is the kind of leather that only looks better over time meaning you can only expect great aesthetics over extended periods with these beauties.
True, the MW60s don’t come cheap; however, they do a lot to justify their somewhat costly tag. The buttons complement the overall look very well, being that they are crafted from the same metallic material used on the headphones’ frame. Unfortunately, the aesthetically pleasing design comes at a cost. The metallic frame make the MW60’s kind of heavy even though not to alarming extents.
Battery Life
Well, we all know that any set of headphone worth its salt has to come packing significant battery life and the MW60’s certainly don’t disappoint. According to the brand, these headphones should easily do 16 hours – ours did 14 and a half, which is still pretty solid if you ask me. Generally speaking, though, it should last you a number of commutes before having to juice them up again. That said, the inclusive audio cable should come in handy if you ever find yourself low on charge at any given point in time.
Connectivity
If you thought the MW60’s are your ordinary pair of Bluetooth headphones, well, think again. It is worth noting that these beasts come packing an exclusive antenna attached on the left ear cup intended at boosting the standard range of 30 feet by a whopping four times. While this isn’t necessarily new to the niche, finding a pair of solid headphones with a range of over 100 feet can be a little harder than you think. It should go even further in ranges with no walls.
As impressive as this range sounds, it’s also worth stating that a wall or two can quickly dampen the mood. Things start to get somewhat jumpy when you go up a floor or perhaps, place two walls in between. However, it is still amazing what it can do when paired with a phone within reach – exactly what it was designed for in the first place. The processes are seamless and it shouldn’t be much of a hassle pairing it to your phone or skipping tracks – holding the volume buttons for a second or two.
Smart Features and Controls
As you would expect to find in any wireless accessory, the MW60 headphones sport well-placed control buttons within the comprehensive design. These beasts entail controls for volume, play/pause, track and call answering/ending. Unlike some of the standard products nowadays whereby the controls aren’t given enough thought on where they should be, the MW60’s controls have been perfectly gelled into the design for a perfect finish. Generally, they have been built on the sides and more importantly, have great feedback meaning you won’t switch songs or make calls if you don’t want to.
Sure, every technology has its downside and with wireless technology, it has to be the battery-life factor. In short, what happens when your headphones run out of charge? Well, Master & Dynamic have you covered thanks to 3.5mm cable inclusion that allows users to use them passively when low on battery. In a nutshell, this is perfect for those who rarely have time to charge their gadgets, even though the 16-hours battery life is pretty impressive overall.
The best part, though, is you can now listen to music without having to worry about microphonics – the noise transferred from the cable into the headphones. The MW60’s 3.5mm cables are impeccably insulated using braided cotton to not only enhance flexibility, but also reduce the distortion levels emanating from microphonics. In a nutshell, the audio cable make these headphones a complete package as you don’t need to be always charged in to listen to great music.
Sound Quality
It is safe to say that this is where the MW60’s shine and unlike most premium headphones that are somewhat analytical when it comes to overall sound, these beasts are can be defined as rich. After testing them on a number of portable devices ranging from laptops to tablets and even phones, we found the sound quality to be simply breathtaking. While they aren’t the perfect accessories for noise cancellation purposes, it is hard to hear outside noise unless the volume is really low. If you want to avoid this, try getting those with an effective seal.
The main reason why the sound of the MW60’s is classified as rich is probably because of its unique capability to strike the perfect balance right from the highs to lows. In a nutshell, these aren’t the pair to invest in if you are the finicky character interested in detail – chest thumping bass or precise acoustics. However, they work perfectly for those interested in quality and balanced comprehensive music. What’s the use of buying a vehicle with 900 horsepower, but can’t get through corners without overturning? This is what bass enthusiasts do, because few songs actually lack authentic bass.
The Lows – while the MW60’s aren’t the headphones to deliver that chest thumping bass you yearn, they will give you just enough to keep your head bumping all the way. The lows are somewhat accurate, and to some extent precise. Contrary to common perception, low range is not always about deep bass and in fact, a combination of factors altogether. If you are keen enough, you’ll notice that most cheap headphones pack plenty of bass – filled with distortion – to make up for the somewhat inadequate sound. However, the MW60’s are even and balanced in all ranges and more so, the lows. You get bass in a wide range of low frequencies and you don’t have to worry about the lows overpowering the lyrics as some of those cheap products do. They serve as ideal for hi-hop and reggae lovers, but will do well with just about any genre of music.
The Mid-range – the mids frequencies delivered by the MW60’s turn them into a monster. In short, this is where the money’s at according to our team of experts. Generally speaking, the mids can be defined as the main range - 250-2000Hz - primarily because it’s the sound we mostly hear. With this, it is safe to say that Master & Dynamics got it right when they decided to place more emphasis in this specific range. With the MW60’s you get an impressive amount of precision in the mids that is way better compared to what it achieves in the other frequency ranges. The precision is further enhanced by the effective 45mm Neodymium drivers tuned to deliver unmatched levels of separation unique to headphones. In a nutshell, the vocals came out extremely loud and clear, complemented by precise acoustics that are pretty detailed when compared to other headphones in its price range. In this range, the MW60’s easily outclass competition even those that lay in the upper echelon of the niche.
The Highs – if you want to distinguish what from chuff when it comes to headphones, the high frequencies delivered is where you should look. The MW60’s fare well in this category even though not as good as you would wish. The hi-hats and cymbals in particular are highly detailed and not as harsh as some of those ordinary headphones flooding the market. For the finicky audiophiles, it’s worth mentioning that there was some sort of slight pull on some high notes, though this shouldn’t be much of a problem if you listen to music as a whole – an issue for critics only. While detail should be a paramount factor when shopping for headphones, it is worth noting that detailed high range frequencies can quickly get tiring. This is because most ears aren’t suited to listen to such frequencies for extended periods of time at a go. With this, it is safe to say that the MW60’s sticks to the basics in all aspects.
Verdict
The long and short of it is, the MW60 headphones by Master & Dynamic are pretty impressive in whichever aspect you choose to look at it from. They deliver on decent bass, quality mids and equally impressive high frequencies. The only fault you can lay on them is that they aren’t as comfortable as some of those brands in the upper echelon. However, they make up for this in a huge way when it comes to the sound quality and overall design. If you are looking for quality, cool-looking headphones that won’t let you down whenever you need them most, you know where to look.