Master & Dynamic MW75 Wireless Headphones Review: Overpriced

Master & Dynamic MW75 wireless headphones leaning against a small plant.

Photo: Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

If you’re looking for the best performance of your wireless headphones, such as good sound quality, comfort, battery life, and noise canceling, you should throw away your earphones and invest in something bigger. Master & Dynamics’ new MW75 Wireless headphones bring all of the above to your table in style, but with an even higher price tag. Apple’s Premium AirPods Max..

It may not be as well-known as the headphone brands Sony, Beats, Apple and Bose, but Master & Dynamic has been around for a long time since it was founded in New York nine years ago with a focus on premium materials and premium sounds. Top of Gizmodo’s recommended list— At least for those who are willing to exaggerate. The Master & Dynamic MW08 True Wireless Earphones The buds are still my personal favorite, but for $ 300, it’s definitely expensive considering what you can do now. Get for less than $ 100.. The same is true for the company’s new over-ear MW75 headphones, but do premium materials and performance really justify the $ 600 price tag?

Improved design to provide a luxurious experience

A few light years away from premium The price of true audio fan gearThe latest release of Master & Dynamic is, first and foremost, a gorgeous product that offers one of the best audio experiences currently available, and could make it a little easier to justify the $ 600 price tag.

A close-up of the Master & Dynamic MW75 headband connected to the right earcup.

Master & Dynamic has changed the way the headband is connected to the earcups for greater flexibility and a better fit.
Photo: Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

An update to the Master & Dynamic MW65, which debuted in May 2019, the MW75 shares many design elements with its predecessor, including the use of aluminum for the earcups, making it durable, durable and lightweight. On the outside of each earcup is a raised glass panel with the company brand surrounded by an aluminum mesh ring to hide the microphone used for active noise canceling.

The MW65 headband connects directly to the top of the raised panels on both sides, while the MW75 connects to the sides of each earcup via an additional angled arm along the curve of the cup. It makes the MW75 aesthetically pleasing, but the earcups can be bent a little further to fit snugly against the sides of the user’s head. All that’s missing (I seriously can’t find it anywhere) is a simple L-label or R-label, so the user knows which way to wear the headphones. If you’re curious about how beautiful it looks, just hide the left and right labels inside the earcups, as Apple did with AirPods Max.

Close-up of Sony WH-1000XM5 earcup next to Master & Dynamic MW75 earcup.

The Master & Dynamic MW75 lambskin-covered earcups (right) provide a thicker pad than the Sony WH-1000XM5s (left).
Photo: Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

The best features of the MW75 are the use of lambskin that covers the padded headband and a thick layer of memory foam for each earcup (much thicker than that used by Sony and Apple). Of course, lambskin feels great and you can understand why the company chose lambskin over synthetic alternatives. Part of Master & Dynamic’s Origin Story includes one of the founders, inspired by 1940s headphones made of metal and leather that are still in great shape after more than 60 years.

Leather will last a long time if properly cared for, Problematic tolls for raising livestock Environmentally friendly, now is the perfect time for even luxury electronics manufacturers to move away from leather and lambskin. With a material like synthetic leather, Sony uses it with WH-1000XM5 It feels as soft as the MW75 lambskin, but the knit material Apple uses for the AirPods Max provides unmatched breathability.

Please give me all the buttons

I continue to be an advocate for companies that push as many buttons into their headphones as possible. I find the voice assistant useful, but I’m not going to talk to Siri or the Google Assistant while I’m on public transport. Also, touch panels often have a learning curve, so I’m not going to concentrate on learning.

Master & Dynamic MW75 right ear cup close-up.

The Master & Dynamic MW75s has a dedicated volume up and volume down button on the right ear cup, as well as a separate button for playback control.
Photo: Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

I want a button, but the MW75 comes with a lot. The earcup on the right has a dedicated volume up button and volume down button, with an elevated button (easily distinguished by touch) to control track playback by pressing once, twice, or three times in between. You can).

Master & Dynamic MW75 left ear cup close-up.

The Master & Dynamic MW75’s left earcup has a power button and a button to switch between ANC modes.
Photo: Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

The left earcup has a power button (which also activates Bluetooth pairing mode) and a dedicated button to switch between the MW75’s ANC mode and the surrounding sound boost mode, or turn them off altogether.

Excellent sound with solid noise canceling

One of my favorite things about Master & Dynamic is that it’s not just a company that hits a premium finish with a pair of regular headphones. The new MW75 sounds great and each earcup has a 40 mm Beryllium driver (same size as the AirPods Max, but the WH-1000XM5 uses a smaller 30 mm driver). In fact, Apple and Sony. I think it’s better than the premium ANC option.Wig Wam’s vocals Ya Wanna Taste It Do Ya Wanna Taste It (As popular as HBO theme song Peacemaker) You can get clear and clear sound through MW75. It’s a busy song, but all layers are clear and separated, from driving the hi-hat to the electric guitar.

The Master & Dynamic MW75 on the left is next to the Sony WH-1000XM5 on the right.

The Master & Dynamic MW75s (left, bottom) ANC cannot compete with the Sony WH-1000XM5s (right, top) highly effective ANC.
Photo: Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

The slightly lower performance of the Master & Dynamic MW75 is active noise canceling. Very good at removing big bites from the roaring bass frequencies of airplane engines heard from inside the cabin ( Simulated through my home theater Setup) But it’s significantly behind AirPods Max’s ANC features, and even behind Sony’s features.For some reason, Sony has determined that ANC is one of the great features of headphones, as evidenced by the impressive impression. WH-1000XM5.. Sony currently packs eight microphones (and two processors dedicated to nooking noise) into its flagship ANC headphones, while Master & Dynamic sticks to just four on the new MW75. The difference is very noticeable, especially given that the WH-1000XM5 is $ 200 cheaper.

Allow room for carry-on baggage

The best reason to choose more expensive headphones with active noise canceling is to drown out all the other sounds that are happening in the cabin, in addition to the sound of the airplane’s engine during long-haul flights.

The carrying case for the Master & Dynamic MW75 is located under the carrying case for the Sony WH-1000XM5.

The Master & Dynamic MW75 carrying case (bottom) is much thicker than the Sony WH-1000XM5 case (top) and will not shrink when the MW75 is removed.
Photo: Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

The MW75 earcups can be folded perfectly flat (opening down), but are actually designed to fit in the same orientation as when mounted inside the included carrying case. .. So the MW75 case is actually one of the bulkiest I’ve ever tested, and unlike the case Sony comes with the WH-1000XM5, it folds thinly when the headphones are removed. You can not.

See the accessories included in the Master & Dynamic MW75 carrying case.

The Master & Dynamic MW75 carrying case contains accessories such as a headphone cable, a charging cable, and an adapter for the headphone jack on the airplane seat.
Photo: Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

As a result, Master & Dynamic makes travel less attractive, especially for those who want to pack as lightly as possible. On the bright side, inside the carrying case is a headphone cable, a USB-C charging cable, and even an adapter for the nasty double-headphone jack that’s been found in airplane seats for decades.

Is Splurge Worth It?

In 2019, when Sony wasn’t too crazy about ANC’s performance and AirPods Max only existed at Apple’s R & D facility, the great MW65 was an easy choice for anyone looking for a great sound in a premium package. .. In 2022, the new MW75 faces fairly fierce competition.

Master & Dynamic MW75 sits alone on a white background.

The Master & Dynamic MW75 looks great and sounds even better, but the unfortunate ANC performance makes it difficult to justify the $ 600 price tag.
Photo: Andrew Liszewski | Gizmodo

If you’re looking for the perfect pair of wireless over-ear headphones to make your return to air travel more peaceful and comfortable $ 400 Sony WH-1000XM5 Still, it’s your best choice, and if you’re all part of the Apple ecosystem and prioritize easy wireless connectivity (and sometimes convenient access to Siri). $ 550 AirPods Max How to go.

The MW75 outperforms both Sony and Apple in terms of sound quality, but at $ 600, I wanted to be amazed by ANC’s performance, but it wasn’t. Despite the premium finish, it makes it difficult to justify expensive price tags. Unlike analog headphones over 60 years ago, which influenced Master & Dynamic when the company was founded, premium build materials that last for decades if the technology in a pair of headphones can become obsolete in just a few seconds. Is now less important year. (( The next evolution of Bluetooth It’s just around the corner. At $ 600, the MW75 really needed to make both Sony and Apple the best in all respects, and it’s unfortunately just shy to that goal.

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