Lifestyle
Master & Dynamic MW07 Review: Beauty & Performance
True wireless earbud has been the hottest tech wearable trend in 2018 and will likely remain the case heading into 2019. The competitive space is packed with heavy hitters like Sennheiser, Apple, Samsung, Nike, and Jabre each with their unique product claiming their fair share of the market. Enter Master & Dynamic MW07, a true wireless earbud that debut in the later quarter of 2018. With a price tag of $299 and a laundry list of features rivaling every other major player on the market, Masters & Dynamic MW07 is a serious contender in the space.
Master & Dynamic is a New York-based company that launched in 2014 and have since made a name for themselves among the creative community. The company is founded on the belief that their products should be beautiful and built to last without compromising sound quality. And every bit of that philosophy can be seen and felt when unboxing the MW07 for the first time.
Unboxing the MW07
The box is well designed and looks simple, it has almost an Apple feel to it. Upon unboxing, you’re greeted to the usual wires, different silicon ear-wing sizes, manual, and interestingly – a USB-C charger. Not many wireless earbuds come with USB-C charging ports, so it was a surprise to see it on the MW07. They also included an adapter to regular USB for your convenience.
And of course, there’s the unmistakable shiny box that’s housing the earbuds. Its polished steel construction gives both a beautiful yet sturdy feel in your hand. It doesn’t feel flimsy or cheaply made, simply because it wasn’t.
The polished steel case
The polished steel casing deserves some attention. Given the casing is 50% of the product and something you need to carry around all the time, it needs to be well designed and well thought out. And Master & Dynamic absolutely nails the design of the case. It’s easily one of the most beautiful tech gadgets you’ll see this year and easily mistaken as a jewelry case.
It’s polished steel all-around. No complicated buttons, dials, exposed hinges, obnoxious branding, or anything that would distract you. On top, you’ll find the Master & Dynamic logo subtly laser engraved. Other than that, you won’t find MW07 or any branding on the case. After all, why would they need to? The case is already distinctive and unique compared to anything else on the market. There’s no need to shout when your presence is already known.
One downside to the case is that it’s heavy. And that can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. It’s heavy enough to assure you it was built to protect your $299 earbuds, but the weight can be distracting if you plan to carry it out for a jog.
The Case’s Features
The MW07 isn’t flashy, and it isn’t intended to be. That design philosophy can be seen on how the case indicates battery level of the case and of the left and right earpieces. The power indicator is presented by 3 tiny lights on the front of the case. The left and right lights indicate the left and right earbuds. The center light indicates battery level of the case itself.
Opening and closing the case is secured via a solid hinge that doesn’t have much wiggle room and feels sturdy. The magnetic clasp for opening and closing is strong and satisfyingly tight. It’s strong enough to keep everything secure, but not strong enough to be annoying to open with one hand.
On the back is a USB-C port for charging. The MW07 also comes with a regular USB adapter for convenience, a nice touch.
The Earbuds
One thing I appreciate about Master & Dynamic is their subtle branding. The piece feels very personal and the branding is kept to a minimal. The top lid has a minimalistic laser engraving of their logo. Opening the case, you’re greeted to the same subtlety. The earbuds don’t feature any eccentric edges, sharp corners, or exotic flairs. It’s a simple and minimalistic design that’s elegant and stays true to the maker’s design philosophy.
The right earpiece has one button on top. Double click to skip a song and triple click to go back to the previous song. Left earpiece has seesaw buttons for adjusting the sound. There’s no touch sensitive feature or gesture controls. At this price point, I was expecting some level of gesture control or more functionality that their competitors offer.
The Fit
The ribbed wingtip looks weird at first, but it does provide a secure and comfortable fit even while jogging. The MW07 also comes with several other sizes of tips for you to try on. Our tester was able to get a secure and snug fit with the medium size. During jogging sessions, long walks, and a casual day in the city, the Master & Dynamic MW07 managed to stay secure all day. There were a few occasions where it loosen up a bit but never fell out.
The Looks & Performance
Although it fits well, it is highly visible and not something that will go unnoticed. But it does have a simplistic and functional look. There aren’t protruding buttons, weird angles, or ridiculous air vent designs to make it look futuristic or “advanced”. And that choice of design can work for a more sophisticated audience.
And when it comes to sound…my goodness. It absolutely performs as promised and more. The bass is deep, rich, and gives you a nice surround experience without being too overwhelming. Voices and instruments are crystal clear. And the MW07 is surprisingly louder than many other wireless earbuds on the market. There’s plenty of sound to be had and you’ll rarely need to crank the volume to the max just to bypass pedestrian noises on the street.
The 4.2 Bluetooth connection was solid. We never once lost connection, although there were some skipping every now and then when we’re moving and the phone is inside a jacket.
Similar to the Apple Airpods, it auto-detects when you put it on. As soon as you put it on, it auto-connects to your phone (or whichever device you paired it with). That is one thing I personally appreciated about the MW07, was that there was always a seamless connection. I never had to worry about whether it was going to connect. Didn’t have to unpaired and repair in my phone settings. The connection always works, and that’s a major win for a wireless device.
The Battery Life
Battery life is about 3.5hrs and the case can give you 3x charge before it needs to be recharged. Overall, not the best in class in terms of battery life, but during real life testing, we didn’t experience any issues with the battery life.
Final Verdict
The MW07 was made for a very specific audience. It wasn’t designed to impress anyone except those who demand artistic design, elegant engineering, and won’t compromise either for performance. The Master & Dynamic MW07 is a rare species of wireless earbud that’s able to accomplish all 3. From the over-engineered stainless steel case to the beautiful sound it generates, the MW07 is an original and unique animal in it’s own right. It’s not trying to compete with the Apple Airpods or out-feature Jabra or Sennheiser. It’s a beautifully designed, well engineered, reliable, and high performing wireless experience that knows who it’s target is, and priced accordingly. At $299, it’s certainly not cheap. But it’s worth every single penny.