Master & Dynamic MW65 Active Noise-Cancelling (Anc) Wireless Headphones – Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones with Mic, Silver Metal/ Brown Leather

About me. I listen to headphones to enjoy music at a high level of quality. So I'm willing to pay a little more to find a fairly neutral sound signature with slightly emphasized bass, mids that are not too recessed, and detailed highs that aren't harsh. In my opinion, the Master & Dynamics MW65 are one of the best sounding headphones I have ever listened to. They are on par with my Drop HD6XX (Sennheiser collaboration), which based on audiophile reviews are considered a reference standard. These are in fact so good, that I have virtually stopped using my IEMs (which I preferred) and now use the MW65s indoors and outdoors. Bottom line, if you favor sound quality over noise canceling, these are an amazing set of headphones. But what really sets these apart is that with the active noise canceling turned on, the sound quality is only slightly lower. I've owned and tested Bose, Sony, Audio-Technica, and Sennheiser noise canceling headphones and none has as good of a sound quality as the Master & Dynamic MW65; especially when the noise canceling is turned on. Nor does the noise canceling create an overpowering or uncomfortable pressure on the ear. The Bose and Sony will provide better noise canceling, but not better audio quality. The sound quality is fairly neutral, with a slight sub-bass emphasis. The detail and imaging is very good, but slightly less than you would get with planars or a high-end set of headphones. But the musicality, tone, imaging, sound stage, and overall sound signature is near perfect. They are light, very comfortable, and look stunning. The build is solid using high quality materials. And did I say they look incredible? What else do I like? Fast USB-C charging, long battery life, comfortable ear pads, the option to listen to them wired without consuming battery charge, and easy to use button controls. The touch pad, gesture user interface on some of the newer products is a bit confusing. I'm sure I would have become used to them, but the tactile feel of a physical button makes them easy to locate and more comfortable to use. These are definitely on the higher end, unless you can pick up a "Like New" product, which I did. No problems whatsoever, and I saved $200. But the combination of excellent sound with very good noise canceling, the option to listen to them wired, USB-C charging, and a luxury look makes these a very good buy. Highly recommended!

After reading several online articles on the best wireless ANC headphones in the $300-400 range, I chose three to try out: - Sony WH-1000XM4 - Master & Dynamic MW65 - Bowers & Wilkins PX7 The Sony pair arrived first and my initial thought was that although they had plenty of cool bells & whistles (touch sensitive volume control, automatic pause when removing them from your head) and the ANC was very effective, they sounded surprisingly flat. Even after trying various EQ settings within the Sony app and on my iPhone, the sound was decent but just not good enough for a $350 pair of headphones. And the most important thing to me with headphones is sound quality. I couldn't help but wonder why these headphones had such great reviews on sound quality when to my ears they just sound dull. All bass and mid, very little clarity of treble. To me, it seems the majority of the money for this pair went into the fancy features and not to the sound quality. Next came the Master & Dynamic MW65 -- a newer company based out of NYC I hadn't heard of until this week. Besides the absolutely stunning design (not the most important thing to me honestly) I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the full, rich sound and crystal clear quality of the audio -- especially on the high end. An absolutely beautiful, well balanced, natural sound -- unlike the Sony's. Bass and midrange are important of course, and these have plenty of low end punch, but if you're like me and you want a precise, clear, open treble (so you can really hear all those delicate cymbals and high hats), then these will delight you. To be fair, they do not have many of the fancy features of other headphones in this price range (and they don't come with an app, which is fine by me), and the ANC isn't quite as effective as the Sony's. But a more subtle ANC is also what keeps the music sounding so great. They're also the only pair of the three that didn't come with a hard case (the case is soft), so to protect these I'm going to spend another $25 on a case. They're worth it. I only wish these were super soft over-ear phones instead of on-ear phones. The earpad leather is very soft and they are definitely comfortable (even to a man with big ears like mine), but I feel after hours of usage an over-ear set would be more comfortable. Finally the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 arrived. I had high hopes for these because of their reviews, and the reputation of B&W for many years running. So I was as surprised as I could possibly be when I put them on and they sounded as flat and dull as the Sony's. In fact, after an A-B comparison they sounded nearly identical to the Sony's. Plus, the B&W app was buggy and terrible, and didn't even include EQ. (I used the iPhone settings to adjust EQ instead, but it still didn't help the B&Ws much.) Master & Dynamic was the clear winner of the three, no contest. It amazes me that the Sony and B&W headphones have plenty of glowing reviews from people who rave about the sound quality. All I can think of is everyone's preferences are different, but most likely the people who popped them on and enjoyed them didn't actually do A-B comparisons with other brands. It was when I compared the Master & Dynamics with the others that I really noticed what the other two pair were missing.

A set of wireless headphones that sound just great would usually result in a positive review, unless such device is $500 and all the other things that are expected do not work properly. But let's see the good stuff first: They sound really good, very close to wired one, which is impressive to say the less (exceptions apply, see 1 below) and look the part. The weight is just right, the adjusting mechanism feels smooth and the pad are really confortable (and are replaceable as well). On the lowlights, there's a number of flaws: 1) wireless connection is great like 1 to 3 meters away, but try to move further, even any movement at all and the sound becomes spotty and far inferior in comparison with devices a fifth of the price (30 meters without issues). It had to be told; 2) Noise cancelling is good for a couple of minutes, but be ready for a good headache after that... I'm really regretting not updating my perfect yet old Sony headphones. This alone deserves the 1-star review; 3) There's no mute button. I don't use it mainly for meetings, but seriously, how hard was it? Also, sometimes people can hardly hear and sometimes the microphone is just perfect... still testing on that one; 4) Thinking to pair to multiple devices? Good luck, because it will switch from one streaming music to other playing an alarm... the software on this part is really sad; and 5) Did I mention these are $500? Basic features that are ubiquitous in cheaper devices are not delivered on this, understandably focused on the sound quality, but such disregard for quality is almost insulting. Hope it helps on your decision, JP TL;DR: Not worth the money, get Sony WH-1000XM3 or the Bose ones instead.

An extremely uncomfortable fit and aggravating active noise cancellation ruins what would otherwise be a stellar pair of headphones in design, sound quality, and feature set. BACKGROUND I've been looking for my first pair of active noise cancelling wireless headphones for a few months now. I tried on the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, Bose 700, and Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones at a local store, but it was hard to get a good feel for them with a relatively short assessment in a controlled environment. The 700s looked the nicest, but were the most uncomfortable, although neither the QCII35 nor WH-1000XM4 headphones were that comfortable either. Besides, I wanted headphones with physical buttons because the touch controls seem flaky to me. I had read good things about Master & Dynamic's MW65s and thought I'd give them a try when they went on sale. The next generation Bose QuietComfort 45s were also on sale, so I bought a pair of those as well to do a side-by-side comparison. FIT / COMFORT While these headphones have some great features I wanted (15-minute = 12 hour fast charge; replaceable ear cups; aptX support), none of that matters if they're not comfortable to wear – and these are grossly uncomfortable. First off, I have large ears so these are an on-ear design rather than circumaural, which compounds all the other fit issues (I'm a 6'-0", 175-pound male, by the way). They are exceptionally tight, so much so that I can hear my pulse in my ears. I assume they would break in somewhat over time, but the Bose QC45s didn't require any breaking in. The cups on the MW65s are a bit shallower than the QC45s so there's also less space for my ears to fold into, pinching them even more. ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION (ANC) This category was a big surprise for me. Based on reviews I'd read, I really thought I would prefer the MW65 ANC strategy, but the QC45 ANC is absolutely shocking how much it feels like I've entered a vacuum of absolute silence where I can really appreciate just my music. The MW65s, on the other hand, have a constant white noise (hiss) that is audible when no music is playing and even still when music is playing at a low volume. It's very aggravating and negates any potential sound quality advantages the MW65s may have over the QC45s. I also hear thumps with each step I take and I can hear the volume/pause buttons loosely jiggling around when I'm going to press them. I do like that the MW65s have an off button for the ANC, whereas the QC45s only have high/low options. SOUND QUALITY I wouldn't call myself an audiophile, but I'd say the MW65s sound fuller and richer than the QC45s to me. The QC45s sound a bit tinny at times in comparison, especially with heavier rock music. However, the better quality doesn't matter because of all the aforementioned distractions the MW65s have (audible ANC white noise; my pulse; thumping sound when walking; jiggly buttons). It's hard to enjoy that better sound with all the distractions. DESIGN The MW65s have a stellar aesthetic that I really appreciate and they feel very sturdy. The materials are great and they're amazingly light (as light as the plastic QC45s). I will say the headband doesn't look as good in person as it does in the photos, as the leather tends to bunch up and wrinkle, but it's mostly on the side against your head, so not visible when they're being worn. The QC45s, on the other hand, have a pretty "meh" design and they don't feel as sturdy when handling them due to all the loose joints (I guess that is the price of comfort, though).

If these played sound half as good as they looked, I would have kept them. If you like high range register, these are for you !! Comfort gets an A++ , Design gets an A++ , aesthetics gets an A++ .. they’re small though… Like child small .. put them up against ANY headset and their dimensions are tiny !! No exaggeration I basically had to fold the tops of my ears in the back high above my earlobes inwards to get them inside the ear cushions. That really isn’t an exaggeration. They are loud and have power but the soundstage is sorely lacking in the mid to bass .. perhaps I’m a snob, I’m used to audiophile headphones so my musical/sound pallet is used to a robust soundstage. Perhaps if they were standard size they could have put standard drivers in which would have made all the difference. My Audeze Penrose at 300.00 sounded better. That’s my gaming headset.. Why should a 200 cheaper headset wildly outperform what should have been pure ear joy?? IDK but if I were the designers and company owners, I’d want to know !! The cables are cheap !! No reason a mid level headset should have plastic coated cables 3.5mm , usb, etc .. cloth-braided is the standard and MW knows better !! No case.. At 500 bucks you include a travel case .. 80.00 to manufacture the product, you’re making money hand over fist .. You include a travel case. Returned them after 2 days and about 22 hours of solid use. The AnC works well, battery life is very good, call quality is good. They look freaking beautiful !!! If they only had put a bit more time into RnD to insure the sound output was robust. I almost kept them just based off of how they looked…. But at the end of the day something that’s beautiful and useless just isn’t worth it… I picked up some Bathys and besides what I consider to be an underperforming sound output (loudness probably due to the internal DAC) the soundstage is magnificent!!

UPDATE: I received a response from Master & Dynamic as a reply to my review answering my previously unanswered questions. I have also emailed them with a support question and they responded quickly and were helpful. As such, I have removed my comments regarding a negative customer support experience and have have updated my review accordingly. I am approaching these headphones as someone who is not an audiophile, is perfectly fine with using Bluetooth for convenience in lieu of cables, and primarily listens to Apple Music, AAC, and MP3 compressed audio files. I was excited when I first read about the MW65 headphones because I have always thought that Master and Dynamic headphones look great. I know that sound is more important than looks for headphones, but M&D headphones look so much more refined than the competition. The leather and aluminum is a lot nicer than plastic, and the MW65 headphones don’t feel heavy on the head or cause any fatigue. I think these are the most comfortable headphones that I have ever owned. That being said, the ear cups are narrower than most other headphones so if you have larger or wider ears they may feel tight. Sound-wise, the MW65 headphones sound incredible. Just stunning. I have listened to songs that I have listened to for years on Bose, Beats, or AKG headphones, and I can hear subtle audio cues that simply aren’t present with other headphones. The clarity is just unrivaled by other ANC headphones. The bass is not overpowering like Beats but still sounds excellent, and they are not “overly acoustic” and lacking in bass like Bose. Bluetooth pairing is simple and painless. I think you can pair them with up to 2 devices, and I go between a MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and an iPhone. I’ve never had an issue pairing with any device, and going between them is easy. I have experienced some stuttering with my MacBook Pro. It’s rare, and only lasts a half a second when it happens, but it does happen. I really only experience this at the office, where everyone in the office is running Bluetooth devices like wireless mice, trackpads, iPhones, iPads… I think it’s more to do with “congestion” than anything else. For me, it is not a deal-breaker. At home, where there are far fewer devices, the headphone connection is rock-solid. Arguably, the reason to buy the MW65 over the MW60 is because of the noise cancellation and I found it to be lacking, especially for the price. Yes, the ANC works, but it’s not as good as Bose QC 35 headphones. I work in a chatty office, and I can hear conversations from across the room and the blowing of the air conditioner, even with the noise cancellation enabled on high. The noise is muffled, but not really isolated or cancelled out. For $499, I would expect more silence. The MW65 headphones tout USB-C charging, which I assume to be a standard that means I can use any USB-C charger to charge them. This has not been the case in my experience. My Mac and iPad both charge via USB-C, but neither charger recharges the MW65 headphones. If I plug in the cable that comes with the MW65 to an Apple charger, then either Apple charger powers them. However, neither of Apple’s USB-C cables do anything and I don’t know why. It would be nice to travel with only one cable to charge everything, but it doesn’t work. Battery life is good. I can go all week at work with ANC on high and don’t have to recharge until the weekend. For reference, I listen to music about 5 hours a day, 5 days a week and have never had the MW65 die on me. They also charge quickly. Some reviews have claimed the microphone is subpar when using these to place a phone call. I did not test the mic quality as I would never make phone calls with these headphones, and no one has called me while wearing them to test them out. :D Wrapping up, I think the MW65 are the best-sounding Bluetooth headphones that you can buy in terms of sound. They’re also the best looking. Noise cancellation is subpar with respect to the competition—and for the price—but is still better than no ANC at all. I think they are a good product, but would be a better buy at $350–400, not $500.

When I researched this product, I found a review that called these headphones "plush." I fully agree. They are comfortable and the sound quality is the best of all my headphones except for the open-ear monitors (but those are not fair competition). To begin, I should say I have Bose N700s and Sennheiser BT450s. Neither of these is the open-ear monitors to keep the review fair. I've tried these M&D MW65 in three use cases: Music Listening The first thing I did was try these for music listening. Instantly, it felt like I was wrapped in a comfortable blanket of sound. I would swear it is a full-body experience. The sound is full. The bass is solid, not just to the point that you can hear it but you may feel it, too. Shy is the opposite of what these do. Details in songs I have never heard before I was hearing in the songs! The sound is better than my Bose, which I would describe as pot-bellied, and the BT450s, which I would describe as precise and well-engineered. A mild annoyance is that in the mornings when my ears must be more fresh, I can hear a hiss through these. Once the music starts going, it's not noticeable. But once you notice the hiss, you can't unhear it. Telephone Calls This is where these headphones do not work well. It's also not where M&D didn't invest a lot of design effort, so this wasn't what they were aiming for in this model. The better sound quality is also represented in phone calls, but if the other party does not have a good mic, it doesn't really matter much. My friend commented that I sounded quieter on my test phone call. He had to crank the volume all the way up. He did not mis-hear me at any time, but I felt I was putting more effort into speaking loud. Meanwhile, on my end, the sound was too loud and I had to dial down the volume of phone calls to the lowest setting on my phone. Computer Websites and Zoom I used these as the computer headphones for a couple of hours. First, the first webpage to make a sound with these headphones on was also too loud -- almost dangerously so. I had to turn down the volume. I tried short recorded video to hear what was picked up by the mic on these headphones and the built-in camera on my computer. I would say that the sound picked up by these mics was not good when I played it back. Next, I tried the same experiment with the built-in mic of my MacBook Pro. Those were better but the frequency response wasn't quite right. With the Bose, my voice sounded a lot deeper than I think I sound in real life but it was smooth and clear. With the 450s, it was as expected precise and well-engineered. Conclusions I love these for music listening. That's its wheelhouse. I would get these just for that. The mic performance for phone calls and websites is just middling. I think M&D did engineer something close to the product they wanted, but if I was going for an all-in-one premium, ANC headphones, these aren't it. These are specialists, I'd say.

I'll try to be brief. I decided to buy wireless phones because my ears have degraded over the last several years, and I knew that asking my wife to tell me what someone said on TV many times a night was really getting to her. My hearing loss is mostly in the upper mid and the high end. Above 8K cycles to be exact. Once i decided to buy, I did my due diligence and read the reviews and decided on several pairs to consider. Here's what I got in no particular order: 1. Shure Aonic 50 2. Sennheiser Momentum 3 3. Bowers and Wilkins PX7 4. Focal Listen 5. Massdrop x Beyerdynamic DT177X 6. Beyerdynamic Amiron Copper 7. Master and Dynamic MW65 They all arrived on the same day, and the testing began. I listened to them all for about 2 hours each. I'll start with the ones that I didn't like: Focal Listen - Honestly, these felt so cheap for a pair in the $300.00 to $500.00 range, I didn't even listen to them. I reboxed them and set them aside. Am I a snobby audiophile? Quite the contrary, but I do expect build quality to be commensurate with the price. Shure Aonic 50 - A very brief listening session. They also felt rather poorly made, and the bass was overwhelming. Massdrop x Beyerdynamic DT177X - These actually had a few things going for them, but not enough. Beyerdynamic Amiron Copper - Loose, mushy bass, decent mids and highs. I hated the touch controls. Much too complicated for someone who staunchly believes that less is definitely more. Sennheiser Momentum 3 - Getting closer. Bass was boosted, mids were quite good, highs unremarkable, instruments sounded distant. Build quality was also very good. Bang and Olufsen PX7 - Closer still. Excellent, wide soundstage, bass was too boosted for my liking, midrange was excellent as well as the highs. Comfort, again a close second. Master and Dynamic MW65 - The holy grail. My god, it was like entering a different dimension. Bass was dynamic but not bloated, mids were lush and articulate, and the highs crystal clear. The soundstage was a bit wider than the PX7's, but not by much. I heard things not heard in any of the others. Cymbals sizzled, you could hear the air rushing through the horns, fingers striking the strings on upright bass, hammers hitting the wires on piano, and human voices were quite literally astonishing. Obviously, my main criteria here was the sound. I don't care at all about ANC, making or taking calls, how good the app is, etc. I wanted a neutral but not dry sound signature. Perhaps analytical by most people's liking. These babies put out exactly what you put in. The better the recording, the better they sound. They are also very comfortable. On ear, not over the ear for me at least. The PX7's once again came in a close second. I would easily recommend the PX7's if cost is an issue, but the B and D's simply blew the rest out of the water. I forgot to mention build quality. As for the MW65's, I cannot imagine a way in which you could improve upon them. CNC machined, the finest leathers available, nothing to wear out really, aside from many years of use. Lastly, they have beryllium drivers. I don't believe that any others on my list use them. I have to believe that there is some significance to that when it comes to their elegant sound. The PX7's once again came in a close second. Last night while surfing I found these in an all black version. How I didn't see that configuration in my many hours of doing nothing but searching for headphones, will forever remain a mystery. They must be quite limited. So now I'm even happier with my purchase. I didn't think that was possible.