Master & Dynamic is a New York-based premium audio company who started around the same time TheEffect.Net was set up. The company has quickly become one of the most well-known premium audio companies out there, and for the good reason that they make some extremely impressive audio devices. The Master & Dynamic MW65, which launched in 2019 but are still the company’s premium headphone offering, are the first pair of over ear headphones from the company we’ve tested and we’ve quite a lot to say about them. They’re also the company’s first foray into the world of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Google Assistant. Read on for the full review of the Master & Dynamic MW65 ANC headphones.
Design & Build Quality
Master & Dynamic pride themselves on their design and engineering and you can tell that right away by looking at the MW65. I’ve yet to use one of their products where I didn’t appreciate their aesthetic design. The headphones depict a classic art deco feel which hearkens back to the 1920s through 1940s. They’re very premium and expensive feeling and you definitely know you’re getting a premium experience when you put them on.
The first thing I noticed about the MW65 headphones was their weight. I was shocked at just how light these headphones are. The Mw65’s earpads are removable and replaceable and are held in with plastic clips instead of the usual magnets, as we imagine this would impact the ANC and connectivity features of the headphones.
That being said, premium aluminum is used for the vast majority of the headphones along with the stylish lambskin leather.
On the left ear cup you’ll find the ANC button, the power/Bluetooth switch, a microphone, and the AUX port. On the right ear cup you’ll find the volume and track up and down buttons along with the pause/play button and Google Assistant button. The USB-C charging port is also on this ear cup as is another microphone.
The ear cups articulate and pivot a bit to help make the fit more comfortable and they also fold flat for better storage in the included canvas carrying pouch but, for their price point, a hard-shell carry case might be a better option, to ensure they’re correctly protected when not being used.
Master & Dynamic MW65 fabric carry case | TheEffect.Net
Set Up & Functionality
The basic setup and pairing of the Master & Dynamic MW65 ANC headphones is pretty straightforward. If you’ve used Bluetooth headphones before this won’t be a problem at all. Simply slide the power button up and hold for a second to go into pairing mode. Find the MW65s in the Bluetooth settings and pair to them. That’s all you need to do if you only plan on using these as headphones and don’t plan on using the Google Assistant.
If you are going to use Google Assistant on the MW65s, you will get a notification on your Android device that asks you to complete the setup. This basically takes you to the Google Assistant settings where you confirm connection to the MW65’s and set spoken notifications. Notifications can be turned on for a lot of apps but Messages is on by default. This means you can have the Assistant read your text messages to you. You can do the same for almost any app with notifications.
If you do have spoken notifications turned on, the Assistant will stop what you’re listening to and tell you that you have a notification and ask if you want that read back to you. You can also invoke the Assistant by long pressing the volume up button and then you can ask the Assistant for the weather or to call or text someone.
For iOS users, you will have to download the Google Home app and follow the instructions on setting up a new device. It’s basically the same as the Android version but it doesn’t happen automatically when pairing to Bluetooth.
You can also use other voice assistants by holding the ANC and play/pause buttons at the same time for 5 seconds. This will turn off Google Assistant and allow you to use Siri or Alexa if you so choose. If you want to go back to Google Assistant, just do the same thing and it will turn it back on.
Sound Quality
I’ve reviewed a lot of headphones but there are few headphones whose overall audio experience I like as much as Master & Dynamic’s. They offer a very balanced and neutral sound stage and songs from all sorts of genres just sound fantastic on them.
As with their earbuds, Master & Dynamic deliver a really well balanced sound stage and there’s no frequency that dominates an other. Mids are clear and clean, the highs are crisp and bright, and the bass is exactly where it should be, loud, but not overpowering and holding up the other frequencies.
As mentioned at the start, these are the first pair of over-ear headphones that M&D have included active noise cancelling (ANC) in. There are three different modes for ANC:
- Off: No noise cancelling needed
- High: For use on airplanes, city streets, and high-noise environments
- Low: For use in low-noise environments and windy conditions
Overall, the ANC on the MW65s is very impressive. I felt like the ANC on these particular headphone performed very well and cut the noise substantially but, I will admit, things have moved on a bit since 2019 and the likes of Sony and Bose are creating ANC experiences that are that bit better than what M&D are offering here. Here’s to hoping Master & Dynamic bring out a brand new pair of MW headphones so we can really compare them with the latest and greatest from their main competitors.
Battery Life
M&D are claiming 24-hours of battery life with the MW65s. I obviously didn’t run these for 24-hours straight, but I did use them for a few weeks straight at 1-2 hours a day and they lasted without having to charge. Overall, these are strong on battery life and USB-C charging means you’ll be able to top them up pretty fast too.
Conclusion
Coming in at €499, these obviously aren’t the headphones for you if you don’t want to inflict pain on your bank balance and there are obviously cheaper options. But those options also do not sound nearly as good as the MW65s. Even ANC headphones that are priced nearly the same still do not sound as good. I love the balanced sound stage of Master & Dynamic headphones, and these are worth the price for those who are looking for premium materials, balanced sound, and an extremely well designed pair of headphones.
Pricing & Availability
The Master & Dynamic MW65 ANC Wireless Headphones are available for €499 from masterdynamic.eu in five colour options. The pair we reviewed were the ‘Silver Metal/Brown Leather’ model.
REVIEW: Master & Dynamic MW65 ANC Headphones
- Design & Build Quality
- Set Up & Functionality
- Sound Quality
- Battery Life
Summary
I love the balanced sound stage of Master & Dynamic headphones, and these are worth the price for those who are looking for premium materials, balanced sound, and an extremely well designed pair of headphones.
