Master & Dynamic has been drawing attention in the personal audio market as of late, combining quality audio with sharp design. We were recently sent a pre-production review unit of its latest MW60 Wireless Over Ear Headphones to check out ... inside of a high-quality aluminum travel case from Zero Halliburton, no less.
- The Master & Dynamic MW60 headphones are made with wonderfully premium materials and precision machining. The look, feel, and smell is all there. Along with the cowhide and lambskin leather are satin-finish steel and aluminum, fabric, and even enamel-filled logos on the outside center of each cup. Only a meager amount of plastic can be found underneath the magnetically-attached ear cups. The construction feels industrial-tough throughout, especially when it concerns the hinges. Drop these and the most you'll have to worry about is collecting a scuff or two and/or wiping off dirt. The MW60 folds up compact, which makes it a little more portable and less bulky than many other over-ear headphones.
There are 19 steps for volume, with the max earning a "beep" and the min a hollow "thunk" as audible indicators. The minimum level on the headphones mutes all sound no matter what a connected device has set. Volume buttons located on the right are easy to feel with the thumb, click clean with only a faint "tick" being heard through the cups, and do double-duty for track skip/repeat with a press-hold. The center button handles play/pause and voice calls/activation. You'll also find the micro USB port for charging, which can also update firmware when available. The left ear cup has the power/pairing switch as well as 3.5-mm cable jack for wired purity.
The cups (housing 45-mm custom drivers) swivel but don't like flat, which can make the MW60 less than ideal for wearing/resting about the neck. The final production model will feature a slightly longer and better-curved headband, which may help this aspect some. The hinges have a semi-click feel when fully deployed, yet don't lock firmly into place. The piston adjustment of each arm is good and holds position once set, with the retail version promising even smoother motion. However, the vertical adjustment length is a scant 5/8-in, which can be problematic for those with larger head sizes (more on this later). The internal audio cables are practically invisible, tucked away for protection and aesthetic.
The Master & Dynamic MW60 features Bluetooth 4.1 that supports multiple codecs, including aptX. But the kicker is that these headphones are designed with a greater reach than your everyday wireless pair. The left ear cup features a trio of opaque lines, which are part of the external antenna system that is meant to give the MW60 its long-range wireless capability, up to four times the industry average (generally 33 ft / 10 m).
Unfortunately, this pre-production review unit was unable to maintain a connection beyond 31 ft under best conditions (outside in open space), let alone 120 ft. The indoor functional range (around corners, furniture, moving bodies, etc.) capped out at a tenuous 19 ft, which is about as standard as one can get. And even within range of a paired device, the connection quality suffered intermittent blips in the audio playback.
The MW60 headphones come complete with USB and audio cables, a cylindrical leather cable container, a zippered canvas case for the MW60, and a small drawstring pouch for the cables (to go inside the canvas case). If you want to draw attention while out in public, the Zero Halliburton case certainly makes a statement. The included cables are fabric-wrapped, which helps to make them very tangle-resistant. The cable memory is OK, so it takes a bit of time before they straighten out after being uncoiled. Although the cable does transmit some line noise, the audio effect is low and blunted.
The leather-wrapped headband is thinly-cushioned on both the top and underside. It doesn't seem to need more than what it has, despite the MW60 weighing in at a hefty 345 g. Even though the production model will have an improved curve – one that follows more closely to a natural head shape – the headband can be gently reshaped to fit. More contact against the head leads to a greater distribution of force, so the MW60 doesn't feel like it's bearing down on one single spot. But even if the headphones may not feelas heavy as they are, looking down too quickly and/or too far will lead them to slip out of place, sometimes falling off.
Each ear pad is filled with comfortably spongy memory foam, with the production version promising more softness to it. The MW60's swiveling hinge design allows ample vertical and lateral movement, so the pads can conform to head shapes. It also helps to better evenly-distribute the clamping force, which provides a good grip without undue excess. If you happen to have small, cute ears, the MW60's foam-filled pads are likely to fit perfectly. But for everyone else with average size (or greater) and/or differently shaped ears, expect these oval cushions to be on the narrow and shallow side. Even those with average-sized ears may have to poke earlobes in.
The upside of narrow pads is having less material spread out on your face/cheek. But the downside is that some ears may have to squeeze in and experience constant touching against the insides. Not only that, human ears tend to angle back instead of aligning perfectly along the vertical y-axis. The MW60 headphones don't really factor this in, which makes the pads feel even smaller (depending). Pushing the band back in order to compensate usually leads to having the whole thing slip off. Those with small- to average-sized heads can expect this to happen on occasion, while everyone else with bigger heads may experience an entirely different problem.
Even after manually adjusting and reshaping the headband, the MW60 ear cups won't reach down far enough for many with above-average-sized heads. This may still be as likely with the production version, depending on how much more length the band will have. Despite appearances, the MW60's piston arms extend by only 5/8 in, which (at best) can leave earlobes exposed.
But the problem with short headphone arms (respective to an individual's head size/shape) is that the insufficient length leads to aligning the clamping force above the ear's horizontal center. This means that the tops of ear pads will squish more than the bottoms, resulting in greater wearing fatigue. Even with the soft memory foam pads, the feeling against one's temple can range from a tolerable, pinching sensation to dull, directed pressure. And if you wear glasses, especially with wide or thick stems, this persistent, misplaced force can and will tweak with fit/vision.
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