To me, if you're spending over $300 on a pair of headphones, you want to feel like you aren't making any compromises. I tried 6 pairs of wireless noise canceling headphones and ended up with the MW65. Even though it was the most expensive of the 6, it was also the only one where I really felt like it was worth the price. Here's what I tried:
- Master & Dynamic MW65
- Bowers & Wilkins PX
- Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H8i
- Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i
- Denon AH-GC30
- Bose QuietComfort 35
When I started, I didn't know a whole lot about noise cancelling wireless headphones, and I was a little skeptical that it was anything more than a gimmick. After trying it out for a few weeks… it's not a gimmick, it does make a difference, especially if you work in a noisy office and need to concentrate.
1) To me, sound quality is the most important criteria and not something I want to compromise on. The Master and Dynamic brand is known for their sound quality, and the MW65 don't disappoint in this area. These headphones shine with everything from modern, fuller, bass-heavy sounds to classical recordings where you want more detail and a feeling of space. The Beoplays were the close runners up for me, slightly edging out B&W PX and Denon on bass response, and then Bose trailing significantly.
2) Comfort is another important factor. I wear my headphones a lot and for long periods of time, so they need to feel good. This is obviously going to depend on your preferences and the shape of your ears and head. MW65 and Beoplay H8i are very comfortable and very light. Bose and Denon are reasonably comfortable. B&W PX ear cups are on the firm side, and the headphones are also quite heavy overall (12oz). It isn't really uncomfortable but that much weight makes it feel a bit like you are wearing a helmet. H9i was the worst for my particular ears. They are light, but the ear cup pressed against my ears so I couldn't really wear them for more than an hour at a time. I didn't try them, but Bang & Olufsen have tried to address this problem in the next gen H9.
Another aspect of comfort is ear pressure. Some people report an uncomfortable feeling of pressure when ANC is on, and it can become painful after long usage. This seems to vary from person to person, but it was true for me. Some brands are better than others. MW65, B&W PX and Denon were the best, followed by H9i, then Bose and H8i. The big surprise was how different the H9i and H8i felt. H8i are on-ear, so it is possible that they are engineered with maximum ANC to compensate for less noise isolation.
3) Active noise cancelling (ANC). I tested the effectiveness of noise cancelling in an office environment, walking on city streets and by standing near a bathroom vent fan and kitchen hood fan to test how they handled continuous white noise. Bose is well ahead, followed by B&W PX, H9i, MW65, H8i, and then Denon trailing significantly behind. All headphones except Beoplay H9i and H8i had the ability to toggle between ANC modes like Airplane, City and Office. MW65 have two modes, Low and High. To me, the difference was not noticeable in most environments, but quite apparent when listening to white noise (more midrange frequencies in Low than in High mode) and also Low works best for windy environments where High mode creates weird audio artifacts. MW65 also have the advantage that the fidelity of the sound is very good even when ANC is on. Bose is on the opposite end of the scale, where the already weak sound reproduction is made worse with ANC on.
With MW65, you're definitely not getting the best possible ANC. It's really in the middle of the pack. But ANC is one of those things where, in my opinion, the best is not actually the best. Bose is the best in ANC, but comes with comfort and sound quality compromises that make it not a good value. What good is excellent noise cancelling on headphones that don't get used because they are too uncomfortable to wear? My criterion for ANC is whether the headphones can put a significant dent in the ambient noise that I feel a sense of relief and I'm able to concentrate and enjoy the music. All the headphones except for Denon are more than acceptable.
4) Industrial design and materials. Bowers & Wilkins and Masters & Dynamic take the prize here, they are both absolutely beautiful. I love the elegance of the PX, especially in the gold colorway. Both feel sturdy and well-made, which is a particular achievement for MW65 since it only weighs 8oz. The two Beoplays are strong contenders, the Denons have their charms especially coming from a company known more for generic black boxy stereo systems. The ugliness of Bose is really inexcusable. I'm sure their industrial designers are very talented. Why not let them do their jobs?
5) Extras. MW65 lacks a few of the other the bells and whistles that other headphones have. The main one that I miss is the transparency feature which lets you hear yourself talking when you are on a phone call. On the other hand, MW65 is the only pair with voice assistant support, works in wired passive mode and doesn't come with an app for your phone. I count that as a feature, because the apps for the other headphones are generally not very good. iPhone's Today View can be customized to show bluetooth battery life, and that's all I really need.
When it comes to over-ear noise cancelling bluetooth headphones, Master & Dynamic have done it right with MW65. They're $500—but it's absolutely clear what you're getting for your money. In my opinion, the lower price points aren't a good value. For me, they would end up collecting dust, so I'm not sure I would spend less. If I couldn't afford these, most likely I'd wait until I could.
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| Customer Rating | (414) | (1541) | (31994) | (1352) | (168) | (3147) |
| Price | $491.27 | $449.00 | $348.00 | $242.06 | $349.00 | $329.00 |
| Shipping | FREE Shipping. Details | FREE Shipping. Details | FREE Shipping. Details | FREE Shipping. Details | FREE Shipping. Details | FREE Shipping. Details |
| Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| Color | Silver Metal/ Brown Leather | Sky Blue | Black | Black | Silver/Brown | White Smoke |
| Fit Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Headphones Form Factor | Over Ear | Over-Ear Headphones | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| Item Dimensions | 6.5 x 2.6 x 3.54 inches | 3.15 x 9.57 x 3.15 inches | 7.27 x 3.03 x 9.94 inches | 7.8 x 6.7 x 1.78 inches | 3.15 x 7.87 x 9.84 inches | 3 x 7.24 x 6 inches |
| Item Weight | 0.54 lbs | 0.85 lbs | 0.56 lbs | 0.67 lbs | 7.23 ounces | 0.97 lbs |
| Special Features | Lightweight, Microphone Feature, Noise Cancellation, Volume-Control, Foldable | iOS Phone Control, Foldable, Lightweight, Microphone Feature, Noise Cancellation, Noise Isolation, Sports & Exercise, Tangle-Free Cord, Universal phone control, Volume-control, Audio Sharing, Siri control, Transparency mode, digital crown; Foldable; Microphone Included; DJ Style; Phone Control; Wireless; Volume Control | Noise Cancellation | Noise Cancellation, Foldable, Microphone Feature, Universal Phone Control, Volume-Control | Microphone | Noise Cancellation |
Customer Questions & Answers
From the manufacturer
Master & Dynamic
With an unrelenting attention to craft and detail, we create sound tools to help focus, inspire and transport your mind. Brilliant sound and design motivate everything we do. We have a deep passion for building beautifully crafted, technically sophisticated sound tools. Designed to be modern yet timeless, our products utilize only the finest materials and are engineered to last, creating the perfect balance of aesthetics, strength, comfort and exceptional sound.
Our Most Technically Sophisticated Headphones
The ultimate companion for your daily listening or travels, the MW65 are our lightest over-ear headphone. Weighing only 245 grams and featuring custom 40mm Beryllium drivers and Active Noise-Cancelling technology, these headphones produce an exceptional acoustic experience.
- Lightweight anodized aluminum and fine leathers for superior comfort
- Dual mode Active Noise-Cancelling for clear, expansive sound in any environment
- Up to 24 hours of battery life, charges up to 12 hours in 15 minutes
- Custom 40mm Beryllium drivers produce our signature rich, warm sound
- 3X industry average Bluetooth Range, 20+ meters/65+ feet
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Premium Design and MaterialsOur lightest over-ear headphones, crafted with premium anodized aluminum and fine leathers for superior comfort during extended playtimes |
Exceptional AcousticsActive noise-cancelling technology engineered to perfectly accompany the signature rich, warm sound of our custom 40mm Beryllium drivers |
Built for Life On-The-GoThe ultimate companion for your daily listening or travels, featuring up to 24 hours of battery life and charges up to 12 hours in 15 minutes |
Dual Mode Active Noise-Cancellation TechnologyEnjoy clear, expansive sound in any environment. Use 'High' mode for city streets, airplanes, and very noisy environments, 'Low' for windy days, or turn off for passive noise isolation. |
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| MW65 | MW50+ | MH40 W | MW60 | MW50 | MH40 | |
| Driver Size | 40mm | 40mm | 40mm | 45mm | 40mm | 45mm |
| Driver Diaphragm | Beryllium | Beryllium | Engineered Polymer | Engineered Polymer | Engineered Polymer | Engineered Polymer |
| Driver Motor Material | Neodymium | Neodymium | Neodymium | Neodymium | Neodymium | Neodymium |
| Weight | 245g | 205g (On-Ear), 239g (Over-Ear) | 276g | 345g | 205g | 360g |
| Dimensions | 165mm x 190mm x 66mm | 19cm H x 15.5cm W x 3.4cm T (On-Ear) 20cm H x 16.5mm W x 4mm T (Over-Ear) | 205mm x 202mm x 71mm | 200mm x 185mm x 50mm | 19cm H x 15.5cm W x 3.4cm | 200mm x 185mm x 50mm |
| Frequency | 20Hz to 20kHz | 5-30,000Hz | 20Hz - 20kHz | 5-25,000Hz | 5-30,000Hz | 5-25,000Hz |
| Ear Coupling | Circum-aural / Over-ear | Supra-Aural/On-Ear and Circum Aural/Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Circum-aural / Over-ear | Supra-aural / On-ear | Circum-aural / Over-ear |
| Battery | 24 Hours | 16 Hours | 18 Hours | 16 Hours | 16 Hours | N/A |
| Headphone Connection | Optional 3.5mm Passive Audio Input, Two-Prong Flight Adapter | 3.5mm jack + micro USB-C port | Bluetooth 5.0 Supporting AptX and SBC | 3.5mm jack + micro USB port | 3.5mm jack + micro USB-C port | Dual 3.5mm input jack |
Customer reviews
Oozes Quality- Great ANC Headphones!
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2019
From the moment you unbox the MW65s from Master & Dynamic, you can tell that these headphones are gonna be great. They have a nice heft to them and the aluminum frame feels great. The leather is also impressive. I got the browm ones and they are very distinctive and stand out without being flashy. I've been wearing them around the office and I've had several co-workers ask me about the headphones and they were all impressed with the build quality and aesthetics as I was.Now of course, these are headphones so you want the to sound great, and the sound MW65s live up to their high quality look and feel. Music sounds crisp and clear with them. I've been using true wireless earbuds lately, so it was a nice change to hear the fullness of real over ear headphones. They're not gonna give you that super bass-y sound that something like Beats gives you, and it might be a matter of personal preference, but I really enjoyed the sound.I wore them all day and walked home and they felt comfortable the whole time, despite having a satisfying heft to them.I also loved the way you adjusted the headband. It's a simple sliding motion, but this is way better than anything I've had on other over ear headphones.I've found Bluetooth connectivity to be rock solid. Charging is very quick (and USB C thankfully) and the battery life was enough to get me through a full work day using the active noise cancelling.Speaking of active noise cancelling, I found it to work very well. My coworkers were able to surprise me with a birthday cake in an open floor plan office. There are three settings (High, low, and off). Off is just enough keep you aware of you're walking down the street and high will keep you blissfully unaware of your surroundings.All in all these are great and I'm happy I got them!
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2019
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2019
Color: Gunmetal/ Black LeatherVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2019
Color: Silver Metal/ Brown LeatherVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2020
Color: Gunmetal/ Black LeatherVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Planet G
The best Master and Dynamic headphones so far
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2019
Tom
Well built headphones with defective Noise Cancelling
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 26, 2019Color: Silver Metal/ Brown LeatherVerified Purchase
AH
Sieht gut aus. Klingt gut. Noise Cancelling absolut unterirdisch.
Reviewed in Germany on August 19, 2019Color: Silver Metal/ Brown LeatherVerified Purchase
Morgan
everything about these headphones is meh
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 10, 2021Color: Silver Metal/ Grey LeatherVerified Purchase
Morgan
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 10, 2021
i studied engineering and even i cant see what the **** was holding this thing together. laughable.
I seriously recommend against these headphones. everyone else is falling for the charm of premium materials but that's where it ends the drivers are weak, the sound is dull. not loud enough to satisfy me at all.
please, please. please do not get these I promise you with all my heart they just aren't worth it. I literally can't get the ear cup back on. they've put no effort into this and they don't deserve your money. for another £150 you could have the AirPods max which is overpriced but unmatched.
Images in this review
jg
Too uncomfortable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 14, 2021Color: Silver Metal/ Brown LeatherVerified Purchase
