Luxury audio brand Master & Dynamic has announced a follow up to its MW07 true wireless earphones. The MW08 model brings a number of firsts for the company, including active noise cancellation.
The MW08 earphones are M&D's first true wireless plugs to help keep unwanted sounds from spoiling the music by employing hybrid active noise cancellation. Should listeners want or need to allow the outside world in, an ambient mode will do just that.
The durable ceramic and steel D-shaped housing is home to an external machined aluminum nano-bonded antenna and the company's six-microphone system, with noise and wind getting cut out for improved call clarity. The earphones are also the first in the line to feature custom 11-mm beryllium drivers, with the company promising faithful delivery of its signature sound.
Wireless connectivity is over Bluetooth 5.2, with support for AAC and aptX codecs, and each earpiece should be good for up to 12 hours per charge, with the steel charging case adding another 30 hours to playback time.
Sadly, most of the audio specs are absent from the press release, but pre-release reviews note great sound quality, easy to use on-ear controls, good ANC isolation and strong battery life as positive points. Though we'd have to try them ourselves to confirm.
In another first, a brand new M&D Connect iOS/Android mobile app accompanies the launch of the earphones, so that users can customize their listening experience, keep firmware up to date and more.
Unsurprisingly for a luxury audio brand, the price of entry is quite high at US$299, making these true wireless earphones a good deal more expensive than Apple's AirPods Pro and Sony's WF-1000XM3 models. The new true wireless earphones are being made available in four color options and will go on sale from March 30.
Source: Master & Dynamic
Update March 25, 2021: We've been given a little more information about the MW08 earphones. They are based on Qualcomm's true wireless mirroring Bluetooth chipset introduced last year, there are two active noise canceling modes (All Day that's designed for long-haul comfort and Max for full ANC) and two ambient modes (one tuned for voices and the other for improved awareness), they're IPX5 water resistant so should survive trips to the gym, and popping the buds into the case for 15 minutes will provide 50 percent charge (a full charge takes just 45 minutes) and the case itself can be topped up via USB-C or on a wireless charging pad (not supplied). Though listeners can control ANC and ambient modes via the app, as well as adjust the auto off timer and proximity sensor, there doesn't appear to be any EQ adjustment cooked in.