Master and Dynamic is a newcomer to the headphone game, but it's come out the gate with a line of distinctly designed models, headed by its flagship MH40, which retails for $399 in the US, £319 in the UK and AU$499 in Australia.
This closed-back, over-the-ear headphone is beautifully crafted from forged aluminum, stainless steel and real lambskin leather, and its sound is competitive with that of comparably priced models from established brands like AKG, Beyerdynamic, Bowers & Wilkins, Grado and Sennheiser. The MH40 was designed and developed in New York City over two years and is manufactured today in China.
Inside you'll find 45mm drivers -- this is a mobile-device-friendly headphone, with 32-ohm-rated impedance. Weighing 12.7 ounces (360 grams), it's definitely heavier than most over-the-ear headphones. The upside is the MH40's build quality feels supersolid, and the supple leather adds a sensual side to the design. The downside is that while this is a very comfortable headphone, its weightiness may leave you wanting to take a listening break after 45 minutes or an hour.
We received a silver-and-tan-colored review model to sample, but it's also available in black or gunmetal gray with black leather.
In terms of accessories, you get a simple but nice canvas carrying bag that has an integrated magnetic clasp and a small case for the two included cloth-covered, tangle-resistant cables. One is a 1.25-meter cable with a remote/mic for iOS devices (the microphone will work with Android and Windows phones but the remote may not be full functional), the other a 2-meter "plain" cable for audio purists.
This a passive headphone, and noise isolation from external noise is good; we liked how the the right ear cup has a metal mute button that makes a satisfying click when you mute or unmute the music. The headband isn't hinged, but the earcups do fold flat for storage in their case.
Beautifully crafted, rock-solid headphones that also sound excellent
No comments:
Post a Comment