Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus

While the casings of these Bluetooth headphones are constructed from handcrafted acetate, the charging case is made of polished stainless steel which gives an overall impression of high-quality manufacturing. The extremely comfortable fit of the cordless system deserves a mention – it’s highly stable due to the built-in silicon wings, which makes them suitable for sporting activities. A personalised fit is ensured, as these headphones are supplied with wings in three sizes, along with corresponding ear tips in five sizes. In accordance with IPX5, these in-ears are also water-resistant and so protected from weather-related wetness, while the flat design means that they can be worn under a hat if you wish.

Like with the Go model, the runtime of the MW07 Plus is extremely long and can last up to eleven hours at high levels. In addition, the headphones can be recharged three and a half times in the stainless steel case, which means that the service life is approximately 49 hours, perhaps making the package worth the high price. Another practical feature is that both the in-ears and the case are fast charging and can each be 50 per cent charged in just 15 minutes, while a full charge cycle takes 40 minutes. The transport case has three LEDs that indicate the battery status of the case itself, as well as the left and right headphone, which is a definite plus point. As the case is powered by the USB-C connection, the accessories include a high-quality USB-C charging cable with USB-C to USB-A adapter.

Device control

The wireless system supports Bluetooth standard 5.0 and can be paired directly upon removal of the headphones from the case; they switch on and are automatically put into pairing mode. In combination with various Android and iOS devices, however, it is noticeable that the range within an urban environment was a maximum of eight metres and that individual dropouts occurred before that, which seems worthy of criticism. In contrast to the rather low range of the wireless connection, the remote is more impressive, with clear pressure points and good usability. A multi-function button, which is recessed into the top side of the right-hand headphone, is used to control the Play/Stop function and to answer and end phone calls, while voice assistants can be called up by holding down the button. Title selection can be made by double-clicking to go forwards and pressing three times to jump back. A convenient double button for volume control is available on the left side.

In addition, these in-ears have an automatic start/stop feature that is controlled by optical sensors. It interrupts the playback when you take them out of your ears and then continues when you replace them. There is also a mono mode on both the left and right sides, which allows you to make phone calls, as both earpieces are equipped with microphones that provide clear speech intelligibility, although your own voice is accompanied by a slight noise.

Sound

The excellent resolution and the fine dynamics of the MW07 Plus are seldom found with Bluetooth headphones. The sound stage also appears extremely spacious and open for an in-ear system, without any detachment. On the contrary, the sound seems present, very lively and natural. In view of a rather neutral basic arrangement, the basses, which are well defined down to the low bass range, appear quite powerful and discreetly emphasised. The finely balanced voice reproduction is also really strong, while the highs lack a bit of balance. At higher levels, especially, there is a tendency to exaggerate sibilants, but this does not have any harshness, and the sound as a whole appears rather softly defined. Apart from a slight background noise, there is nothing else to criticize. It is regrettable, however, that the support for AAC format has been dropped, so that on iOS devices only the SBC codec is available. Android users, on the other hand, benefit from the high-quality aptX codec.

Noise reduction and ambient mode

It is noteworthy that the runtime of up to nine hours is still surprisingly high in ANC mode; external noise is noticeably but not greatly reduced. This is quite successful in the high-frequency range. Conversely, this is especially amplified in ambient mode, so that sirens, for example, can be heard well and orientation is possible. Voices, on the other hand, are rather difficult to understand. Both modes can be activated or deactivated by holding down the double button on the left-hand headphone: ambient mode by using the plus button and noise suppression by using the minus button.