Master & Dynamic MW50

Sturdily made from lovely materials ; Comfortable in situ ; Punchy and detailed sound

Expensive, obviously ; Not the last word in timing or dynamics

Impossible to make an unequivocal case for, but we don't doubt they're perfect for some customers

Build quality and materials ; Sounds great with all music ; Very comfortable

Soundstage could be wider ; Average battery life ; Noise isolation isn't great

The Master & Dynamic MW50 is audio luxury for the discerning listener. Impeccable build quality, materials and well balanced sound make for a wonderful experience ... if you can afford its high price. All that said, better value isn’t hard to find.

Solid audio performance when using on-ears ; Charming aesthetics ; Good battery life

Over-ear pads degrade audio quality ; Weak magnets on over-ear pads ; Can’t fold inward ; On-ears can become uncomfortable

Overall, the MW50+ headphones are tough to recommend because of their numerous flaws, including how different (read: worse) music sounds when using the over-ear pads instead of the on-ear variants. For the $399 asking price, you can find similar or...

Amazing sound ; Beautiful design ; Very good battery life ; USB-C charging ; Earcups are very comfortable

Just slightly too small for giant heads like mine ; Mic is just a bit quiet on calls

If you want a truly fantastic pair of on-ear headphones and you don’t mind spending a premium price for an absolutely premium product, you owe it to yourself to give the Master & Dynamic MW50 headphones a try.

The MW50s are as a whole a well-built set of headphones, unlikely to disappoint anyone who can afford to buy them as long as they're aware of the drawbacks going in.