Style, build quality, and sound. These are the essential elements of the new MH40, Master and Dynamic’s latest update to a classic that harkens back to the New York City-based audio brand’s early days as a market disruptor in 2014.
It is not a fancy formula for a $400 pair of wireless headphones in 2023especially when compared to models loaded with modern features like Sony WH-1000XM5 (9/10, WIRED recommends). But these aren’t your average pair. With an absolutely gorgeous design built with elements like anodized aluminum, lambskin, and titanium, the MH40 looks and feels unlike the monolithic plastic casings of most rivals. Its dogged minimalism in the face of today’s trend is almost liberating, especially since the trade-off for a bunch of features is brilliant sound and a build that’s built to last.
The MH40 skips a lot of extras, but its biggest transgression is the lack of noise cancellation or transparency mode, which are all prerequisites at this price point. You can get both features in M&D’s upgraded pair, the MW75 (8/10, WIRED recommends), for $200 more. The price and lack of ANC means the MH40 wouldn’t be my first choice for most people, but the excellent sound and flashy style of the headphones could be hard to pass up for those with style who don’t want noise cancellation. . or who are simply willing to pay for premium headphones that stand out from the crowd.
really ridiculously handsome
Photography: Master & Dynamic
Taking the MH40 out of the box, you can’t help but smile. They’re just gorgeous cans, especially in our review unit’s burnt brown leather (they’re also available in four other colors, including solid black). The latticed exterior screens reflect light like ripples on a sunlit lake. The metal chassis feels both sleek and robust, thanks to solid base materials paired with a speckled aluminum finish.
Polished industrial posts on the sides provide smooth action and numbered settings for the ear cups as you slide them into place. Even the lambskin-covered ear cushions feel sleek, attached to magnets for easy removal and replacement. The pads also offer one of the MH40’s best attributes: good noise isolation that cuts out a lot of sounds around you when you add some music. I can’t hear my keystrokes while writing this review, for example. That’s a great thing for a pair that lacks noise cancellation.
The headphones are quite comfortable, thanks to lots of memory foam along the ear cups, and with their quality leather skins, they should get softer and more conforming to your head as you wear them. They are not as comfortable as the Sony ones. old WH-1000XM4 or the new XM5, at least not yet, but few headphones are. My biggest complaint is the lack of padding on top, which can wear out on your head after a few hours. But the MH40’s light weight (around 280 grams) keeps this in check.
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