Master & Dynamic MW09 review

Earbuds from Master & Dynamic can feel more like luxury jewelry than performance audio equipment. While we loved the design of the Master & Dynamic MW08, a couple of missing features made it hard to justify its high price tag. Can the newest wireless earbud model fill in the gaps? Find out in our Master & Dynamic MW09 review.

Editor’s note: this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.

What’s it like to use the Master & Dynamic MW09?

The Master & Dynamic MW09 has some of the nicest designs of any earbuds you’ll find. You can select an aluminum finish (silver, black, or gold) or a Kevlar finish for the charging case. You can also choose between green, blue, or gunmetal earbuds with the Kevlar option. Our silver aluminum package is one of the more modest options but still looks eye-catching, with sapphire glass adorning the back of each earbud. For an extra $30, Master & Dynamic lets you personalize your earbuds with an engraving.

Beyond their looks, the MW09 also feel very durable and well-built. The earbuds have an IP54 dust and water-resistance rating, which means you can wear them at the gym or beach without worry. The charging case is also IPX4-rated, so it’s okay if you get a few water splashes on it.

The downside of using aluminum, Kevlar, and glass instead of plastic is the weight. Each earbud weighs 8.1g, and the charging case weighs up to 63g, nearly double the weight of some plastic earbuds such as Apple AirPods. Master & Dynamic includes various silicone and foam ear tips, so I had no issues with comfort. You can use an ear tip fit test inside the companion app to help you find the right fit.

How do you control the Master & Dynamic MW09?

The MW09 uses push buttons to control playback. The left earbud houses the volume controls, while the right earbud has a multifunction button. It’s a bit strange that Master & Dynamic didn’t use the large glass panels for touch controls, but the physical buttons work fine.

As of writing, you can’t customize the onboard controls. You can enable or disable in-ear detection and set an auto-off timer from within the M&D Connect app.

Should you use the M&D Connect App for the Master & Dynamic MW09?

You should download the M&D Connect app to get the most from your Master & Dynamic MW09 earbuds. Beyond battery information and firmware updates, there are a whole bunch of features to dig into within the app.

You can select an equalizer preset inside the sound menu or make your own custom preset using the 5-band EQ. You can also switch between active noise cancelation (ANC) and ambient mode, depending on how much environmental noise you want to hear. There are also toggles to turn sidetone and audio prompts on or off.

You can enable or disable in-ear detection and the auto-off timer in the settings menu. There’s also an acoustic seal test here to see if you are using the right size of ear tips and do a factory reset if needed.

The final menu to explore is Bluetooth management, where you can quickly swap between devices using Bluetooth multipoint. Overall, this comprehensive app experience includes a lot of customization, and it matters most in sound quality and listening modes.

How do the Master & Dynamic MW09 connect?

The Master & Dynamic MW09 connects to devices via Bluetooth 5.4, the latest in Bluetooth technology. Having the latest Bluetooth tech future proofs the earbuds ready for advanced features such as Bluetooth LE and Auracast become more readily available in devices. In terms of Bluetooth codecs, the MW09 supports AAC, AptX Adaptive, AptX Lossless, LC3, and SBC.

With Bluetooth multipoint support, you can pair two devices simultaneously. I didn’t experience any connection dropouts during the testing period when paired to my phone and laptop.

How long does the Master & Dynamic MW09 battery last?

Battery life on the Master & Dynamic MW09 is incredible, which may also explain their weight. In our battery test, the earbuds lasted 15 hours and 54 minutes. This is the longest battery life we’ve seen on any wireless earbuds. Not only does this mean you won’t have to worry about putting the earbuds in their case throughout the day to charge them back up, but it also means the MW09 should have a much longer lifespan than other earbuds.

The charging case provides an additional 32 hours of battery life. You can charge the case via USB-C or wireless charging, though charging wirelessly takes twice as long.

How well do the Master & Dynamic MW09 cancel noise?

The ability of earbuds to control environmental noise heavily depends on how well they fit in your ears. Since the MW09 come with both foam and silicone ear tips in various sizes, they have an advantage in passive isolation compared to other earbuds. Foam ear tips block out noise better than silicone, as we’ve seen with other premium earbuds such as the Sony WF-1000XM5.

The Master & Dynamic MW09 includes many options for adjusting environmental noise. There are three different ANC modes: Max ANC, All-day ANC, and Adaptive ANC. Max ANC blocks out the most noise, so I mostly just used this mode as someone who likes to hear nothing but my music. Combining Max ANC with the foam ear tips reduces the loudness of most environmental noise by about 90%. Adaptive ANC actively adjusts the strength of the noise canceling depending on how loud your environment is, while All-day ANC keeps the ANC on a lower attenuation level.

If you are the type of person who likes to stay aware of their surroundings or eavesdrop on conversations, Master & Dynamic also has you covered. There are three ambient listening modes: Voice, Natural, and Awareness. These all amplify slightly different frequencies from your surroundings. Voice amplifies mid frequencies, Natural amplifies high frequencies, and Awareness amplifies low frequencies.

How do the Master & Dynamic MW09 sound?

Objective Measurements

Compared to our headphone preference curve, the default sound of the MW09 over-emphasizes all frequencies below 300Hz by about 5 dB. The earbuds also have a steep drop-off in the high frequencies above 8kHz, which makes bass sound comparably louder.

Can you use the Master & Dynamic MW09 for phone calls?

The Master & Dynamic MW09 works well for taking phone calls. Using what Master & Dynamic calls an “A.I. enhanced talk solution,” the earbuds modify the incoming microphone signal to amplify the voice. You can hear this in action in our microphone samples below, as the microphone quality slowly improves after the first couple of seconds of each recording and dynamically adjusts to the vocal qualities of each person talking.

Master & Dynamic MW09 microphone demo (Ideal conditions):

Should you buy the Master & Dynamic MW09?

If you have the means to spend this much money on earbuds, you won’t regret buying the Master & Dynamic MW09. In addition to a luxurious design, the MW09 has the performance and features to support its high price tag. You get great noise canceling, the latest Bluetooth technology, and the best battery life of any earbuds we’ve tested.

While the sound is a bit too bass-heavy out of the box, the M&D Connect app makes it easy to adjust the sound to your liking. Without any other notable drawbacks, these earbuds are an easy recommendation for anyone looking for the most premium wireless earbud experience.

How do Master & Dynamic MW09 compare to Master & Dynamic MW08?

The MW09 is a noticeable upgrade to the previous model, the Master & Dynamic MW08. The MW09 has built-in equalizer functionality, whereas the MW08 does not. This means you are mostly stuck with the bass-boosted sound of the MW08.

The MW09 also has nearly double the battery life of the MW08 and improved fast charging. The IP54-rated earbuds are more durable with the MW09 than the IPX5-rated MW08. The charging case of the MW08 also has no water resistance, whereas the MW09 charging case is IPX4-rated. Finally, the MW09 has improved noise canceling and microphone quality over its predecessor.

What should you get instead of the Master & Dynamic MW09?

At this price, there are a ton of great wireless earbuds. Our top dog for most people is the Sony WF-1000XM5. These earbuds have a good fit, are great at blocking out noise, and come with advanced features such as Sony 360 Reality Audio, $298 at Amazon.

If you have an iPhone, you can’t go wrong with the Apple AirPods Pro 2. Our biggest gripe is the lack of an EQ to adjust the sound, but otherwise, these earbuds are packed full of Apple-exclusive features you won’t find anywhere else, $239 at Amazon.

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