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30 second exam
We loved the Master & Dynamic MW08 for its sumptuous build, great sound quality, and intuitive physical controls. Although their poor ANC and lack of multipoint matchmaking left us hungry, we denied the pleasure of using them on a daily basis.
Now Master & Dynamic is back with a derivative of the MW08: the Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport. The main difference between the 2 is that the Sport model includes wireless charging and a lightweight, water-resistant Kevlar case.
After spending a few weeks with the MW08 Sport, we think the regular MW08 is the best investment, depending on your use case. This is the reason.
Price and launch date
The Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport is available worldwide on the company's website for $350 / €329 / €350 (around AU$620).. Although the MW08 Sport accepts wireless charging, you will have to provide yours or opt for the MC100 charger from Master & Dynamic, which costs $69 / €49 (around AU$112).
Design
The design of the Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport continues virtually unchanged from its predecessors: the headphones still feature an aluminum outer frame with plastic antenna lines, but the outer face replaces the porcelain with sapphire.
This makes sense for sports-focused headphones, as sapphire is a stronger material than porcelain, and luckily in terms of weight and size, the headphones are exactly the same between the MW08 and MW08 Sport.
The biggest design difference is the Sport's Kevlar case, which is considerably lighter than the MW08's stainless steel cases.. The Kevlar case is also IPX4 waterproof, which means it can withstand splashes of water, but won't submerge in water. The Kevlar is coated with a sticky, rubbery texture, which is considerably more secure in the hand compared to the MW08's slippery stainless steel casing.
The heaviness of the MW08's stainless steel casing is what makes it so sumptuous and has helped it stand out from the crowd of plastic-covered true wireless earbuds., but inductive charging doesn't go through metal, hence the lack of wireless charging in the MW08.
Features
The MW08 Sport retains great physical controls from its predecessor: the left earcup still has a volume rocker, which doubles as buttons to turn ANC on/off and hear surroundings. The right earbud has a single button that controls playback, power, and pairing.
There is also the optical sensor that warns when the headphones are removed from the ear and automatically pauses the music. This can be disabled in the app, which also allows users to change the strength of the ANC. Unfortunately, there is no equalizer capability in the app at the time of writing.
frustratingly, multipoint pairing is still missing on the MW08 Sport, which means you can only pair one device at a time. Other earbuds on the market, like the Jabra Elite 85t, let you pair 2 devices simultaneously so the audio automatically switches from your phone or tablet (or computer) without re-pairing each time.
ANC is also making a comeback, however, it has not received any updates from MW08. To that end, the ANC is just mediocre, helping to muffle the more useless ambient rumble you make in front of a jet engine. Don't expect Sony WF-1000XM4 levels of noise cancellation here.
Audio quality
The MW08 Sport sound is identical to the MW08, which means you still get a lot of detail, active and slightly warm tonal balance. The MW08 Sport are easy to listen to throughout the day due to the fact that the highs never tire. However, they do sacrifice a bit of brightness and high-frequency resolution.
There's still the usual mid-bass flourish of M&D, which adds a bit of excitement to the frequency, which works well with today's pop, hip-hop and electronic music. ANC and Ambient Listening modes don't affect sound quality, something few headphone manufacturers can do.
In terms of call quality, the MW08 Sport is consistently top-notch with friends and family reporting clear sound. However, they are not the best at suppressing the roar of the wind, so try not to perceive calls to the outside as much as possible.
Battery duration
Battery life remains great M&D claims 10 hours of playback with ANC off and 42 hours with ANC or Ambient Listening on all day. The case itself offers thirty auxiliary hours of playback for a total of 4 hours of listening. All XNUMX of us claim that they are quite accurate, about eight hours with the ANC on. Disabling ANC is going to give you certain auxiliary hours.
In terms of charging speed, wireless charging is a bit slower than wired: users can get 50% charge in 30 minutes and 100% charge in 100 minutes compared to 50% charge in 15/100 minutes/% charge in 60 minutes when connected via USB-C port.
Should I get the Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport?
Buy them if ...
You like the design
Master & Dynamic takes great care in designing their products and it is appreciated. The MW08 Sport is unlike anything on the market and its physical controls are a joy to use.
You want wireless charging
Adding wireless charging is great if you've already invested in multiple wireless chargers.
Focus on sound quality
The MW08 Sport retains the great sound quality of the original MW08. The sound is active, detailed and never exhausted.
Do not buy them if ...
You don't need wireless charging
Wireless charging is recommended, but if you don't need it, save money and go for the regular MW08. The headphones are identical in terms of sound quality and functionality.
If you have a limited budget
The MW08 Sport are expensive but they justify their cost by their beautiful design and materials.
