Have you been looking for a great, not just mediocre, pair of Bluetooth earbuds? Good, me too!
Tiring of the tug of my wired Shure SE846 during commutes, I got a pair of Sennheiser PXC 550s. Soon I noticed the headband on the PXC’s gave me a pronounced dip in my poofy hair. So after pursuing list after list on the “best wireless headphones”—punctuated by friends saying “Bluetooth just isn’t there yet, give it another year”—I was ready to try out truly wireless Bluetooth headphones (I wonder which other buzz words we can add beyond truly wireless—NFC, ANC, Super Bowl).
Bad jokes aside, I got my hands on a pair of the Jabra Elite Active 65T, Master Dynamic MW07 Plus, and the Sony WF-1000XM3. Here are my thoughts on them:
Master Dynamic MW07 Plus
MW07 PLUS True Wireless Earphones
These are a gorgeous pair of headphones, with a warm and full sound, that feel smooth, comfy, and light.
The Great:
Sound
- Highs are nice and crisp. You’ll hear those high hats sparkle. The only downside is the highs feel too boosted, sibilant, shrill and slurred.
- Very detailed - guitars, synths, and the xylophones sound especially nice in these. The Master Dynamic conjures a warmth that makes you want to put on that panda snuggie that you’re hi-key proud of and listen to Kaze No Torimichi by Joe Hisaishi (I’m telling you don’t sleep on that xylophone!)
Fit
- Hands down the most comfortable pair of in-ears I’ve triedThey have these silicon wings that help support the buds. After wearing them for only a few minutes, they melt away into my ear to the point I forget I’m wearing them.
Battery life
- Is great clocking in at 10 hours—better than the Sonys at 6 and the Jabra at 7.5.
The Meh
Noise Canceling
- Not very good. Then again this is a complaint I have universally for all in-ear Bluetooth headphones. On the bright side, they do still keep out a good amount of noise on your commute, subduing the buzzing San Francisco streets.
Sound Stage
- It feels small, especially with classical music. But feels more natural than the Sony’s.
Jabra Elite Active 65T
The Good
- The fit is fantastic! They feel very secure and comfortable—great for the gym.
- Keeps out most noise
- Rapid charging adds 1.5 hours in about 15 minutes.
The Meh
- Sound
- Muffled highs
- The mids are damp, making voices sound hollow and far away
- Muted bass
Sony WF-1000XM3
WF-1000XM3 Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones with Bluetooth® | Sony | Sony US
I anxiously awaited this pair’s release, especially after how well-reviewed Sony’s WH-1000XM3 were. While they’re bulky, they look sleek in black with the copper accent.
The Good
Noise Canceling
- The Best noise-canceling among the lot. The Sony’s beat out the Jabra and Master Dynamic, but not by much.
Sound
- Initially very flat and frankly boring. However, with the Sony Headphone app, you can add a lot more punch, and make them sound jaunty.
The Meh
Fit
- The Sony’s are heavy and often sit weirdly in the ear.
Sound Stage
- Strange—often the music felt behind me, which gives a vertigo-esque experience.
- More than once I thought my music was coming from my computer or my phone rather than the headphones. Nothing like the prospect of accidentally blaring System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!” in your open floor plan office to give you a mini-panic attack.
Battery life
- Claims to be 24 hours, but after about 6 hours of noise-canceling, while listening to music, they died while flying to the East Coast as I weathered a cacophony of babies crying.
Case
- It’s huge and not pocket-friendly. Not a big deal as you can just keep it in your bag, but the case also gets easily scratched.
Conclusion
If you have the money I’d recommend the Master Dynamics. They sound incredible, fit great, and are perfect for the gym (apparently they have a partnership with Kevin Durant, because what athlete doesn’t need expensive earbuds?). If you’re looking to spend less and twiddle with their app, the Sonys are a close second.
Looking Forward To:
Drop x THX Panda Headphones, the Ananda-BT by Hifiman, and the Sony WF-1000XM4.
Tracklist
Listen to it on Tidal or Spotify
- Daft Punk - Giorgio
- Alt-J - Breezeblocks
- Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Hunnybee
- Balam Acab - Oh, Why
- Steely Dan - Reeling In The Years
- Jai Paul - Str8 Outta Mumbai
- Herbie Hancock - Tell Me A Bedtime Story
- Looking Glass - Brandy
- Vince Staples - Señiorita
- Arctic Monkeys - Don’t Wanna Know
- The Black Keys - Tighten Up
- Chance the Rapper - Lost
- Tran Tran Sfera Ebbasta