Master & Dynamic MW07 Go review: Same great sound, sportier appeal
With its first pair of true wireless earphones - the MW07, released back in 2018 - Master & Dynamic found some success and praise from virtually all who tested them. Since, it has released the MW07 Plus, complete with added noise-cancelling and greater battery life.
Now it's the turn of the MW07 Go, a less premium build with a sportier focus. But while there's no quite as much on the spec sheet, you might not miss out on much by choosing this cheaper, sportier pair. Read on as we explain why...
Design
- Fabric covered case included
- Earbuds (each): 7.4g; 21 x 18 x 25mm
- Build: TR90 composite, IPX6 water resistance
For Master & Dynamic, producing the MW07 Go meant using the same tried-and-tested formula of its previous earphones, but making it more nimble and resistant to weather. In this specific instance, M&D has managed to slim down the earbud casing considerably, while reducing each earbud's weight to just 7.4 g apiece.
For reference, the MW07 Plus earbuds - which feature a bigger battery and noise cancelling - weigh 9g each, so the Go cuts that by about 18 per cent, to 7.4g apiece, thanks to a slightly smaller housing. We notice the difference in the ears, even if the mere millimetre or so of difference doesn't read like much.
Like its predecessor, and the more expensive Plus model, the MW07 Go has an in-ear grip/fin that keeps each bud securely in place. With its unique comb-like structure, it's flexible and soft enough that you don't notice it, but also keeps the earbud secure, even during exercise.
We tested this out on a number of outdoor running and indoor cycling sessions, and neither left or right earbud ever felt like it would fall out, or even threaten to come loose. It's a very secure fit, but - thanks to that aforementioned comb grip - it doesn't feel too snug or uncomfortable. It's a good balance.
Add that it's resistant to rain and sweat and you have earbuds that you can take for a run in even wet, rainy conditions. We tried in the rain and these buds didn't suffer at all.
Like the Plus, the round silicone tips seal very well, which that means they do a good job of passively cancelling external noise, leaving you to just enjoy the music. It's not to the extreme, though, so we could still hear traffic on the roads when out running, but just not as clearly as we do with the Powerbeats Pro. For running within the vicinity of a major motorway, that's a good thing, but for quiet roads with blind bends, it's not ideal.
However, due to its tip design and a lack of any additional vents for bass reflex/air escaping, you do get a slight feeling of pressure from the MW07 Go.
As for the charging case, that's something of a departure from the polished stainless steel charging one that comes with the Plus model. Instead, M&D went with portability and sporty-aesthetics. It's lightweight and covered in a technical knit fabric, retains the USB-C port for charging, and the three LED lights on the front to indicate charging levels.
The texture of the fabric feels good in the hand, but we do worry about its durability. The lid feels a little flimsy, for example. Ours didn't break, but we don't imagine it would take all that much force to bend it out of shape, or render it redundant.
Performance and battery
- 10 hours playback out of case
- 12 hours from charging case
- Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
Like many of the current crop of true wireless earphones, Master & Dynamic's Go offers battery life that would have seemed ludicrous not too long ago. A fully charged pair will get through 10 hours of music playback before needing to be placed back in that fabric-coated charging case.
In reality, that's not far off the mark. We used these buds for 30-60 minutes at a time, predominantly during workouts, and not once did they even come close to struggling to last through those sessions. After about an hour, the battery indicator on our iPhone showed the buds' battery at 90 per cent, which just about fits in line with that promised 10 hours. That indicator isn't the most precise, but it's good to within five per cent.
Where it lacks a tiny bit is in the battery capacity of the case. This only offers an additional 12 hours, which that means it's only really just over one extra full charge, giving you a total of around 22 hours usage before needing it to be plugged in proper. In daily life - if you use them for commuting - that should last you a couple of weeks at a time, presuming your morning commute isn't more than an hour in each direction.
Wireless performance has been similarly strong during our testing, but we expect nothing less from a pair of wire-frees in 2020. The connectivity issues that plagued a lot of the early earphones don't tend to show their heads these days.
Same epic sound
- 10mm Beryllium driver
- AptX equipped
These might be the cheaper, lighter and sportier version of the MW07 range, but the Go features the same 10mm driver found inside the MW07 and MW07 Plus. That's good going for an in-ear product, as the usual is around 5-6mm. This means you get the same great sound whichever of the three you pick.
What Master & Dynamic does well - and has done with so many of its recent products - is give you plenty of oomph and depth in the bass, without negating the impact in the high end. The 'Dynamic' part of the company brand name really holds true with all of the MW07 line up - and the Go is no exception.
We love that the bass is loud, without being overly boomy or woolly. You get oodles of character and soul, without losing detail. This dynamic sound makes it an ideal pair of earphones whether you're listening while exercising, when out on the move, or when chilling at home.
You're not being forced to put up with sub-par sound because you opted for a pair of sport-focused in-ears. And because of the secure fit and seal, the sound stays great even as your feet are pounding the pavement.
In short: it's impossible not to enjoy your favourite tracks.
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