Master & Dynamic MW07 Go Review: Great price but there are other things to consider

New York-based Master & Dynamic is known for creating high-quality audio products that stand the test of time thanks to the materials it has painstakingly chosen for its entire lineup of headphones, earphones, and speakers. Buttery leather, lambskin, and premium metals, however, have priced many would-be buyers out of the company's reach. Until now, perhaps.

The recently released MW07 Go truly wireless earphones mainly cater to consumers who like the AirPods concept, but either dislikes the Apple design or have difficulties wearing the white sticks. Primarily based on the MW07 earphones first introduced in 2018, the MW07 Go arrived this fall alongside the MW07 Plus earphones, which serves as a more natural successor to the original MW07. That double-launch, unfortunately, could prove troubling for the MW07 Go, as I'll explain below.

Ready for its closeup

What is the MW07 Go?

Truly Wireless earphones have become all the rage since the first-generation Apple AirPods arrived in late 2016. Since then, truly wireless technology has improved considerably. Today's products offer significantly more battery life and better reception than previous releases. To take on Apple's juggernaut, competitors have done what competitors always do: release products that are cheaper or, conversely, much more expensive, hoping that something strikes.

In the case of Master & Dynamic, it released the pricey MW07, available in high-society designs such as white marble, steel blue matte, and grey terrazzo. To me, the MW07 offered something AirPods never could: an unmatched comfort level for my ears. Better still, thanks to its custom 10mm Beryllium drivers, the sound delivered was rich and expansive.

The MW07's most significant drawback? For $300, you only got three hours of music between charges and just 14 hours overall with the beautifully designed stainless steel charging case.

(With the release of the MWO7 Go and MW07 Plus, Master & Dynamic dropped the price of the MW07 to $250.)

This brings us back to the MW07 Go, which also offers custom 10mm Beryllium drivers, but with significant advances that one comes to expect from newer tech products, including better battery life, updated Bluetooth, and IPX6 water-resistant TR90 composite used in sports eyewear.

Great fit, very light

MW07 Go: What I like

With each earphone weighing just 7.4 grams, the MW07 Go are among the lightest truly wireless products to date. This compares favorably to the 9 grams per headset for both the MW07 and 2019 MW07 Plus. By contrast, each AirPod weighs 4 grams. The weight of the MW07 Go feels more dispersed, however, making the weight difference between it and Apple's product negotiable, at best.

The MW07 Go's comfy feel arrives via the patented silicone fit wings that come in three sizes along with five ear tip sizes.

Beyond fit and size, I also love the MW07's water-resistance, a feature not often found on similar products (including AirPods, and Master & Dynamic's other two earphone models). As someone who enjoys walking each day for exercise, even when it's raining, this is a great addition.

Sound-wise, I've been mostly happy with the MW07 Go, especially when using them inside. With connectivity distance of 100 feet (30 meters), I can use them even when my iPhone is elsewhere in my home. My outside experience has proven less successful, as you'll see below.

Durable enough?

MW07 Go: What I don't like

If Master & Dynamic had released the MW07 Go before the MW07 Plus, many of my concerns about the former wouldn't have existed. Instead, I would have rightly noted the many positive differences between the newer model and the MW07, for which there are many. These differences include better battery life, Bluetooth 5.0 versus Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity, and more.

Because the MW07 Plus does exist, significant issues between the two newest models stand out like a sore thumb or more accurately two sore thumbs when you consider there's only a $100 price difference between the two.

With the MW07 Go, you get 10 hours of battery life with 12 additional hours ready to charge from the case for a total of 22 hours. With a quick charge, you can add five hours of playtime in just 15 minutes and a total of 10 hours after 40 minutes.

Sounds great until you consider the MW07 Plus charging case packs 40 hours of total playtime.

Speaking of charging cases, the one for the MW07 Go oddly contains non-water-resistant knit fabric on the outside. You can battle Mother Nature on your daily run wearing the earphones, but be sure to leave the charging case at home or secure it in a Ziploc bag. Does this make sense?

Also, I experienced some connection issues when using the MW07 Go outside -- on both sunny and rainy days. The random audio spottiness occurred with the earphones connected to both my iPhone 11 Pro Max and Apple Watch Series 5. During testing, the issue didn't happen often, but it did occur.

This brings us finally (as it always does) to price.

At $199, the MW07 Go is perhaps the most budget-friendly Master & Dynamic product to date. This is a huge step, especially when you consider this is the same company that offers a $1,800 speaker made of concrete! And yet, once again, I find myself zeroing in on the MW07 Plus and what you get for an extra $100.

Besides offering more battery life in its charging case, the MW07 Plus features Active Noise-Canceling and Ambient Listening Mode. It also features handcrafted acetate on the outside, which, at least to the touch, feels more durable than the performance composite found on the MW07 Go.

Finally, beyond offering more battery life, the MW07 Plus charging case is stainless steel versus the knit fabric found on the less expensive product. There's no denying which one should stand the test of time better.

The MW07 Go ships with the earphones and charging case, plus three Fit-Wing and five ear tip sizes, a USB adaptor, and USB-C charging cable.

A hard rating

Master & Dynamic MW07 Go Earphones

Selecting a technology product often comes down to price, followed by features. Just offering a sub-$200 truly wireless product is a significant step for one of my favorite U.S.-based audio companies. If $200 is your sweet spot, by all means, go-go-go and buy the MW07 Go in electric blue, flame red, jet black, or stone grey.

If you have another Benjamin Franklin to spend, go with the MW07 Plus, which I believe will serve you better over the long-term.

Besides, you want a pair in white marble, no?

Have any questions?

If you have any questions or concerns about the MW07 Go, MW07 Plus or wireless headphones in general, let us know below.