It was 2014 when Master & Dynamic released the original MH40, the outfit’s first ever pair of headphones. Five years later, they released the wireless version of that very same model to better compete with the increasingly cord-cutting space. The Master & Dynamic MH40 Wireless 2nd Gen is the newest evolution of the outfit’s pioneering cans, bringing the same sound signature and timeless design in a much-improved package.
So what’s new with the second-generation? Quite a bit, apparently, as the outfit touts brand new titanium drivers, longer battery life, and a number of new technologies aimed at making the headphones a lot more comfortable to use. Whether you’re a longtime MH40 faithful, a fan of premium headphones, or just a guy who likes great-sounding cans, this definitely makes for an interesting new option in the category.
The Master & Dynamic MH40 Wireless 2nd-Gen is equipped with new 40mm titanium drivers that, the outfit claim, deliver precise and expansive sound with clearer highs and richer lows, ensuring it can reproduce as much detail as available from your favorite music. Just like the last-gen version, expect a warm, natural sound with none of the heavy-handed tuning frequently found on more mainstream headphones, making this idea for listeners who want to experience the full spectrum of sound, complete with those nuanced details, rather than focusing on a booming bass or stunning high frequencies.
Surprisingly, they’re opting not to jump into the active noise cancellation fray. Why not? We have no idea. As such, these headphones remain a good option for home use, but might not be suitable for noisier environments, like airports and even busy offices. Instead, they opted to put in some noise cancellation tech on the dual-microphone array, which is now able to shut out ambient noises, allowing them to pick up your voice a lot clearer during voice calls.
The Master & Dynamic MH40 Wireless 2nd-Gen retains the premium aluminum construction of previous iterations, with multiple parts covered in a mix of premium coated canvas and lambskin leather. The ear pads are designed to provide a heavy amount of passive sound isolation, which should help when listening outdoors, all while being easily removable via a magnetic mount, so you can easily replace them with a fresh one as soon as they wear out. It comes with anodized aluminum buttons on the right ear cup for power, pairing, playback, volume, voice calls, and voice assistant.
The onboard battery is rated for up to 30 hours of music playback. While that’s not exactly stellar in the category (some Bluetooth headphones can go up to 60 hours), it is a lot longer than the 18 hours on the first-generation wireless model. There’s also a quick-charge feature that can give it six hours’ worth of charge in 15 minutes. Other details include an impedance of 32 Ohms, an optional USB-C to USB-C cord (for those times you want to listen to hi-res 24-bit/96kHz digital audio), and a companion app, which offers an equalizer and a few select features you might want to switch on (like Sidetone, which can be very useful when using the headphones for voice calls).
The Master & Dynamic MH40 Wireless 2nd-Gen is available now, priced at $399.