Reviews

21 Best Sounding True Wireless Earbuds (2020)

Master & Dynamic MW07 GO

Setup

There isn’t an app with an equalizer so you’ll have to use your playback software. I personally would boost the lows and highs a bit more to get more bottom and air.

Sound

Having heard dozens of true wireless earbuds prior to the MW07 GO – I knew these were special. These earphones were obviously made for the audiophile who prefers neutrality and nuance. In fact, it is the most resolving earphone on this list – by a large margin.

Delineation is in a class of its own. It’s amazing how it’s able to lay out so much of the complexities in the music. From the resonances of a venue to the organic and humanistic textural cues – “natural resolution” was the theme of this earphone. You’ll gain further insight into the different timbral differences between violins, cello, and even a harmonica. This also results in more intelligible lyrics, better micro-details, macro-dynamics, and most importantly, texture. In comparison, all of the other true wireless headphones juxtapose in a more “crowded” manner.

This brings me to one caveat: these MW07 GOs might not be as impressive if they don’t have your undivided attention. It’s a little odd to say but critical listening is required for full appreciation. So for casual listening, it might be a bit disappointing. This is because it doesn’t have the shiniest treble, the most colorful timbre, or the meatiest bass. The M&D’s strength is in imaging, texturing, and detailing in an analog fashion. It’ll give you lifelike transparency, composure, and a fuller more aurally molded sound. Its ability to articulate dynamics and transients in a multi-layered sound is simply unmatched – and something I usually only hear from a high-end HiFi system.

Comparisons

  • Jabra Elite 75t: The Jabra has far more sparkle and bass – but is leaner and colder sounding. There’s definitely more hype and energy with the Jabra, but the M&D is more composed and proper.
  • Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro: The Soundcore has more fun with tonal variations and warmth. It’s actually the most tonally accurate earphone on this list. But it’s sharper and may cause fatigue (and toothaches) for some. The M&D is far smoother, denser, and more dimensional. Percolation of details and nuance is impeccable.
  • Edifier TWS NB: The Edifier has a more laid back midrange and isn’t nearly as smooth or detailed as the M&D. The Edifier has more vividness, better focus, and a blacker background. However, the M&D is more open, textural, and dynamic. Both have a similar, grayish, neutral tone.
  • Sony WF-1000XM3: The M&D is denser and more delineated than the Sony WF-1000XM3 – but the Sony is more vivid. The M&D digs much further into the surface and resolves the bumps and grain of the recordings. The Sony is more polite and silky. More of a crowd-pleaser…if you will.
  • Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless: The Sennheiser throws out a larger, more present and vivid soundstage. It sounds punchier and more “dreamy.” The MW07 sounds a bit tiny in comparison BUT it is far more nuanced, textural, and detailed. The Sennheiser actually comes off a bit muffled with rough gradations. Although both are more “colorless” (which comes off a bit dull over longer listening sessions), the MW07 has better timbre and tone. If you want to get a more accurate glimpse at how an instrument or performer actually sounds – go for the MW07. It’ll tell you a lot more about what is going on in the mix. To my ears, the Sennheiser doesn’t sound anything close to natural. I think casual listeners will find the Sennheisers more enveloping – but the MW07 is leagues better as far as higher fidelity.

Side Notes

  • The fabric case is extremely portable. Only the Samsung Galaxy Buds and Apple Airpod Pros are smaller.
  • The connection isn’t really stable at long distances. It also drops out a lot with my laptop – but not my Pixel 3 phone.
  • I noticed the MW07 GO sounded more monochrome at lower volume levels.
  • The Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus has the same driver and should sound the same. But with the addition of active noise canceling – who knows!

Who should buy this?

If tonal color accuracy, bass, or warmth is your top priority – the M&D MW07 GO isn’t for you. You might enjoy the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro more. The MW07 GO’s treble is also more matte – so isn’t as airy. There’s also a slight dryness in the mids where sibilance peeks out. Also, smaller earbuds mean a smaller sound – and these also won’t get too loud.

The MW07 is a technical achiever. It’s great if you want a more gapless and textural presentation. It isn’t the most vivid but is a great reference TWS earphone for these qualities. You must enjoy tonal neutrality and be listening more attentively to fully appreciate it.

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Jay Luong

Mr. Audio Bacon himself. An open-minded electrical engineer and software developer by trade. I have an obsession with the enjoyment of all things media - specifically in the realm of music and film. So much heart and soul (and money) go into the creation of this artistry. My aim is to find out which products get me closer to what the musicians and directors intended.

View Comments

  • Very nice article and I tend to agree with most if not all your assessments. I own most of these headphones and am a headphone addict. Clearly sound and headphones reviews are very subjective. I appreciate all your efforts here! Well done!

  • I think this is probably the best audio review comparison for a buyer that I've ever read. No. Not probably. Actually it is the best. That's because you've written the good AND the bad about every product. Never said one item is better absolutely. Explained what you liked and why, which is VERY important as I might like something that you don't. Though most importantly, you compared the items at the end with both the good and bad points in a comparative way. This grouping of descriptions and comparisons actually makes your ranking list not very useful and confusing, BUT! makes the whole review useful and informative and can help a person decide which product THEY would like. I still like my old Wf-1000x buds but was looking for something, probably by now, better. By reading your reviews I might actually rank the new Sony buds as number one (though I'd have to hear them of course). The beauty of your reviews is that I can actually get some idea of what I WOULD actually like and what to try first. Awesome writing and well thought out.

    • Thank you, Mark. It's interesting because some days, I don't mind having something further down the ranking list for the "unique" qualities it presents. It's sometimes about the mood or about the appreciation of a certain type of sound. Although I prefer a more natural sound, I sometimes still enjoy the "fantasy" that some of these headphones provide. It amazes me how much information is capture by the microphone - which I don't think even the performers or engineers knew about. I did perform this experiment for my own record keeping. Figured it'll give me a good reference point for things I hear in the future. Everyone enjoys music differently and I'm glad I was able to help.

  • Great review. I have settled on 3 sets of earbuds for my everyday use.

    1. Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro - For home use. I agree wholeheartedly about your remarks regarding these earbuds, and now Soundcore has added a 7 band EQ allowing you to custom eq them, so that's fantastic. Their relatively weak IPX rating and substandard call performance keeps them from being my "go to" phones, but when I am at home, these are the ones I pick up.

    2. Sony WF-1000XM3 - Although not as good sounding as the L2P, The sublime ANC of these buds makes these my default travel gear, edging out my Bose QC35ii over the ear cans. The sound isolation on these is actually better than my Bose. And the portability of them is self evident. No IPX rating makes them strictly for plane trips and similar use cases. Definitely a niche product, but once you travel with ANC, there's no going back.

    3. Soundcre Liberty Air 2 - These are my default "out and about" phones. The slight trade off in sound quality is more than offset by the smaller case, stronger water resistance and call quality. The soundcore app allows you to EQ them quite a bit, so I can get good sound even in environments that are not conducive to it.

    • I've bought a pair before. I don't think it's worth comparing to the ones up here. Not super great in my opinion

  • I have been looking for exactly such an analysis. I have been looking for a TWS for exactly the same purpose as yours except that call quality is a semi-important factor. I mostly use iFi xDSD for Bluetooth receiver with JVC FD0X or Sony MD855. Anyway, it would be interesting if you could rate Galaxy bud live that has an open design with a bass duct and 12mm driver. My interest in it for its call quality and I heard it is better than galaxy bud+. Thank you.

  • Thank you so much for your review man!!!! I tried many earbuds and the M&D MW07 GO is a clear win on sound quality in my opinion! So detailed, precise, layered, immersive and just beautiful sound in all genres. I can hear many new sounds in the same old songs and music that I listen over and over again. I have been a Bose fan for so long but M&D will be my new faith on sound quality. Thank you for such a professional and honest review!!! Appreciate it!!!

  • This is has become my go to reference source - the care and attention to detail that went into this is amazing; so, Thank You! I have always struggled with pure ranking lists and have been skeptical of kickback bias. I have been on a quest to find the highest call/mic quality without sacrificing my music preferences. This has served as a good cross-reference. I was generally happy with the Momentum TW's call-wise; however, was never a big fan of how music sounded through them (although I really wanted them to be good). That combined with the flaws ("volume min / volume min / volume min") drove me away. I am on the phone all day for work and like to listen to music in between. I'm currently using Jabra 75t's and they seem pretty good for both purposes - the extra bass doesn't bother me too much but heavier music tends to sound a little muddled to my liking.

    Has anyone else had good experiences with TWS with the right call quality / musicality balance? Always open to opinions and suggestions.

    Thanks!

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