Pros –
Very stable yet compact design, Outstanding bass, Smooth and controlled sound, Stable connectivity, Tactile controls
Cons –
No app integration, Isolation bested by competitors
Verdict –
The MW07 Go suits those wanting a streamlined audio-focussed TWS earphone with excellent battery life and a sound that’s warm enough for the GO but balanced enough to be enjoyed at home too.
Introduction –
Master & Dynamic surged onto the scene a few years ago, a New York-based company with big aspirations. Their brand made a name for themselves with their flawless industrial designs that felt built to last. Recently, the company has been focussing on their portable products, launching a competitive ANC headphone alongside expanding their TWS MW07 line-up. The GO is the most economical M&D TWS earphone and has been designed to be their most accessible in every regard. With many reviews pairing up the Plus and GO reviews, I thought it apt to offer this earphone its own dedicated article as there are some key differences between the two models besides the price gap. The MW07 GO carries a $199 USD price tag, you can find the full feature rundown on Master & Dynamic’s website and treat yourself to one below:
[amazon asin=B07Y286VJP&template=add to cart]
Disclaimer –
I would like to thank Master & Dynamic very much for their quick communication and for providing me with the MW07 GO for the purpose of review. All words are my own and there is no monetary incentive for a positive review. Despite receiving the earphones free of cost, I will attempt to be as objective as possible in my evaluation.
Accessories –
The MW07 GO is well-packaged, identical to their more premium earphones. Inside the box are compartments containing the accessories. In addition to the earphones within a new fabric charging case. M&D also include a USB-C to USB-C charging cable and a Type-C to USB-A adapter to allow charging from computers and older plug-ins. Furthermore, 5 silicone ear tips are provided to ensure a snug fit in addition to 3 sizes of silicone wing jackets to suit a wide range of ear geometries. The GO, much like the Plus, is a well outfit earphone.
Design –
Where the Plus is a like for like revision of the original MW07, the GO instead opts for a slightly more compact design representing a 15% reduction in overall volume achieved by shaving 1.5mm off the length and 1mm off the height. Alongside a more rounded design, this specification represents a significantly more tangible result than the pure specification would suggest. The earphone feels substantially smaller in the ear and is 15% lighter to match.
The acetate faceplates have also been substituted with basic hues of TR90 that have been slightly more scratch-prone in my testing and don’t look quite as premium, but contribute towards a very clean aesthetic. Otherwise, the GO utilises a similar silicone jacket and the fit is very reminiscent to the other MW07 earphones. There are no IR sensors and only the right earpiece houses a microphone so the earphones can’t be used independently for calls. On the contrary, the GO has the highest ingress protection rating at IPX6, making them waterproof if one point shy of submergible.
Fit & Isolation –
All of M&D’s efforts have paid off with regards to fit, this is a familiar feeling earphone but easily the most comfortable MW07 by a good margin. Similar to the Plus, the ear fins are of the slightly more acute kind, however, they don’t dig into the ear due to the altered geometry of the earphones. I had to size up the fins in lieu of the smaller housing dimensions and experienced perfect comfort and fit stability once tip and fins sizes were properly adjusted. The fit is medium depth, producing a solid seal and no driver flex. The earphones feel locked in through a combination of silicone fins and angled, protruding nozzles that provide opposing forces of stabilisation.
Combined with their higher ingress rating and lower weight, these are a terrific choice for workouts. Isolation also seems a touch improved as opposed to the MW07 though they still don’t touch sealed competitors nor the noise-cancelling MW07 Plus which will all be better choices for frequent travellers. What we’re left with is above average passive isolation that is sufficient for general commute, especially when paired with their fuller bass tuning. Wind noise is also non-issue as the vents are concealed.
Compact Case –
Alongside a new form factor, M&D has introduced a new case too. It has a technical knit exterior similar to that of the Sennheiser MTW and is substantially smaller and lighter than the stainless-steel unit included with the other MW07 earphones. As a result, it’s a lot more pocketable and unobtrusive to carry. It features a rubberized hinge that lacks the satisfying double magnet lock of the stainless-steel case and the case only offers just over a single additional charge as opposed to 3 on the Plus, for a total 22 hours of listening. Besides these main differences, the case is functionally identical to the steel version, magnetically retaining the earphones and lid, offering battery level via 3 front-facing LEDs and charging over USB-C. Despite lacking a metal construction, no wireless charging is offered. With a smaller battery, the case is able to charge 40% in 15 minutes.
Connectivity and Battery life –
All manner of connectivity is basically identical to the Plus so I’ll be borrowing snippets from that review. The pairing process is identical and just as straightforward. Upon first removal from the case, the earpieces enter pairing mode and auto-connect on subsequent power cycles. To add additional devise, the earpieces have to be removed from the ear and the power button held for several seconds after which the status LED flashes to denote pairing. One notable addition to the spec sheet includes BT 5.0 which represents more than just an increase in power efficiency. The new earbuds immediately have more stable connectivity and I didn’t experience dropout from my Pixel 4 even in Sydney’s crowded CBD. Latency wasn’t an issue in my uses with minimal issues with lip sync when watching videos. Apt-X is supported which offers greater fidelity, however, Apple users will be disappointed by the absence of AAC.
What is different is the lack of ability to pair each earpiece independently. Additionally, only the right earpiece features a microphone. That said, the microphones is the same beamforming unit as the Plus and produces similarly strong call quality. It was able to isolate my voice well from background noise and recipients reported good volume and immediacy. As aforementioned, neither earpiece has an IR sensor so the earphones are unable to auto-pause music when removed from the ear. As with the Plus, the GO features some of the best battery life on the market, rated at 10hours. I reliably was able to achieve 9hrs of use at low-medium volumes, slightly better than the Plus as there is no noise-cancelling. Quick charge is also supported, offering 5hrs of runtime from a 15min charge. There is no app/eQ support for this earphone meaning that users will be subject to the eQ built into their music app of choice and will have to change the eQ on each source device.
Next Page: Sound, Comparisons & Verdict
