Master & Dynamic Me05 Earbud’s review

Master & Dynamic makes some great wireless headphones and earplugs, including the excellent-but pretty expensive-over-ear MW75 (included in our round up by over-ear headphones), which include both wired and wireless options. However, it recently released the new ME05 ear plugs, which are completely wired and quite a little more affordable than the MW75.

Something strange varies the price depending on where you are based. In the US, ME05 is available in four different colors, all of which have the same price for $ 199. However, prices vary in the UK and other regions that start at £ 169 for the models of gun metal (gray) and palladium (silver), while gold and white models cost £ 196. People who prefer a traditional wired design rather than the compromises of Bluetooth and Wireless Audio. And as M&D says on its website, the wired design also means that it is “a minor thing to charge”.

See how Master & Dynamic ME05 is compared to other wired earphones we’ve tested.

ME05 was originally launched far back in 2015, but M&D decided it needed a bit of a renewal to bring it up to date with the latest audio technologies, such as the use of USB-C to Wired Audio. The external design has not changed much, with the main body of each ear piece still made of brass, which is both smart and robust, and also helps reduce distortion that can affect the sound quality. Inside the earplugs are 8 mm drivers made of ‘bio-cellulose’-a thin and lightweight material similar to paper, but is produced as a by-product of growing bacteria in a laboratory (which sounds a little gross, but the lightweight material is widely used in headphones and earplugs as it provides very good sound quality in both high and low frequencies).

I have always preferred wired earplugs, but one disadvantage is that the cables can sometimes turn into an annoying spaghetti root. Fortunately, however, the ME05 cable is made of thick ‘flock -free’ rubber that allows you to just pick up the earbuds and quickly connect them without spending 10 minutes loosening the cable first.

The original ME05 from 2015 had just a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, but Apple killed the 3.5mm mm with iPhone 7 in 2016, so the cable delivered with this new model includes both a 3.5mm connector and a USB-C adapter for the latest iPhones and iPads and other mobile devices. There is also a good set of accessories included with a canvas carrying a bag, five sets of silicone rubber-ear tip of different sizes and two sets of memory foam ear tip as well. However, there are no lightning adapter, so owners of older iPhones and iPads will have to deliver their own adapter (Apple’s own lyn adapter has been interrupted in the US, unfortunately, although it still seems to be for sale in the UK and some other regions).

The sound quality is excellent as I stream the hi-res version of Sing with By Sturgill Simpson from Apple Music. The track is a rebellious mash-up of rock gitaries, EDM keyboards and Simpson’s Land Twang, but ME05 balances the dense sound perfectly even at full volume. Wired headphones often appear to have a little more power than Bluetooth, and there is a real head banging energy for the grinding guitar, while the dance castles fly through the air like fireworks. However, ME05 still manages to choose lighter details, including the exact, ticking percussion that drives the song forward, and the bass falls towards the end lands like a beat in the gut. The beef bass also works well for dance tracks, and the deep, electronic bass on Bad guy By Billie Eilish has a tight, solid rhythm that is hard to resist.

ME05 is just as home with classic sounds. It shows the lightest touches for delicate harp that opens Max Richter’s SarajevoBut the entrance to soprano Sarah Leonard cuts through with piercing clarity and emotional power. Martial arts of Horns bring an ominous mood to the play, like a merchant storm, and then loosens the Me05 storm as the full BBC Philharmonic breaks into a powerful swirls of strings. The only thing missing is support for active noise cancellation (ANC), which may be a problem for some users.

Should you buy Master & Dynamic Me05?

If you prefer the convenience of wireless headphones, the old school wired design of ME05 will probably not suit you. And of course, the lack of noise reduction can be a deal breaker for travelers who need good ANC. But people who prefer wired headphones or earplugs to listen to hi-res music will find that ME05 gives high quality sound at a competitive price.