Master & Dynamic was showing off a pair of their new headphones — both on-ear and over-ear, dangling over an ALO Studio Six that was completely and somewhat inexplicably trapped under plexiglass.
Following their May launch, these headphones have the distinction of being one of the nicest looking in a flurry of new headphones that’ve seen the air this year.
The MH40 are over-ear, and retail for $399. All that leather and metal immediately set them apart from their competitors from Apple.
The MH30 are on-ear. They retail for $340, and pretty much match the aesthetic of their slightly larger siblings.
M&D also have a pair of in-ear monitors, the ME01 ($149) and the ME03 ($159), but neither were on display early Saturday morning.
Of the two headphones that were, I had a natural preference for the larger MH40. Perhaps it was their 45mm drivers (as opposed to the 40mm in the MH30), but the sound felt deeper, fuller and generally more rich. Detail was high, but here with the ALO, the sound was non-fatiguing.
$399 is a tough price point to defend in today’s market, but if you’re going to do it, this retro-styled headphone is certainly a great attempt to do so.
I’d love to try a pair long-term, for sure.
