Talking to Jonathan Levine, the founder of Master & Dynamic, about crystal clear sound, gorgeous product design and his appreciation for high quality audio products begins to sound like a symphony playing in peak performance mode. Levine isn't your typical audio company head. He can talk endlessly about his collection of vintage headphones and the impressive sound studio he built at the headquarters of Master & Dynamic.
While there are a lot of expensive headphones on the market that look cool, a lot of times the sound quality is lacking for true audiophiles. Levine, a man obsessed with quality, is on a mission to only prioritize sound and style in his products. Master & Dynamic is finding tremendous success by sticking to Levine's commitment at a time when an increasing number of companies, musicians and celebrities are churning out costly headphones for listening to music on airplanes or at the gym, or simply to wear as a fashion accessory.
I'm not a very musical person (you don't want to hear me sing), but I have a good ear for high quality audio and appreciate listening to music emanate through a speaker or headphones that makes me get the chills when the sounds is superior. One of my favorite things to do at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is to sample the different over-the-ear headphones and try to determine which companies have successfully figured out how to get the richest sound quality from different audio devices. I also enjoy being invited into private rooms to listen to great music be played flawlessly through high end speakers from companies like Bang & Olufsen, Thonet &Vander and Bose.
The legendary Neil Young famously laments that it's impossible to get truly high fidelity sound quality from MP3s in our post-vinyl music age, but audiophiles don't need Young's Pono player to be fulfilled today. There are countless options available for anyone looking for higher quality than the free white earbuds packaged with all Apple products, but for those with discriminating taste in audio quality and willing to pay premium prices there are some truly impressive audio products on the market -- from wireless headphones to Bluetooth earbuds and from dynamic sound bars to high powered sound systems.
Here are some high end products I had a chance to sample (check the Web for pricing).
Earin - If you appreciate the clear sound of music, but don't want to deal with the wires (even wireless Bluetooth headphones have a small wire) you will love Earin. The extraordinary high fidelity quality of these Swedish-made earbuds will excite every audiophile. These earbuds are placed in your ears like ear plugs and are comfortable with a surprisingly high quality sound. The design is beautiful -- even the packaging -- and Earn won the 2016 iF Design Award. In terms of battery power, I was able to get a full 10 hours of use from a single charge. A bass boost is available by downloading the companion app for iOS or Android. https://www.earin.com
Bose SoundTouch 10 - At a time when everyone in the family has their own personal music player with headphones, I've begun to miss the sound of beautiful music throughout the house. Bose will bring that magic back with its wireless music system. The SoundTouch 10 is small, but able to stream millions of songs from music services including Spotify, which has partnered with Bose. Using your home Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth devices, you'll be able to play any sound imaginable and introduce your kids to new music. Your smartphone becomes the remote control with the mobile app. https://www.bose.com
Master & Dynamic MW60 - These are the headphones that sit next to my bed and make bedtime something to really look forward to. Listening to music through the MW60 headphones will honestly make you hear music differently. The sound quality is in a class by itself. When I recently walked around New York City wearing these I was stopped a couple times with inquiries. I gently explained that Master & Dynamic's headphones were the major leagues to Dre's minor league Beats. These wireless Bluetooth headphones are built with only the finest materials and provide a rich, warm sound with a beautiful stainless steel componentry. They are durable, stylish and worth every dollar. http://www.masterdynamic.com
While there are a lot of expensive headphones on the market that look cool, a lot of times the sound quality is lacking for true audiophiles. Levine, a man obsessed with quality, is on a mission to only prioritize sound and style in his products. Master & Dynamic is finding tremendous success by sticking to Levine's commitment at a time when an increasing number of companies, musicians and celebrities are churning out costly headphones for listening to music on airplanes or at the gym, or simply to wear as a fashion accessory.
I'm not a very musical person (you don't want to hear me sing), but I have a good ear for high quality audio and appreciate listening to music emanate through a speaker or headphones that makes me get the chills when the sounds is superior. One of my favorite things to do at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is to sample the different over-the-ear headphones and try to determine which companies have successfully figured out how to get the richest sound quality from different audio devices. I also enjoy being invited into private rooms to listen to great music be played flawlessly through high end speakers from companies like Bang & Olufsen, Thonet &Vander and Bose.
The legendary Neil Young famously laments that it's impossible to get truly high fidelity sound quality from MP3s in our post-vinyl music age, but audiophiles don't need Young's Pono player to be fulfilled today. There are countless options available for anyone looking for higher quality than the free white earbuds packaged with all Apple products, but for those with discriminating taste in audio quality and willing to pay premium prices there are some truly impressive audio products on the market -- from wireless headphones to Bluetooth earbuds and from dynamic sound bars to high powered sound systems.
Here are some high end products I had a chance to sample (check the Web for pricing).
Earin - If you appreciate the clear sound of music, but don't want to deal with the wires (even wireless Bluetooth headphones have a small wire) you will love Earin. The extraordinary high fidelity quality of these Swedish-made earbuds will excite every audiophile. These earbuds are placed in your ears like ear plugs and are comfortable with a surprisingly high quality sound. The design is beautiful -- even the packaging -- and Earn won the 2016 iF Design Award. In terms of battery power, I was able to get a full 10 hours of use from a single charge. A bass boost is available by downloading the companion app for iOS or Android. https://www.earin.com
Bose SoundTouch 10 - At a time when everyone in the family has their own personal music player with headphones, I've begun to miss the sound of beautiful music throughout the house. Bose will bring that magic back with its wireless music system. The SoundTouch 10 is small, but able to stream millions of songs from music services including Spotify, which has partnered with Bose. Using your home Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth devices, you'll be able to play any sound imaginable and introduce your kids to new music. Your smartphone becomes the remote control with the mobile app. https://www.bose.com
Master & Dynamic MW60 - These are the headphones that sit next to my bed and make bedtime something to really look forward to. Listening to music through the MW60 headphones will honestly make you hear music differently. The sound quality is in a class by itself. When I recently walked around New York City wearing these I was stopped a couple times with inquiries. I gently explained that Master & Dynamic's headphones were the major leagues to Dre's minor league Beats. These wireless Bluetooth headphones are built with only the finest materials and provide a rich, warm sound with a beautiful stainless steel componentry. They are durable, stylish and worth every dollar. http://www.masterdynamic.com
