Summary – Master and Dynamic MH40B1 Headphone
The Master and Dynamic MH40B1s are performance headphones that deliver high-fidelity sound performance with very good transparency and pristine clarity. The MH40 headphones come equipped with 45mm neodymium drivers that deliver natural and detailed love sound performance and can practically expose any flaws in the audio recording. The headphones are tuned to provide great sound across a wide range of music genres and should also be amped for best sound performance. These headphones look luxurious at every angle and are designed with quality materials including premium leather, stainless steel and aluminium for a classy appearance. It is also fitted with lambskin ear pads which rest softly on the ears and prevent ear fatigue after prolonged periods of wearing. The headphones itself is quite lightweight with a forged aluminium body and the cans are designed to be noise isolating to keep out background noises from entering. It also comes with an easily accessible mute button and interchangeable ear pads for convenience. Overall, the MH40s are really good headphones designed for those who enjoy listening to the texture and subtle notes in their music and are great for instrumental soundtracks.
The Pros & Cons
The Pros. Compared with the Shure SRH1540 headphones, the Master and Dynamic MH40B1s have superb sound transparency and bring out every single detail in the audio recording with pristine accuracy – everything is laid bare for your ears while listening to the MH40B1 and it does not attempt to mask the sound quality. They are also some of the most comfortable audiophile headphones we have tested.
The Cons. The MH40B1s, while producing crisp full-range sound, lack some of the soundstage and spaciousness that can be heard with the Sennheiser HD 800s. That is not to say that they lack soundstage, but rather that the soundstage is not as good as other high-end audiophile headphones we have tested.
Sound Performance
The sound performance of the MH40 audiophile headphones is exceptionally clear and detailed. We were particularly impressed by how well-balanced the sound from these headphones was – they can practically strip down the audio recording and allow you to listen to almost every single detail in the music which you might not have noticed before. The lows and lower-midrange frequencies are very well defined and do not muddy into the upper frequency bands. The bass response on the MH40 hits hard and has plenty of depth and does not sound overwhelming at all. The midranges are pristine and clear and do not sound abundantly bright or overemphasized. The highs and timbre ranges on the MH40s really shines and brings out the sparkle in the music with very crisp vocals. The timbre ranges sound very smooth without any harshness – cranking up these headphones to maximum volume did not produce any distortion as well. The sound signature of the MH40 headphones is slightly darker when compared to the SRH1540s and they have less soundstage as compared to the Sennheiser HD 800s, although they still provide really good soundstage and separation for a set of closed back headphones. The sound quality on the MH40 headphones is precise and never over exaggerated – everything sounds in place as it should be and balanced really well.
Design and Build Quality
The Master & Dynamic MH40 headphones look really sleek and premium – you can tell that the manufacturers put in a lot of effort into making these headphones look really aesthetically pleasing. The MH40 headphones include dual port, mute buttons, removable ear-pads, dual audio ports together with an in-line microphone; it also folds flat for easy storage. The headphones are made from a combination of steel and aluminium parts with the steel going on pressure areas for durability. The headphones are admittedly heavier than most headphones but are actually comfortable to wear due to the soft lamb skin ear pads – these ear pads conform ergonomically to your ear size and allow you to listen to these headphones for hours on end without feeling fatigued. The headphones also do not exert much clamping force and do not feel too tight, which is great. From an aesthetic and comfort perspective, the MH40 headphones really scores high points in this area.
The Verdict?
The Master and Dynamic MH40 headphones provide an impressive combination of sound clarity, comfort and aesthetics. While Master & Dynamic is certainly a new comer to the headphone game, they produce really quality products that deserve special mention. The MH40 looks and feels premium from the beginning, and are made of aluminium and steel for a comfortable fit. The soft lambskin ear pads are a vital factor to making these headphones so comfortable to wear for extended periods of time and provide relatively good noise isolation. Where the MH40 headphones shines is in its sound clarity and transparency – you would be able to pick up all the details in the audio recording and particularly for vocal and instrumental soundtracks. They excel at providing crisp highs and smooth timbre ranges. The sound signature of these headphones leans more towards the darker side. While the soundstage of the MH40 is pretty good, it is not as good as the Sennheiser HD 800s due to its closed-back design. That being said, we were very impressed with the immersive and rich sound quality from the MH40 headphones. We definitely recommend these audiophile headphones if you are into the classical or instrumental music-genres with great texture details and crisp vocals.
Be sure to check out our best audiophile headphones that deliver superb sound clarity and full-range sound performance.