After nearly a decade, Master & Dynamic has updated a classic. The company’s new ME05 wired earphones take the familiar formula from the original, like an elegant brass design with audiophile sound. But the new model is more compatible with today’s (headphone-jack-less) mobile devices with a bundled USB-C adapter (with DAC). Fortunately, the 2024 model costs the same $199 as its now-discontinued 2015 predecessor.
The updated ME05 has the same solid brass design and in-line volume remote as the old version. But Master & Dynamic says the new model has an “updated dynamic sound,” thanks to “acoustic refinements.” Some of that comes from a switch from 8mm titanium drivers in the 2015 original to high-excursion 8mm bio-cellulose in the 2024 model.
Maybe the most notable change in this generation is the inclusion of a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter with a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) for listening on modern mobile devices. The bundled DAC supports up to 32-bit / 384kHz resolution, which — unless you have Daredevil-esque super-hearing — should be way beyond what your ears can perceive.
The new ME05 comes with two sizes of foam ear tips and five sizes of silicone ones. Master & Dynamic says the tips provide an “impeccable fit and seal for a wide range of ear shapes.”
Another welcome update for our modern technology is an improved microphone setup. The company also promises clear calls, even in windy environments.
The 2024 Master & Dynamic ME05 is available to order today in a gold and black version from the company website. Two more colors (gunmetal / black and palladium / black) are up for pre-order today, too. The wired earphones cost the same $199 / €219 / £169 as their 2015 namesake.
Master & Dynamic
