We have looked at some very nice headphones over the years, and while many have offered impressive stereo audio performance, just about every set we have looked at was primarily designed to be used for video gaming. In this review we will be stepping away from the video game segment in order to look at a set of earphones primarily intended to be used for enjoying music. What we have is the Master & Dynamic ME01 earphones, one of three models of earphones that they now offer in their expanding lineup of premium audio devices.

In case you are unfamiliar with them, Master & Dynamic is a New York City based company that is focused not only creating devices that produce exceptional sound, but that also have a high end aesthetic. They were founded in 2014, and in just over two years have grown to offer a handful of headphones, earphones, and accessories intended to compliment their core offerings.



A quick glimpse of the ME01 headphones is shown in the promotional image above. The first thing that grabbed my eye is the understated, yet sophisticated aesthetic. The machine work on such small objects is definitely appealing, and I am hoping that this first impression carries over to the actual use of the earphones. Before taking a look at the set provided for review, let's cover some of the published data on the ME01's, as taken from the official product page on the Master & Dynamic website.

Features:

» Custom Neodymium Drivers: 8mm Neodymium High-Performance Drivers.
» Tangle Resistant: Rubber cables with oxygen-free copper.
» Machined Aluminum Body: Machined anodized aluminum body.
» Changeable Silicone Ear Tips: Four sizes included.
» Separate Remote & Mic: For increased vocal clarity and reduced noise.

Specifications:

» Model: ME01
» Dimensions: 23mm x 10mm
» Drivers: 8mm Neodymium
» Impedance: 16 ohms
» Weight: 16g
» Materials: Aluminum, rubber, silicone
» Cable: 1.20m
» Headphone Connection: 3.5mm standard plug
» Ear Coupling: In-ear monitor
» Microphone Type: Omni-directional
» Apple Compatibility: The remote and mic are supported only by iPhone 3GS or later, iPad, iPod touch
   (2nd generation or later), iPod classic (120GB, 160GB), and iPod nano (4th generation or later). The remote
   is supported by iPod shuffle (3rd generation or later). Audio is supported by all iPad and iPod models.

Not explicitly stated above or on the Master & Dynamic website is that their earphones are really targeted to just Apple device users. The list does indicate what Apple devices are compatible with the ME01 remote and microphone, but initially I did not read that as excluding other devices, just as a note that older Apple products would not work. You can plug them in to any device with a 3.5mm audio jack and enjoy great stereo audio, but the remote control is for modern Apple devices only... sorry Android users and owners of other digital media players.