Master & Dynamic MG20 Wireless Gaming Headset Review

Master & Dynamic are an audio brand renowned for their iconic luxury audio devices but until now didn't have a gaming headset that apparently, their loyal customers so badly needed. The new MG20 Wireless Gaming headset aims to meet that need and comes bearing all the hallmarks of an M&D headphone—exotic materials, sleek design, excellent audio, and a price tag that'll make you weak a the knees. 

Retailing for $449, this headset isn't for the faint of heart. On top of a high level of craftsmanship, you get dual USB 2.4Ghz wireless and Bluetooth multipoint connection, excellent audio, a great microphone, and genuine lambskin leather ear cups. Strangely missing is Active Noise cancellation which is common at this price.   

Few, if any gaming headsets can compare with the tasteful design and craftsmanship of the MG20. The MG20 looks very much like its WWII Aviator-inspired siblings and uses premium materials like Alcantara leather on the headband and light magnesium for the cups with lambskin leather ear cushions that make this an easy headset to wear for hours on end. 

The controls for the MG20 all live on the ear cups with buttons for power, pairing, 7.1 surround, mic mute, and anodized aluminum dial for mic gain on the left ear cup. On the right are the main headset volume dial and a multifunction button for your media and phone call controls. 

The quality craftsmanship extends to the detachable boom microphone, which has the same anodized aluminum finish as the main headset. The connector plug that goes into the left ear cup has the same textured finish as the volume dials too. The mic is very bendable and has a handy Mute LED by the mouthpiece and windsock to muffle your heavy breathing during comp matches. 

I was surprised how good this mic actually sounds with crisp, warm reproduction of my voice with great noise reduction. There’s an additional built-in beam-forming microphone for making phone calls when you're on the go though it doesn’t sound nearly as good as the boom mic.

Charging is done via a multipurpose USB Type-C port on the left cup which also doubles as the connector for the special 3.5mm cable for use with devices like the Xbox consoles. Battery life is rated for 22 hours but my experience was a bit under that at around 18-20 which is fine, but I expect at least 30 hours from such an expensive headset.

I have only good things to say about the sound, though. True to the Master & Dynamic name, the MG20’s are one of the best sounding headsets I've heard. It has a rich, balanced audio signature that isn't bloated on the low end like most gaming headsets. They sound fantastic in games thanks to their clean soundstage which makes pinpointing audio cues a breeze. 

I played a variety of games and was impressed with how the MG20 could pick out the tiniest of details in the midst of boomy battles. The open worlds of Zeta Halo or Novigrad sounded alive and rich with detail and depth. The MG20's built-in virtual 7.1 surround sound is similar to most implementations bar the extraneous software so it works even with the 3.5mm connection. 

While it didn't make a huge difference to my overall games immersion, it sounded more natural than other headset implementations. I even preferred listening to all my music in surround sound because the brighter, wider soundstage made my favorite scores and soundtrack sound like I was in a live concert hall which was kinda cool. 

But for all the praise to be piled on the MG20s, there are still some issues, particularly when it comes to connectivity. Setting up via USB and Bluetooth is a breeze but things get wonky when connected to two devices simultaneously. The audio often quit working randomly despite still being clearly connected to both devices. 

This also happened every time the headset went into standby to save battery when not in use. This resulted in several restarts and re-pairing, ultimately frustrating me enough to stop using multipoint connections altogether.

Hopefully, this is something that can be fixed with a firmware update. Speaking of which, firmware updates are done strictly via the extremely basic M&D mobile app which also offers just three lackluster EQ presets with no ability to customize your own. 

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Despite these issues, I really like the Master & Dynamic MG20 and will keep it as my main wireless headset for the foreseeable future. That said, at $450, it's not easy to recommend mostly because you can get similar features and performance in much cheaper headsets. Prime examples are the EPOS H3 Pro Hybrid and Steelseries Arctis 9, both of which cost almost $200 less. The MG20 is certainly a great headset but it's far from great value for money for most gamers