With Master & Dynamic's ME05 earphones, quality is key

The ME05 is available in black rubber with brass metal and black rubber with palladium. For review purposes, we received the latter, a model which recently arrived on the market.

Unlike other earphones, the Palladium ME05 is machined from solid brass and then coated with a layer of durable, precious metal. Not surprisingly, this combination adds weight to the earphones.

The Palladium ME05 weighs 23 grams, compared to 18 grams for the Beats urBeats and 17.9 grams for Bose’s SoundSport. Interestingly, this added heft isn’t noticeable when wearing them and makes them feel more secure and yes, comfortable, in the ears.

The earphones themselves feature 8mm neodymium high-performance drivers and ship with two replaceable acoustic filters, four different earbud sizes to select from, a cable clip, polishing cloth, canvas earphone case, and leather storage box. The rubber cables are tangle resistant.

Headphones, as opposed to earphones, typically sound better. However, there are instances when wearing the latter is necessary, such as exercising.

Sounds from the Palladium ME05 are very good. As a former trumpet player, I credit the earphone’s solid brass for this, since the metal naturally helps isolate vibrations. In doing so, sounds are smooth, regardless of the style of music. This isolation also helps to minimize outside noise.

We were also impressed with the earphone’s remote and mic. Both work as expected.

Master & Dynamic’s ME05 earphones are high-quality and sound great. The newest model, the Palladium, adds even more quality to the mix.

The main drawback is the price. At $199, these earphones aren’t cheap, an important factor to consider for those who are prone to losing earbuds. Our advice: stick them in the case when not in use.

The ME05 is available for purchase through the Master & Dynamic website.