Master & Dynamic, Louis Vuitton Partner on True Wireless Earphones

For some, placing a monetary value on owning something with a premium name brand is simply impossible. However, a new partnership between renowned audio brand Master & Dynamic and the famed luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton, we at least have a starting point: $700. That’s the difference in price between M&D’s MW07 True Wireless Earphones that hit the market last fall and the Luis Vuitton Horizon Earphones announced late last week that are built around the same technology.

In a blog post, M&D explained that the product keeps consistent with the premium materials that are found in the MW07s, including PVD-coated stainless steel acoustic enclosures that house 10mm beryllium drivers that help to “produce Master and Dynamic’s warm signature sound.” Those earphones are listed on the M&D website for $299. Take those earphones, slap the infamous LV logo on them with a few unique and specially designed graphical treatments that remain true to the iconic fashion brand and you’re looking a price tag of $995.

Crazy? Absolutely. But for some, the thought of listening to acoustically amazing audio out of a pair of earphones that scream style might be worth the extra dough.

Beyond the earphones themselves, M&D upgraded the charging case—from a pure aesthetical perspective. As they describe it, the charging case “harmoniously mirrors” the shape of Louis’ Tambour Horizon watch, which these earbuds can link up to via Bluetooth. The case comes in white, hand-polished stainless, or black PVD-coated stainless steel depending on your earphone color choice. The case provides 10 hours of additional battery life for the earphones, which hold 3.5 hours of listening time on their own. Combined, if we’re going to get nitpicky, the 13.5 hours of listening time the LV earphones give you is actually a half-hour less than the stated 14 hours of total listening time you get with the MW07s and that charging case—which is pretty slick looking in its own right.

Other features of note with these earphones include voice assistant access through a physical button, Bluetooth 4.2 support that provides a range of more than 20 meters, and an IPX 4 splash proof rating.

The biggest takeaway from an announcement like this, though, is that it could open the door for other major brands who want to get in on the premium audio market. Of course, they’re not going to fool the audiophile out there who understands what these earphones, and others like them, are really like. But, for a certain set of consumers out there, a product like this—one that takes a normal product and adds a bit of fashionista flare to it—is something that would qualify as must-own. If Louis is willing to get into the audio game, who’s to say that a Coach, or Prada might not be far behind?

What We’re Reading

• If you were hoping to get an iPhone SE on clearance from Apple, you likely missed your chance. (Appleinsider)
• Was this sad, empty booth with a sleeping human a perfect metaphor for CES 2019? (Gizmodo)
• GoFundMe launches an official campaign for government employees affected by the shutdown. (TechCrunch)